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 - October 20, 2008) - The 9th Annual Fiesta de las Calabazas will bring music, pumpkins, art, plenty of food and outdoor fun to Oracle State Park on Saturday, October 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (see full schedule below).
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 is described as a "...cross between Tom Petty and a young John Cash". He will be joined by bassist, Larry Lee Lerma and drummer, Ralph Gilmore. 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; also pumpkins to paint, and the Corral Stage featuring young performers and a hot Habanero Chiles Puppet Show. 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, calf-roping, seed planting, animal skulls to identify, Junior Ranger Program activities, face-painting, live animals 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 UofA directed project will have a table where people might sign on to help. (www.minerstory.org). Look for demonstration booths on water harvesting, worm farming, composting, solar power and wind energy. 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 20-30 minute guided nature walks scheduled throughout the day.
This year's community fine art show will focus on gourds, beautifully decorated or made to be useful, in the form of musical instruments, containers, and bird houses, on display in the new Garage Gallery. Local authors will be on hand to sign their books, such as Charlie Kane with "Herbal Medicine of the American Southwest" and Jan Cleere with "More than Petticoats: Remarkable Arizona Women." Authors Jane Eppinga, William Chopak and Cole Damion will participate with books on history, fiction and solar energy. Oracle Fire Department volunteers will host the interactive Kids' Safety House. Food vendors will be selling barbecued pork sandwiches, veggie burgers, hotdogs, Mexican burritos, jalapeno poppers, sausages and bratwurst. Come early for breakfast burros and save room for dessert! There will be plenty of baked goods, homemade candies, beverages, and freshly picked organic produce from Our Garden of Catalina.
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. 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 close 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.
2008 Fiesta de las Calabazas at Oracle State Park
Schedule of Events
9:30am: First shuttle leaves Courthouse
10:00am: Food Vendors and Kids Activities open
MAIN STAGE: The Jumping Chollas perform until 11:15am
10:30am: Ecotone Plant Walk (20 minutes). Meet at Information Booth.
11:00am: Ranch House Tour (30 minutes). Meet at Kannally Ranch House.
CORRAL STAGE: Jerry Orr plays Native Flutes, begins at 11:15am
11:30am: MAIN STAGE: Way Out West performs until 12:45pm
12:00pm: CORRAL STAGE: Trumpeting Mammoths perform, led by band director, Drew Mansager
Corral History Tour (20 minutes). Meet at the Corrals.
12:30pm "The Nose Knows" Interactive trail program (30 minutes). Meet at Corrals.
1:00pm: MAIN STAGE: Leila Lopez performs until 2pm
Edible & Medicinal Plant Walk (30 minutes) with Charlie Kane.
Meet at Information Booth.
CORRAL STAGE: Hot Chiles Puppet Show, with Barbara Mocking.
1:30pm: Ranch House Tour (30 minutes). Meet at Kannally Ranch House.
2:00pm: CORRAL STAGE: Lauren Abrego performs vocal acoustic guitar original songs and favorite covers
2:30pm: MAIN STAGE: Kevin Pakulis Band performs until 4pm
CORRAL STAGE: Tony Gustin's Creepy Crawly Zoo
"Scavenger Hunt" Interactive trail program (30 minutes). Meet at Corrals.
3:30pm: Gourd Art Contest Winners announced on Corral Stage
Patio Garden Tour (20 minutes). Meet at Kannally Ranch House.
4:00pm: Kids Area Closes
4:15pm: MAIN STAGE: Blue Prairie Dogs perform until 5pm
5:00pm: Fiesta closes; shuttles continue to town until 6pm
-end-
Learn more about Oracle State Park
link to this page:
http://azstateparks.com/press/2008/PR_10-20-08.html
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