Festivus. The made up holiday introduced in a 1997 episode of "Seinfeld" by George Costanza’s father, Frank. It’s since gained something of a cult following to the point where it’s practically become a real holiday. It even involves an unadorned aluminum pole instead of a Christmas tree.
Downtown Phoenix celebrates its own version – spelled, of course, with a P-H-O-E prefix.
Now, to celebrate Phoestivus the Seinfeld way, of course you’ve got to have an airing of grievances, and then there’s the “feats of strength.” In Seinfeld, it involved wrestling, but here, Core Cross Fit takes it to the next level with challenges.
And the creators of Phoenix’s Phoestivus added their own tradition – local shopping. Phoestivus goers can buy a number of gifts, for whichever holiday.
The event started out with 25 vendors five years ago, said founder Ken Clark. Now, Clark said 130 vendors will be there over two nights, plus more than a dozen food trucks and they’re still creating new traditions.
"We had tonight the first ever Phoestivus ‘zero k’ race," he said.
So grab your sneakers and your grievances, because Phoestivus comes back Wednesday evening. You can join the celebration in the parking lot at the Phoenix Public Market on Central Avenue and Pierce Street.
