Cochise Newsroom

Art, music and stargazing will come together at the Cochise College Douglas Campus as the college welcomes the community to its annual Pit Fire Pottery Festival on Friday, Nov. 6 from 3-9 p.m. 

 

This year's theme, "Constellations in Fire & Clay," brings together an evening of live music, cultural performances, art displays, handmade pottery, food and family-friendly activities. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome.

 

The festival's centerpiece will feature ceramic sculptures displayed across several fire pits. Visitors can walk among the displays, meet the artists and learn about their work before the pits are lit.

 

Pit firing is an ancient pottery technique in which artists place clay pieces in a pit and use fire to create distinctive colors and patterns. The process transforms each piece into a unique work of art.

 

The festival gives the community an opportunity to experience the creative process while celebrating the talents of Cochise College students and local artists.

Throughout the afternoon and evening, guests can enjoy performances by Mariachi Plata, folklórico dancers, the Diamond Creek Apache Crown Dancers and the band Dustoff.

 

The college's astronomy department will also provide telescopes for solar viewing in the afternoon and stargazing after dark, connecting this year's celestial theme with the wonders of the night sky.

 

Handmade pottery supports student scholarships

Guests can take home a piece of the festival while helping support student artists.

For a $15 donation, visitors will receive a handmade ceramic bowl valued at $36. Each bowl is part of a collection of 1,000 pieces created by a Cochise College student. Bowl sales begin after 4 p.m., with soup available beginning at 5 p.m.

 

Proceeds support art scholarships and student programs, helping students continue their education and pursue their creative interests.
The festival will also feature vendors, art displays and opportunities to support student artists. Scholarship recipients will be recognized during the evening's festivities, followed by the traditional pit fire lighting ceremony.

An evening of music, culture and stargazing

The festival schedule includes:

3-4:30 p.m.: Live music by Mariachi Plata
3-5 p.m.: Solar viewing through telescopes provided by the Cochise College astronomy department
4:30-5 p.m.: Folklórico dancers
5-5:30 p.m.: Crown Dance by the Diamond Creek Apache Crown Dancers
5:30-6:30 p.m.: Scholarship announcements and pit fire lighting ceremony
6-9 p.m.: Live music by Dustoff
7-9 p.m.: Stargazing through telescopes provided by the college's astronomy department

Everyone is invited.

The Pit Fire Pottery Festival will take place at the Cochise College Douglas Campus, 4190 W. Highway 80, Douglas.

 

Admission is free. Donations for ceramic bowls may be made by cash or credit card. Visitors are encouraged to bring cash for vendors, as no ATM is available on campus.

 

Attendees are also invited to bring nonperishable food donations for the Cochise Cupboard, the college's student food pantry.

 

The festival will take place rain or shine, although extreme winds or unsafe weather conditions may delay the pit fire lighting. Pets are not permitted, except for service animals. The event is drug-, alcohol- and tobacco-free.

 

Pit Fire Pottery Festival is supported in part by a grant from the Arizona Commission on the Arts, an agency of the State of Arizona.

For more information, visit www.cochise.edu/pitfirefestival .