A piece of London is making its way to Phoenix, bringing Phoenicians a taste of downtown culture through artistic games, festivities and a very long dining table. London-inspired Feast on the Street, presented by the Arizona State University Art Museum and Roosevelt Row Community Development Corporation, comes to downtown Phoenix on Saturday, April 13, from 2 to 9 p.m.
The event is an urban harvest festival consisting of a half-mile long community dining table, paired with artist-driven street entertainment, demonstrations of sustainability and the chance to explore the heart of downtown Phoenix through locally-sourced foods and music.
The feast will be located on First Street between Moreland Street and Taylor Street. Guests will be entertained by roaming local musicians and the New Orleans-style Bad Cactus Brass Band will lead a parade. Headlining the main stage will be the Dry River Yacht Club and Cumbia-style Chicha Dust from Tucson.
The event will feature a variety of artists and interactive art, including Arizona artist Joan Baron, who will create table art installations using desert-indigenous creosote plants throughout the vast communal table.
Feast on the Street will host a Mobile Garden Parade and invite anyone with a green thumb to bring a small version of their garden in something portable (wheelbarrows, bike baskets, hats, buckets or something creative) to join in.
ASU’s Global Institute of Sustainability will produce compost demonstrations and ASU’s Advanced Special Management Program will host activities using indigenous plants and sustainable materials throughout. Guests will be able to play with palm fronds and natural dyes to create leaf prints and sunflower stalk frames.
Desert Initiative Director at the ASU Art Museum Greg Esser said Feast on the Street has its sights set on being a zero-waste event and being an educational effort.
“People will see compost and recycle bins throughout the event and we’ll have numerous demonstrations to encourage people to divert green waste from the landfill and create healthier soil for their gardens at home,” Esser said.
Fourth-generation Phoenix farmer and renowned Arizona artist Matthew Moore will create a massive salad using greens and vegetables provided by area farmers that are typically discarded due to their bruised appearance.
Entry to the Feast is free. The only cost is for grab-and-go food and drinks prepared by area restaurants or participating gourmet food trucks.
For more information visit http://feastonthestreet.org.
