Flag Live - August 2023

Meal kits and other food shortcuts

JESSICA CLARK

Ilove to cook. Taking ingredients and making them into a flavorful, nutritious meal is incredibly engaging for me. It requires me to sync my creativity, my problem-solving skills, and my ability to learn new things in order to produce something great. When I’m at my best, the thing produced is not only delicious but also useful, combining homegrown foods, foraged foods, and whatever has been sitting in the fridge just this side of too long.

I can’t put this level of effort into every meal, though. I have limited wells of energy and motivation that sometimes must be dedicated to other pursuits (such as writing, gardening, maintaining social relationships, washing the dishes that result from the cooking, etc ) So it happens that my husband and I need to eat far more often than I am able to create a really lovely meal for us. At those times, rather than “cooking,” one of us will do something I think of more as “preparing food.”

I grew up familiar with food prep short cuts Both of my parents worked well over 40 hours each week, so “crafting” meals was not very high on their list of priorities. I’m not sure either really knew how to do more than the basics My mother, who came from a family of 8 children, cooked most of our household’s meals. The recipes she carried over from her childhood seem designed with the intention of getting everyone fed as cheaply, quickly, and easily as possible. They involved a lot of casserole-like dishes flavored with pre-packaged seasoning mixes or cans of Campbell’s soup

When I left home to live with my partner and attend college, I continued the tradition of making quick, easy, cheap foods

that didn’t require much skill or creativity things like Hamburger Helper or frozen, packaged meals I didn’t start to learn how to really cook until I first lived alone in my mid-twenties. I suppose traveling, spending time with different kinds of people, and eating different kinds of food than I was previously exposed to brought up an interest in food that I hadn’t really had up to that point.

I gradually began to experiment with cooking and developed important skills like comparing similar recipes to find the base requirements, learning to let a food’s own flavor shine through by cooking and seasoning minimally, and acquiring descriptors for spices like “earthiness” (i.e. cumin) and “heat” (i.e. cayenne). I signed up for a CSA and learned to cook produce I’d never eaten before I watched my friends cook, asked them questions, and adopted their techniques. I failed a lot.

Eventually, I built up a strong enough base of knowledge that I didn’t need to rely so much on recipes, because I knew what each step was trying to achieve. Now I can make

Educational Opportunity Centers

EOC is a northern Arizona program assisting adults 19 and older who are interested in pursuing a certificate, license, or degree at their local college. Our Coordinators can assist with GED, financial aid, and applying for college.

judgment calls about whether I will follow a recipe’s rules or not. I can substitute ingredients. I change a dish to make it spicier or creamier or vegetable-ier I am amazed to have this ability, but I don’t have the energy to keep it active full-time, so I fall back on food shortcuts lately, meal kits.

Meal kits are having a cultural moment right now in the United States. Others like me have come to appreciate the taste, affordability, and health benefits of home cooking, while being overwhelmed by the effort it requires. In many areas of our lives, it costs more to have less, so we work longer hours and have less time and energy for cooking This is where the purveyors of meal kits step in, promising easy preparation, low creative investment, and an almost total elimination of food waste since they send only what you need all for the low, low price of whatever special deal their latest influencer’s code will give you. It’s an appealing prospect, but one that I’m learning doesn’t work well for me personally.

For me, meal kits take all the fun and interesting parts out of cooking. Making judgment calls, swapping ingredients in and out, deciding at the last minute to adjust the seasoning, creatively shopping and planning multiple meals in advance these are all the “hassles” that meal kits eliminate They are designed to make it so that you don’t have to think about what to cook or how to cook it. Chopping, mixing, sautéing, using twenty dishes and then having to clean them up afterwards these are all the tedious bits of cooking that I could do without. The meal kit service we tried has not managed to consistently eliminate any of them It’s as though they’ve reduced meal preparation to only its manual labor components. In my experience

they haven’t been great time or money savers either. Meal prep takes 30 minutes to an hour for each meal, and we still grocery shop on a near weekly basis to replenish other staple items. Basically, as shortcuts go, they’re kind of terrible.

I also struggle with following a meal kit’s instructions, having become accustomed to only loosely paying attention to a recipe’s notes. As a result, my meal kit preparation is on average worse than my husband’s. (He always follows the instructions perfectly ) I’m finding that when I’m in the kitchen, I’m either inclined to cook something with all the creativity that entails, or I’m making frozen pizza or boxed macaroni and cheese

In defense of these kits, every (correctly prepared) meal they’ve sent us has tasted good and included a balanced variety of ingredients If the obstacles that most challenge you in meal preparation are related to creativity and decision fatigue, this style of shortcut may be exactly what you are looking for I just happen to find creativity and decision making to be the fulfilling parts of cooking. Stripping them away makes me feel like I’m doing all the work with none of the reward

Perhaps there’s a future out there in which we won’t all have to work so hard at everything else and can spend real quality time dedicated to the craft of cooking Until that day, I’m choosing not to see it as a failing to rely on packaged foods when my energy runs low. I don’t have to go through the motions of cooking without the benefits just to feel like I’m eating something “home cooked.” I’ll use the energy I save to make garden-grown, backyard-foraged, last-bitof-something-in-the-fridge masterpieces when I can manage it.

JESSICA CLARK

Homemade stew with garden vegetables

Hot Picks

“OUT IN LITTLE STARS”

Come ye Shakespeare fans, young and old to Lowell Observatory for a night of romance, thrills and tragedy all under the clear and starry night sky. Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival proudly presents William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet as the second play put on by the festival in their series on the Lowell campus. Directed by renowned Shakespeare director and founding director of the American Shakespeare Center Jim Warren and featuring an incredible company of professional actors from all over the country, you won’t want to miss the classic tale about star-crossed lovers. Pardon the very intentional pun. Romeo and Juliet will run from Aug. 3-13, starting at 7 pm and will feature a Pay-What-You-Will Preview the night before opening. Tickets are available at flagshakes.org.

AUG. 3-SPE. 6, 2023

» FRIDAY | 8 4

YOUNG IS GIANT

One of the most reliable and popular indie-rock bands in the United States is coming to the Pepsi Amphitheater to kick August off with a bang. Young the Giant has been in the game since the early 2010s. They leaped into the rock scene with their self-titled album, giving us instant classics like My Body and Cough Syrup Since then, they’ve further propelled their music and indie rock into the mainstream, solidifying themselves in the pantheon of popular, modern rock bands next to The Killers and Two Door Cinema Club. Supporting them on their 2023 Summer Tour is Milky Chance. Originally from Germany, their music offers a chill pop, almost reggae vibe that will pair incredibly with Young the Giant’s far more upbeat tone. Their most famous song Stolen Dance had command of the radio waves for a while and is not to be missed. If you’d like to see Young the Giant and Milky Chance, you can purchase tickets on Pepsi Amphitheater’s website at pepsiamp com. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m.

» WEDNESDAY | 8 16

HOW COUNTRY ARE YOU?

Seeking a taste of that new country vibe? Looking to hear some classic country radio hits live? Well, head on down to the Orpheum Theater this month to check out Easton Corbin With over a decade of live shows under his belt, Corbin’s music is a blend of traditional and modern country music. Drawing inspiration from artists such as Merle Haggard and Hank Williams, Corbin’s two number one hits, A Little More Country Than That and Roll With It each boast over 30 million plays on Spotify, and incredibly, they both come from his debut album. He skyrocketed to stardom after that release, and since then, he has put out music consistently bringing us hits like All Over the Road and Lovin’ You is Fun. This year, he put out his first new album Let’s Do Country Right since 2015, so come see Easton Corbin on Aug. 16 for songs both new and old and a great country vibe. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m. You can get tickets on the Orpheum’s website at orpheumflagstaff.com.

» SATURDAY | 8.26

A CRAFT BEER, CANINE CRAWL

Barks & Brews is an annual pub crawl in its seventh year for people who love beer, good company and of course dogs. This charity event brings together hundreds of fellow canine-lovers for a taste of craft beer at bars all around town. Barks & Brews starts on the County Courthouse Lawn at the corner of Birch and San Francisco, and features dog adoptions, vendors and many more activities Then, you’ll walk to multiple dog-friendly breweries and shops for craft beer tastings. You can purchase tickets on Eventbrite or by going to the Discover Flagstaff website at flagstaffarizona.org, but with a ticket, you will receive a beer from every participating brewery, a souvenir tasting glass, doggie water bowl and bandanna and lanyard. Proceeds from this event go to Canyon Animal Care Foundation, which is a non-profit that improves the lives of animals in Coconino County by providing grants for the cost of veterinary care and procedures It’s an incredible experience that will benefit a lot of animals in need. The event starts at 12 p.m. and ends at 4 p.m.

f Art in the Park

Sept 2-4, 2023

Wheeler Park –Downtown Flagstaff

Saturdayand Sunday 9:30am-5pm, Monday 9:30am-4pm

Where

RACHEL GIBBONS, ARIZONA DAILY SUN

Dexter the dog enjoys an afternoon on the town with his friend,Jessina Clasen during the 2022 Barks and Brews event. The event takes place each year to raise funds for humane and rescue organizations throughout northern Arizona.

FULL Disclosure

Whitey Winchester dishes on the Flagstaff pizza scene

Full Disclosure: Ol’ Whitey had to lay off the pizza or risk expanding his waistline as big as a barn. All that said, every once in a while I indulge the urge, and then bar the door, Katie. Hard to stop shoveling it in after that first slice. Just sayin’ .

Douggie Shindagger’s self-made brick oven overlooking Rio de Flag scratched my itch for a time. Course that’s an invite only deal and stoking the backyard fires ain’t an option these days due to the dry season No worries given the myriad other pizzas available inside the city limits.

We do not lack for pizza pies here in the San Franciscos. All manner of crusty,

cheesy conglomerations come carefully concocted fer yer consumption. Just prior to penning this piece, I learned of a couple more sources of the manna in question, so I won’t claim the following as exhaustive and all inclusive. I’ve done my due diligence, and that’s that.

First of all, let’s dispense with the usual suspects. Pizza Hut, Dominoes and Little Caesar’s are well represented – no surprise in a college town. While their standard fare will certainly keep yer body and soul together in a pinch, there are better options to be had when a craving grabs you in the gut.

Fratelli and NiMarcos boast three locations each, so there ain’t no good reason I

can think of to go generic. Either of these local chains will fill the bill quite nicely, and convenience-wise, it prolly comes down to whether you reside on the east side, west side, Sunnyside, downtown or off Fort Valley Road. After that, ya pays yer money and chooses yer toppings.

Closest take-out to my own humble abode is New Jersey Pizza on Cedar. It serves up its grub with an East Coast flair. It had a help wanted sign on the door, and I would seriously consider chopping vegetables there but for my already overfull dance card.

When wandering in the historic downtown south of the tracks, Alpine Pizza on Leroux will deliver the goods to your table or

box ‘em up to go. On the north side, Lumberjack Pizza will do the same with aplomb. Further west, Your Pie tops their dough in front of your very eyes All these pizzerias make me plum dizzy just figuring out where to go, and we ain’t done yet by a long shot.

If’n ya gots young’n’s, maybe try Peter Piper Pizza on Milton The video arcade will keep the kids occupied while the grownups chow down. My grandson left me and the missus in relative peace for most of our meal; though, the electronic babysitters did cost us a few bucks.

Next, we have the classic Big Apple versus Windy City Celebrity Death Match: thin crust, New York type or deep dish, Chicago

style. Comes down to personal preference or the mood you’re in at the time. Grimaldi’s between REI and Whole Paycheck touts their “coal-fired brick oven” baking the NYC variant, and a pair of Oregano’s – one east side, one west side – provide a local source of deep dish. Yankees, Cubs or White Sox, you be the judge.

(If yer a true fanatic about the latter and willing to wait, Lou Malnati’s will ship an archetypal Chicago pizza direct to your home to bake in the kitchen oven.)

Moving up the food chain, hoity cuisine-wise, Fat Olives on old Route 66 offers pizzas made in a wood fired oven, a la Naples Italy. The result is a thin, crispy crust covered in gourmet goodness. However, when all is said and done, I gotta give the gold medal to Pizzicletta, another Neopolitan wood-fired oven lashup They sell gelato too, so save some room for dessert. Ol’ Whitey usually takes his out-of-town guests there for dinner so as to make the best possible impression on relatives and V.I.P visitors. Your mileage may vary

Many of the above offer beer as a dine-in beverage, the natural accompaniment to a slice of pepperoni as far as I’m concerned. Some menus feature other Italian food and/or chicken wings if that’s what floats yer boat.

High brow or low brow, ordering pizza comes in mighty handy when yer short on time or the fridge is empty Save the leftover slices for the lunch box, or eat ‘em cold with a cup of Joe as the cornerstone of an everyman’s breakfast. And it’s a no brainer for dorm bound college students or rowdy frat parties. One thing fer sure: you can’t swing a dead cat in Flagstaff without hitting a pizzaria. ‘Nuff said.

The

Aself-guided tour of the leading Flagstaffarea artists work spaces.

Saturday,August 26 and 27, 2023

10 AM to 5PM

C

JOHN CONLEY

Fat Olives margherita pizza

RONNIE BOWMAN BAND • SISTER SADIE

DARIN & BROOKE ALDRIDGE

CALIFORNIA BLUEGRASS REUNION

SAM GRISMAN PROJECT • JACOB JOLLIFF BAND

FULL CORD • EAST NASH GRASS

TRAY WELLINGTON BAND • DAMN TALL BUILDINGS

BLUE CANYON BOYS

• LONESOME ACE STRINGBAND

The CROSS-EYED POSSUM • MARK MIRACLE & FRIENDS

And More!

GET TICKETS: PICKININTHEPINES.ORG

camping

• jamming

• band contest

• kid’s activities

• educational workshops

Pepsi Amphitheater at Ft. Tuthill County Park

The summer balancing act

Throughout college, I have been engaged in a constant push and pull battle between recognizing the importance of relaxation and seizing the professional and academic opportunities set before me.

My summers generally go like this: I drive home to Orange County, California from Flagstaff as soon as I possibly can after finals are over; I get rehired at my summer job and work five or six days a week; on my days off, I spend time with my boyfriend, friends and parents

In May and June, I’m usually just getting reacquainted with being back home. I remember familiar things like needing to tell my mother where I’m going every time I leave the house, Sunday pancake breakfasts with my family and late night food with my friends after I get off of work. Almost every morning, I sleep in – a luxury I am almost never afforded during the school year. My boyfriend and I take turns planning dates.

In July, I start to get antsy. Maybe I shouldn’t have just been relaxing all summer? My college friends are getting everything they could want out of their internships and jobs. I start to look forward to going back to Flagstaff; in part, because I miss it, but also because I want to feel like I’m doing something again. I keep sleeping in, even though I’ve always been a morning person.

Every summer until this one, I put off

seeking an internship, dangling my feet in job pools until eventually picking up where I left off at my summer job. I’d rather make some money to help me through the school year. I could do both, sure, but I’d rather have leisure time.

I prioritize my time to re-center, take a deep breath and get nine hours of sleep while never truly being able to relax because of the looming guilt and, most of all, chronophobia. I feel like I’m running out of time. I associate a lack of an internship or professional opportunity with a certain failure in life.

But I am 21 years old, and I’m OK. Nothing is going anywhere. Opportunities will be there when I need them. I get more than enough experience during the school year; in fact, that’s why I find myself so in need of a break by the time spring semester ends

In August, I finally relax a little. I prepare for the year ahead. I enjoy the coastal breeze, the Sunday pancakes and time with my loved ones as much as I can. I don’t scoff at telling my mother where I’m going when I leave the house; rather, it becomes second nature, and I remember I’m grateful that someone cares about my whereabouts

I suddenly remember that time to relax is productive and working will help me sustain myself throughout the school year, and everything is OK. Ironically, I finally slip into a perfect natural balance between feeling productive and taking time for myself. And just when I do, it’s time for me to schlep my belongings back to Flagstaff and get used to a new balancing act.

Marley Green

SELECTED Officially

Flagstaff International Film Festival premiere promises a platform for filmmakers around the world

MATTHEW HAYDEN

On Aug. 26 and 27, a collection of more than 50 short films from storytellers around the world will be debuted at the inaugural Flagstaff International Film Festival (FIFF). The event bookends a season of innovative art festivals that have brought in diverse voices with unique perspectives for a

community that can’t get enough. It is the mission of FIFF to “provide opportunities to connect artists with our community by showcasing exceptiona works from filmmakers locally and around the world,” and if the founders’ sheer determination speaks at all to the future success of this film festival, there shouldn’t be anything to worry about.

For Brianna Frisbey, FIFF’s executive director being a filmmaker has always been a calling. With over a decade of experience running film sets, running a film festival felt like a natural transition. “It just felt like some-

thing I gravitated toward,” Frisbey said. “Even when I left filmmaking, it felt like either I found my way back to it or it found me, and here we are.”

Over the years, Frisbey has lived and worked in states all across the west, but it was living back in Arizona where she met her creative partner and FIFF COO, Jamie Selestewa. Born in Flagstaff and raised in Tuba City, Selestewa has lived her n insp and g,

entire life in northern Arizona, creating beautiful and dynamic art inspired by the landscapes of the Colorado Plateau her Native American heritage. Recently, she’s taken a deep dive into the world of filmmaking, and the two friends began considering what an international film festival based in Flagstaff might look like. “People from all over the world come here, the tourism, you have the university here,” Frisbey said. “We thought, Flagstaff is a place where this would be well received. We didn’t really know what we were hoping for, so we just kind of

started.”

Starting meant finding a financia expert to head the festival’s business affairs, and through the ever-reliable Flagstaff friendship machine, the duo turned into a trio when they brought Bridget Bogle into the fold. Bogle has lived in Flagstaff since 1986 and for the last 20 years, she has done financial and operational management for real estate offices around town. When she isn’t working, she is engaging with the arts community, going to plays at Theatrikos supporting local artists at Art Walk and navigating the bureaucracy of starting a non-profit organization on a shoe-string budget with a tight deadline

Frisbey said usually, festivals like this take at least a year to get things organized; the FIFF team had 10 months. They had 10 months to find sponsors and a venue, 10 months to market their festival to the community and filmmakers around the world, 10 months to watch at mon ep do g-

and curate their film selections and 10 months to execute every step of their plan on time, all while holding down their regular,

to

The prospect of this challenge alone s enough to make some walk away, but Frisbey, Selestewa and Bogle, with their do-it-yourself attitude and “Years from

jo pr one an yo se passion for film, looked at the task that was laid before them and said, “Watch this.”

From the beginning, they did things differently. Rather than paying their film-submission platform, FilmFreeway’s exorbitant marketing rates, they joined filmmaking groups online.

“We just joined like every Facebook group that had anything to do with film,” Selestewa said. “And then, locally, if somebody knew a filmmaker friend or whatever, we’d be like, ‘Hey, submit. Tell these people you know, submit your movie.’”

And boy, did they submit.

By the time their application window closed, they had curated 55 films out of what Bogle had described as “way more than 50,” which is enough to fill each day of the festival with stories from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and if that wasn’t enough, every film selected will be available to be streamed online from all around the world through their partner Filmocracy.com.

“We want to be known as a hybrid film festival,” Frisbey said, “and being able to offer these films virtually, it just benefits the audiences and the filmmakers because the filmmakers can get more exposure.”

“Also, they’re international,” Selestewa added, “so if somebody can’t make it here, their family wants to see it or whatever, they still have access to that.”

The wider movement towards hybrid film festivals demonstrates a concerted

effort by festival administrators to democratize the film-going experience and make cinematic art more accessible in general. Another way that FIFF is leveling the playing field is by bringing in field professionals to teach their craft. This year they have brought in Erika Ervin, a renowned actress and advocate for the transgender community who is best known for her roles in American Horror Story, Hemlock Grove and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. to lead a free acting workshop for all festival goers. This allages event, which will be held on Aug. 27 from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m., sets a standard that FIFF hopes to build on after their first year

now – we want to work toward it – we want to become an institution like our icons at Sundance and be able to offer mentorship programs and grants to aspiring filmmakers so that they can make their passion project,” Frisbey said.

Selestewa continued, “We want to do more workshops and stuff like that throughout the year you know, like acting or writing, just for the community that has given so much.”

The three feel incredibly proud of their accomplishments and are grateful for the help they’ve received along the way from friends, family and local businesses. They acknowledge that they have more to learn but ultimately, they hope their festival gives filmmakers a platform to tell their stories and share their visions.

“Even with comedy and drama and science fiction films, they can still represent life and help people change society’s opinions and thoughts about things,” Frisbey said. “It’s important.”

TheFlagstaffInternationalFilmFestivalwillbe hostedattheOrpheumTheaterfromAug.26–27 Thefestivalstartseachdayat10:30a.m. andendsaround6:30p.m.Forthoseunableto attendthein-personscreenings,thefilmswill beavailableonlineatFilmocracy.comfromAug. 26–Sep 1.Ifyouwouldliketolearnmoreorto buyticketstothefestival,youcanvisitFIFF’s websiteatflagstaffinternationalfilmfestival. comorpurchaseticketsdirectlyfromtheOrpheumatorpheumflagstaff.com.

From left to right: Jamie Selestewa Brianna Frisbey and Bridget Bogle.

Weird is as weird does

My daughter Zoe is going to college this fall. It will be impossible to survive her leaving, but at least we are determined to have as much fun as possible before she goes Well, she and her brother are I am in a season of loss my true-love cat, my paddleboard fin, my Apple Watch, my lotion, my first born but Max and Zoe are gathering up good times They have a four-and half-year age difference, which means sometimes they’re closer than other times, but right now, they’re close. Every morning, they go to Dunkin for coffee. I ask them to bring a reusable cup They say they will; they never do. Zoe can afford these fancy drinks because she works many hours at Chipotle. For breakfast/lunch, Zoe makes green smoothies Max makes ramen They go to the Athletic Club. Later, basketball practice for Max, work or hanging out with her friends for Zoe. But they’ve done some non-routine hanging out, too One day, she took Max and his friends to the tunnels. Max taught Zoe what I call the wiggle-knee dance. It may have another name possibly Billybong? Max and Zoe drove to Lake Mary to swim. Zoe sent a Snap about it, and her friends said it was weird

“Why’d they think it was weird?” I asked her.

“I have no idea. But it’s not weird to hang out with your brother, is it?”

“Maybe because they don’t have siblings? But also, weird is just a word that people use when they don’t really know what else to say.”

When I was twelve, I also called everything weird. “Our neighbors are so weird,” I’d tell my mom She’d respond with “everyone is weird,” which is true but beside the point. I was trying to explain that the way the neighbors went to church on Sundays or sometimes on Saturdays felt weird to me Ken and Gigi, who flew hot air balloons and trained falcons, were weird. Roger drove a VW Cabriolet up and down the street. That was weird. Jed smelled weird. Grandma gave me a weird look. Mom was right. Everyone was weird, but they were weird in precise ways I just didn’t have the words to name that precision.

I don’t know if I’ve gotten much better at defining weird, but I do know I’ve changed my attitude about it. Where it used to connote something negative about someone, now I think it’s a positively charged word.

I used to live in Portland where Keep Portland Weird bumper stickers were as common as Imagine Whirled Peas, My Other Car Is a Broom and Mean People Suck How weird was Portland? Portland is not that weird. It’s a pretty

city with a now-beautiful riverfront, lots of breweries and restaurants, dormant and mostly dormant volcanoes to hike and eight cool bridges crossing the Willamette It holds its grungy/punk-rock angle, but like cities everywhere, rich people knock down the punk rock mainstays like Satyricon and dance clubs like Embers to build luxury apartments The people are the real hope for weirdness My roommate Rhett rode a unicycle before it was normal. He also took ketamine before everyone took ketamine. He had a cat named Smile that only drank water from the bathtub faucet Maybe weird means to be at the forefront of the future just a click or two out of step with everyone else but also, maybe, a click or two ahead.

Does the phrase “Everyone is weird” makes no one weird? I don’t think so To call someone or something weird is to distinguish someone from your normal experience. Normal experience, when you are a kid, is something you’re trying to establish. When you get older, at least, as I got older, normal came to mean something rote and robotic Or, maybe spending nine years in Portland helped me come to that meaning. But even as a teenager, I had begun to think that normal meant obedient, willing to work for the man, boring If normal is how most people live then I’ll take weird any day.

It’s hard to persuade people to be weirder. In my classes, I try to get students to look for the unusual detail. To try a strange sentence structure. Have your character do something weird The world is a pretty weird place if you look at it closely enough. It rained most of May. It barely got warm enough in June to turn the heat off. Then, July reached record-breaking temperatures. Weird flowers are showing up in the forest and on campus, trees are weirdly producing fruit. Weird is neither good nor bad on its own. It’s a characteristic, like blue or cold. It’s outside of my known experience. By noting weird, you’re saying this place is wild and unusual When people say Keep Flagstaff Weird in that same manner that they mean Keep Portland Weird, I think it means that we can find little details around town that are surprising: a man who paints with fluorescent inks and sells his paintings in the square, a cat that doesn’t live in one particular home but downtown business owners feed, basement shops and underground tunnels, turkey vultures and horny toad lizards, bike shops and bicycle parts on brew pub tables. Weird means worth noticing and worth noticing means worth talking or writing about, and perhaps, it also means we should take our siblings to the lake more often. All we have to do to keep Flagstaff weird is keep our eyes open.

Nicole Walker

Masters of Brewtality whets their whistle with some wine at Page Spring Cellars

The freaks and geeks down here in the Masters of Brewtality crypt aren’t what you might call the fanciest of folks Some of our staff members have strange, unnatural deformities, not limited to prominent warts, tentacles and third legs, and, thus, we tend to get treated pretty poorly by the above-ground world. The case was not the same this month.

It was a beautiful Tuesday afternoon, and we hopped in the official MOB souped-up monster truck hearse for a breakneck run down the hill from Flagstaff to one of the most overlooked spots here in northern Arizona: Page Springs. Nestled between Sedona and Cottonwood, this is easily one of the most picturesque green belts in the entire state, fed by the creatively named Page Springs spring and Oak Creek

Our connection there was winemaker Bree Nation, who had promised a VIP tour of the grounds, and we couldn’t have been more excited The lobby was filled from the greeter’s stand to the front door shoulder-to-shoulder, standing room only, with wine connoisseurs from regions the likes of which we knew we would never truly understand. This was as far out of our element as we could be, but, thankfully, we were immediately swooped up from the back of the line and taken to a private tasting room as affluent jaws hit the floor. Sometimes, rarely, you get a taste of the good life and, like the fine red and white wines we were about to sample, it must be cherished and quaffed deeply. If you were to ask any of us to name a single wine we sampled, we wouldn’t be able to. The lights of clarity went off after the second small glass and that, dear reader, is why Masters of Brewtality will give Page Springs Cellars our official “Hard Partier” badge.

After a couple bottles in our secluded sunroom, Bree took us down to the barrel room. Many a bunghole was ravaged, as she and head winemaker Corey crawled over towering racks of wine barrels in various stages of the aging process. Each was dazzling in its own way, and we relished the opportunity to use the term “bunghole” over and over again because we are adults

and can use adult words without bursting into uproarious laughter. We did giggle every time, though.

It needs to be clarified that we’re about as far from wine connoisseurs as anyone can get and, beyond the knowledge gained during a single wine and cheese pairing class we took fifteen years ago, we couldn’t tell you the difference between red and white wine other than they come in different colors Thankfully, that single class did teach us just enough so that when we found ourselves surrounded by knowledgeable enthusiasts, we managed to fake it for the most part

And that’s what we’d recommend you do too, when, like us, life takes you out of your usual comfort zone, which in our case is craft beer, and plunks you square into the viper’s nest that is artisan wine. Our best tips are to swirl the wine in the glass. This aerates the wine and brings its flavors out while making you look really cool and edu-

cated. Second, hold the wine up after swirling and look at the drops of wine that have cascaded down the sides of the interior of the glass You’ll want to call them “legs” because that’s what they are actually called amongst wine people and using their jargon will ingrain you to them further. Make sure you hold the wine up to a light source to appreciate the color. This will also increase the chances of others around you doing the same, but with lights in their eyes, they won’t be able to see how hopelessly out of your element you are. Finally, take a good, long smell. Like, real deep, but don’t snort any wine into your nose, it’s not that kind of place Throw a couple buzzwords in, like “strong notes” and whatever fruit comes to mind first. You can even just lie outright and if you do it with confidence, no one will disagree because maybe you’ve got some superhero’s palette and are just that good. I think we described at least two different wines as having notes of Etruscan Hard-

wood, which sounded really cool and no one said anything about. Nailed it!

Follow this advice, and you should be able to be a beer person blending with wine folks, provided you don’t talk too much. Which is hard because wine is definitely a chatty drunk. All in all, we can’t recommend visiting Page Springs Cellars enough It was a fantastic day of opulence and fun. The vineyard and surrounding countryside alone is worth checking out and the service was top notch The food was an outstanding compliment to the litany of flavors we experienced, they had some live music which was graciously not overly intrusive to the experience, and being able to walk the grounds and see every ingredient as it was being cultivated expanded the experience perfectly. A huge thanks to Bree and Cory and the rest of fine folks at Page Springs for making us feel right at home, despite being as novice as you can be. Until next month, boils and ghouls, stay creepy!

MATTHEW HAYDEN

Page Springs Vineyards and Cellars is open 365 days a year from

Mike Williams

Street artist, Jetsonorama, honors Flagstaff’s Black history with a mural on South San Francisco Street

EMILY GERDES

Imagine walking through the Southside of Flagstaff and instead of being met with barren buildings that conceal history within their walls, imagine seeing that history displayed on the outside too – in vivid, larger-than-life prints of community members who made their successes on South San Francisco Street Candace Ryan has had a similar idea for

the last two years, and 10 months ago, she decided to act upon it Her first step was reaching out to Chip Thomas, also known as Jetsonorama who is a street artist most known for his work on the Navajo Nation, over Facebook

“I knew that the mural needed to represent the Southside and the story of the Southside, and he would be the best person to tell that story,” Ryan said.

R E BURRILLO

A mural done by Chip Thomas aka Jetsonorama

Celebrating the people who have come before and who are not always recognized is what Thomas said his goal is with this project. He said this mural is about telling the African American story of South San Francisco Street.

Thomas explained that he knew right away he wanted to partner with fellow artist Kill Joy. Although he had never worked with Kill Joy on a collaborative project, Thomas said he was familiar with her art Thomas has an ongoing art series where he invites artists from around the world to his home on the Navajo Nation and then spends time learning about the culture and community before creating their projects on the reservation.

“I like [Kill Joy’s] color and her color palette,” Thomas said “Her prints and the way she repeats patterns, lays things out and uses space. I think because I don’t have a formal background in any art training per se, I just like the idea of mashing things up and putting different people with different styles together and seeing what comes up.”

Thomas originally got interested in photography at 14 years old, then began to explore the medium a bit more when he moved to the Navajo Reservation in 1987. He said this passion laid the foundation for his love of street art later in life

In 2009, while he was traveling around

Brazil, Thomas identified with the street art community and said he realized he could combine his documentary-style photography with street art After returning to the reservation, he did just that. Now, he is using those techniques to give communities in northern Arizona a sense of agency

“The Southside is changing rapidly,” Thomas said. “We are at a crossroads where we could lose the history of this area, and once you lose the history, it’s impossible to get it back. I think it’s really, really important to honor that history, the trials, tribulations and triumphs.”

Thomas explained photography is the center of his art, but he has been exploring and experimenting with translucent fabric and wheatpasting. The Southside mural combines these techniques while also showcasing crucial members of history that helped provide a foundation for Flagstaff.

Flagstaff’s Beautification in Action Grant has played a big role in making this dream of Ryan’s come true. This grant runs twice a year and the mural fits the exact description of what the city wants the money to be used for Ryan said after the mural gained some momentum she applied through the city and was granted $4,500 for the project. However, Ryan said these funds can only be accessed once they reach their goal

As much as this grant does provide addi-

tional aid there are still funds that are not covered. Thomas explained the material they want to use for this project is more expensive since it is more durable and will hopefully stay up forever.

“We are wanting to use some more lasting materials for this mural rather than… regular bond paper,” Thomas said “There’s a synthetic paper that has an indefinite life that we would like to use for this mural.”

Along with the cost of the prints and supplies, the funds generated from the grant and GoFundMe will be used to pay for the artist’s time.

The plan for the mural is for a collage of photographs wheat pasted to the side of the building which has been collected from library archives and personal collections from the community. The process of interviewing people and collecting old photographs has already begun and ensuring the story and photos are historically accurate is a priority, Ryan said.

“I’ve done maybe five interviews with folks and plan on doing some follow up interviews this month,” Thomas said. “In fact, I’ve come across some really wonderful histories that I would not have uncovered were I not doing this project.”

One of the more impactful pieces of history Thomas said he discovered is a photograph acquired from NAU’s Cline Library.

“I wanna say it’s at [Fort Tuthill], and it’s a 4th of July parade,” Thomas said. “It shows maybe four or five men standing on a wagon It’s from 1895 or maybe even earlier, maybe from the 1870s. But two of those men are African-American and contributed through both the railroad and the lumber industry and in the educational system to Flagstaff’s growth and development.”

Besides the effort and cooperation needed from residents and key members of the community to help Thomas and Kill Joy gather the history of Southside, the project also needs financial assistance. At the time of publication, the GoFundMe had yet to breach a third of its total goal of $6,500

Ryan said they hope to continue raising funds until the middle of August in order to start the mural during the first week of September Once the mural begins, depending on Flagstaff weather conditions, it should only take about two weeks to be completed.

Giving back to the community is the purpose of this mural and both Ryan and Thomas repeated how they hope this gives the opportunity to people who have come before and have not always received the recognition.

“The community is welcome to come and hang out and share space with us while we’re over there creating,” Thomas said

ONGOING

MONDAY

DarkSkyBrewing:

Locals Monday Every Monday from 12–10 p m enjoy $2 off non-barrel aged pours 10 oz and higher for Flagstaff locals.

Bingo Night Play bingo every Monday from 6–8 p m $5 entry fee

MuseumClub:

Open Mic Night Every Monday night from 6–9 p m Bandswelcome Manymusicianshave been asked back for paying gigs

OenoWineLounge:

Hospitality Night Every Monday, hospitality workers get 20% off their order Proof of employment required

Tappy Hour Monday-Friday 12–4 p m All wine and beer taps are half off

TUESDAY

FlagstaffBrewingCompany:

Poet Brews Poets and writers are welcome to share their work with the public at this open mic Sign up at 6:30 p m ,show starts at 7 p m

HeritageSquare:

Kids Squared Free kid-friendly activities every Tuesday and Thursday from 10-11 a m

Jazzercise:

African Dance Class Lessons focus on the traditional dances from Guinea, West Africa

6:45–8:15 p m

MuseumClub:

Line Dance Lessons Every Tuesday from 5–8 p m

Karaoke Every Tuesday from 9 p m to close

OenoWineLounge:

Teacher Tuesday Every Tuesday educators get 15% off wines

Tappy Hour Monday-Friday 12–4 p m All wine and beer taps are half off

WEDNESDAY

B66BrunchBrewandBBQ:

Team Trivia Join them every Wednesday for what Flagstaffians are calling “the best trivia night in town!”7:30–9:30 p m

Brews&Cues:

Brews Trivia Eight rounds of hosted trivia Up to 6 people per team Prizes for 1st, 2nd, and

3rd place $3 Mystery Bags and $2 Jello Shots

6:30 p m

Charly’sPubandGrill:

WednesdayNightBlues PresentedbyNorthern Arizona Blues Alliance 6:30–9 p m

EastFlagstaffCommunityLibrary:

Family Storytime Every Wednesday from 10:30–11:15 a m

FirecreekCoffee:

Singer-SongwriterOpenMic Shareyouroriginal songs between 7–10 p m

GopherHole:

Karaoke & Service Industry Night Happy Hour pricesforserviceindustrypersonnelfrom6 p m untilclosewiththesingingstartingat9:30 p m

HeritageSquare:

Dancing on the Square A mixture of swing, Latin, and ballroom dancing from 7–10 p m

MeadHall:

TriviaNight Themedcategories,includingvisual andsound,andprizesforthewinners 6–8 p m

OenoWineLounge:

WarriorWednesday Allactivemilitaryandfirst responders get 15% off

Tappy Hour Monday-Friday 12–4 p m All wine and beer taps are half off

Shift:

Wine Wednesday Half-priced bottles of wine all evening

WeatherfordHotel:

BluesNightatCharly’s EveryWednesdaynight from 7–9 p m

THURSDAY

DarkSkyBrewing:

Trivia Night TAPP’D Trivia! Thursdays 7–9 p m at the DSB Beer Garden

GopherHole:

Trivia Night Doors open at 6 p m with trivia starting at 6:30 p m

HeritageSquare:

Kids Squared Free kid-friendly activities every Tuesday and Thursday from 10-11 a m

ThursdayNightJazz Jamouttojazz,bluesand funk from local bands 5–7 p m

MeadHall:

GREENLAW Live Celtic music at the Mead Hall every Thursday at 7 p m

MuseumClub:

Free Line Dance Lessons from 5–8 p m

Free Country Swing Lessons from 7–8 p m

Dimes with DJ FRSH Amazing drink specials from 8 p m to close

OenoWineLounge:

Wine Tastings Stop by between 5 and 7 p m to enjoy $20 wine tastings and $5 tastings for club members

Tappy Hour Monday-Friday 12–4 p m All wine and beer taps are half off

FRIDAY

Jazzercise:

Casino Rueda in Flagstaff Cuban-style Salsa Dancing followed by social dancing 7:30–10 p m

MuseumClub:

Acoustic Happy Hour Live country music from 5:30–10 p m Check the schedule for shows and times

OenoWineLounge:

Tappy Hour Monday-Friday 12–4 p m All wine and beer taps are half off

SATURDAY

CreativeSpiritsDowntown:

THE PULSE

NORTHERN ARIZONA’S DAILY EVENT LISTINGS » AUG. 3-SEP. 6, 2023

CreativeKidsPaintingClasses Dropyourkiddos off for 90 minutes of shop time or stick around and paint with them 4–5:30 p m

Open Studio Nights Paint and craft with Creative Spirits and pick your favorite project 1–6 p m

MuseumClub:

Live country dance bands every week from 8:30 p m –1 a m

SUNDAY

DarkSkyBrewing:

Pints and Poses: Yoga at the taproom every Sunday morning from 10:15–11:30 a m $15 fee per class

Sunday Funday Live music every Sunday at the DSB Beer Garden 4–6 p m

FlagstaffCityHall:

Flagstaff Community Farmers Market Celebrate your community and the hard work ofitsregionalsmallgrowersandsmallbusinessesatthefarmer’smarketeverySunday 8 a m –12 p m

HeritageSquare: Sundays on the Square Grab some lunch and dine outdoors while enjoying local music. 12–2 p.m.

Jazzercise:

Ballroomsocialdancing Dancelesson,open dancing from ballroom and swing to latin dance genres 5:15–7 p m

MuseumClub:

LatinoNight CelebratingLatinoandSpanish music every Sunday from 9 p m –2 a m

OenoWineLounge: Wine Education Night A 30 minute lesson onwinetopicsstartingat4:30 p m $20per person

Thu/8.3

MUSICEVENTS

OrpheumTheater: Steve Earle: Alone Again Tour Famed Copperhead Road singer-songwriter performs soloandacousticonhisnewesttour Doors: 7 p m | Show: 8 p m

PepsiAmphitheater:

Greensky Bluegrass A five-piece bluegrass

The cast of“Lend Me a Tenor,”directed by John Propster.

jam band touring with a full light show Doors: 5:30 p m | Show: 6:30 p m

VARIOUSEVENTS

LowellObservatory: Romeo and Juliet Join Flag Shakes for a night of romance and tragedy under the stars 7 p m

Fri/8.4

MUSICEVENTS

OrpheumTheater:

Lot Rock An outdoor rock event featuring Dub&DownwiththeBlues–anelectrifying sonic experience Doors: 7:30 p m | Show: 8:30 p.m.

MOTION OLSON

1/2 OFF INITIATION

Donate $25 to the American Cancer Society in Cancer support of the Climb to Conquer Cancer and receive 1/2 Off Initiation!

Expires 8/23/2023

THE PULSE

PepsiAmphitheater:

Young the Giant with Milky Chance Popular indie-rock band famous for their songs My Body, Cough Syrup, Mind Over Matter and more Doors: 6 p m | Show: 7 p m

VARIOUSEVENTS

BrightSideBookshop:

Author Signing Annie Watson from 5–6:30 p m Keith Warren Lloyd from 6:30–8 p m

ChurchoftheEpiphany:

Elemental Change: Reframing our Climate Future Jay Smith gives a lecture on mitigating fire threats in our community at this Art in Action exhibit 6–8 p m

EldenPuebloArcheologicalSite: PrehistoricFunFriday LearnaboutNative cooking 10 a m –2 p m

LowellObservatory:

RomeoandJuliet.Join Flag Shakes for a night of romance and tragedy under the stars 7 p m

TheatrikosTheater:

Lend Me a Tenor Nine-time Tony Awardnominatedfarcewithmistaken identities, room swaps, and quirky characters make for a wonderfully fun show. 7:30 p.m.

Sat/8.5

VARIOUSEVENTS

TheArboretum:

YOUR MEMBERSHIP INCLUDES:

2 Clubs, 3 pools (including a salt pool, a lap pool and an outdoor pool), 4 Steamrooms, 6 Jacuzzis, 2 Kids Clubs, 9 Courts, State of the Art Strength and Cardio Equipment, Indoor Track, Gymnasium, Personal Training, Small Group Training, Physical Therapy, Tanning plus much more!

100+ GROUP FITNESS CLASSES PER WEEK

INCLUDED WITH YOUR MEMBERSHIP!

Beginner Classes, Yoga, Cycling, Zumba, Step, Pilates, Aqua Basics, Poolates, Flex-ability Core, Barre Fusion 45, Movement and Strength, Barre Above, Les Mills RPM™ , BodyPump® , BodyJam® , Sprint™ and more! flagstaffathleticclub com/schedules

FAC WEST 1200 W Rt. 66 � 928-779-4593

FAC EAST/SPORTSTOP 1500 N Country Club Rd. � 928-526-8652

flagstaffathleticclub.com � facebook.com/FlagstaffAthleticClub

Raptor Show Get up close and personal with raptors from the International Raptor and Falconry Center 10:30 a m

HeritageSquare: Movies on the Square Bring your kids and enjoy activities,crafts and live entertainment followed by an all-ages movie This week’s movie: Monsters University 4 p m

LowellObservatory:

RomeoandJuliet Join Flag Shakes for a night of romance and tragedy under the stars 2 p m or 7 p m

MountainSports:

DowntownGeologyRocks!Tour Learn abouttheancienthistoryofthestones used to build Flagstaff during this 45-minute tour 1–2 p m

MuseumofNorthernArizona:

Colton Garden Tour Free tour allows visitors to learn how to grow plants and reconnect with their food 8 a m –5 p m

TheLifeandSeasonsoftheLivingRoof

Freetalkaboutthe14,000-square-foot living roof atop the Easton Collection Center 2–3 p m

OrpheumTheater:

Mateen Stewart Anger Management Comedy presents comedian with the abilitytotacklechallengingtopicswith humor and sensitivity Doors: 7 p m |

Show: 7:30 p m

TheatrikosTheater:

Lend Me a Tenor Nine-time Tony Awardnominatedfarcewithmistaken identities, room swaps, and quirky characters make for a wonderfully fun show 7:30 p m

ThorpePark:

Flagstaff Chili Festival Join Flagstaff’s chili enthusiasts for two days of delicious food 10 a m –4 p m

WillowBend:

Science Saturday Learn about the region’s unique rock formations, paint rocks and enjoy hands-on activities

9:30–11 p m

Sun/8.6

VARIOUSEVENTS

LowellObservatory:

RomeoandJuliet Join Flag Shakes for a night of romance and tragedy under the stars 5 p m

TheatrikosTheater:

LendMeaTenor Nine-timeTonyAward nominatedfarcewithmistakenidentities,roomswaps,andquirkycharacters makeforawonderfullyfunshow 2 p m

ThorpePark:

Flagstaff Chili Festival Join Flagstaff’s chili enthusiasts for two days of delicious food 10 a m –4 p m

Mon/8.7

VARIOUSEVENTS

BrightSideBookshop:

Find Waldo Flagstaff Party Celebrate theconclusionofthe2023FindWaldo

Flagstaff scavenger hunt with a raffle, activities and Waldo himself 6–7 p m

OrpheumTheater:

Family Summer Club A kid’s summer program with fun and free activities brought to you by Lowell Observatory Doors: 6 p m | Show: 6:30 p m

Tue/8.8

VARIOUSEVENTS

TheatrikosTheater:

Adventure Film Showcase Flagstaff Mountain Film Festival presents Get

Out There as part of their summer/ fall film series 6–9:30 p m

Wed/8.9

MUSICEVENTS

CoconinoCenterfortheArts: SUSTO Uplifting alternative, country-rock, indie-folk from Charleston, South Carolina 7:30 p m

Fri/8.11

MUSICEVENTS

OrpheumTheater:

Renegade Rhythms An electrifying outdoor DJ event that will bring together enthusiasts from all walks of life 6 p m

PepsiAmphitheater:

HotelCalifornia SalutetheEagleswith this legendary tribute band Doors: 7 p m | Show: 8 p m

VARIOUSEVENTS

LowellObservatory:

RomeoandJuliet Join Flag Shakes for a night of romance and tragedy under the stars 7 p m

TheatrikosTheater:

Lend Me a Tenor Nine-time Tony Awardnominatedfarcewithmistaken identities, room swaps, and quirky characters make for a wonderfully fun show 7:30 p m

Sat/8.12

MUSICEVENTS

JoeBakerandSleepStampede MountainMelodiesisaseasonalconcertseriesfeaturinglocalmusicians 5–7 p m

VARIOUSEVENTS

AshurstHall:

Midsummer Night’s Ball Dinner and ballroom dancing presented by USA Dance 6–10 p m

CoconinoCenterfortheArts:

Horseback Writing Ekphrastic Poetry Workshop Poet Jodie Hollander teaches participants how to respond poetically 1–3:30 p m

decker with special guests The Senators and Adam Bruce A showcase of great original music from three iconic AZ artists 7:30 p m

EldenSpringRoad:

VolunteerTrailDay FlagstaffBikingOrganization and crew performs routine maintenance on Little Gnarly, Schultz Loops and/or Climb 3 8 a m –1 p m

FlagstaffCityHall:

Flagstaff Urban Flea Market An outdoor gathering of unique artisans, eclectic peddlers and one-of-a-kind creators. 9 a.m.–2 p.m.

HeritageSquare:

Movies on the Square Bring your kids and enjoyactivities,craftsandliveentertainmentfollowed by an all-ages movie This week’s movie: Cars 4 p m

LowellObservatory:

RomeoandJuliet Join Flag Shakes for a night ofromanceandtragedyunderthestars 2 p m or 7 p m

TheatrikosTheater:

LendMeaTenor Nine-time Tony Award nominated farce with mistaken identities, room swaps, and quirky characters make for a wonderfully fun show 7:30 p m

Warner’sNursery:

MasterGardeners’2023GardenTour Tourmore than seven vegetable, flower and native plant gardens around Flagstaff 10 a m –4 p m

Sun/8.13

VARIOUSEVENTS

LowellObservatory:

RomeoandJuliet Join Flag Shakes for a night ofromanceandtragedyunderthestars 5 p m

TheatrikosTheater:

LendMeaTenor Nine-time Tony Award nominated farce with mistaken identities, room swaps, and quirky characters make for a wonderfully fun show 2 p m

Wed/8.16

MUSICEVENTS

OrpheumTheater: Easton Corbin Popular country artist from the early 10s known for his memorable baritone Doors: 6 p m | Show: 7 p m

PepsiAmphitheater:

Rebelution: Good Vibes Summer Tour 2023 An evening filled with some of the best reggae bands touring America Doors: 5 p m | Show: 6 p m

VARIOUSEVENTS

BuffaloPark:

“Step Into Health” Walking Club Every third Wednesday of the month, join North Country HealthCare for a walk between 3:30 and

4:30 p m

PictureCanyon:

Invasive Weed Pull Come learn about invasive weeds and take care of the beautiful Picture Canyon 7–10 a m

Thu/8 17

VARIOUSEVENTS

MuseumofNorthernArizona:

Thirsty Thursday Live music by Highland Ramblers FoodprovidedbyTheChileBox 5–8 p m

Fri/8.18

VARIOUSEVENTS

OrpheumTheater:

Majik A 10-member, high-energy cast of drag artists, dancers, comedians and illusionists

Doors: 8 p m | Show: 9 p m

Sat/8.19

VARIOUSEVENTS

CityHall:

The Mother Road Classic Car Show The Route 66 Car Club of Flagstaff boasts their slick rides for local charities 8 a m –3 p m

CoconinoNationalForest:

Helping Flagstaff Forests Volunteer with the Grand Canyon Trust in the Coconino National Forest to restore ponderosa pine habitat 8:30 a m –12 p m

HeritageSquare:

Movies on the Square. Bring your kids and enjoyactivities,craftsandliveentertainmentfollowed by an all-ages movie This week’s movie: InsideOut 4 p m

MuseumofNorthernArizona:

Moore Medicinal Garden Tour Learn about plants native to the Colorado Plateau and theirmedicinalusesonthisfreetour 10–11 a m

WillowBend:

Adult Workshop: Rio Wetlands Birding Tour Come learn about the exciting world of birding in this hands-on workshop 7–10 a m

The Museum of Northern Arizona offers tours of the 14,000-squarefoot living roof atop their Easton Collection Center.