Strange Arizona

Sometimes here in Arizona we have the strange and unique.  Meet the Ectolimo.

Yes, we came across the Ghostbusters car at the Arizona Freedom Festival (or at least a recreation of it).  Apparently you can rent this one of a kind limo for your next event.  Could you imagine this Ectolimo pulling up to the next local prom?  They even have a General Lee for rent too.  I kind of want to rent a General Lee just to see if I could hop in the front seat via the window with as much finesse as the Duke brothers had.

Oh the fun I could have if my budget had a section for spending entitled, "just because it makes me laugh."     

Goodbye Duchess and Other Phoenix Zoo Activities

On June 24, 2012, Duchess, matriarch of the orangutans on exhibit at the Phoenix Zoo lost her battle to lymphosarcoma.  She was 52 years old and the oldest Bornean Orangutan on record.  She has been a part of the Phoenix Zoo family since 1962 after she was orphaned in the jungles of Borneo at a very young age.  We will miss her presence during our zoo visits.

If you are looking to visit the zoo this summer, don't forget about enjoying the zoo in the evenings.  Prowl and Play is from 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM on July 9th, July 14th and August 11th.  Admission is $6 for members, $8 for non-members.
   
Or enjoy Winter in July at the zoo on Saturday, July 21st from 7:00 AM - 11:00 AM.  The forecast calls for 20 tons of snow.  Activities are free to members or those with a paid general admission to the zoo.    

4th of July Fireworks and Festivities in Arizona

We hope many of you were able to enjoy some of the Arizona Festival of Freedom in downtown Mesa this weekend.  Because of some of the pictures from last year I was worried about huge lines and not being able to do much of the free activities with my kiddos, but my girls were able to enjoy everything without hardly a wait.  They froze on the water slides while we sweated it out, they held exotic birds, danced with Barney, and of course enjoyed the fireworks. I hope that you add it to your calendar next year.

(Thank you Cage World in Mesa for bringing all your beautiful birds to the festival again this year and being so kind to all those that wanted a chance to hold them.  It was one of the highlights of my girls' day.)

If you are looking for things to fill the rest of your 4th of July week, here are a few events:

- Wednesday, July 4th:  Fireworks at Living Word Bible Church located on the north west corner of Val Vista and Brown.  Show starts at 9:00 PM.

- Wednesday, July 4th:  Patriotic ceremony, kid games, live music and fireworks in Payson, Arizona at Green Valley Park.  Enjoy cooler weather and having a lake and the mountains as your backdrop for the fireworks.  Go here for all the details.

- Wednesday, July 4th:  Tempe Town Lake 4th of July Festival.  5:00 - 11:00 PM.

- Wednesday, July 4^th:   Chandler’s 4^th of July Fireworks Spectacular.  4:00 – 10:30 at Tumbleweed Park.  Enjoy music, free kid’s carnival, bike parade and more.  Go here for all the details.

- Wednesday, July 4th:  Apache Junction 4th of July.  6:00 PM - 9:00 PM.  Fireworks start at 9:00 PM.  Free watermelon while it lasts, bike decorating contest, games (for a small fee), kids zone, music, and more. Details here.

- Wednesday, July 4th:  Fire in the Sky at Central Christian Church in Gilbert.  965 E. Germann Road, Gilbert.  Fireworks begin at 8:30 PM.  

- Friday, July 6th:  Astronomy Night at Mesa Community College.  From 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM enjoy this free event and star show.

- Friday, July 6th:  First Friday ArtWalk in Downtown Phoenix.  While in downtown Phoenix enjoy Adult's Night Out at the Arizona Science Center.  Adults get in free between 5:30-9:00 PM.  Also, if you are an educator and need professional development hours (like me!) then educators earn one professional development hour for each lecture attended.  

- Saturday, July 7th and Sunday, July 8th:  Heber/Overgaard Fourth of July Celebration.  Pancake breakfast, parade, arts and craft show, live music and of course fireworks.  I hear this one is a favorite event of many due to the much cooler weather and the awesome fireworks that boom through the canyon.  Go here for all the fun details.

Tip:  If you want to make your kiddos extra happy and don't want to spend much money, remember to head down to your local dollar store and pick up some glow-in-the-dark bracelets for your festivities.  And make sure to start freezing those Otter-Pops today.  

Know of any other event this week?  Please let us know!  Enjoy and have a save week of celebrating our awesome country.