Walk the Red Carpet at The Arizona Biltmore

For nonstop entertainment from Memorial Day through Labor Day, walk the red carpet and enjoy the “Hollywood & Wine“ festival with celebrity bands and winemakers, movie screenings, theater productions, and a special spotlight on culinary creativity at the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix.

The Bacon Brothers kickoff the festivities this Memorial Day weekend with live concerts on Saturday, May 29 and Sunday, May 30th.  The popular folk and blues duo have been playing for 14 years and feature actor Kevin Bacon of Footloose, JFK and A Few Good Men fame and his brother Michael, a music composer for film and television.  Tickets are only $15 each and can be purchased online.

The walk of fame continues with “Shakespeare at the Biltmore.” The Southwest Shakespeare Company will present two classic productions at the resort – The Comedy of Errors by William Shakespeare and Blithe Spirit by Noel Coward.  

The Comedy of Errors tells the story of two sets of identical twins that were accidentally separated at birth. When the characters encounter each others friends and families, a series of wild mishaps based on mistaken identities lead to total chaos.  In Blithe Spirit a socialite and novelist invites an eccentric medium and clairvoyant to his house to conduct a séance, hoping to gather material for his next book. The scheme backfires when he is haunted by the ghost of his annoying and temperamental first wife who attempts to disrupt his marriage to his second wife who cannot see or hear the ghost.

The performances are June 3, 4, 5 and June 10, 11 and 12.  Tickets are $30 each, or $50 for a “Festival Ticket” to both shows.  If you’d like to make an occasion out of the play, Dinner & A Show packages include show tickets and your choice of a three-course menu in the new Frank & Albert’s or a four-course menu in Wright’s at The Biltmore.  Tickets and the dinner and show packages can be purchased online.

It’s important to note that Memorial Day weekend marks the kick-off of summer rates throughout The Valley– so you can reserve a room starting as low as $119 at the Arizona Biltmore. They offer a Memorial Day weekend full of fun with Dive-in Movies at the Paradise Pool, Wine Tasting with a featured Celebrity Winemaker and an array of activities for kids and adults alike. 

If you’re not familiar with this beautiful landmark then let me give you a little background.  The Arizona Biltmore opened in 1929 and today is still recognized for its distinctive Frank Lloyd Wright architectural style, luxurious facilities and storied history as a playground of the rich and famous.

Lawn Chess at the Arizona Biltmore

What I like about the Biltmore is its stately manner.  You feel as if you’ve stepped back in time when life was simple, yet elegant.  I love the details in all the décor, both inside and out; the “Biltmore Block,” which are pre-cast concrete blocks made of indigenous materials feature a geometric pattern said to represent a freshly cut palm tree, eight sparkling pools with decadent cabanas and life-size lawn chess on their lush lawns.  It’s a bit of a wonderland made up of 39 acres located at the foot of the Phoenix Mountain Preserve that is sure to please any visitor or vacationer.

Whether you’re seeking fame, or you’re just a fan of fun, the spotlight is on Arizona Biltmore this summer.

The Arizona Biltmore
2400 East Missouri Avenue, Phoenix (map)
602-955-6600

Photos courtesy of flickr and Arizona Biltmore