4th of July in Flagstaff!

Here are updates from today's newspaper:

Fireworks fans will want to stake their claims early on Saturday night if they want the best views of the holiday pyrotechnics....

Flagstaff's Fourth of July Events

Have a safe and happy 4th of July!

At least 10,000 people will line the streets to watch the Fourth of July parade in downtown Flagstaff. Since most Flagstaff residents will actually be in the parade, it’s going to be very crowded downtown. The parade starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday – arrive early to get a seat in the shade!

You’ll want to be in Flagstaff Friday night to begin the holiday weekend with First Friday Artwalk. Munch your way through downtown Flagstaff and enjoy the art on display in various galleries and businesses. Even the Coconino County Democratic Party will be celebrating its new location, just north of the downtown Flagstaff library at 324 W. Birch, with a display of photographs by Flagstaff photographer Debbie Leavitt. Democratic Headquarters grand opening begins at 5 p.m.

On the 4^th of July (Saturday), you can enjoy a crafts show at Wheeler Park in downtown Flagstaff, festivals at both the Pioneer Museum and the Museum of Northern Arizona (the 76^th Annual Hopi Festival!), horse races at the County Fairgrounds, a symphony concert at Pine Mountain Amphitheater, and fireworks at the Flagstaff Mall. The horse races are an Independence Day weekend tradition in Flagstaff and actually begin with post time at 1 p.m. on Thursday, July 2. Racing continues through Sunday.

Whatever you do this weekend, enjoy it! Welcome to Flagstaff, AZ! Have a great 4th of July!

This Friday in downtown Flagstaff, enjoy music and telescopes in the early evening followed by a free, outdoor movie at dusk. This week, the movie is SpongeBob SquarePants. Enjoy Heritage Square in downtown Flagstaff!

There will be lots of music in Flagstaff this weekend. The Gin Blossoms entertain at Pine Mountain Ampitheater on Saturday night, with BBQ beginning at 3:30 p.m. At the other end of town, the Flagstaff Folk Festival will liven up the Coconino Center for the Arts and the Pioneer Musuem beginning from 10:00 a.m.  to 6 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Bluegrass fans will want to catch the concert at Heritage Square from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday afternoon.

Outdoor group activities this weekend include a strenuous ranger-led hike at Walnut Canyon on Saturday, beginning at 9 a.m. Reservations are required. Call 928-526-3367. There is an Audobon-society sponsored walk at The Arboretum at Flagstaff on Saturday beginning at 7:30 a.m. Call 928-774-1442 for that one. 

The RE/MAX open house tours on both Saturday and Sunday this weekend! Saturday, look for the signs in Country Club. Sunday will be in Ponderosa Trails. Your host for the RE/MAX Peak Properties weekend home tours is Xavier Wynns. For details:

Five Open Houses in Flagstaff's Country Club Region on Saturday!

Three Open Houses in Ponderosa Trails on Sunday!

If these scheduled open house times don't work for you, and you're ready to buy a Flagstaff home, give us a call next week and we'll arrange a personal showing for you: Team Heitland at RE/MAX Peak Properties!

Arizona Governor Brewer's Northern Arizona Representative, Joanne Keene, will present the Governor's views on the state budget and accept questions from the audience. The event is sponsored by the Education and Policy Committee of the Coconino County Democratic Party. The Committee's goal is to learn and understand public policy. All are welcome to attend for a civil discussion, which should be especially interesting in light of today's Arizona Supreme Court's ruling against Governor Brewer in her on-going budget battle with the legislature.

This is the regular meeting of the Coconino County Democrats' Education and Policy Committee.

Walnut Canyon Overlook

We took advantage of the National Park Service free fee weekend today to do the Island Trail at Walnut Canyon National Monument, which is just outside of Flagstaff. Walnut Canyon was declared a National Monument in 1915 by then President Woodrow Wilson. Previously, the ancient ruins had been desecrated by tourists taking trophies back to such places as San Francisco.

Today, the Walnut Canyon National Monument is a great place to learn a bit about Flagstaff and American history as well as that of the ancient native peoples. In the 1930s, the Monument’s Island Trail was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. The Island Trail leads us back 700 years into the world of the people archeologists call Sinagua. The spectacular canyon scenery and rock formations demonstrate unique geological formations from millions of years ago, when Northern Arizona had beach-front property. As from many other places in Flagstaff, there are glimpses of the San Francisco Peaks.

If you go, be prepared. While the Island Trail is only a mile long, the hike is strenuous. The trail descends 185 vertical feet into the canyon, and returns the same way. The trail is paved and there are steps built into the cliffs. Of course, for newbies to Flagstaff, it is more strenuous because of the 7000 foot elevation. For Flagstaff locals, it’s a nice workout in a beautiful spot!

Don’t avoid the Walnut Canyon National Monument just because you think you can’t do the Island Trail. There is also the Rim Trail – an above-the-rim experience that allows spectacular views of the canyon below. And then, of course, there is the gift shop! The visitor’s center also has an observation deck.

The National Park Service has schedule two more fee-free weekends this summer, so if you missed this weekend, don’t despair. The program does not apply to all parks. For example, the Grand Canyon is not included. Of course, you can also buy a year-round pass to all National Parks and Monuments!

Last Weekend!

As usual, there are many things to do in Flagstaff this weekend. Check out the Flagstaff community calendar! Flagstaff events this weekend include a music festival, a fajita festival, and a beer festival (different locales!). In addition, the National Parks surrounding Flagstaff are offering free entry on Saturday and Sunday! The weather here in Flagstaff this weekend should be cool, sunny and just plain wonderful!

This is the last weekend to see Expecting Isabel at the Doris Harper White Community Playhouse in downtown Flagstaff. Don’t miss this exciting Theatrikos production. Previews on You Tube.

For archeology buffs, or just folks looking for a nice day outdoors, it’s Elden Pueblo Day on Saturday.

The RE/MAX open house tour is in the Northeast Region of Flagstaff Saturday and will begin at 11 a.m.

On Sunday morning, visit the Flagstaff Community Market, downtown, just west of the Flagstaff City Hall.

Have a great weekend in Flagstaff! Flagstaff is a great place to live! If you’d like to buy or sell a home in Flagstaff, contact Ann Heitland at RE/MAX Peak Properties!

Biking on Flagstaff Urban Trail Near Farmhouse Estates

Farmhouse Estates is a small, relatively new, subdivision carved out of an old farmstead in northwest Flagstaff. The neighborhood lies just west of the Museum of Northern Arizona and at an entrance to the Flagstaff Urban Trail that leads from the Cheshire neighborhood into downtown Flagstaff. The mountain views are gorgeous!

The neighborhood is popular because of its relative proximity to downtown Flagstaff and the Arizona Snowbowl, as well as to popular Forest Service biking and hiking areas off of the nearby Schultz Pass and Elden Springs Roads. Recently, my photographer strolled the neighborhood and took a series of photographs: Click here to see photos of the Museum of Northern Arizona neighborhood in northwest Flagstaff.

Right now, we have two homes for sale in the Farmhouse Estates neighborhood. There are several building lots for sale. Some of the lots have deed restrictions prohibiting two-story homes in order to preserve the views of others in the neighborhood. To see these, or any other home for sale in Flagstaff, contact Team Heitland at RE/MAX Peak Properties.

Tonight's movie on Flagstaff's downtown Heritage Square is the classic adventure Raiders of the Lost Ark. Meanwhile, up the street at the Doris Harper White Community Playhouse, you'll find Theatrikos' production of Expecting Isabel continues after its opening weekend last weekend.

A few blocks away and up the hill, you'll find an exhibit celebrating the 40th anniversary of humans walking on the moon and highlights Flagstaff’s role in lunar exploration. This exhibit is open during both day and evening hours at Lowell Observatory, but I recommend going at night so that you can also enjoy telescope viewing.

On Saturday, you'll find festivals in two of Flagstaff's downtown parks. At Wheeler Park,across from City Hall, it's the annual Pride in the Pines all-day-and-into-the-night event. Go west to Thorpe Park to find the 26th Annual Route 66 Regional Chili Cookoff.

Also, around Flagstaff on Saturday, you'll find a music festival at Pine Mountain Amphitheatre -- starting at noon and going into the night! -- and the annual Juneteenth Celebration at Coghill Recreation Center.

Late Saturday afternoon, there will be music by the Gypsy Chicks at Heritage Square from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Expecting Isabel runs Friday and Saturday night with a Sunday matinee.

Have a great weekend in Flagstaff, AZ!

Kimberly Sharp, Flagstaff's Neighborhood Planning specialist, sent out the "friendly reminder" that there is a big meeting for those interested in Flagstaff's future this afternoon, at the Flagstaff Aquaplex:

Regional Plan Focus Group 1 (Land Use, Growth Areas, Circulation & Bicycles) is TODAY, June 11, from 1:30-4:30 p.m. at the Aquaplex, 1702 N. Fourth Street.

 Click Here for the Agenda

To gain background information, existing Regional Plan policies, what AZ State statute is asking for, and some 'trend' data (if you print these on 11x17 front & back you will have a 'newsletter'):

·         Land Use - http://www.flagstaff.az.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DID=8955

·         Growth Areas - http://www.flagstaff.az.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DID=8955

·         Circulation - http://www.flagstaff.az.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DID=9190

·         Bicycles - http://www.flagstaff.az.gov/DocumentView.aspx?DID=8956

There will be hard copies of the above materials available before today's meeting at the Aquaplex.

Head over to the Flagstaff Community Market Sunday morning at Flagstaff City Hall (actually, the parking lot east of Flagstaff City Hall). The popular Sunday gathering in downtown Flagstaff is moving this year from its former location south of the tracks because that area has now become a Mountain Line bus transfer station. Tomorrow’s market opens at 8 a.m. and continues to noon.

The Flagstaff Community Market is a regional producers’ market that operates for growers and producers of agricultural and related products. The market is designed to provide unique and fun market events for the Flagstaff community.

This year’s Flagstaff Community Market will run every Sunday in the City Hall parking lot, beginning tomorrow through October 11. In addition, the market will add a second day, beginning July 8 and running through September 9. The alternative day is Wednesday, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the St. Pius Church parking lot at the corner of Cedar Ave. and 4^th Street.

Enjoy!

The Doris Harper White Community Playhouse in downtown Flagstaff will be the site for Theatrikos latest performance, which opens Friday: Expecting Isabel. Learn more about this play, which runs weekends through June 21, and get tickets here.

Stroll through downtown Flagstaff on Friday night and enjoy the First Friday Artwalk -- download a map here.

Friday night, you'll compete for space at Heritage Square as the Gypsy Chicks perform in the early evening and the outdoor movie begins at dusk. This week's movie: Madagascar 2. By the way, the far right picture in the permanent banner of this Flagstaff Real Estate and Community News blog is of Heritage Square.

On Saturday in Heritage Square, you'll find great musical entertainment with Burnett Family Bluegrass. This local group won the Telluride Bluegrass Fest Band Competition in 2005! The music starts at 4 p.m. and closes down at 6 p.m. -- just as downtown begins to liven up for Saturday evening.

Earlier in the day on Saturday, you'll have the opportunity to tour six homes in Ponderosa Trails --- look for more on the open house tour here tomorrow.

Have a great weekend!