2026 Assemblage
November 4-8 in Phoenix, AZ
FANA in the Valley of the Sun
The 2026 FANA ASSEMBLAGE COMMITTEE takes great pleasure to welcome FANA members and guests to Phoenix, Arizona, known as the Valley of the Sun, for a few days of friendship, learning and the shared appreciation of the art and history of HAND FANS.
REGISTER ONLINE: 2026 Phoenix Assemblage Registration
or
REGISTER by MAIL: Download and mail this form
Registration Deadline is OCTOBER 21, 2026!
HOST CITY:
Phoenix, the fifth largest city in the US, is known for its warm hospitality, abundant sunshine and striking Sonoran Desert landscape. Early November is one of the nicest times of the year in Phoenix and a wonderful time for visitors. You can typically expect afternoon highs of 80°F (27°C) and morning lows of 60°F (16°C) with very low humidity. Rain is uncommon and most days are dry and sunny.
Surrounded by majestic Saguaro cacti, rugged mountain preserves and spectacular desert vistas, the city blends its rich Native American and Southwest heritage with world class museums, outstanding dining and a vibrant cultural community.
Phoenix is easily accessible, with convenient nonstop flights from major cities throughout the US and nonstop flights from London and Paris for our international members.
During your stay, we hope you will enjoy not only our assemblage programs, exhibits, lectures, fan sale and auction and fellowship, but also the unique beauty and character of Arizona. Whether this is your first visit or a return to the desert, we trust you will discover why Phoenix is a truly memorable destination.
ASSEMBLAGE HOTEL: The EMBASSY SUITES by HILTON DOWNTOWN NORTH
10 E. Thomas Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85012 Tel: (602) 222-1111 Map it
The hotel is conveniently located in the heart of Phoenix’s financial and cultural district and is the only all-suite hotel in downtown Phoenix. The hotel is located close to the Sky Harbor Airport and the two museums that we’ll visit. The hotel offers 2-room suites with daily complimentary breakfast buffet or made to order breakfast and complimentary alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks and snacks for 2 hours every night at 5:30pm. Its convenient location is within minutes of the valley’s finest shops, restaurants, art galleries and museums and professional sports venues.
The FANA HOTEL GROUP RATE has now expired but there may still be rooms available. See the hotel link below or call (602) 200-1111 to check for current rooms and rates. In addition, there are other hotels nearby that should have availability or offer a competitive rate.
CLICK ON THIS HOTEL LINK: https://www.guestreservations.com/embassy-suites-by-hilton-phoenix-downtown-north/booking
TRANSPORTATION TO HOTEL: Uber or Lyft are good options, although you can also take the light rail. Uber or Lyft gets you to the hotel in 20 minutes and the light rail in 45 min.
Fans will be awarded as door prizes throughout the Assemblage!
TENTATIVE ASSEMBLAGE SCHEDULE:
WEDNESDAY, Nov 4, 2026—Registration opens at 10am. No activities planned for today. Lunch and Dinner on your own. (Board members: meeting and dinner in early evening.)
THURSDAY, Nov 5, 2026—–Board the bus to see the FANA Library and Agnes’s Fan Collection at her home. We then take the bus to The Pink Door Tea House for Afternoon Tea / lunch, consisting of the classic fare of tea sandwiches, scones, several small desserts with a cup of their popular cheddar cheese broccoli soup and a selection of teas. Our next stop is the Musical Instruments Museum (MIM) for an hour guided tour of the museum and ongoing exhibits with some time to explore the museum until closing. The MIM is the only museum in the world that has instruments from practically every place on earth. Back at the hotel, enjoy the hotel’s happy hour before FANA’s Welcome Reception and Dinner, followed by a talk by Sylvain Le Guen about his “Junon” inspired fan.
FRIDAY, Nov 6, 2026—–In the morning we walk or ride to the Heard Museum for the first of the two museum visits for this day. The Heard Museum is the largest museum in the Southwest that has Native American Art. We have an hour docent tour of the museum and highlights of the present exhibition. Unfortunately, the Heard Museum doesn’t have any Native American Fans, but after the tour, our group will have the opportunity to see fans from the Fred Harvey Fine Arts Collection, consisting mainly of 19th century Spanish and French fans. They have never been on display.
Lunch will be on your own, but it is recommended that you get something to eat at the Heard Museum Café before walking to the Phoenix Art Museum for our afternoon visit. There are no places to eat between the two museums.
The Phoenix Art Museum visit includes a slide presentation of the museum’s roughly 200 fans to showcase the depth and breadth of their collection. FANA member Jan Krulick-Belin will present a talk on painted fans. A private gallery tour of the Colorwear Exhibit will be given exclusively for FANA. We can stay in the museum until closing time at 8pm.
Dinner on your own.
SATURDAY, Nov 7, 2026—–Fan sale in the morning. Lunch will be on your own. The Patrons will have their meeting and lunch. The Fan auction will be in the afternoon. This year no fans will be accepted as donations to the Fan Auction. The evening will be capped off by the FANA Banquet. Bring a favorite fan to share or one that reflects the 250th anniversary of the US.
SUNDAY, Nov 8, 2026—–The Board will meet for breakfast and meeting for a recap of the assemblage.
2026 FANA ASSEMBLAGE COMMITTEE:
Agnes T. Lardizabal —- Assemblage Chair
Email: agnestl85306@yahoo.com
Ruth Fink-Winter —- Registrar
Email: treasurer.fana@gmail.com
Members: Kathryn Hanna, Tina Nordstrand, Ruth Fink-Winter, Deb Weddle, Gloria Kahn
REGISTER ONLINE: 2026 Phoenix Assemblage
or REGISTER by MAIL: Download and mail this form. See pages 5-6 for the registration form and fees.
