Photos by Cydney McFarland and Gabriel Radley
On Saturday Nov. 3, downtown Phoenix received a breath of life, and it smelled like pie. The Chow Bella/Roosevelt Row Pie Social started out as an event about food and evolved into a social experience that surpassed anything I have been a part of in my year and a half in Phoenix.
The dark yet joyous music of Tobie Milford floated above the crowd as people bustled around, clamoring to get a prized slice of pie made by some of the area’s finest chefs. The pies were exactly as delicious and quirky as one would expect from any downtown event, but that is the extent of resemblance between this and most other local events.
The energy was immediately palpable, and it was incredibly smooth. There was not the constant strain caused by the idea for a new Phoenix clashing with an old Phoenix location; instead, a rarely seen cohesion between the environment and the activity at hand set the social up for success. The use of the Ro2 Lot was stunning — it was beautiful and inviting in a way that future events must attempt to replicate.
Family, however, is what truly made this event shine. Seeing the movers and shakers of downtown relax and play Frisbee was refreshing, but seeing young families join in made this event feel like it was happening in the city Phoenix wants to grow into. Children were playing and screaming and expressing the kind of real joy that many adults should consider relearning how to feel. The number of families in attendance was astounding and inspiring.
A broader definition of family was also present in force. The young professionals and artists that usually make up the core of downtown social scene mingled with the families to create an environment that was reminiscent of a large family on Thanksgiving Day. An excellent example of the casual atmosphere created was when the grassy area, which was intended to be a croquet court, became an impromptu swing-dancing floor. The dance craze started off as a singular couple practicing flips and transformed into a group dance that left smiles on everyone’s faces. I even stepped in to attempt to learn a few basic steps.
One of the more striking moments was directly after the song I stumbled through ended — a woman approached me and complimented me for getting in on the fray. She is the perfect example of what everyone in downtown needs to be. Through the simple act of talking to a stranger with a welcoming tone, a person broadens and strengthens the community.
The power of a smile and words of encouragement is one of the greatest tools available to those looking to develop the Phoenix community. We are certainly in need of people who can deal with the law and paperwork, but kindness is a skill anyone can use to help their city.
This was not an event dominated by any specific scene. It was dominated by people who came together to enjoy life, the beauty of an Arizona fall and some tasty pie, and that is the kind of gathering Phoenix desperately needs more of to become the city I believe it is on its way to being. As one of my friends who also attended said, “This event made me see Phoenix in a new light. I love this city now.”
Gabriel Radley is a criminology and criminal justice sophomore at the College of Public Programs, vice president of Barrett Leadership and Service Team Downtown, founding member of the Student Residential College Advisory Board and an active member of ASU Downtown Alive!
