The ninth annual Phoenix Pizza Festival is set to return to Hance Park on November 16 and 17. The event promises a weekend full of delicious pizza, local craft drinks, and live entertainment, making it a must-visit for food lovers.
This year’s festival will bring together about 7,000 attendees and feature 15 to 20 local pizza makers from across Arizona. They will offer pizza samples to guests, making it a perfect event for those looking to explore the Valley’s pizza scene.
Co-Founder David Tyda, who started the festival in 2014 with Lisa Duffield, explained that the event was created to celebrate the city’s love for pizza. “We wanted to celebrate our local pizza scene and host the event in Phoenix,” he said. They chose downtown Phoenix for its relaxed, picnic-like atmosphere.
The festival will showcase a variety of pizza makers, including Otra Pizzeria, Re Di Roma, Moon Pie, and Dough Riders, as well as newcomers like Gabeesh Italian Eats and Lumbre Pizza a La Lena from Tucson. Popular offerings such as Floridino’s famous pizza muffins and White Mountain’s pizza fries will also return.
Besides pizza, festival-goers can enjoy desserts from local food trucks, refreshing drinks from bars offering craft beer and wine, and other dishes like pasta, meatballs, and French fries.
Live music will add to the festive atmosphere, with eight local bands scheduled to perform, including Gnarwhal Jrz, The Deadbeat Cousins, and The Blood Feud Family Singers. The event is family-friendly, with activities like arts and crafts and lawn games for kids—and adults too.
The festival also supports a good cause. It partners with Downtown Phoenix Inc., a nonprofit that helps revitalize the city’s urban core. Proceeds from the festival will go toward funding initiatives to improve the local community.
“This is a great opportunity to try pizza from places that only do farmer’s markets or pop-up events,” Tyda said. “We’ve got Pizzicletta coming in from Flagstaff and Lumbre a La Leña from Tucson, blending Mexican and Italian flavors. I’m also excited about Moon Pie, which offers cracker-thin crust pizza.”
The Phoenix Pizza Festival will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, November 16, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, November 17. Tickets, priced at $16, are available online. For more information, visit the festival’s website.
Related Topics
- Chef Yann Gente Opens Pizzeria at The Gillygate Pub in York
- Papa John’s in Evesham Seeks Extended Opening Hours
- Pizza Market Sees Rapid Growth Driven by Flavor and Format Innovations
