Chocolate Rave

A lot of people associate the main social and cultural scene of Tempe, Arizona with the old town area. This is basically the Mill Avenue region that leads from University Drive north to Tempe Town Lake. This is an incredibly popular tourist area and many locals and ASU students also enjoy spending weekend afternoons down in this heavily trafficked shopping, dinging, club and entertainment area. However, this is not the only part of Tempe that offers great opportunities for fun, cultural entertainment options such as festivals and music concerts and great dining venues. Tourists who visit this beautiful and geographical land locked town in the greater Phoenix metropolitan area can find plenty of activities and events through out the city. Information on this events is generally available at the lobby of one any of the Tempe hotels.

Meanwhile, Old Town Tempe does offer plenty of fun and adventure. The old Valley Art Theater complex has now become the home of MADCAP Theatre, which expands to represent the Mill Avenue District Community Arts Project. This organization has revitalized the Centerpoint district and now provides venues for live performances and lectures as well as other events. Film screenings and small independent festivals as well as meeting spaces and seminar halls are just a few of the numerous uses the new MADCAP organization will make of the space.

Another interesting feature of the Mill Ave, or Old Town, district is one of its historic landmarks that sits proudly at the northern border of Old Town. This is the large and easily recognizable Hayden Flour Mill. Plans for the buildings original purpose and construction were recently discovered and these date from 1917. An interesting revelation that came from this was that the mill was originally intended to be an elevator. Currently, people are only allowed to view the old building from a distance as there is no admission to it for touring or other purposes. The plans were found will be used to help with the renovation and rehabilitation of this Tempe landmark and its adaptation for new use.