History

The concept from the beginning was to stage a family-friendly community event similar to a neighborhood block party which would appeal to both the visiting fans, the locals and be the biggest New Year’s Eve party in the area. The concept was presented to the Fiesta Bowl Board of Directors for approval, leading to the Tempe Fiesta Bowl Block Party becoming an official Fiesta Bowl event.  

The first event was held in Downtown Tempe within the blocks surrounding City Hall – Mill Avenue to Myrtle Avenue and Fifth Street to Sixth Street.  Approximately 5,000 people attended and enjoyed four stages of local entertainment headlined by the “Dancing Grannies of Sun City,” food and beverage booths.  The event only went to 10:00 p.m. and ended with a fireworks display.

Between 1984 and 1988, the event grew under the direction of the first Block Party Committee Chair, Sherry Henry (who would go on to serve as the first female Fiesta Bowl Chairman of the Board in 1994). Under Henry’s direction, along her husband, Mick Henry and the Fiesta Bowl’s volunteers, the Block Party became a fantastic success. 

With the growth of the Fiesta Bowl Block Party came challenges and by 1988, the event had expanded dramatically in size and required more then volunteer leadership.  As a result, the Mill Avenue Merchants Association (producers of the annual Tempe Festival of the Arts) assumed the management of the Fiesta Bowl Block Party.  Under MAMA’s leadership the Fiesta Bowl Block Party continued to prosper.  

As the Fiesta Bowl Game grew in stature, the Fiesta Bowl Board of Directors made a major decision in 1996 to change the status of the Fiesta Bowl Block Party from a Community Event to a Signature Event that would be produced by the Fiesta Bowl Staff along with the army of Fiesta Bowl volunteers.

In 1996, the Fiesta Bowl sold the title sponsorship to Tostitos and kicked off a major New Year’s Eve Celebration that rivaled some of the largest events in the country, bringing in major headline bands LeAnn Rimes, the Monkeys and one of the hottest bands in the country, Arizona’s own Gin Blossoms.  

One of the most memorable events in the Fiesta Bowl Block Party history was massive Tostitos chip drop at midnight, similar to the ball drop in Times Square in New York City.  Even though the chip drop was only produced for two years, the buzz still remains.

The Fiesta Bowl Block Party continued to grow in size and stature and in 1999 (The Millennium Year) the event expanded to the newly open Tempe Beach Park. Sugar Ray graced the main stage in Beach Park, and Bill Idol, playing his first concert in over eight years, was featured on the other main stage. 

From 2000 to 2008, major national acts continued to perform at the Fiesta Bowl Block Party along with the best in local entertainment. Always trying to stay current and entertaining, the Fiesta Bowl Block Party brought in acts that were different and exciting including freestyle motocross jumping, dueling pianos, air guitar competition and a legends of rock mini museum.

One the constants of the Fiesta Bowl Block Party, is the yearly change to the downtown landscape. 2009 brought one of the biggest changes ever: the light rail. The Light rail went through the middle of the downtown, and so the decision was made to move the entire Fiesta Bowl Block Party back into the downtown area after a ten year hiatus.   

With the Doobie Brothers playing “Takin’ It To The Street” the Fiesta Bowl Block Party hosted one of the most successful New Year’s Eve and started a new tradition of confetti blast at midnight on Mill Avenue.  

Now heading into its 27th year, the Fiesta Bowl has grown into an enormous event with nearly 100,000 expected guests. Many people say there is only one word to describe the Fiesta Bowl Block Party: SPECTACULAR!