Phoenix, the capital of Arizona, is a popular destination for people visiting the USA's southwest region. Known as 'Hoozdo' (or, colloquially, 'this place is hot') in the Navajo language, Phoenix is well-known for hosting various activities and festivals for the whole family to enjoy. One of its most popular festivals is the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market, held every year in March.
A tribute to America's Native American heritage, the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market is one of the nation's most popular American Indian Arts events, attracting visitors and participants from all corners of the country. The fair began in 1958 as a small community fair planned by volunteers at the Heard Museum; a well-established, Phoenix-based museum of Native American crafts from the 19th and 20th centuries. Now in its 29th year, the Indian Fair and Market draws over 600 of the finest Native American artists in the USA and attracts over 18,000 visitors.
At the Indian Fair and Market, participating artists sell their unique cultural items. Items on sale can include jewellery, clothing, textiles, pottery, beadwork and katsina dolls from native artists across America. What's more, participating artists are encouraged to enter the juried competition. To enter, artists may submit one work in a maximum of two categories; thereafter, judges will select a winner from more than 250 entries. Additionally, the 2007 Indian Fair and Market will see a silent auction in which more than 50 artists have donated special items, and guests to the ‘Best in Show Reception’ can bid.
However, the Heard museum Guild Indian Fair and Market is about more than just arts and crafts - the fair also incorporates music, dancing and native foods in its festivities. Visitors to the market will be able to sample traditional Native American dishes, including Hopi piki (a bread consisting of thin sheets of blue corn meal), pozole, Apache acorn soup and fry bread. As well as Native American food, a broad selection of Mexican and wider American fare is also available - so whatever your culinary taste, you're sure to find a delight to tickle your taste buds.
So, if you're thinking of visiting Phoenix for the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market, make sure you bring your entire family with you; with plenty of family hotels in Phoenix, accommodation won't be a problem. After all, the fair is essentially a time in which all the family can get together and appreciate the nation's unique past through a celebration of arts, crafts, music and food - so it should be enjoyed by Americans of all ages.
Andrew Regan is a freelance online journalist.
Source: www.isnare.com
