Raven Productions opens two new venues in the heart of Prescott, hiring accomplished event manager to bring experiences to life
By Hilary Dartt
Founded in 1864, Prescott is rich in history … and its charming downtown reflects that. Delightful old buildings, the majestic Yavapai County courthouse, and wonderful weather make downtown the spot for gatherings and events.
Thanks to one local company, people have a few new options there.
Raven Productions has recently opened two new venues, The Federal and The Fairweather Social Club. This past June, they tasked Allison Dietzmann with managing both spaces, and she said she’s enjoyed getting to know local business owners and team members from different organizations.
Allison has a degree in Hospitality Management with an emphasis on Events, and said, “There is something magical about creating an experience for someone that they may not have had a vision for, or even better, bringing their vision to life.”
After several years of full-time RV living, and traveling the country, Allison and her husband, Barry, decided to settle in Prescott this summer; they’d been visiting Barry’s family here for the past seven years. She began working at The Federal as a temporary hire, she said, “but that quickly evolved into something much more.”
Although she considered becoming a chef, Allison fell in love with live events; she particularly loves live music and loves the idea of playing a role in bringing to Prescott a more diverse music experience and adding charm to the downtown area through her position at Raven Productions.
“When people ‘go out’ downtown,” she said, “they have two or three places they usually go—their favorite haunts. We’re hoping [our spaces] will be an extension of the downtown epicenter. We feel we are bringing something new and exciting into the community.”
The Federal, at 101 W. Goodwin Street
A 1931 Beaux-Arts building, The Federal is housed in what was the first federal post office building in Prescott. The tagline for this all-purpose event space is, “Your evening just got interesting.”
“Everything is special about that place,” Allison said.
When Raven Productions, the building’s current owner, began the restoration process, she said, workers found original paint, flooring and a lot of the original structure still intact
“Bringing the building back, closer to its original state, is really amazing to be a part of,” Allison said.
She said she loves that this project has breathed new life into a historic space while also delivering modern elements.
The Fairweather Social Club, at 222 N. Cortez Street
The Fairweather Social Club offers a canopy of trees and a park-like setting right in the heart of downtown. For years, this lot on N. Cortez Street sat empty, but recently, the folks at Raven Productions decided to turn it into a special gathering place for the community.
“Our hope is that, not only with this space, but with the whole area, we can create events that foster community and celebrate our downtown,” Allison said.
She and her colleagues have an effort underway to create awareness of the area on N. Cortez as “The NoCo District.” They hosted Harvest Fest there in early October, closing down the north end of Cortez Street and offering a family-friendly festival with activities, live music, and a chef’s tasting.
“It was the perfect fall day for a community celebration. Prescott showed up and had a great time.” Allison said.
Two Spaces, One Vision
“The way we’re developing these spaces reflects that we want them to be community-forward and inclusive of everyone,” Allison said, adding that individuals and organizations can use The Federal or The Fairweather Social Club for a variety of events, including weddings and receptions, meetings, live music and theater, and more.
She’s hoping, too, to be able to offer events that use both spaces; for example, a couple might get married at The Federal and have the reception at The Fairweather, or vice versa.
This holiday season, Allison said, she plans for The Federal to be part of Prescott’s annual traditions, including Acker Night and the Christmas Village and Christkindl Market. And, she’s already lining up live music events at both venues to take place throughout 2024.
Ultimately, Allison said, the folks at Raven Productions hope to play a role in revitalizing areas of downtown Prescott that haven’t had much going on … with the goal of giving community members an even richer downtown experience.
For more information, visit https://thefederal.space or email Allison at [email protected]. On Instagram, follow The Federal @the_federal_venue and The Fairweather @fairweathersocialclub.