Now, you may ask, how can you attend the same event over and over again and not become burnt out on it? Well, Ignite Phoenix may be hot, but it has definitely not burned out. If anything, it's become spicier than ever! The event was revived with a change of venue to the Mesa Arts Center, located in the heart of downtown Mesa. The Mesa Arts Center (MAC) is unique with stunning architecture – parking was simple and the building was easy to find. This year, Ignite Phoenix tickets cost $5.00 (a change from last year's free event), but it didn't stop anyone from coming out; more than 500 tickets sold out in just 27 minutes. I was one of the lucky few who was able to snag an extra pair to bring along friends.

What makes Ignite fresh is that while the concept stays the same, the content is ever-changing. Eighteen presenters have five minutes and 20 slides to talk about a topic they find exciting and engaging. Each event provides new and interesting topics, no one speaks about the same thing twice. And while you may not be interested in all 18 presentations, at least you only have to sit through the ones you're not interested in for five minutes. Each year, my personal favorites always make me think or laugh, or even a combination of the two. The only criteria for a submission at Ignite Phoenix is that it is a presentation on topics that people find interesting, which is an incredibly wide criteria, so one never knows what particular vibe each year's event will have until the presenters reach the stage.

While the videos are not yet available on the website, I can tell you a few of my favorites:

Fist of the Southpaw: Initiation into the Secret Society of Sinistrality by Malik R Robinson (@malikrrobinson)

Presentation Slide Text Can Make You Look Stupid by Eric Reid (@ciaoenrico)

What do the hard hat and Wonder Woman have in common? by Stacy Holmstedt (@stacebass)

There are still so many untouched topics from Ignite Phoenix, so don't expect the hype to die out overnight. Check out Twitter feeds with the hashtag #ignitephx, or visit this link on Flickr, where I've already done the work for you.

A big shout-out to the Phoenix Innovation Foundation for handling all the behind-the-scenes logistics to pull off this incredible event. To learn more about Ignite Phoenix please visit their website. And don't forget, submissions are now open for Ignite Phoenix 7! Save the date, June 11thh, 2010, at the Phoenix Art Museum – it's just 72 days away!

Check out the Bookmans video from Ignite Phoenix here: