WELCOME TO ARIZONA
“ There is something for everyone [in Arizona] – world class resorts, backpacking or hiking in remote areas and family friendly communities. ”
4 million and includes the communities of Anthem, Avondale, Buckeye, Carefree, Cave Creek, Chandler, El Mirage, Fountain Hills, Gila Bend, Gilbert, Glendale, Goodyear, Guadalupe, Litchfield Park, Mesa, Paradise Valley, Peoria, Phoenix, Queen Creek, Scottsdale, Sun City, Sun City West, Sun Lakes, Surprise, Tempe, Tolleson, Tonopah, Wickenburg and Youngtown in Maricopa County. And, in Pinal County, communities include Apache Junction, Arizona City, Casa Grande, Coolidge, Eloy, Florence, Kearny, Mammoth, Maricopa, Oracle, Picacho, Picacho Peak, Red Rock, San Manuel, and Superior. PHOENIX’S ARTS SCENE: MUSIC, FILM, TV AND CULTURE The arts thrive in Phoenix, thanks in part to an active creative and civic community. For example, the City of Phoenix Office of Art and Culture is a great source of information on all things arts and culture, including theater and performing companies, music, art galleries, museums, dance and much more. The city’s Office of Arts and Culture offers many programs that continue to nurture and support the arts on a regular basis, including an Arts Grants program and Career Devel- opment grants, a Public Art program, a thriving community of Phoenix arts organization websites and partner agencies, and the monthly First Friday Artwalk that attracts residents and visitors alike to the city’s downtown art galleries. All total, more than 130 nonprofit organiza- tions provide arts and cultural experiences, including a symphony orchestra, opera and ballet companies, producing and presenting theater and dance organizations, art and history museums, a science center, zoo, botanical garden, and countless festivals.
In fact, there’s such a rich concentration of arts and culture spanning the city’s unique and interesting communities that there are major annual festivals in almost every Phoenix-area city. Take the family and explore the Arizona Renaissance Festival, the Arizona Scottish Highland Games, the Dia de los Muertos Festival, Matsuri – A Festival of Japan, the Native American Fine Art Invitational, the Scottsdale Arts Festival, the Scottsdale Culinary Festival, the Tempe Festival of the Arts, the Harvest Festival, the Family Cornfest and Arts and Crafts Fair, or Way Out West Oktoberfest! Museums and galleries celebrate Southwest art and culture, as well as classic art genres. The Phoenix Art Museum, which opened in 1959, is known for its diverse visual arts collection, including exhibitions and permanent collections that include such artists as Rembrandt, Norman Rockwell, Annie Leibowitz and Monet. The museum also includes more than 18,000 works of American, Asian, European, Latin American, Western American, modern and contemporary art, and fashion design. The Arizona Science Center in Phoenix features hands-on exhibits and a planetarium, and the Arizona State Museum is the oldest and largest anthropology museum in the Southwest. For a list of cultural and creative arts opportunities, visit www.visitphoenix.com/events. PHOENIX’S BUSINESS COMMUNITY Phoenix is also home to a thriving busi- ness community, with major private sector employers calling the city home, as well as corporate and regional headquarters for such well-known Fortune 500 companies as Avnet, Freeport-McMoran, Republic Services and PetSmart. Fortune 1000 companies that call the Phoenix area home include Swift
Transportation, Apollo Education Group, Sprouts Farmers Market and Pinnacle West Capital. In addition, many other major corporations have significant operations in the Phoenix metro area, including Intel, U-Haul International, Honeywell, and Boeing, to name a few. Phoenix is also among the nation’s fastest- growing regions and has been recognized for strong job growth and entrepreneurial environment, especially for aerospace, high-tech and bioscience companies. Not surprisingly, the local job market continues to grow at a steady rate. As of 2023, Moneygeek noted that Phoenix was one of “The Top Cities for U.S. Job Seekers in 2023.” The city also sported an unemployment rate below the national average of 3.4 percent. Arizona State University, the University of Phoenix, Grand Canyon University and the internationally recognized Thunderbird School of Global Management graduate school, located in nearby Glendale, also provide a talented and educated workforce and entrepreneur community. NATURAL BEAUTY – AND PLENTY OF OUTDOOR FUN The Phoenix area’s natural beauty is just another reason for the city’s appeal – and that has nurtured an active outdoor lifestyle, including beautiful places to swim, hike, cycle, boat, golf, and much more. and sports activities – and they certainly do, thanks to more than 325 days of sunshine each year, mean high temperature of 85 degrees, and just 7.66 inches average annual rainfall. It’s no surprise that golf is a big sport every- where in Arizona, including the Phoenix metro area. With more than 200 golf courses,
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