ARIZONA STATE PARKS: For Immediate Release
Managing and conserving Arizona’s natural, cultural and recreational resources for the benefit of the people, both in our Parks and through our Partners. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Ellen Bilbrey at (602) 542-1996 or (602) 228-8518, or Monica Enriquez at (602) 542-6997. Contact by Email: pio(at)azstateparks.gov
(Phoenix, Arizona - September 19, 2008) - The 9th Annual Fiesta de las Calabazas will bring music, pumpkins, plenty of food and outdoor fun to Oracle State Park on Saturday, October 25, 2008 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Fiesta de las Calabazas promotes eco-tourism and heritage-tourism, fosters awareness of the natural environment, and showcases the cultural and artistic diversity present in the communities of Oracle, San Manuel, and Mammoth as well as neighboring towns in southern Arizona.
Live music all day on the Main Stage includes Fiesta headliner and award winning singer/songwriter Kevin Pakulis, whose music has been described as a "cross between Tom Petty and a young John Cash." Pakulis will be joined onstage by bassist Larry Lee Lerma and drummer Ralph Gilmore. In addition, Way Out West trio of Emmy Creigh, Tom Poley and Slim Rost will perform harmonic cowboy tales and bordergrass favorites. The music line-up includes performances by Folk guitarist Leila Lopez, western tunes by Blue Prairie Dogs, and the barn-dancing Jumping Chollas. For more details, visit www.calabazas.org.
The popular Kids Area will once again offer plenty of educational activities and hands on nature art. There will be pumpkins to paint and Corral Stage acts will include the CDO High School Jazz Singers. Students from Oracle, San Manuel and Mammoth schools are once again creating gourd art for display in the Gourd Gallery. The public will vote on winners of the annual Gourd Art Contest. There will be leather tooling, gem-panning, seed planting, animal skulls to identify, Junior Ranger Program activities, face-painting and more.
New to the festival this year, the "Miner's Story Project" will be interviewing miners who worked in or were directly involved in the history of the local copper mines. The University of Arizona directed project will offer a table where people might sign on to help (www.minerstory.org). Guided tours of the Mediterranean-style historic Kannally Ranch House and gardens will be offered. Learn more about the plants and wildlife of the Oracle area on a 20-30 minute nature walk scheduled thoughout the day. Local authors, including Charlie Kane who wrote "Herbal Medicine of the American Southwest," will be on hand to sign their books.
Ride the shuttle to the festival site from the Oracle Courthouse north of the Post Office and pay $2 per person (children age 13 and younger free). There is no additional charge to attend the festival or concerts. Because of space limitations, on-site parking will be available only for those with handicapped stickers or others needing special assistance, however, the normal entrance fee of $6 per vehicle will apply. The first shuttle from town leaves the Courthouse at 9:30 a.m. Kids' activities and Food Vendors close down at 4pm, with live music continuing until 5pm.
For more information call Oracle State Park at (520) 896-2425 or visit the Fiesta website at www.calabazas.org. Oracle State Park is located approximately 45 minutes from Tucson, in the northern foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains in the community of Oracle in southern Pinal County.
For information about Arizona State Parks call (602) 542-4174 (outside of the Phoenix metro area call toll-free (800) 285-3703) or visit the website at www.azstateparks.com.
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Learn more about Oracle State Park
link to this page:
http://azstateparks.com/press/2008/PR_09-22-08.html
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