TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The 56th Annual Fourth Avenue Winter Street Fair concluded Sunday in downtown Tucson, drawing more than 350,000 visitors.
It's recognized as one of the premier community celebrations in the Southwest, featured over 350 artists from around the world showcasing original food and handmade art.
For many attendees like Aileen Sullivan, the fair has become a cherished tradition spanning decades.
"I've been coming here since I was a little girl. I've been coming every year for 40 years," Sullivan said.
Sullivan left the fair with several purchases, including Hawaiian donuts, bath salts with essential oils, and a University of Arizona ornament for her niece who is studying abroad in Barcelona.
While she acknowledges the fair can be costly, Sullivan believes the prices reflect the quality and craftsmanship of the items.
"I feel like the street fair is expensive but it's people's labor and love poured into it, so it's worth it," Sullivan said.
Among the vendors, Julia and Tom Kuhn travel from Glendale, Arizona, to showcase their business, Creative Iron Patio. This was their fourth year participating in the street fair.
Their booth featured metal art pieces made from cold-rolled steel that the family cuts, welds, and paints together. They even do custom pieces.
"My husband designs all this metal art. It is all cold-rolled steel. He cuts it, we weld it, my daughter and I and a few other girls paint it. We use an automotive paint, what's used to pinstripe cars for color. So these pieces can go outside in direct sunlight 7-8 years," Kuhn said.
The family business has developed a loyal customer base, with returning buyers like Michael and Donna Schumacher, who purchased a $350 piece during this year's fair.
"If you can afford it, you buy it and fortunately this year, we can afford it," Donna Schumacher said.
Kuhn acknowledged that rising material costs does affect pricing. However, she said the business adapts to these changes while trying to keep pieces affordable.
"Pieces have gone up, metal has gone up, yes. But we figure it out. You know for now if it's a few dollars on a piece here, few dollars on a piece there, we're okay with that," Kuhn said.
Creative Iron Patio offers items ranging from small butterflies for $14 and suns for $26 to larger pieces that can cost up to $750.
For some customers, the price is nothing but a number.
"Prices are funny. You pay, you know, if it hits your heart, it doesn't matter what the price tag is, right?" Donna Schumacher said.
The Fourth Avenue Spring Street Fair will take place March 20-22.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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Vanessa Gongora is KGUN 9's Westside reporter.. Vanessa fell in love with storytelling by growing up in sports. She was fascinated by how sports reporters go beyond the x's & o's to tell players' stories, and how sports bring people together, inspiring Vanessa to provide the same impact as a journalist. Share your story ideas and important issues with Vanessa by emailing vanessa.gongora@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and X.
