Fiesta Bowl
Official home of the BCS National Championship Game, Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, Insight Bowl and Festival of College Football
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Fiesta Bowl Block Party History
The Block Party was conceived in 1984 by the Tempe Chamber of Commerce, which was looking to become more involved with the Fiesta Bowl and its Festival of College Football. As a Parade float sponsor for many years, the Chamber was an avid supporter of the Bowl and wanted to incorporate its pageantry within Tempe. Upon exploring the Fiesta Bowl Festival calendar, the Chamber discovered that there was no planned event on New Year’s Eve, and thus the Block Party was proposed. The concept from the beginning was to stage a family-friendly event similar to a neighborhood block party which would appeal to the visiting fans and people of all ages, and be the biggest New Year’s Eve party in the area. Other “block party” formats were investigated and the various components of entertainment, family fun and fireworks became the outline for the event. That same year, 1984, the concept was approved by the Fiesta Bowl and the Tempe Fiesta Bowl Block Party was held. The first event was held in Downtown Tempe within three 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 and a fireworks display at 10:00 p.m. Between 1984 and 1986 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 with that of her husband, Mick Henry, and the Fiesta Bowl’s volunteers, the Block Party became a fantastic success.
By 1988, the event had expanded dramatically in size. As a result, the Mill Avenue Merchants Association assumed the Block Party planning responsibilities and the Fiesta Bowl became an event sponsor. In 1996, the Fiesta Bowl regained primary control over the event when the Board of Directors saw an opportunity to expand upon it. The result was a 1996 New Year’s Eve event that was a tremendous success, due in large part to the national headlining acts such as LeAnn Rimes, the Monkees and Arizona’s own Gin Blossoms, who graced the main stage until midnight. Today, the Block Party continues to grow and currently features more than 30 local bands on 10 stages including national headlining acts, fireworks displays, beer gardens, dueling pianos, street performers, a carnival and so much more. The event has also grown in size with more than 100,000 annual attendees encompassed within the Mill Avenue District. In the years ahead, the Block Party will continue to experience some exciting changes.
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