Background
The 4th Avenue Street Fair is organized and put on by a local non-profit organization called The North Fourth Avenue Merchants Association (FAMA), the fair is Tucson’s largest community event. The Tucson 4th Avenue Street Fair foundation helps to further improve function and aesthetic values of the historic Fourth Avenue business district and surrounding neighbors, both comercial and residential.
Twice a year, Tucson’s trendy and cultural street, 4th Avenue, hosts two street fairs. These street fairs brings over 600,000 of locals and tourists. The tradition of local vendors marketing unique goods on 4th Avenue dates back to 1970. Local vendors have kept this tradition of marketing by attending the street fair twice a year. The 4th Avenue’s street fair takes place in the winter and spring. Hours of operation are from 10 am to dusk over a 3-day period. The 4th avenue street fair is free for the public to attend.
The 4th Avenue’s street fair welcomes all ages. There are fun and interactive activities are offered for children, such as, temporary tattoos, face painting, and other exciting productions. The fair vendors includes more than 400+ arts and crafts booths, various food cuisines and drink vendors, restaurants, live street musicians, and tons of fun for the whole family to enjoy. The 4th Avenue's street fair is one of Tucson's premier community events that brings together thousands of fair goers each year.
Nowadays, the street fair has grown into a large corporate event, with a lot of the tables being owned by outside merchants. It hosts mostly traveling craftsmen selling various arts such as pottery, paintings, wood working, metal decorations, candles, and many others.
Please note that animals are not permitted at the 4th Avenue Street Fair.
History and Importance To Local Community
Tucson's 4th Avenue became a commercial district following the 4th Ave Underpass in 1916.
Tucson's Fourth Avenue became historical and an available space that became a comercial district. In the 1920s-1930s, 4th Avenue met the requirements for neighboring communities which lead to Tucson's 4th Avenue becoming a "strip mall" for businesses to arrive moving to the suburbs, apart from the urban center.
From 1916-1967, the Tucson's district location supplied products that were sent by neighboring warehouses and the railroad, obligating students that attend the University, business workers, and neighborhoods.
In 1983, the non-profit organization of The North Avenue Merchant Association was created to help expand and evolve the development of Tucson's businesses and communities in the Historic 4th Avenue Business District.
The 4th Avenues 100th anniversary took place in 2016, The North Fourth Avenue Merchants Association summoned Poster Frost Mirto:
- Corky Poster
- Charles Pifer
- Jennifer Levstik
As well as, the City of Tucson (Jonathan Mabry), to elect Fourth Avenue's Commercial Historic District to the National register of Historic Places.
Today, Tucson's 4th Avenue commercial corridor has over 140 locally own businesses such as boutiques, restaurants, and bars are placed in these historic buildings.
Location: The Historic 4th Avenue Business District is northeast and next to downtown Tucson.
4th Avenue is encircled by many of Tucson's remarkable historic sites which has contributed to its residential area and commercial district.
The historic Fourth Avenue Street Fair Future Dates
4th Ave Merchant Association Sponsors
Vendors
Restaurant Vendors Include:
- Brushfire BBQ
- Brooklyn Pizza Company
Food Cuisines Include:
- Mexican
- American
- Asian
- Greek
- Indian
- Native American
Art Vendors Include:
- Tenderfoot Art
- Susie Larsson Jewelry Design
- Ellie’s Doll Clothes
- Wild Earth Sculpture
- Oldstone Studio
- Ancient Walls Inc.
- Robert Siegel Studio
- Dan Dee Silk
- The Hive Gallery
- Lapis Enterprise
- Lily Rose
- Just Coco
- And much more!
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Event Map
A list of exhibiting artist at the 4th Avenue Street Fair. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1x2vFG0X1gdj0UIPNpg6CHT-hSo58VQ3dBWGEGmHcvMo/pubhtml#
For more information about the 4th Avenue Street Fair please visit their main website: http://www.fourthavenue.org/fairs/general-information/
A guide on 4th Avenue's local restraunts and bars:
http://www.fourthavenue.org/wp-content/uploads/2005/09/2014-2015-restaurant-brochure-updated-4-16-151.pdf
Shopping on 4th Avenue:
http://www.fourthavenue.org/wp-content/uploads/2005/09/2015-merchant-brochure-final1.pdf
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