Anyone looking for something to do this month certainly has wide ranging choices.
Mesa Food Truck Fridays offers great food and community interaction. Eat your way from truck to truck, and mingle with your neighbors at the same time. Food and friends make a winning combination.
Spring training is a Valley tradition, with fans of all ages enjoying hot dogs, popcorn, cold beverages and the bat of the ball. Sloan Park is a great place for Cubs fans to gather and express hope for a winning season.
This year’s Ostrich Festival is sure to be bigger and better than years past. The 28th year of this fun family event features new and exciting rides, live band performances, magicians and oh, yes, those infamous ostrich races.
The Renaissance Festival brings medieval times to life again. Enjoy watching accurately performed jousts and eating gigantic tantalizing turkey legs. You also can shop for medieval mementos.
Details of each event are presented here. Attend one or enjoy all. The choice—and the fun—is yours.
Mesa Food Truck Fridays Combines Delectable Delights with Community Camaraderie
Mesa Food Truck Fridays kicked off in a big way last September, boasting more than 2,000 attendees, including Mesa Mayor John Giles and Councilmember David Luna. Every food truck sold out of food, and, needless to say, the event was a huge success.
“I think it’s something Las Sendas really needed and wanted,” said Kristha Lima, director of activities at the Las Sendas Community Association.
“We continue to have a large turnout,” she continued. “People of all ages come out for this event.”
Taking place the first Friday of every month, from 5 to 9 p.m., the event is open to the public and takes place at Las Sendas Trailhead Parke. Las Sendas residents have the option to come an hour early to beat the lines and enjoy their food without crowds.
“We try to bring out new trucks all the time, and we try not to duplicate the type of food trucks at the same event,” Kristha said.
Mesa Food Truck Fridays has welcomed a variety of well-known trucks, including Luncha Libre, Cousins Maine Lobster and Mustache Pretzels. Mesa Food Truck Friday fan favorites include Frites Street and Mingo’s Louisiana Kitchen. Each event now brings in as many as 13 trucks.
“We get some of the best food trucks in the Valley,” said Kristha. “The food truck operators tell us we have one of the prettiest locations and one of the best organized events.”
Las Sendas Community Association and founding sponsor, KOR Properties, make Mesa Food Truck Fridays possible.
The idea for Mesa Food Truck Fridays came from one of KOR Properties’ owners, Natascha Ovando-Karadsheh, who remains actively involved in the marketing of the events.
Other sponsors include UpClose Publications, First American Title Insurance Company and IVF Phoenix.
This month’s event will take place on March 4, and April’s event will take place on April 1. April’s event will take place at Boulder Mountain Parke. In May, Mesa Food Truck Fridays will return to the Trailhead Parke.
Mesa Food Truck Fridays take place at Las Sendas Trailhead Parke, 7900 E. Eagle Crest Drive. For more information, like Mesa Food Truck Fridays on Facebook.
Sloan Park Brings Excitement to Cubs Spring Training
Last year, Mesa sports lovers had a lot to be excited about with the opening of the new Cubs Spring Training facility, Sloan Park.
The 15,000-seat, state-of-the-art stadium is the largest of all of those in the Cactus League. With its prime location off Dobson Road and Loop 101, as well as a design undeniably reminiscent of Wrigley Field, it truly is one of the coolest spots in town.
While the stadium’s first year of operation was fantastic, this season is expected to be just as enjoyable for baseball die-hards and casual sports fans alike.
While Spring Training officially begins on March 1, Sloan Park’s Opening Day will take place on March 4, with a game against the Los Angeles Angels. As a special bonus, the first 5,000 fans to arrive on Opening Day will receive a special commemorative baseball.
Arizona sports fans also can look forward to a face off between the Cubs and the Diamondbacks on March 17. For those looking to make a day out of a spring training game, Sloan Park is the perfect option. Great restaurants and amenities are right across the street, at Mesa Riverview, and the beautiful Riverview Park is right next to the stadium.
Tailgating is permitted, and parking lots open four hours prior to game time. For those looking to head straight into the park, avoid coming earlier than 90 minutes prior to game time, when gates open. Cubs fans will be able to enjoy the official onsite team store, filled with Cubs merchandise.
For those wanting to see more of the park, tours are available, at $5 per person, on March 10, March 18 and March 24. All tours begin at noon.
Cubs’ workouts also are open to the public and run from approximately 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., on various non-game days. Workouts take place on fields three through six, located on the west side of the complex.
Sloan Park is located at 2330 W. Rio Salado Parkway. For more information, or to purchase tickets, visit www.sloanpark.com. To purchase tickets by phone, call 800-THE-CUBS.
Ostrich Festival Offers New Features and Those Fun-Filled Races
The 28th annual Ostrich Festival, taking place March 11 through 13, at Chandler’s Tumbleweed Park, is expected to be bigger and better than ever this year, with improved attractions, top national recording artists and an improved VIP experience.
“I am so excited for the 28th Annual Ostrich Festival,” said President and CEO of the Chandler Chamber of Commerce Terri Kimble. “The event has become such a great part of the Chandler community, and we look forward to 2016 being the best year yet. We have more than 50 local acts plus performances by national recording artists, such as Kalin and Myles; The English Beat; Parmalee; and Ozomatli. A variety of new attractions include Batman versus Superman, classic carnival rides and, of course, ostrich races.”
Entertainment at the festival’s three stages will run nearly all day and will include live band performances, dance performances, magicians and more.
New rides include the 1001 Nachts, a spinning gondola; The Quasar, a spinning, jolting thrill ride; and The Inversion, a pendulum, which will spin riders completely upside down.
Attendees also can look forward to the now legendary ostrich races, which will take place three times per day. There also will be emu, zebra and pig races, as well as many more interactive animal attractions, such as the petting zoo and camel rides.
For those looking for the ultimate Ostrich Festival experience, this year’s VIP lounge will be catered by Brio Tuscan Grille, which will provide freshly prepared Italian food all three days of the festival. In addition to the meal, this VIP experience will offer guests a preferred view of all the main stage entertainment, three drink tickets, snacks and an unlimited all-day ride wristband.
For the first time ever, attendees can purchase VIP and general admission tickets online at ostrichfestival.com. General admission tickets also are available at Maricopa County and Casa Grande Fry’s locations, and both ticket types will be available onsite. For a group discount of 15 percent, call (480) 588-8497. Only groups of 10 or more are eligible for this discount.
For more information, visit www.ostrichfestival.com, like the Ostrich Festival on Facebook and follow @ostrichfestival on Twitter and Instagram.
Medieval Times Come to Life Again with Renaissance Festival
The Renaissance Festival has become one of Arizona’s favorite yearly events, and, when it comes to town each year, the excitement among Valley residents is palpable.
After nearly three decades of medieval fun, the festival still is able to bring in attendees year after year. The continual success is due in large part to great entertainment, feudal-era shopping and, of course, those turkey legs.
“The Renaissance Festival is the greatest party since Camelot,” said Marketing Director Sanja Malinovic. “Eat, drink and be merry is the order of the day. Patrons enjoy interacting with our performers on and off the stage, and you never know what you may discover in our 30-acre village.”
The sprawling festival boasts 13 stages and a large variety of shows. So, even the most seasoned Renaissance Festival attendees will be able to find something new to enjoy. In addition to the traditional comedy shows, there are belly dancers, a living fountain, a whipmaster, juggler and plenty of other friendly and entertaining medieval characters.
While most loyal festival attendees have come to know and love the classic rides and attractions, like the Birds of Prey, Hey Nunnie Nunnie and Tortuga Twins shows or Da Vinci’s Flying Machine ride, 2016 will welcome new attractions your family won’t want to miss. Very exciting are the Sea Fairies. This attraction features extremely authentic-looking mermaids swimming and frolicking under water. This year, the festival also is introducing an exciting new ride, The Dragon’s Tower Slide.
Of course, no day at the Renaissance Festival is complete without seeing a joust. These humorous, yet historically accurate renditions of medieval jousts, take place three times a day. Attendees can choose between A Joust for the Queen’s Favor, A Tournament of Champions and A Joust to the Death. Some may wish to see all three.
While the shows and attractions are fantastic, you won’t want to overlook the food or the great shopping. There are all kinds of medieval items available for purchase, from candles and home décor, to traditional medieval attire and magic wands. While the food options are nearly endless, some highlights include the previously mentioned turkey legs, or feast of fowl, as they call them, the filled bread bowls, and anything from The Chocolate Maker. The Renaissance Festival also serves a variety of beer, wine and spirits.
The Renaissance Festival will be open every Saturday and Sunday through March 27, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Renaissance Festival is located seven miles east of Apache Junction, on U.S. Highway 60. For more information, visit www.royalfaires.com/Arizona.