Wing It!  All Things That Fly – February 10^th through May 6^th, 2012

An exhibition that features artwork that showcases our collective fascination with the creatures, inventions and fantasies which allow us to venture up, up and away!

Extreme Pets – May 25^th through September 9^th, 2012

Domestic animals are not possessions. They are members of the family. Whether it be dog, cat, birds, hamsters, lizards, goats, horses or elephants, our pets provide us with unconditional love. Extreme Pets takes an artistic look at the relationship people have with pets and how much they affect our lives.

Show Me The Money – September 28^th through January 20, 2013

Show Me the Money bring to life through art some of the things that make the world go around: dollars, banknotes, bankrolls, bills, bread, bucks, capital, cash, checks, chips, coins, coinage, dough, finances, funds, gold, gravy, greenbacks, hard cash, legal tender, loot, pesos, riches, roll, salary, silver, treasures, wad, wages, and wealth. No matter what you call it, money is an interesting subject to illustrate through art.

Check out membership. For frequent visitors it might be worth considering.

There are a ton of other events listed for 2012. Check the event calendar (link below).

The Museum for Youth isn’t just for kids. There are plenty of things for adults to do as well…in fact there’s a page just for them (see below).

Dates and Times

• Closed Mon
• Tue to Sat 10am to 4pm
• Sun 12pm to 4pm

Admission

• $7.00
• Children under 1 are FREE
• Members are FREE

Address

35 North Robson
Mesa, AZ 85201

Map & Directions

Links

• Arizona Museum for Youth website
• Event Calendar
• Kids & Teens Activity page
• Adult Activity page
• Membership information

* Sat Jul 2nd *

Anthem’s Independence Day Celebration

• Starts 6:00pm
• Fireworks 9:30pm
• FREE Admission
• Rides
• Food
• Dancing
• Link to Event Site

Mesa Celebration of Freedom

• Starts 6:00pm
• Car Show
• Music
• Food
• Beer Garden
• Wet Zones
• Link to Event (PDF)

* Sun July 3rd * 

Ahwatukee Red, White & Bloom

• Starts 6:00pm
• Fireworks 9:00pm
• FREE Admission
• Music
• Contests
• Food
• Drinks
• Link to Event Site

Lake Pleasant Fireworks Show

• Starts 5:00pm
• Fireworks 9:00pm
• Food
• Live Music
• Activities
• Link to Event 

Wickenburg Independence Day Celebration

• Starts 7:00pm
• FREE Admission
• Music
• Food & Drink
• Activities
• Link to Event (PDF) 

* Mon July 4th *

Apache Junction Hometown 4th of July Celebration

• Fireworks 9:00pm
• Events & activites all day
• FREE Admission
• Link to Event Site

Buckeye Old Fashioned 4th of July

• FREE Admission
• Starts 6pm
• Fireworks at dark
• Link to Event Site

Chandler Fireworks Spectacular

• FREE Admission
• Starts 4:00pm
• Fireworks 9:30pm
• Activities
• Water slide
• Games
• Music
• Link to Event

Cottonwood

• FREE Admission
• Starts 4:00pm
• Food & Drinks
• Water slides
• Inflatable Rides
• Link to Event

Flagstaff

• Events all weekend
• FREE Admission
• Fireworks 9:00pm
• Link to Event

Gilbert Lighting Up the Sky to Conquer Hunger

• FREE Admission
• Multiple viewing locations
• Gates open 6:00pm
• Link to Event 

Goodyear’s Star Spangled 4th

• FREE Admission
• Concessions
• Activies
• Live Music
• Starts 6:00pm
• Link to Event 

Maricopa’s Great American Barbecue

• Starts 6:00pm
• FREE Admission
• Food
• Drinks
• Games
• Link to Event 

Payson 

• Events all day
• FREE Admission (Some events require fee)
• Fireworks 9:00pm
• Live music
• Games
• Food & Drinks
• Link to Event 

Phoenix Fabulous 4th

• FREE Admission
• Starts 6:00pm
• Fireworks 9:30pm
• Inflatable Rides
• Music
• Food
• F16 Flyover
• Link to Event 

Surprise

• Starts 4:30pm
• Rookie League Baseball @5:30pm
• FREE Admission (with food donation)
• Link to Event

As with any event, please check the event website or with the vendor to verify the information posted above. This posting is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for complete accuracy. Please check all dates, times, locations, prices, age restrictions, safety and other information with the event organizer before attending. This information is provided “as is” and accuracy or relevance cannot be verified.

For a number of years Prescott vied with Phoenix to be the state capital, its fate linked to the local mining economy. Today, it is frozen in time. The old buildings, especially in downtown, are beautifully maintained. At the center, Courthouse Square is cool, green and beautiful, reminiscent of village greens one might expect to see in much old cities in the south.

Prescott is a popular day or weekend escape from the Valley heat. There’s also always something going on, but even if Prescott is going through one of its “quieter” weekends, there;s usually a musician playing somewhere, museums and stores that need to be explored, or a beverage to be savored somewhere.

June means Prescott Frontier Days, and the “world’s oldest” rodeo, running pretty much continually since 1888. If you’ve never been to a rodeo, this is one heck of a place to start – be warned, they’re addictive…

During Frontier Days, there’s a ton to do outside the rodeo, from children’s activities to arts and craft shows, live entertainment, dancing, and of course the Frontier Days Parade. Some events are free, others, such as the rodeo itself start at about $12 a person (see links below for tickets).

The whole event starts June 28 and runs through the 4th of July. So, if you’re looking for a weekend getaway, or just a fun day or half day out, head up to Prescott and the 124th Annual Prescott Frontier Days event (be sure to stop by the Prescott Brewing Company for lunch and a micro brew).

Have fun, be safe and don’t drink and drive!

Dates and Times

• Tue 6/28 to Mon 7/4
• Rodeo
• Daily 7:30pm
• 7:30pm & 1:30pm on 7/2 and 7/4

Rates

• Rodeo from $12 per person (link below)
• Other events vary (check website below)

Location(s)

• Prescott, Arizona
• Rodeo at Prescott Rodeo Grounds

Links

• Prescott Frontier Days / Rodeo website
• Rodeo Tickets web page
• Event schedule
• Prescott Downtown Partnerships website (local information)
• Prescott Brewing Company website

As with any event, please check the event website or with the vendor to verify the information posted above. This posting is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for complete accuracy. Please check all dates, times, locations, prices, age restrictions, safety and other information with the event organizer before attending.

“A style of music, native to America, characterized by a strong but flexible rhythmic understructure with solo and ensemble improvisations on basic tunes and chord patterns and, more recently, a highly sophisticated harmonic idiom. “(the Free Dictionary)

That’s one way to describe it, but another is simply as “indescribable”. You know good Jazz when you hear it and at the 2011 Paradise Valley Jazz Party, there will be plenty of it. There will be several sessions over two days, in the intimate Music Room at the Embassy Suites Hotel with over 17 hours of playing from some of today’s leading Jazz musicians including The Jeff Hamilton Trio and The John Clayton Trio.

Other players comprised a “who’s who” of Jazz including Mike Kocour, Jodi Proznick, Herlin Riley, Bruce Forman, Richie Cole, Wycliffe Gordon, and many others. The Embassy Suites Hotel is offering special weekend packages for guests and the intimate and acoustically perfect venue will provide visitors with a chance to experience Jazz up close and personal, the way it was meant to be.

If you’re new to Jazz, then this could not be a better way to experience it live. You’ll be hooked!

Tickets are available for the whole weekend or individual sessions (see below). You must have a reservation to attend, so book now.

Dates & Times

• Sat 4/16 12pm
• Sat 4/16 8pm
• Sun 4/17 10:30 am (includes lunch)

Rates

• From $55 for one session to $195 for the weekend

Venue
Embassy Suites Hotel
4415 E. Paradise Village Parkway South
Phoenix, Arizona 85032

Map & Directions

Links
Paradise Valley Jazz website
Paradise Valley Jazz program
Paradise Valley Jazz ticket reservations
Embassy Suites Hotel reservations
As with any event, please check the event website or with the vendor to verify the information posted above. This posting is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for complete accuracy. Please check all dates, times, locations, prices, age restrictions, safety and other information with the event organizer before attending.

This weekend at Picacho Peak State Park the battle will be among several reenacted during the Civil War Festival this weekend. Reenactments will take place both days, starting at 9:30. There will be artillery demonstrations, live theater, cavalry charges, battles, gun fights, vendors and more.

The weather looks promising (it is Arizona after all) and it’s $10 for a vehicle of 4 ($3 per person if separate).

Admission

• $10 for a car of 4.
• $3 per person.

• Map & Directions

Links

• Civil War in the Southwest Event flyer with information
• Picacho State Park website

As with any event, please check the event website or with the vendor to verify the information posted above. This posting is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon for complete accuracy. Please check all dates, times, locations, prices, age restrictions, safety and other information with the event organizer before attending.

Roses are red,
Violets are blue-

Little romantic poems aside, nothing says “love” like chocolates (at least in this writer’s opinion). February is the month of Valentine, and by extension, a month that sees some of the greatest purchase of flowers, novelty items and, you guessed it, chocolates.

Glendale has taken this last passion to an extreme with the annual Glendale Chocolate Festival, starting February 4th and running through the 6th.

The festival will boast thirty chocolatiers from local to international, showing off, selling and demonstrating recipes. There will be wine tasting, carriage rides, a “romance novelist workshop” and meet-and-greet events with romantic writers. Many local shops are involved and will be hosting storefront decorating contests to be judged by you.

There are tours of renowned local chocolates makers, Cerreta’s with shuttles to and from the main event.

Got kids? They’ve got a ton to do, from face painting to arts and crafts, rock-climbing…and did I mention enough chocolate to keep them awake for days?

Musical entertainment will run the gamut from “Marmalade Skies”, a Beatles tribute band to “MC6 A Capella”, “Urban Country” and “Voodoo Swing”. For a complete schedule of what, who and where, visit the Glendale website (see below).

So, if you’re looking for something a little different to do this coming weekend, head on down the Glendale and bring your sweet tooth!

Dates
Fri Feb 4th to Sun Feb 6th, 2011

Address
Historic Glendale / Glendale Civic Center
5750 West Glenn Drive
Glendale, Arizona 85301

Map and Directions

City of Glendale “Chocolate Affaire web page”

Jerome is definitely a fun and interesting place to spend a day with your sweetie, or the whole family.  When you go, don’t miss these other great sites:

Grand Hotel – Jerome’s hospital and psychiatric ward in the heyday.  Fabulous old day decor and great stories of the haunting of past patients.  The front desk houses a book where guests have recorded paranormal testimony during their stay!

Douglas Mansion State Park – A historic mansion built in 1916 by James Douglas to accommodate and entertain mining officials and investors.

Gold King Mine and Ghost Town – Authentic walks in the mine shaft, demonstrations of antique mining equipment, a 1901 blacksmith shop, and the world’s largest gas engines.

Paso de Casas – Visit historic buildings and homes on a guided tour. Annual tour every third weekend in May.

The Mile High Inn – Former home to Jerome’s most popular bordello.

Endless Photo Opportunities – Shutter bugs will be in awe of all the beautiful images Jerome offers up!

Jerome website

Jerome map and directions

Jerome Chamber of Commerce

As with any activity, check with the facility before you go for up-to-date prices, admission conditions, dates, restrictions, accessibility and other information appropriate to you and your party.

Casa Grande (meaning Great House) is estimated to weigh over six million pounds. Find it hard to believe? Then go see for yourself. You’ll learn the fascinating facts about the structural substance caliche, who the people are that built Casa Grande, and how the monument has been carefully preserved over the years. You’ll get to see historical photos of the structure dating back more than 100 years, and children can participate in the exploration as Junior Rangers.

Since this is an outdoor, middle of the desert activity, this is the perfect time of year to go. However, that Arizona desert sun is harsh even in the cooler months. Protective clothing, hats, sunscreen, and water containers are highly recommended during all seasons of the year.

FYI – The park is in Coolidge, not Casa Grande as one might think because of the name (like me).

Admission:

• $5.00 per person
• Children 15 and under are free.

Address:

1100 West Ruins Drive
Coolidge, Arizona 85228

Phone: (520) 723-3172

Hours:

8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every day of the year except Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Map and directions

Casa Grande Ruins Website

Junior Ranger Information

As with any activity, check with the facility before you go for up-to-date prices, admission conditions, dates, restrictions, accessibility and other information appropriate to you and your party.

Experience the culture and ancestry of Greece through live music, folk dancing, exhibits, children’s fun zone, and delicious Greek cuisine such as roasted leg of lamb, spanakopita, and dolmades. Hosted by Scottsdale’s Assumption Greek Orthodox Church, the Scottsdale Festival of Greece promises to give you more than a few reasons to say “Opa!”

Event Dates

• Friday, November 12, 2010 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Saturday, November 13, 2010 from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Sunday, November 14, 2010 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Admission

• FREE

Address
Scottsdale Civic Center Mall
3939 North Drinkwater Blvd.
Scottsdale, Arizona 85251

Phone: 480-991-3009

Scottsdale Festival of Greece Map and Directions

Scottsdale Festival of Greece website
Scottsdale Festival of Greece event map (PDF)
Scottsdale Festival of Greece Flyer (PDF)

As with any activity, check with the facility before you go for up-to-date prices, admission conditions, dates, restrictions, accessibility and other information appropriate to you and your party.

Arizona is home to several Native American tribes. It’s also home to several beautifully preserved ruins from cultures that date back hundreds or even thousands of years. Montezuma Castle, just north of Phoenix, is a gorgeous example of cliff a cliff dwelling, preserved since pre-Columbus times.

Nestled in the Verde Valley, the area was first settled by the Hohokam people who developed a comprehensive irrigation system, some of which survives today. It was subsequently settled by the Signua who abandoned the area some time in the 15th or 16th century. The reasons are still not known.

Visitors can approach (but not enter) the “castle” itself. There is a 1/3 mile trail that takes visitors through a sycamore grove and past the beautiful Beaver Creek. Photograph opportunities abound. There are guided tours, and you can even take your dog (bring a poop bag though).

With the weather so much cooler, this is a perfect time to visit one of the first National Monuments, dedicated in 1906 by President Roosevelt. There’s a lot see and learn, and Montezuma Castle is a great place to see some of Arizona’s history that goes back to before records were kept.

Be sure to visit nearby Tuzigoot National Monument, a nearby mountaintop pueblo with the most amazing views. You can buy a ticket that covers entry to both places and is good for 5 days.

Hours

• Daily (Labor Day to Memorial Day ) 8am to 5pm
• Daily (Memorial Day to Labor Day) 8am to 6pm

Admission

• Adults $5
• Children (under 16) FREE
• Ticket to both Montezuma / Tuzigoot $8
• Ticket good for 5 days
• Dogs (on a leash) welcome

Montezuma Castle Address
2800 North Montezuma Castle Road
Camp Verde, Arizona 86322

Phone 928-567-3322

Montezuma Castle Map and Directions

Montezuma Castle website

As with any activity, check with the facility before you go for up-to-date prices, admission conditions, dates, restrictions, accessibility and other information appropriate to you and your party.