The Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance (SAACA) is bringing the Spring Festival of the Arts back to the Oro Valley Marketplace this St. Patrick’s Day Weekend, March 16 & 17, 2024. The festival will host over 150 artists and exhibitors spanning all mediums, food vendors, live Celtic music and cultural dance performances on the main stage, inflatable art installations, a kid’s crafting station, beer and wine garden, bagpipers, and more.
Unique to this iteration of the Spring Festival of the Arts is a Celtic theme, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day Weekend. Roving bagpipers will entertain with traditional Irish songs throughout the festival grounds while live Celtic music and cultural dance performances will excite on the main stage.
A variety of food vendors will be on-site to satiate hungry on-goers, including Cactus Jack Lemonade, Col. Mustard’s & Mr. Ice Guy (Hot Dogs & Italian Shaved Ice), Gus’s Gyros and Lemonade (Gyros, Cheesesteaks, & More), Ricuras de Venezuela (Venezuelan Cuisine), San Francisco Chocolate Factory (Candy Apples, Chocolate, & More), Oh Wow Mini Donuts (Donuts & Coffee), and Be Crepeful (Crepes).
Attendees can preview artists online in advance of the festival, with the launch of SAACA’s online vendor database and artist highlights at: https://www.saaca.org/orovalleyspringfestivalofthearts.html
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
• 150+ Artisan Booths
• Live Celtic Music and Dance Performances (see schedule below)
• Kids’ Crafting Station
• Inflatable Art Installations
• Interactive Arts Experiences
• Beer and Wine Garden
• Bagpipers
• Local Food Vendors
LIVE MUSIC SCHEDULE SATURDAY, MARCH 16
• 11:00am – The Out of Kilters (Irish)
• 12:00pm – Dunnóg (Irish)
• 1:00pm – Celtic Steps (Celtic Dance)
• 2:00pm – Saguaro City Music Theatre
• 2:30pm – Kids Unlimited (Choral and Dance)
• 3:45pm – NOLAtude (New Orleans Jazz)
SUNDAY, MARCH 17
• 10:00am – Saguaro Stompers & Sonoran Sol Cloggers
• 11:00am – The Wild Swans (Irish)
• 12:00pm – Púca and the Wild Ones (Irish)
• 1:00pm – Saguaro City Music Theatre
• 1:45pm – Miss Olivia and the Interlopers (Rock / Blues)
INTERACTIVE ARTS EXPERIENCES
• Lucky Cat Social – Kids Crafting Activities
• Comic Bookmobile
• Facepainting
• Inflatable Art Installation
• Sonoran Glass Display
Oro Valley Spring Festival of the Arts When: Saturday, March 16 – 10am-5pm; Sunday, March 17 – 10am-4pm
Where: Oro Valley Marketplace, 12155 N Oracle Rd, Oro Valley, AZ 85737
Cost: FREE ADMISSION
Online: https://www.saaca.org/orovalleyspringfestivalofthearts.html
Phone: (520) 256-9162
About the Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance
The Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance (SAACA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the creation, preservation and advancement of the Arts. SAACA strengthens the bonds between people, place and purpose through collaborative, arts-driven experiences. SAACA (formerly the Greater Oro Valley Arts Council) was created to develop cultivated programming that spotlights local creatives and celebrates unique culture, while providing direct opportunities for artists to make and sell their work.
To date, SAACA has created over 200,000 arts-driven experiences, from innovative community festivals and cultural celebrations to creative sector development, and accessible arts enrichment programs. SAACA continues to grow in footprint and in impact while working to pursue the mission of strengthening the bonds between people, place and purpose. www.saaca.org
About the Oro Valley Marketplace
Oro Valley’s open-air shopping, dining, and entertainment destination is at the corner of Oracle and Tangerine Roads. Visit a variety of specialty shops and national brands, popular restaurants to suit every appetite, and Century Theatres Movie Theatre, all surrounded by exquisite mountain views.
On select evenings, you can experience live music at the Oro Valley Concert Series in collaboration with the Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance (SAACA), and on weekends for seasonal art festivals, car shows and more. Oro Valley Marketplace is where the community comes together!