Vans Partners With Scottsdale Doughnut Shop, A Restaurant Auction, and More PHX Food News

It’s Friday. We have five bites of food and drink news to catch you up on the week’s events. Here comes your recap.

Vans Partners With a Scottsdale Doughnut Shop

Chin Up Donuts, the female-owned doughnut and coffee shop located at The Promenade (7325 East Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard, #103, Scottsdale), opened in November … and it’s already teaming up with Vans, guys. Owner Alex McEntire applied for Vans’ “Foot the Bill” initiative, a program launched by the skate shoe company to help out small businesses during the pandy. Chin Up Donuts was selected, and together they created a shoe and shirt. The net proceeds will go toward new Chin Up Donuts packaging and a mural by a local artist to go up in the shop. The gear is available till May 11 and can be found on the Vans website.

Restaurant Gear Online Auction

The Park, a beer garden and restaurant at 3 South Second Street, #114, in downtown Phoenix, closed during the pandemic, but its decorations will not be going to waste. There’s currently an online liquidation auction where you can buy items like the bar's walk-in cooler, stage lighting, the large fake trees that were inside, and even a collection of old-school video game consoles. The bidding ends at noon on Wednesday, May 12.

Eat and Drink at the Mother’s Day Celebration Station

In addition to all the dining deals and special menus going down for moms in this town, the Park West shopping center (9744 West Northern Avenue in Peoria) is hosting a food and drink-heavy pop-up this weekend. From 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 8, the Mother’s Day Celebration Station (aka the splash pad) will have treats from Mary’s Mountain Cookies, coffee from Bully Brew Co., and some non-edible treats (like potted succulents). This Peoria pop-up is free to attend.

Basha’s Family of Stores Going Nuts for Mother’s Day

Locations of Bashas’, AJ’s Fine Foods, and Food City stores are hosting some special events for Mother’s Day weekend. Bashas’ Supermarkets will be holding some strawberry-dipping demos in chocolate fountains from 3 to 7 p.m. this Saturday, May 8, and Sunday, May 9. AJ’s Fine Foods is hosting a chef-prepared Mother’s Day brunch on their patios from 8 a.m. to noon on Sunday, May 9. And Food City Supermarkets will be selling cheesecake paletas and chocolate-dipped strawberries from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 8, and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 9.

11th Annual Arizona Taco Festival Is On the Books

Hosting more than 50 restaurants, the Arizona Taco Festival has announced it will be held Saturday and Sunday, October 23 and 24, for its 11th year. Ticket holders can look forward to the Tequila Passport (or 10 tequila tastings from 100 different brands), Super Food Stations spotlighting six chefs from Valley Mexican restaurants, a chile pepper eating contest, and more. Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 21. General admission is $14 and the festival will go down at Salt River Fields (7555 North Pima Road in Scottsdale).