Carefree/Cave Creek
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CAREFREE
CAVE CREEK
SCOTTSDALE
NORTHEAST PHOENIX
BLACK CANYON CITY
FOUNTAIN HILLS
ANTHEM
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Spur Cross in May
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MAY 2018
Kiwanis Splash Park Is Open For Summer Fun
Carefree Restaurant Week
Summer at the Museum
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he time has come to light up the desert sky at the Cave Creek Balloon Festival. Guests will enjoy great live bands, massive glowing balloons, a firework show and a celebration of a red, white and blue on Memorial Day weekend. The ninth annual event takes place 5:30–10pm Saturday, May 26, at Rancho Mañana Golf Course, and is presented by Tonto Bar and Grill and Aerial Solutions. New this year, attendees can head straight for tasty eats and enjoy — gone are the days of purchasing food, beverage script tickets and waiting in double long lines. Those who want to see the timeline or surf the food truck menus may hop online and find the information on the event website. The balloons start to inflate and glow around 7:30pm, but attendees will want to be there way before then to see the Civil Air Patrol color guard presentation, a flyover by Deer Valley Composite Squadron 302, and to hear the national anthem performed by Madison Holmes. Later, The Shari Rowe Band will headline the event from 6:45–8pm and flows right into more live music from The Josh Roy Band. Relax and lay back to cap off the evening with fireworks showering overhead in an explosive array of red, white and blue. Adults and children alike will love the live music on the Sanderson Ford main stage, especially from the band viewing area, which welcomes low-profile lawn chairs. Please note: lawn chairs must remain in designated area. Also, there’s plenty for the little ones to see and do, including free face painting and free balloon twisting, or guests can choose to let kids burn energy in a fun-filled kids’ zone. Adults can enjoy great beverages, cocktails and wine, as well as craft beer flowing from the taps of Four Peaks Brewery. Splurge on scrumptious food from local food trucks and vendors including AZ Wings, Barnes Old Fashioned Soda, Doughlicious Pizza, Firehouse Kettle Corn and Cotton Candy, Firehouse Shaved Ice, Honey Bears BBQ, Mediterranean Majik, Wandering Donkey, Wok Sticks, Yellowman Fry Bread and more. A complete timeline of events, and parking and ticket information is available online at www.cavecreekfestivals.com.
Memorial Day Tribute: May 28th, 9 -11 a.m. FREE ADMISSION See Pages
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The Town of Carefree opened the Kiwanis Splash Park for its third season April 1. Located in the Carefree Desert Gardens, the Kiwanis Club of Carefree donated the funds so that local families and their children could have a place to escape the heat while enjoying the beautiful surrounding views of Carefree. In keeping with the Carefree Desert Garden theme, the park has an artfully designed scorpion centered within the splash pad named “KIWANI,” which is an exciting one-of-a-kind feature. When guests least expect it, the scorpion sprays its jets, creating a magical, nature-inspired play environment.
Families are encouraged to make a day of it and visit the boutique shops and restaurants in the Carefree downtown area, then are welcome to cool-off in the Kiwanis Splash Park. In addition to the Splash Park, on the west side of the Garden, families can enjoy a covered playground area featuring another one-of-a-kind Gila monster slide just across from the Carefree “Little Free Library.” The Splash Park is open 9am–7pm and admission is free. The park will remain open through October 15. For more information, go to www.visitcarefree.com.