BYU kicks off annual Cougar FanFest this weekend in Arizona

PROVO, Utah — BYU Athletics hits the road this weekend to begin the first of six scheduled FanFest events presented by Sprint taking place from Arizona to California to Hawaii and in Utah.

Cougar FanFest gets underway with the first event this Saturday, April 23, in Mesa, Arizona. Saturday's FanFest begins at 11 a.m. at Pioneer Park located across the street from the LDS Church Mesa Arizona Temple.

BYU athletes and coaches, including Kalani Sitake and the new football staff, will be on hand along with Cosmo to meet and greet fans this weekend in Arizona. Coach Sitake and receivers coach Ben Cahoon will also particiate in a fireside this weekend in Arizona. The fireside takes place the following day, Sunday, April 24, at 7:30 p.m. at the Mesa Community College LDS Institute located at 1310 S. Dobson Road in Mesa.

The annual Cougar FanFest events are similar to Cougar Kickoff held in Provo each year in August. Cougar Nation will have the opportunity to interact with student-athletes, including getting autographs and taking photos, while also enjoying other games and festivities such as face painting, inflatables, team posters and other BYU prizes. 

Saturday's FanFest will include appearances by the BYU football staff including Kalani Sitake, Ty Detmer, Ed Lamb, Ilaisa Tuiaki and other coaches as well as football players Harvey Langi, Algernon Brown, Ului Lapuaho, Tuni Kanuch, Fred Warner, Sae Tautu and men's basketball athletes Corbin Kaufusi, Elijah Bryant and Nate Austin.

Ticket information, BYU fan merchandise and food concessions will also be available. 

The BYU football team will return to Arizona this September for its season opener against the Arizona Wildcats on Sept. 3 in University of Phoenix Stadium. 

Coach Sitake and the football program will conduct a series of firesides across the country this spring, including several firesides in conjuction with FanFest events in Mesa, Irvine and Laie. Additional firesides are planned in East Lansing, Michigan, Montgomery, Ohio and Washington D.C. as well as in Idaho and Utah. Specific information on firesides will be announced at a later date.

Details regarding this weekend's FanFest in Mesa and other upcoming FanFest events are included below. 

FANFEST EVENTS

Mesa, Arizona
Saturday, April 23
11 am – 2 pm
Pioneer Park
526 E. Main Street, Mesa, AZ 85203

Pleasanton, California
Saturday, May 7
3-6 pm
LDS Church
3574 Vineyard Avenue, Pleasanton, CA 94566

West Valley City, Utah
Wednesday, May 11
6-9 pm
Utah Cultural Celebration Center
1355 W. 3100 South, West Valley City, UT 84119