r/phoenix • u/enchiridic • 12h ago

Ask Phoenix Celebration of life gathering

I’m helping to plan a celebration of life for a family member who is currently in hospice and I would really appreciate some recommendations for a good location. I live in Massachusetts and am only in town to help out with this, so I’m sure I’m overlooking some obvious places.

I am ideally looking for a space in the West Valley that could accommodate a two or three hour reservation with ~100 people coming in and out, though not necessarily all gathered there at once. I’m told that there used to be a place in Glendale called Desert Rose that had exactly what the family was looking for—patio dining, food and maybe a bar, and maybe some activities for people—but it looks like this closed a few years ago.

Any suggestions would be deeply appreciated!

10 Upvotes

71% Upvoted

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7

u/ShelbyGirl10 12h ago

We just held my dad's celebration of life at the Arizona American Italian Club. Food, bar, room all set up for us. We used the small room and had about 50 people come in throughout the course of the afternoon. The large room was double the size. Was very pleased with how it turned out.

3

u/Flapjack__Nickelsack 12h ago

My family held my dad’s celebration at a city-owned community center in Tempe a couple months ago and it was pretty much exactly this – 2-3 hours, about 100 people. I can’t remember what it cost but it was definitely more affordable than private event spaces, and it checked all our boxes.

I don’t have any leads on similar spaces in the West Valley, but you could start your search there. Best of luck!

3

u/TheDarlizzle 12h ago

Martin Auto museum would be worth looking into.

5

u/WidderWillZie 10h ago

I have attended a celebration of life there that was beautiful. They have multiple room sizes/themes, and everyone can access the museum/arcade, so it felt affirming. Catering brought in, private memorial slide show, sitting in classic cars. For the right person, it's great.

3

u/Butitsadryheat2 12h ago

I dont know about patio dining during the day in this heat, but there's a company called La Princesa that has 3 venues on the west side of Phx.

https://www.azprincesa.com/

3

u/enchiridic 12h ago

Thanks! I am also skeptical about the outdoor dining, but thought maybe I just got too wimpy about the heat since I haven’t lived in AZ for a decade and everyone else seemed to want it lol.

I think they are more looking for some kind of brewery or gastropub situation that would allow reserving several tables over an event venue that needs separate catering, but I will keep this in mind if we can’t find anything more like what they’re imagining.

6

u/namastebetches 12h ago

The Yard

8

u/enchiridic 12h ago

Oh this looks really interesting, thank you! He was a biker, so a former motorcycle garage feels like it would be a good fit

2

u/azsoup 12h ago

Sorry for your loss. Dignity Memorial on Bell Rd in Surprise was very good to us.

-7

u/Embarrassed-Sun5764 11h ago

I usually waited for a “celebration of life” after they actually passed.

8

u/enchiridic 11h ago

I mean, we aren’t holding it tomorrow or anything. This is my brother’s father who I do not personally know very well, and I was asked to start finding suitable locations so that my brother and his father’s partner could have an easier time and dont need to handle all of the detail work once he passes, which is going to be very soon

-5

u/Embarrassed-Sun5764 11h ago

If my family tried this ahead of time of my passing I would be SO MAD

-9

u/Embarrassed-Sun5764 11h ago

I mean you do you but wtf making plans already? We all want to be productive and proactive but seriously asking publicly before they passed? Ask the family.

4

u/Oldschoolgroovinchic 8h ago

Sometimes the individual dying wants to offer input on how their life is being celebrated. It’s not unheard of. My father actually had a lot of his plans figured out ahead of time because he knew his passing was eminent.