Community, Recreations and Attractions
Tempe is the definition of a city filled with cultural venues, art and entertainment. Along with almost any cuisine imaginable, the city is full of offerings, many of the options found in much large, more populated economic centers.
Among the long list of cultural venues, some include the Edna Vihel Activities Building, in the city’s Community Center complex, which opens its doors to participation in the arts to children and adults offering classes in the visual and performing arts.
The Tempe Historical Museum collects, preserves and exhibits aspects of Tempe’s history. The Tempe Symphony Orchestra presents four free annual concerts at Boyle Auditorium in McClintock High School. The orchestra, formed in 1973, is composed of approximately 80 musicians.
Arizona State University contributes to Tempe’s cultural scene with the famous Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Grady Gammage Memorial Auditorium.
Downtown Tempe can stand on its own as a cultural center, too. The Spring and Fall Festivals of the Arts draw nearly 250,000 people respectively. Visitors may take in art, food and free live entertainment. The events are held the first weekend of December and March and are the second-largest juried art festivals in the nation.
Childsplay is a professional company of adult actors perform for young people. Founded in 1977, the group has performed for more than 750,000 children and adults throughout the Southwest and is housed in the Tempe Performing Arts Center in downtown Tempe.
Additionally, the award-winning parks and recreation department hosts more than 1,200 acres in 47 parks and facilities including two 18-hole golf courses.
Baseball comes to town every February as the Los Angeles Angels practice and play spring training games at Tempe Diablo Stadium.
Tempe also is the home to college football’s annual Fiesta Bowl.
Additionally, there’s biking, kayaking, canoeing, skating and picnicking.
Demographics
Tempe is in Maricopa County and has population estimated at about 160,000 people.
The median income for a household in the city is about $43,000, and the median income for a family was $55,000
Men had a median income of $36,400 versus $28,600 for women.