MARCH 2024 10 Ostrich Festival at Tumbleweek Park in Chandler. 7 p.m. at Ravenscroft, 8445 E. Hartford Dr., Scottsdale. Lewis Nash is recognized as one of the greatest drummers in jazz history – a history that includes 10 Grammy award-winning recordings. This evening’s event centers around Nash and a few close friends, who will gather to immerse guests in tunes that will make you groove. Ticket prices start at $16. theravenscroft.com 9 a.m.-6 p.m. at Gilbert Regional Park, 3005 E. Queen Creek Road. You don’t have to be Scottish to join in at the 59th annual Scottish Games. Check out challenges like the sheaf toss or the hammer throw, learn about the Scottish clans of Arizona, watch traditional live performances and hear authentic music. There will also be a food court and a vendor market. Tickets are $28 for adults, and kids under 10 are free. phoenixscottishgames.com 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at the festival grounds, 12601 E. US-60, Gold Canyon. Ren Fest is here! Guests can enjoy entertainment, music, jousting tournaments, games, activities, mermaids, acrobats and food fit for a king. Dress up in your best 16th-century costume and head to Gold Canyon to eat, drink and be merry. Tickets are $34 for adults; $22 for kids. arizona.renfestinfo.com 11 a.m.- 8 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday, at Dr. A.J. Chandler Park, 3 S. Arizona Ave. Pedal Haus Brewery and SanTan Brewing Company unite to bring beers and BBQ together. Guests will find dishes from Pork on a Fork, West Alley BBQ, Honey Bear’s BBQ, Joe’s Real BBQ and more, plus craft cocktails, games and live music from various bands like Davweather, Georgia Chrome, Young Country and Carvin Jones. Tickets start at $18. santanbrewing.com 6:30 p.m. at Southeast Regional Library, 775 N. Greenfield Road, Gilbert. Through music, stories and passion for Celtic music, SoSco Duo will share a variety of Irish traditional tunes that they’ve been perfecting on the flute and the guitar since 2014. Enjoy the “magic of the Emerald Isle” with this free concert. Registration is required. mcldaz.org 5:30 p.m. at Federal American Grill, 7000 E. Mayo Blvd., Phoenix. The team at Federal American Grill knows their whiskey and wants to share the knowledge. This evening’s event is the last “Whiskey Wednesday,” so aficionados might not want to miss the tasting flight, which includes Federal Piggyback Rye, Summerstock, 12YR and Whistle Pig 18. Appetizers are also available. Registration is $80. thefederalgrill.com 2 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. Saturday/Sunday, at Tumbleweed Park, 745 E. Germann Road, Chandler. The 34th annual Ostrich Festival boasts national and local entertainment – this year, Shaggy, Gretchen Wilson and Big & Rich will take the stage for weekend one. Carnival rides, food trucks, a petting zoo, animal races and, of course, ostriches will also be there. This event also takes place March 15-17. Tickets start at $20 per person. ostrichfestival.com 11 a.m. at State Farm Stadium, 1 Cardinals Dr., Glendale. This inaugural festival believes you can’t have chips without salsa! Attendees will find dozens of salsas to try, tequila cocktails, authentic dishes, live music from local artists and a Salsa Fest Kid Zone. VIP tickets also include mixology and tasting sessions with Rob Floyd and Erick Pineda. Tickets start at $25. arizonasalsafest.com 10 a.m. at Stagecoach Village, 7100 E. Cave Creek Road. Thunderbird Artists, in partnership with the Sonoran Arts League, presents the Thunderbird Artists Cave Creek Sculpture & Wine Festival, the first in Cave Creek’s iconic Stagecoach Village. Guests can enjoy juried art, sample various wines, spirits and microbrews, enjoy festival food and hear live music. This festival also takes place on Saturday and Sunday. Tickets are $5. thunderbirdartists.com 5 p.m. at Fountain Hills Theater, 11445 N. Saguaro Blvd. Fountain Hills Theater award-winning actor Alex Gonzalez and special guests hit the stage for a one-night- only performance benefitting the theater. Guests will be serenaded with tunes from classic Vegas: Can’t Help Falling in Love, Now and Forever, and, of course, Viva Las Vegas. Tickets are $50. fhtaz.org 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Butterfly Wonderland, 9500 E. Via de Ventura, Scottsdale. The Butterfly Wonderland Foundation hosts this family-friendly festival supporting one of Earth’s prettiest creations: butterflies. There will be Painted Lady butterfly releases, crafts, games, ASU’s Insect Lab and Butterfly Wing giveaways. Guests can take photos with Leslie the Butterfly Fairy and shop the Butterfly plants and jewelry sale. This event is free. butterflywonderland.com 6:30-10 p.m. Friday, 1:30-10 p.m. Saturday/ Sunday, at 5415 E. High St., Phoenix. The streets are alive with the sound of music! This event will feature more than 20 bands, including Charlie Wilson, Keith Sweat, Anthony Hamilton, Teddy Swims and more. Guests can also enjoy food and drinks available for purchase. Tickets start at $165. azjazzfest.com 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at Salt River Fields, 7555 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale. Students can enjoy three hours of hitting, swinging, and everything in between as they learn the fundamentals of a successful baseball game at the Salt River Fields spring training facility. Former minor league and MLB players and coaches will lead this event for ages 5-12. Cost is $85 per person. saltriverfields.com 4015 E. Lincoln Drive, Paradise Valley 602.381.9906 • info@ccsaz.org ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE ENRICHED BY FAITH CLASSES FOR TODDLERS THROUGH 4TH GRADE COME LEARN WITH US! P R E S C H O O L - E L E M E N T A R Y ccsaz.org
11 MARCH 2024 A s residents of the City of Phoenix, we are all stakeholders in the well-being and progress of our neighborhoods. Neighborhood associations are the cornerstone of community engagement and empowerment, offering a platform for residents to voice their opinions, address issues and drive positive change. Whether it’s advocating for improved infrastructure, addressing safety concerns, or fostering a sense of belonging, neighborhood associations serve as catalysts for transformative action. On February 10, I was able to attend the annual meeting for the Arcadia Camelback Mountain Neighborhood Association and see firsthand how collective community action matters. We helped provide updates on important city issues, such as the DOJ investigation, the Short-Term Rental Ordinance, and the 56th Street improvement project because ACMNA provided us a platform. The work they – and other associations – do in the city is imperative in preserving and improving our neighborhoods. Associations foster a sense of unity and camaraderie among residents. By building relationships and fostering a spirit of cooperation, we create stronger, more resilient communities. I write this to encourage you to find your local neighborhood association and see how you can be more involved. Start by attending an event and see if there is an opportunity to help. You may be surprised by how rewarding it is to be a voice for those around you. Our office would love to be a resource to anyone looking to be connected to a neighborhood association in their area, so please don’t hesitate to reach out. Thank you, Kevin – Councilman Kevin Robinson DISTRICT 6 Councilman District 6 602-262-7491 District6@phoenix.gov KEVIN ROBINSON Join a Neighborhood Association!