The Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce has announced an alternative date for the spring Fountain Festival of Fine Arts and Crafts. In a statement released on Friday, Jan. 8, Chamber officials announced that the new dates for the festival will be April 9-11, 2021.

The alternative date comes after Mayor Ginny Dickey invoked an earlier executive order by Governor Doug Ducey allowing local authorities to limit the size of permitted special events in town to no more than 50 people (see separate story).

“We are optimistic and confident that after the success of our November show, that we can produce events such as the Fountain Festival in a safe way,” said Paige Lorentzen, the Chamber’s Events and Marketing Manager.

Dickey confirmed the town has been in discussions with the Chamber for staging the Fountain Festival on an alternative date.

“We discussed several dates and some location options they were looking at, if they wanted the original dates,” Dickey said. “Rachael (Goodwin, TOFH Community Services Director) and Betsy (LaVoie, Chamber CEO and President) had to check if April 9-11 would be in conflict with other events in Town or the Valley, and if not, Betsy would bring it to the (Chamber) Board.”

Dickey confirmed the April dates had been approved. This is contingent on the Town being able to lift the ban on larger events by that date.

“This agreement to postpone was a collaborative effort, with the goal of doing what was best for everyone,” Dickey said. “A majority of vendors preferred postponement. Perhaps the Fair will be even more successful since residents, visitors and participants may be more comfortable attending.”

The new event date for the Fountain Festival also coincides with the Town’s Fountain Hills Music Festival. Many other events around the Valley have been postponed until March, indicating a strong predictor that an April event date would be safe.

“The Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce is a leader when it comes to having safe, smart events, and we believe they greatly benefit not just those involved in the art show, but our local businesses, non-profits, and even town,” LaVoie said.

The Chamber is also in the process of confirming a backup location for the event in case Town restrictions are still in place.

“Our neighbor and community member and partner, We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort, has been wonderful in working with us as a possible backup option for the event,” LaVoie said.

We-Ko-Pa has been the venue for many large-scale events such as Orme Dam Victory Days and even Fountain Hills Oktoberfest.

The Fountain Festival in April will have the same layout and features as the November 2020 show. The event will take place April 9-11, 2021 from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. each day, with the event ending at 4 p.m. on Sunday. Art show booths will occupy both sides of the Avenue of the Fountains and Saguaro Boulevard in downtown Fountain Hills.