Sedona News: A food festival like no other is slated for this fall in Sedona, Arizona. The first-ever Mystical Pizza Festival, hosted by chef-owner Lisa Dahl, will celebrate the grand opening of her second Pisa Lisa location in Sedona’s Village of Oak Creek with a three-day hyper-local pizza party.
From Friday, September 16 through Sunday, September 18, The Mystical Pizza Festival promises to showcase out-of-this-world pizza. plus special rituals to spread goodwill across the hospitality industry.
“Our mystical pizza fest gives me the chance to share my passion for pizza, family, friends, and my beloved home of Sedona, while channeling energy to spread goodwill to the entire hospitality industry beyond the Red Rocks,” says Dahl. “Our vision is to launch our new Pisa Lisa restaurant with an event that our entire community can enjoy. The weekend’s activities will feature some of our area’s most talented healers and entertainers—this will be a blast. If ever there was a perfect Sedona blast, this will be it. We just might turn it into an annual event!”
Mystical Pizza Fest will kick off with an invite-only celebration Friday evening with a flying saucer unveiling, drum ceremony conducted by Sabrina Sandoval, surprises from roving magician and Yo-Yo Master Michael Steele, a pizza dough ribbon cutting ceremony and a special blessing from Havasupai Medicine Man, Uqualla, over the mosaic covered Mugnaini pizza ovens to honor the hospitality community as a whole. Wine and pizza will be served under the moonlight, which will supply energy throughout the festival. The Mystical Pizza Festival weekend carnival will feature a variety of attractions including Orgone Knights’ crystal healing pyramids curated to turn negative energy into positive energy; sound therapy, chair massages, and red light therapy from Sedona Infinity Spa & Wellness Center’s Gigi Rock; imaginative creations from Silhouette artist Kevin Overhulser; and readings into the future via Astrologer Valentina Leshyk, Madam V.
The festival is pet friendly, with a special doggie meatball tasting plus the option for very special pets by Lori Lane from Raven’s Call Healing Center who will provide pets with reiki, animal massages and sound healing. Guests are encouraged to dress in “strictly mystical attire” and come ready for photo-ops with the giant pizza themed photo stand in-board designed by local artist Ann Rhinehart.
Pisa Lisa first opened in West Sedona in 2013 and instantly became a must-visit destination and a fixture in the community for wood-fired thin crust pizzas and gelato. Pisa Lisa Village of Oak Creek will be open as the festival creates positive vibes outside, at 6657 AZ-179 Ste D1.
There’s no cost to attend the weekend’s festivities, which will be open to the public from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Parking is first come, first serve.
Editor’s Note: The above article was written by Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner for Forbes Magazine August 30, 2022 edition. Photos courtesy of Lisa Dahl Group
