20 Dec 28th, 2023–Jan 3rD, 2024 phoenixnewtimes.com PHOENIX NEW TIMES | NEWS | FEATURE | FOOD & DRINK | ARTS & CULTURE | MUSIC | CONCERTS | CANNABIS | Looking Back The biggest moments in Phoenix culture in 2023. BY JENNIFER GOLDBERG A nother year is behind us, and we’ve got plenty of things to look back at. In 2023, plenty of things happened in the culture of Phoenix, from nationwide trends showing up in town to marquee sporting events and some fond farewells. Here are some of the biggest cultural moments in Phoenix in 2023. The big game Winter in the Valley, which always includes the Barrett-Jackson collector car auction, the WM Phoenix Open golf tournament and Cactus League spring training, is invariably an exciting time for us residents. Add the Super Bowl in on top of it, and you’ve got a recipe for fun and chaos, which is exactly what we got in February. Anticipation about hosting the Super Bowl had been building for months by the time the circus came to town (and we’re talking about the thousands of visitors and the media frenzy, not just the Shaq’s Fun House carnival-themed party). And the weeklong festivities didn’t disappoint. In every corner of the Valley, there were parties, concerts and festivals attended by everyone from A- to Z-list celebrities and football fans from across the country. We know it’ll be several years before Phoenix gets to host another Super Bowl, but honestly, we can’t wait. Let’s go, D-backs And speaking of championships, our Arizona Diamondbacks nearly brought one home to us this year. The ride from the wild card race to Game 5 of the World Series was a wild one indeed, and one that few fans saw coming. But Arizona sports fans love a good playoff run, and we jumped in with both feet to root, root, root for the home team. Though the D-backs didn’t pull it off, the fan base seemed unusually serene and gracious about loss, like we knew that in this case, just to get this far was a gift. Final seasons The 2023-24 performance season repre- sents a curtain call for two longtime Phoenix arts professionals. In March, the Phoenix Symphony announced that Tito Munoz, the Virginia G. Piper Musical Director, would complete his 10th and final season on Aug. 31, 2024, after Geoffrey Pixley, Orlando Barrera and Tommy Shorr don their D-backs luchador masks at a World Series watch party outside Chase Field. (Photo by Aaron Soto) The Super Bowl took over the Valley in February. (Photo by Benjamin Leatherman) ▼ Arts & Culture >> p 22
