Beam Us Up, Scottsdale

The pun "You Gotta Have Art," as true as it is glib, is the theme of this year's Scottsdale Arts Festival, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, March 10; the same hours Saturday, March 11; and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 12, at Scottsdale Center for the Arts, 7380 East Second Street, and Scottsdale Civic Center, 3839 North Civic Center Boulevard. Admission is $5, free for kids 12 and under and for members of Scottsdale Center for the Arts and Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art.

Joyce Cooling

Fruit

Rick Hubbard

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• Joyce Cooling
• Scottsdale Civic Center
• Scottsdale Center for the Arts
• Visual Arts
• Concerts and Tour Dates

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The schedule for the first festival, back in February of 1971, included such attractions as The Crucible at Arcadia High School, Bye Bye Birdie at Scottsdale High School, the Scottsdale Artists League Open Juried Show, held at Mayo's Home Furnishings on Scottsdale Road, and an Arizona Designer Craftsmen Sale at the Safari Hotel. It all sounds pretty quaint compared to the options this year. The schedule includes:

-- A performance by the Australian band Fruit, champs at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year, at 4 p.m. Saturday.

-- Live demonstrations of glass-blowing by Aunt Glady's Mobile Glassblowing Studio, all three days.

-- The sixth annual "Birthday Bash" by KYOT throughout the day on Sunday, featuring cake, appearances by on-air personalities, a "CD cover contest," and a performance by the guest headliner, smooth jazz guitarist and singer Joyce Cooling and the Joyce Cooling Band, at 3 p.m.

-- In the spirit of the current, Valleywide "Sites Around the City" project, the creation of an on-site work of environmental art can be viewed every day throughout the festival.

-- A kids' section, "Imagine Nation," sponsored by Wells Fargo and Fox 10 TV, featuring art activities and other fun stuff daily.

-- Wacky performances by "Kazoo King" Rick Hubbard, "who supplies the kazoos and the humor," on both Saturday and Sunday.

-- Tours of the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, including a daily "Family Gallery Hunt," and a chance to win a pretty cool prize: a trip to Kartchner Caverns.

No pets are allowed at the festival. Shuttle service is available. For details call 480-994-2787 (994-ARTS). Enjoy.