The award-winning Scottsdale Arts Festival will be taking place on March 9 through March 11 at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. One of the Center’s biggest annual productions, the Festival will present the works of almost 200 artists from all around the country and North America. Since the Festival started in 1971, it’s been recognized as one of the best and wide-scale fine arts events in the Valley. The artists are hand-selected by a jury and include all of the following mediums: ceramics, digital art, drawing/pastel, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and wood. You can experience all the original works of art, or participate in the on-site and online auctions (whose proceeds benefit the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.) This year’s live entertainment has been kicked up a notch with shoes at the Amphitheater, the Fountain Stage, and the entrance to the Festival. Look forward to the hearing the tunes of local bands like Zachary Scot Johnson, Sara McAllister Band, Bad News Blues Band, The Big Fellahs, Tesoro, and Elvis Before Noon in and around the festival grounds. In addition to all of this, the Festival will include a series of interactive art workshops to attend. Expert artists teach you the tricks of their trade and give ideas and inspiration for all kinds of painting, visual journaling, and writing projects. Grab a bite to eat on the way at one of the dozen gourmet food trucks like Buzznbeez Good Food, Epic Hot Dogs, or Luncha Libre. The three-day festival is a must-attend for Valley art lovers who want to get a taste of what’s happening in art around the country. Single day tickets cost $7 and a four-ticket package for the whole family costs $18. scottsdaleartsfestival.org