This is the first year that the GAFF came to Phoenix and for the most part, it was a good experience.
PROS:
*The festival was fairly small so it was easy to get around and have a chance to try out the foods you wanted.
*Rides and entertainment for kids.
*White Castle was there! Being an AZ native, it was cool to be able to finally try it out and many of the other attendees headed straight for it as soon as the gates opened. Clearly that was a hit.
*Re-entry. I know some people were frustrated at not being able to buy a one day pass, but I liked that the wristband was good for the whole three days. The price for a three day admission was fantastic since it was about what I paid for one day at other food festivals.
CONS:
*No signs directing traffic. I followed my GPS which literally lead me into the festival area where the trucks were at. Nobody was paying attention and I probably could have just parked and nobody would have noticed or cared.
*Weather- obviously the event planners can't predict the weather, but I would love to see the festival return in the Spring or early Fall when there is a very small chance that it will rain. We planned on spending several hours there, but left after trying only two trucks because it was pouring and forecasted to rain heavily on and off all day.
*Portion sizes- I would love to see the vendors offering scaled down portions to both lower prices and bit and keep people from filling up too fast. It's a food festival, people want to eat and sample!
Being that this was the GAFF's first year in a new area, I would definitely give it a second chance and hope for better weather!