The sprawling sanctuary of confectionery bliss that has delighted major cities like New York, Miami, Los Angeles and Atlanta, has brought its one-of-a-kind sensory experience, centered around one of life’s most wonderful pleasures – candy – to Scottsdale Fashion Square.
As a child, artist Jackie Sorkin had a small obsession with Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Not Wonka himself, but the plot of the film: a person who doesn’t come from a lot can still find him or herself with a golden ticket. And Jackie’s golden ticket, it turns out, is candy.
Sorkin grew up in Orange County, California, and found herself decorating and creating during her free time. It wasn’t until she realized that she could use candy as a medium that her work as an artist took form. Her first “candy-art” installation, Hollywood Candy Queen Kingdom, was an exhibit that visitors could walk through, where every piece and every sculpture was crafted from sugary goodness.
Seven years ago, Sorkin noticed the popularity of the traveling “pop-up” art installation concept, gathered her partners, and Candytopia opened in 11 U.S. cities, including Scottsdale. Since then, Candytopia has seen more than 1.5 million guests.
From the outside, Candytopia at Scottsdale Fashion Square looks like a regular business. On the inside, however, is a candy lover’s paradise, from the Willy Wonka-esque gates leading to the first room to the trunks full of candy throughout the installation.
Gummy bears are her favorite medium, but jelly beans, sour gummies, sour belts, rock candy and more make the piece come to life. The creation process can take anywhere from five to 45 days to complete. At the Scottsdale location, there is a shark made with 20,000 pieces that took 137 hours to create.
Inside Candytopia, guests will find an Under the Sea room, a Jungle room, a “graffiti” room, a portrait gallery and a “science lab.”
There are also flying unicorn pigs, a confetti room (be careful – the pigs shoot confetti out of their behinds), and at the conclusion of the tour, a massive “marshmallow” pit that guests can swim around in, complete with 250,000 foam pieces shaped like the campfire treat.
“This unique entertainment experience is fun for people of all ages, and our team is excited to see guests’ reactions to our newest location,” a Candytopia representative said. “We look forward to bringing this sweet experience to Fashion Square in partnership with Fever and Macerich.”
Candytopia will be open at Scottsdale Fashion Square (7014 E. Camelback Road) throughout the fall. Tickets cost $25 for adults, $18 for kids. For more information, visit candytopia.com/scottsdale/.
