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Downtown Mesa Merchants Present
Second Friday
Live entertainment, unique shopping, great dining and more continue during Second Friday, the popular event held the second Friday of every month until 10 p.m. on and around West Main Street. For more detail on the next Second Friday, click HERE!
Year-Round:
Mesa’s Permanent
Sculpture Collection
Mesa’s Growing Permanent Sculpture Collection features 36 diverse pieces, most of which are displayed in downtown Mesa on or near Main Street between Mesa Drive and Country Club Drive. Enjoy fine sculptures of people, wildlife, whimsical characters, intriguing abstractions and more. The collection even includes some fun interactive sculptures. View this outdoor exhibit for free year-round, any day or night at any time. For more information or to receive a free printed guide with a map of permanent sculpture locations, click HERE.
Aug: 13: Business Workshop
“How to Strive & Thrive in Tough Times”
Business owners and entrepreneurs who would like to learn marketing techniques for improving sales and cash flow can attend a free public workshop titled “How to Strive & Thrive in Tough Times.”
The workshop will be presented by the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the City of Mesa’s Office of Economic Development on Aug. 13 at 4:30 p.m. in the City of Mesa’s Utility Room, 640 N. Mesa Drive.
Pre-registration is required. To register, visit www.MaricopaSBDC.com or call (480) 784-0590.
For more information on “How to Strive & Thrive in Tough Times,” call Luis Reynoso, SBDC Business Analyst at (480) 461-6125 or Amy Morales, City of Mesa Project Assistant, at (480) 644-4896.
Oct. 18:
Mesa Old West Days
& Chili Cook-Off Festival
The whole family will have a rootin’ tootin’ good time at the Mesa Old West Days & Chili Cook-Off Festival on Saturday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. in downtown Mesa.
Plans for this fun-filled event include a national chili cook-off, costume contest, roping, gold panning, craftsmen, sutlers (traveling salesmen), cowboy poets, speakers, chuck wagons, book signings by Western authors, a number of period reenactment groups including gunfighters, and more!
This event was inspired by the success of Outlaws & Quickdraws, the Western-themed event downtown on April 12, and it will be similar in style but much larger and even more fun.
The Mesa Old West Days & Chili Cook-Off Festival in October will be held on South Macdonald Street between Main Street and First Avenue, and also in the lot at the southeast corner of Macdonald Street and First Avenue.
The downtown merchants organizing the Mesa Old West Days & Chili Cook-Off Festival look forward to seeing you and your family at the event. They’re also roundin’ up vendors and sponsors. If you’d like to be a vendor or sponsor, call Mike Pierson at the Book Gallery In Mesa at (480) 835-0757 or George Notarpole at History By George at (480) 898-3878.
Nov. 8:
Memories On Main Street
Back by popular demand! Another Memories On Main Street classic car rally is planned for downtown Mesa on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008. The event will be similar to past Memories On Main Street events, which drew thousands of people to see hundreds of classic cars participating in a daytime park-and-show followed by cruising in the evening. Classic car owners wishing to participate can register by contacting Linda Morrissey at MemoriesStreet@aol.com or (480) 861-8418.
Dec. 6: Christkindlmarkt
The Arizona Center for Germanic Cultures will present its first annual Christkindlmarkt in downtown Mesa on the first block of North Macdonald Street on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008 from noon to 10 p.m. The Christkindlmarkt – a celebration held throughout Central Europe – will bring cherished German and European traditions to Mesa with holiday entertainment, German and Austrian cuisine, vendors and local artisans selling merchandise like children’s toys and Christmas ornaments, and much more for the whole family! Admission is free. For more information, visit www.ac4gc.org.
Arizona Museum
of Natural History
(formerly Mesa Southwest Museum)
53 N. Macdonald St.
PSI: Poop Scene Investigation
The new exhibition PSI: Poop Scene Investigation offers several unusual but fascinating displays, making the museum “number one” to have an exhibition pertaining to “number two.”
The poopetrators in this exhibition are modern and extinct animals. Every museum visitor can become a PSI (Poop Scene Investigator) to see “who dung it.” Investigators use a research lab with different specimens to determine who did the “odoriferous deed.”
The exhibition also features a coprolite cave with fossil feces and plastic bat guano; “1001 Uses for Poop,” a display showing a variety of uses for animal excrement; A digestive interactive model showing how animal droppings contribute to the ecosystem; and more.
The Hohokam
The exhibition Hohokam! Ancient Monuments of the Salt River Valley features archaeological materials never before presented! Learn about Hohokam temples, their vast canal networks, and more. This exhibition will continue until at least October.
These are just some of the current featured exhibitions. There is much more to see at Arizona’s premier museum of cultural and natural history including a native people’s gallery, Spanish Mission, history courtyard where visitors pan for gold, and of course dinosaurs! Hours are: Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. The museum is closed Mondays and holidays. Admission is: $9 for adults, $5 for children 3-12, $8 for seniors 65 and older, $7 for students 13 and older with ID, and free for children 2 and younger. For general museum information, call them at (480) 644-2230 or visit www.azmnh.org.
Arizona Museum for Youth
35 N. Robson St.
Sonoran Safari
The Sonoran Desert is home to many plants and animals, and artists from around the world have been inspired by the region and its creatures. The Sonoran Safari exhibition, which continues through Aug. 10, features artwork focusing on this desert, often regarded as the jewel of Arizona’s natural surroundings.
Dia de los Muertos
Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a tradition of honoring our ancestors that is celebrated in Mexico and parts of the United States. The Dia de Los Muertos exhibition at the Arizona Museum for Youth from Aug. 23 to Nov. 30 will feature the work of Arizona artists who explore and celebrate this tradition.
Déjà View: Recycled Materials in Art
The Arizona Museum for Youth and City of Mesa Solid Waste Department will collaborate on Déjà View: Recycled Materials in Art. From Oct. 4 to May 17, kids can enjoy workshops and activities that allow them to transform seemingly useless junk into artistic expressions of hope for a sustainable future.
The Glow Series
From Oct. 4 to Jan. 25, kids can experience artwork that glows in the dark. The Glow Series features the work of Scott McNeill who creates bas-relief sculptures containing a light-sensitive material that glows with rich bright colors.
The Arizona Museum for Youth is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. Admission is $5.50 for everyone over the age of one and free for members and those under one. For more information, visit www.arizonamuseumforyouth.com or call (480) 644-2467.
Mesa Convention Center
263 N. Center St.
From concerts to canines and rifles to rubber stamps, a diverse range of topics will be covered in the many events coming to the Mesa Convention Center, 263 N. Center St. The facility includes Mesa Centennial Conference Center, Centennial Hall, Mesa Amphitheatre and other areas.
Following are just some highlights of major events for the general public in the coming months. There are many more events for specific groups, and the calendar is continually being updated. For the most updated and comprehensive information, please visit www.MesaConventionCenter.com, www.MesaAmphitheatre.com, or any websites listed with the following events.
Aug. 9-10: Rubber Stamp,
Scrapbook and Beading Expo
Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. More information at www.rubberstampandscrapbookexpo.com
Aug. 30: AZ Bully Expo 2008
This exposition on American Pitbull Terriers will be from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. $20 Adults; 12 and under free. Booths available. Show registration from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. More information at www.CanyonPits.com.
Sept. 5: Slightly Stoopid
and Pepper Concerts
Doors open at 4 p.m. and the show starts at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 the day of show. Tickets are available at the Mesa Amphitheatre box office, or at Ticketmaster outlets or online at www.ticketmaster.com.
Sept. 12-14: Amateur Radio Convention
For more information on the ARRL Southwestern Division Convention, visit www.azhamcom.org.
Sept. 22: Constitution Celebration
For updates check www.MesaConventionCenter.com.
Sept. 22: American Tae Kwon Do
Association Tournament
For updates check www.MesaConventionCenter.com.
Oct. 2: East Valley Business Expo
For more information visit www.EastValleyBusinessExpo.com.
Oct. 24-26: Crossroads Gun Shows
Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. More information at www.CrossroadsGunShows.com.
Nov. 1-2: Rubber Stamp Show
Two day prepaid tickets are $5, and tickets at the door are $7. Children 12 and under are free if accompanied by an adult. More information at www.rubberstampevents.com.