Make It Mesa » Arts / Culture

We love Pinterest!

VisitMesa — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:08:55 +0000

Have you heard of the new craze, Pinterest? It is very addicting for those “pinning” craft ideas, home décor, planning weddings, and book marking places they would like to visit, and things they want to see. It is like scrapbooking, only virtual. So Visit Mesa thought that we would create our own Pinterest account and be part of the action. After all, a picture says a thousand words and we have plenty of them and plenty to say about Mesa! We want to help people decide where to visit, use our tourism bureau as a fun resource while planning their trip, and connect with us after they have left. We also want to create a relationship with the local residents and show them how to experience their own city. Since starting Pinterest, we have found many connections with companies far and wide that have Pinterest accounts. All these efforts to show off Mesa’s many charms are what helps spread the word about our city’s friendly character and uniqueness as a tourism destination. Lucky for us, we can now share these images of Mesa’s great places and spaces with our followers through yet another outlet!

So, take a look at our Pinterest page and you will find boards such as: Places To Stay, Things To Do, Weddings and Events, The Outdoors, Art, Dining, Shopping, and Sports. And let us know if there is a board we haven’t yet created but should! We are always adding more and more pins and boards every day (word of caution: pinning is addicting!).

Pinterest requires an invitation so let us know if you would like an invite. We look forward to seeing you on the site. As Pinterest would say, “Happy Pinning”!

2nd Fridays in Mesa

VisitMesa — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:36:53 +0000

Today is Friday the 13^th! It is also 2^nd Friday Night Out in Downtown Mesa. If you have not had an opportunity to come enjoy downtown Mesa and what it has to offer, tonight is the night! Known as the “Square Mile of Unique Style”, it is really becoming the place to be for shopping and dining. This is the perfect chance to do some local shopping and support the small businesses in your community. I have even taken a personal pledge to “Shop Local” and made this effort for one of my 2012 resolutions.

On the 2^nd Friday of every month Downtown Mesa’s Main Street’s sidewalks fill up with unique vendors and the store fronts stay open late. Every month there is a theme to the event, this month’s is “Film Fest”, and last month’s was “Art Attack”. If you come dressed as your favorite movie star you have a chance to win a prizes. They will also have movie trivia and they will be hosting a Short-Film Contest by local filmmakers.

Starting at 6pm, the art galleries are open to the public. You can grab a coffee at Lo-Fi and some food from a vendor or restaurant and enjoy the live entertainment. Or you can pop in all those cute boutiques you have driven by and never took the time to park the car and go inside.

Whether you want to participate in the theme for the month or just want to enjoy the evening, 2^nd Fridays in Downtown Mesa is a fun spot to check out great vendors and discover small businesses.

Mesa Arts Center – 2011/12 Season Kickoff Party

GoGo Ginger — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 19:00:39 +0000

Guitars & Handlebars Season Kick-Off Festival: Sept 9-11, 2011

Mesa Arts Center & Mesa Contemporary Arts

While the Mesa Arts Center season opening event is now an established
tradition, Mesa Arts Center will kick off its 2011 fall season with a full weekend festival that will begin with MCA’s opening reception on Friday, September 9. The festival will open that night at 6pm with an outdoor display of motorcycles and cars that take over the seven-acre campus grounds, accompanied by live music, artist demos, food booths and a beer garden. The Friday evening events coincide with 2nd Friday Night Out in Downtown Mesa, featuring artists, music and free activities.

Free and open to the public! You’re invited to Guitars & Handlebars, a
blowout event featuring rock music, motorcycles, cars, great art, and sneak peeks of the upcoming season at the Mesa Arts Center
theaters and studios. Festival goers can visit the galleries, watch
demos in the Art Studios, see live music and theater performances, tour MAC’s four theaters, and explore a motorcycle and car show in which many of the top customized vehicles in the Valley will be exhibited. Saturday evening will feature World Classic Rockers live in concert, an all-star group that brings
together former band members from Santana, Journey, Steppenwolf, Toto, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Boston.

MAC also opens Six-String Masterpieces, a charitable art exhibition featuring an amazing collection of Dean Electric Guitars that have been hand-painted, illustrated and sculpted by leading musicians, tattooists and contemporary visual artists. Come see all the new rock & roll, and motorcycle themed exhibitions opening at Mesa Contemporary Arts.

Premiering Exhibitions:

• Six String Masterpieces – South Gallery

• Radical Rides: the Art of Motorcycles – Main Gallery

• Easy Ridin’ and Hard Rockin’ AZ Style – North Gallery

• American LEGOcy – Project Room

• Altered States: Dreams, Nightmares and Fantasies
– SRP Permanent Collection Gallery

Festival Days & Times:
Fri., Sept. 9, 6pm-10pm
Sat., Sept. 10, 10am-10pm
Sun., Sept 11, 10am-4pm

Mesa Arts Center
1 East Main St.
(480) 644-6500
www.MesaArtsCenter.com

Downtown Mesa’s 2nd Friday Night Out 7/8/11 BEACH PARTY

GoGo Ginger — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 22:07:25 +0000

Downtown Mesa’s 2nd Friday Night Out: 7/8/11 BEACH PARTY

Downtown Mesa’s 2nd Friday Night Out 7/8/11, “Beach Party”
6-10pm, downtown Mesa

www.2ndFridayNightOut.com

2011 All-Star MLB – Cacti On Parade

GoGo Ginger — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 17:58:10 +0000

Mesa’s cactus arrived downtown earlier this week.

Located on the NE corner of Main & Center St this cactus is part of 10 different statues being displayed throughout the valley to promote the upcoming MLB 2011 All Star Game & events that will be held in Phoenix July 8-12.

Schedule of Events – All Star Week:

July 8-12 – Major League Baseball All-Star FanFest atPhoenixConvention Center

July 9 – MLB All-Star Saturday Night Charity Dance Party

July 10 – Taco Bell All-Star Sunday at Chase Field featuring: XM All-Star Futures Game & Taco Bell All-Star Legends & Celebrity Softball Game

July 11 – Gatorade All-Star Workout Day at Chase Field featuring: State Farm Home Run Derby

July 12 – 82nd MLB All-Star Game at Chase Field

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/events/all_star/y2011/

Celebrate International Museum – May 18, 2011

GoGo Ginger — Fri, 13 May 2011 16:19:25 +0000

Celebrate International Museum Day
May 18, 2011

Central Arizona is home to nearly 100 diverse museums in the Gila, Maricopa, Pinal, and Yavapai counties. Museums in the area are participating in International Museum Day,
which raises public awareness about the vital role museums play in their communities. Every year since 1977 museum day is celebrated worldwide with as many as 30,000 museums organizing activities in over 100 countries.

To celebrate, the following museums are offering great ways to explore their venues at no cost, or at a discount…

Arizona Historical
Society Museum at Papago Park
Free admission
Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 10 a.m.‒4 p.m.

Arizona Military Museum
Free admission
Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 1‒4p.m.

Arizona Museum of Natural History
Buy one admission get one free
Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 1‒4 p.m.

Arizona Science Center, Children’s Museum of
Phoenix
and Phoenix Art Museum
Free admission for reciprocal membership
Wednesday, 18 May 2011, through Sunday, 22 May
2011.

Barbara Anderson Girl Scout Museum
Free admission
Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 9 a.m.‒4 p.m.

Deer Valley Rock Art Center
Two-for-one museum admission
Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 8 a.m.‒2 p.m.

Desert Caballeros Western
Museum
Free admission
Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 10 a.m.‒5 p.m.

Heard
Museum
Heard Museum North Scottsdale
Two-for-one museum admission (up to four people)
Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 9:30 a.m.‒5 p.m.

Musical Instrument Museum
Discounted admission and special programs
Thursday, 19 May 2011, 5‒9 p.m.
Five-dollar discount off of regular admission and a range of free performances and demonstrations.

Pueblo Grande Museum and Archaeological
Park
Free admission
Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 9 a.m.‒4:45 p.m.

River of Time Museum
Free admission
Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 1‒4 p.m.

Scottsdale Historical Museum
Free admission
Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 10 a.m.‒5 p.m.

Shemer Art Center and Museum
Free admission
Wednesday, 18 May 2011, 10 a.m.‒3 p.m.

Central Arizona museums have something for everyone
‒
history, art, science, anthropology ‒ explore the diversity!

Hours and offers subject to change.
Please visit www.azcama.com for full details and up to date restrictions.

Stargazing – 2 Fabulous, FREE, Family-friendly events

GoGo Ginger — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 17:32:19 +0000

Stargazing for Everyone @ Usery Park Usery Mountain Regional Park
Date: 4/30/2011 Time: 7:30 PM Registration Required: No Fee: $6.00 per car
Come watch the sky with us under the expert guidance of Tony and Carole La Conte! Come look through telescopes and enjoy a slide presentation under the stars. Learn the names of stars, see the constellations, and listen to stories of the night sky. When visible, view the craters of the moon, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and the rings of Saturn. We will have information about the Challenger Learning Center of Arizona. This is truly a fun night out! Come alone or bring your entire family. No pets, please. We encourage you to bring your own binoculars or the family telescope but it is not necessary. Bring lawn chairs or blankets for your comfort. The program lasts about 2 hours and meets at Group Picnic D.

Usery Mountain Regional Park
3939 N. Usery Pass Road
Mesa, AZ 85207
Ph: 480-984-0032 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 480-984-0032 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
http://www.maricopa.gov/parks/usery/

The MCC Astronomy Nights
Monthly Planetarium Show
Friday, May 6th

Planetarium shows begin at 6:00pm and repeat every 30 minutes approximately.
The last show begins at 9:30pm and ends at 10:00pm.
FREE show tickets are handed out at the event on a first-come, first-served basis. Wait times are usually no more than 30 minutes. If a staff member does not approach you about tickets during the event, please ask for them.
No reservations are required. However, if you plan to bring a group of 20 or more, please contact Dr. Kevin Healy with the showing you plan to attend so we can hold tickets for your group.
During Astronomy Nights, we also offer telescope viewing of the Moon, planets, and other celestial sights. Unlike the planetarium shows, telescope viewing will only occur if the skies are clear.
Astronomy Nights are the first Friday of the Month.

Mesa Community College Campus
@ Southern Avenue &Dobson Road
PhysicalScienceBuilding/ PS15
http://www.mesacc.edu/planetarium

2011 Mesa Arizona Easter Pageant: Jesus The Christ

GoGo Ginger — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 22:15:46 +0000

2011 Mesa Arizona Easter Pageant: Jesus The Christ

Join us for this community Easter Celebration
For all religions, ages and cultures
Free Admission – No donations accepted and no ticket required

Performance Schedule:
English Performances: April 13, 14 and 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
Spanish Performances: April 15, 16

All performances start at 8:00 p.m.

Location: North lawn of the Mesa Arizona Temple Visitors’Center
525 East Main St., Mesa, Arizona

For more information about this year’s Pageant, please click on this link: 2011 Frequently Asked Questions @ http://easterpageant.org/

Most of your questions will be answered on this link. If you have any other concerns or further questions concerning the Pageant, please call: 480-654-1077.

2011 Mesa Temple Easter Pageant

City of Mesa: Community Day of Play – 3/19/11

GoGo Ginger — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 16:55:42 +0000

Don’t forget to download your $1 off coupon for the next Community Day of Play event at Pioneer Park, 526 E. Main St., on Saturday, March 19 from noon to 4 p.m.

Admission to the Community Day of Play is $6 per child for unlimited access to rides, carnival games, obstacle courses and a petting zoo.

Adults are free. Check your Mesa Utility bill for a $1 off coupon or visit this link to download one: http://www.mesaaz.gov/parksrec/PDFs/DayofPlayflyerMar19.pdf

All games are geared towards children from preschool to 8th grade. Other fun activities include three performances by Arizona Disc Dogs, All YoYo, arts and crafts presented by Michael’s, music provided by X103.9 and Police and Fire vehicles will be on display. Food and vendors will also be available.

Mesa’s official “Day of Play” was proclaimed by Mayor Scott Smith on February 26, 2011. This is the second year in a row that the City of Mesa was awarded “Playful City USA” by KaBoom!, a national non-profit organization dedicated to saving play for America’s children by creating playspaces in the community.

“Bringing play back to our local parks is what it’s all about,” Mesa Parks, Recreation and Commercial Facilities Director, Marc Heirshberg said. “I encourage our residents to come out and play and enjoy what our department has to offer to you.”

All proceeds from Community Day of Play events go towards awarding scholarships to children who cannot afford summer recreation programs.

City of Mesa: Day of Play - 3/19/11

Open House at Mesa Grande Ruins

GoGo Ginger — Wed, 09 Mar 2011 22:50:14 +0000

Mesa Grande 2011 Public Open House

The 2011 Open House of the Mesa Grande Ruins Interpretive Trail will be held Saturday, March 19 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. The free event is the only day of the year this archaeological treasure is open to the public.

This self-guided tour of the ancient home of the Hohokam will give you the chance to tour this large prehistoric Hohokam temple mound, view prehistoric technology demonstrations and participate in ancient games at the archaeological site at the northwest corner of West 10th Street and Date/Brown. Experts will be stationed throughout the site to answer questions. A free pancake breakfast, sponsored by the Mesa Grande Community Alliance, will be served from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.

“Mesa Grande is a unique treasure for the City and the open house is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about what the Hohokam built and our efforts to preserve it,” Arizona Museum of Natural History Curator of Anthropology Dr. Jerry Howard said. The City of Mesa purchased the Mesa Grande ruins to preserve this cultural treasure with the goal of opening it to the public as an educational and recreational facility. Mesa Grande is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is also an official Arizona Centennial Legacy Project. The City is building a new welcome center at Mesa Grande and the goal is to open it before the state centennial next February.

The 2011 Open House at Mesa Grande is sponsored by the Arizona Museum of Natural History, District 1 Councilmember Dave Richins, Southwest Archaeology Team, Mesa Grande Community Alliance and West Mesa Community Development Corporation. For more information on the event, contact Arizona Museum of Natural History Curator of Education Kathy Eastman at (480) 644-5662.