Carefree/Cave Creek
Community News Excellence for Over a Decade
news.CITYSunTimes.com
CAREFREE
CAVE CREEK
SCOTTSDALE
NORTHEAST PHOENIX
BLACK CANYON CITY
FOUNTAIN HILLS
ANTHEM
TAKE ONE COURTESY OF CITYSunTimes OCTOBER 2017
Savor Local Flavor
Cave Creek Creek Wicked Wicked Cave
39
ENCHANTED PUMPKIN GARDEN RETURNS TO CAREFREE
Empty Bowls Bowls 2017 2017 Empty
32
CCUSD – – CCUSD Lowell Partnership Partnership Lowell
24
he Halloween spirit will invade the Town of Carefree for its third year in the form of whimsical pumpkin carvings from master sculptor Ray Villafane and the Villafane Studios team (www.villafanestudios.com). The Enchanted Pumpkin Garden will be woven throughout the four-acre Carefree Desert Gardens. This free admission, one-of-a-kind fall festival celebrates incredible artistry and enchantment of the Halloween season for all ages, and is open October 20-29, 10am 9pm. Visitors are invited to stroll through the garden and experience the many new mischievous pumpkin characters, artfully imagined and frolicking in their magical garden home. In addition to the playful pumpkins, Villafane and his team will carve 10 3-D pumpkin faces preserved and displayed in tanks that resemble Saguaro cacti, sculpted and immersed in a pickling solution for preservation and lit by LED light. One of the most popular photo opportunities is the 400-pound pumpkin, carved by Villafane himself the weekend before Halloween, on display for visitors to take selfies and family photos. Villafane’s team of four carvers will create new carvings daily throughout the garden and welcome children to carve with them up-close and personal. Other special highlights include two family instructional carving nights with Villafane and Desert Foothills YMCA October 25 and 26; reservations are recommended. There is anticipation of a new costume contest for families and kids along with an adult spooktacular costume contest October 28. Other popular activities include the “Adopt a Pumpkin” patch, pumpkin pie eating competition, corn maze, face painting, arts and crafts, a new harvest market and a local craft beer garden featuring Four Peaks along with culinary food trucks and autumnal treats. On Halloween, the Town will work with local boutique Bella Donna and Cane to coordinate a “Trunk or Treat” event along Carefree’s Easy street at 5pm. For event details, visit www.carefreepumpkingarden.com or call 480.488.3686. Photo courtesy of Villafane Studios
Visit our Enchanted Pumpkin Garden, October 20 - 29. See Pages
21-31 VisitCarefree.com
The Town of Cave Creek will once again host its premier event, The Taste of Cave Creek. From Bryan’s Black Mountain BBQ to Z’s Asian Fusion, the two-day Taste of Cave Creek will represent the eclectic mix that Cave Creek is most known for. Marshal Adam Stein is once again heading up the Taste of Cave Creek, and Sanderson Ford and Sanderson Lincoln are the premiere sponsors of the event. The Taste of Cave Creek is held at Stagecoach Village, 7100 East Cave Creek Road, in an outdoor, open-air setting that will feature two stages of live music nightly. Held October 18 and 19, this year’s event will offer two new experiences: The Craft Beer VIP experience and a Wine Tasting VIP experience. (Learn more about both VIP experiences on page 32 — see “Mayor Bunch Writes…”). Some of the more than 35 restaurants attending the Taste include Bryan’s Black Mountain BBQ, Bourbon Cellar, Brugo’s Pizza & Bistro, Cartwright’s Modern Cuisine, Desirable Desserts, El Encanto Mexican Food, Harold’s Corral, Grilled Addiction & Wandering Donkey, Indigo Crow, It’s a Divine Bakery, Le Sans Souci, Local Jonny’s, Grotto Café, Mountain View Pub, The Horny Toad, Small Cakes, Z’s Asian Fusion, the Village Coffee Shop, Tukees Tamales, Venues, The City Creamer, Q to U BBQ, The Meat Market, The Creek Patio Grill, Mike’s Chicago Dogs, Edible Arrangements, The Treatery, Burritoholics, Clakmul and many more. In addition to the food, there will be a craft beer garden featuring more than 18 craft beers, along with wine tastings, and tequila tastings sponsored by Tito’s Vodka. Two nights of entertainment, 5–9pm, include The Crown Kings (October 18); Fosterson (October 19); and Rock the District (both nights). For information, call 480.488.6636 or visit www.tasteofcavecreek.com.