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You are here: Home / Archives for Arizona’s Christmas City

Arizona's Christmas City

Reducing Taxes, Protecting Airport Land, Expanding Open Space in the New Year

December 31, 2022 By quadcities Leave a Comment

As we come into 2023, I see several important and challenging issues ahead.

Happy New Year! I sincerely hope that your holidays were blessed with the warmth of this wonderful season. It was great to see Arizona’s Christmas City in full swing, with all of our favorite events and a few new ones.

Prescott City Council looks ahead to 2023, which will no doubt be an important year for the city. First I would like to congratulate our new Mayor Pro Tem Brandon Montoya, and thank last year’s Pro Tem Cathey Rusing for her leadership in 2022.

I am pleased to share with you an accomplishment from 2022 that will reduce taxes for everyone, starting immediately. As of Dec. 31, the city ended the .75% sales tax that was put in place to pay down the unfunded pension liability for our public safety personnel. The tax was able to sunset earlier than anticipated because we were able to pay down that liability from about $85 million in 2018, to under $1.5 million today.

As we come into 2023, I see several important and challenging issues ahead.

We will begin the year with a search for a new city manager. After six years with the city, Michael Lamar resigned his position to pursue other opportunities. His last day will be Feb. 14. We thank him for his service to the city and wish him well in his future endeavors.

The city will continue its work to protect the land around the airport from encroachment by residential development. We will work with the entitled property owners to make sure there is an appropriate buffer around the airport, keeping future homes out of crash impact zones and out of intense aircraft noise contour areas. The work we do now will benefit the entire Prescott region, especially those who use our air service, as well as the airport operations for years to come.

It is clear that as Prescott grows, our public safety infrastructure must also expand correspondingly. Our first responders have done an admirable job keeping up with the increased demands of our growing population. However, it’s time to invest in this growing demand. City Council will work with our public safety leadership to identify areas for new stations so that our citizens can continue to enjoy a consistently high quality of service as our city continues to grow.

After just over six months of the new water policy, we will continue to review and possibly reassess the policy as applications come in and issues are addressed. The Water Issues Subcommittee and the ad-hoc Water Policy Management Committee will continue to review the situation and together with staff, will make recommendations to council. The goal is to make sure that growth and water use increases at a reasonable and sustainable rate.

Finally, the City of Prescott and the entire region has a very special opportunity to expand open space, preserving thousands of acres for recreational use. The city is working with several partners, including Yavapai County and Prescott Valley, and in coordination with Arizona State Parks and with assistance from the governor’s office, to acquire a combined 3,200 acres on and around Glassford Hill. This land will be acquired in pieces, with each partner purchasing a number of acres. Thanks to a grant from the governor’s office, some of the land purchase costs will be offset. However, there is much more work to do in the coming year to ensure this open space is available to benefit generations to come. QCBN

By Phil Goode, QCBN

Phil Goode is the mayor of Prescott.

Filed Under: Columnists, Tourism Tagged With: Arizona's Christmas City, Brandon Montoya, Cathey Rusing, new year, Phil Goode, Reducing Taxes

Celebrating the Holidays in Arizona’s Christmas City

November 30, 2022 By quadcities Leave a Comment

From our family to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah and a prosperous and Happy New Year!

During this time of year, our thoughts turn to all of the wonders of Christmas and the holiday season. Prescott is Arizona’s Christmas City. This was done by proclamation by Arizona Governor Rose Mofford in 1989. Prescott has proudly carried this title, and we have endeavored to live up to it ever since. A few years back, Prescott was named one of the best cities in America in which to experience Christmas.

We invite you and your family to join us for the many events that take place between Thanksgiving weekend and New Year’s Eve, including the Holiday Light Parade, the Christmas Parade, the Courthouse Lighting, Acker Night and the Whiskey Row Boot Drop.

The Yavapai County Courthouse Plaza will be lit with thousands of festive lights every evening starting with the Courthouse Lighting ceremony on the Courthouse steps, Dec. 3, including the reading of the biblical Christmas story and traditional Christmas music. The lights will remain through mid-January for all to enjoy. New this year is the Prescott Christmas Village and “Christkindlmarket.”

Also new this year, the Prescott Office of Tourism is offering a chance for folks who are colorblind to experience the true colors of Christmas. They have made special colorblind glasses available at the Prescott Public Library, the Visitor Center at the Prescott Chamber, our three museums and two centers. They are free to borrow for individuals who are colorblind. They even have children’s glasses available.

All of this Christmas City splendor would not be possible without the Prescott Chamber of Commerce and Prescott Downtown Partnership. They are the event organizers and they are supported by hundreds of volunteers giving thousands of hours, as well as sponsors and grants.  This year’s Christmas City festivities are sponsored by Friends of the Jersey Lilly Saloon, Desert Financial Credit Union and the Prescott Office of Tourism.  There are dozens of other companies and individuals who also support Arizona’s Christmas City with donations and volunteer time.

I invite you to come out, stroll the plaza, and while you are there, support the many fine shops and establishments. For more information including dates and times for the Arizona Christmas City events, go to ArizonaChristmasCity.com.

From our family to yours, we wish you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah and a prosperous and Happy New Year! QCBN

By Phil Goode

Phil Goode is the mayor of Prescott.

Filed Under: Business, Columnists, Tourism Tagged With: Arizona's Christmas City, Celebrating the Holidays, Mayor Phil Goode, Prescott Chamber of Commerce, Prescott Christmas Village

Prescott’s Destination Management Organization Striving to Keep Economy Strong

April 30, 2022 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Our small but mighty tourism team has done a phenomenal job since the pandemic began in balancing strategic marketing without over-promoting.

As board chair of Prescott’s Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC), I have the privilege to work almost daily with the team at the City of Prescott Tourism Office. This city department is structured as the official Destination Management Organization (DMO) for Prescott, and only one DMO is allowed to exist in a city or town.

The city staff that makes up our DMO includes Community Outreach Manager John Heiney; Tourism and Economic Initiatives Manager Ann Steward; Tourism and Economic Initiatives Coordinator Cristina Nicole Binkley; and Front Burner Media Marketing Agency’s Heather Hermen. Supporting the tourism office is a 10-member Tourism Advisory Committee (TAC), whose role is to advise, provide guidance and assist with strategic direction to the tourism office staff. Funding for this office comes from Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT), commonly referred to as Bed Tax. The tax is paid by visitors who stay in hotels, bed and breakfasts and vacation rentals located inside the city limits. State statute and Prescott’s Bed Tax ballot language require that this tax revenue is invested in tourism promotion and recreational amenities and development.

In early March of 2022, the TAC and the tourism office staff completed a four-day strategic planning session facilitated by the Coraggio Group. The session resulted in clearly defining areas of focus for the tourism office, success measures and metrics, and initiatives moving forward over the next three years.

The primary responsibilities of a DMO are to promote an area as an attractive travel destination, develop long-term tourism strategies, and create marketing and public relations campaigns. The tourism office also works closely with the Arizona Office of Tourism (AOT) on co-op marketing programs, trade shows, sales missions and familiarization tours (FAMs). The Prescott Tourism Office promotes the entire Prescott area as a whole and focuses on all segments of travel, including leisure, meeting and events, sports, outdoor recreation, culture and themes, such as Arizona’s Christmas City.

The revenue generated by the Bed Tax combined with a successful DMO not only supports sales and marketing functions, but also benefits local residents. A large percentage of Bed Tax collections is invested back into the community in the form of recreation service projects, the downtown parking garage, World’s Oldest Rodeo, Arizona’s Christmas City signature events and museum support.

In fiscal year 2023, 26 local non-profit organizations will benefit by receiving grant money for a variety of music, cultural and recreational events. Since the 2020 COVID-19 outbreak, Prescott’s economy had only a minor slowdown. Tourism industry data and sales and lodging tax reports show healthy increases over and above 2019 levels, which was a record-breaking year. Our small but mighty tourism team has done a phenomenal job since the pandemic began in balancing strategic marketing without over-promoting. We know that tourism is a major economic driver for our community and there is a team of dedicated, experienced professionals focused on making sure this industry stays robust so all of our small businesses remain successful. QCBN

By Margo Christensen

For questions or additional information, please email me at
margo@ponderosahotels.com or call 928-925-6593.

Margo Christensen is the vice president of marketing and public relations for Ponderosa Hotel Management Services, LLC (SpringHill Suites and Residence Inn by Marriott).

SpringHill Suites by Marriott is located in downtown Prescott and Residence Inn by Marriott is located across from Trader Joe’s in Prescott.

Filed Under: Columnists, Tourism Tagged With: Arizona Office of Tourism, Arizona's Christmas City, Destination Management Organization, DMO Prescott, Margo Christensen, Ponderosa Hotel Management Services, Prescott’s Tourism Advisory Committee

Looking Forward to Serving Prescott

November 28, 2021 By quadcities 2 Comments

I hope our citizens will enjoy everything that Arizona’s Christmas City has to offer this season.

Dear Citizens of Prescott: This is my first column as mayor, so I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself to those who are not familiar with me. First, I would like to congratulate my new council members on the Prescott City Council, including Brandon Montoya, Eric Moore and Jessica Hall. I look forward to working with each of them, as well as our incumbent council members.

I was born and raised in Sacramento, California. After graduation from high school, I enlisted in the U.S. Army in May 1970 and served a full combat tour with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam. I received the Bronze Star Medal, Air Medal (for more than 50 helicopter combat assaults), Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, Combat Infantry Badge, Vietnam Campaign Medal and others.

After serving seven years of combined active and reserve duty, I was honorably discharged from the Army in 1977. During that period, I earned a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Sacramento State University. I then embarked on a 35-year career in the healthcare industry, reaching vice president positions with Medline Industries and Careview Communications and also holding management positions with Kinetic Concepts Inc. and Applied Medical.

I am a 31-year member of the American Legion (Post 6, Prescott) and life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (Post 541, Prescott). I was co-chairman of the Veterans Memorial Plaque Committee, which in June 2016, rededicated that memorial on the Yavapai County Courthouse Plaza to the fallen Yavapai County veterans who lost their lives serving in all of the nation’s wars, beginning with World War I.

I was elected to the board of directors of the Central Yavapai Hospital District in 2016. I served as a commissioner on Prescott’s Planning and Zoning Commission and was co-chairman of Mayor Harry Oberg’s ad hoc committee on sober living rehab homes.

In 2017, I was elected to a four-year term on the Prescott City Council. My council term ended and I took the oath of office as your new mayor on Nov. 23, 2021.

I serve on the board of directors of the Yavapai Republican Men’s Forum and was recently the vice chairman of the Yavapai County Republican Committee. I have been a member of Prescott’s Sunup Rotary Club since 2015. I served on the Yavapai County Teacher of the Year panel and was a member of the Prescott BASIS School Advisory Council. I am a long-term member of the public policy committee for the Citizens Water Advocacy Group as well as the Citizens Tax Committee.

Areas of focus during my term will include managing growth, infrastructure and water use, so that our city will continue to sustain its high quality for generations to come. I appreciate the support of the voters of the City of Prescott and look forward to serving as your next mayor, working closely with my fellow council members and city staff, and listening to our citizen’s concerns as we continue to keep Prescott a city that we can all be proud of.

I hope our citizens will enjoy everything that Arizona’s Christmas City has to offer this season. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! QCBN

By Mayor Phil Goode, QCBN

Phil Goode is the mayor of the City of Prescott.

Filed Under: Columnists, Local News Tagged With: Arizona's Christmas City, Central Yavapai Hospital District, City of Prescott, Mayor Harry Oberg, Mayor Phil Goode, Prescott Growth, Prescott Infrastructure, Prescott Mayor, Prescott’s Planning and Zoning Commission, Veterans Memorial Plaque Committee, Veterans of Foreign Wars

Parades and Acker Night Events Cancelled

November 24, 2020 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Due to ongoing concerns about rapidly increasing COVID-19 numbers, the City, the Prescott Chamber, Prescott Downtown Partnership, and Acker Night Committee jointly decided to cancel their events, including the Holiday Light Parade and Bonfire Festival; The Christmas Parade, and Acker Night.   The Courthouse Lighting will be held “virtually”, with online video of the traditional ceremony.   The Whiskey Row Boot Drop will delay their decision until December 21.

 

The decision by the organizations was made in consultation with Yavapai County Board of Supervisors Chairman Craig Brown, the Yavapai County Community Health Services department, Prescott Mayor Greg Mengarelli, and the Prescott Police Department.   Due to rapidly increasing numbers, there was concern about the availability and safety of public safety personnel who would be called to support these large events.

 

“While I am deeply disappointed, this is a decision we had to make, in the interest of public health,” said Mayor Greg Mengarelli.  “We at the City are concerned about the availability of police officers, and appropriate allocation of these resources at a time when positive cases are increasing.”

 

Here is a list of event cancellations:

 

  1. Downtown Holiday Light Parade and Bonfire Festival, originally scheduled for Saturday, November 28.
  2. Prescott Christmas Parade, originally scheduled for Saturday, December 5.
  3. Acker Night, originally scheduled for Friday December 11.

The Courthouse Lighting will proceed virtually on December 5 at 6 p.m.  For details about the virtual event, go to Prescott.org.

 

“Although the traditional events will not take place this year, Arizona’s Christmas City spirit will continue on,” said Prescott Chamber President and CEO Sheri Heiney.  “You can enjoy the historic Yavapai County Courthouse in all its festive glory.  The lights are on from December 5th through January 17th.”

Prescott Downtown Partnership Executive Director MJ Smith said that now more than ever it’s important to support businesses respectfully and responsibly.  “

 

 

“We are sorry that these important events have been cancelled,” said Scott Currey, with the Acker Night Committee.  “However, we stand with the other event organizers and the City to help keep Prescott safe over the holidays.”  Refer to www.ackernight.com to get the latest info about a 2020 Christmas City Special, produced by Raven Sound Studio, to be aired on Acker Night, December 1.

 

As of this press release, the 10th Annual Whiskey Row New Year’s Eve Boot Drop is still slated to take place on December 31, 2020 on Montezuma Street. Organizers will be working with the City and County to make a final decision on holding the event as it approaches. “We’re discussing having some form of the Boot Drop, if not the full event. People are just really ready to say goodbye to 2020 and we hope we can give them the opportunity to celebrate in some way. We want it to be safe though and we’ll keep people posted on our social media outlets as to any changes,” stated Matt Brassard of M & M Entertainment, the event planner.

 

 

 

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: Arizona's Christmas City, events, Holiday, Parade, Prescott Christmas City

Arizona’s Christmas City Attracting Thousands

December 8, 2017 By quadcities Leave a Comment

 Prescott’s reputation as one of the best communities to celebrate the Christmas holidays continues to grow. In November, Prescott was named “…one of America’s best small towns for Christmas” by the national publication Country Living.

Thousands of visitors are expected to join locals as they participate in the ever-expanding schedule of activities that caused then-Governor Rose Mofford in 1989 to name Prescott as “Arizona’s Christmas City.”

 

Concerts, Parade, Courthouse Lighting

People have a choice of two concerts on Friday, Dec. 1. One is “In the Christmas Mood” at 7 p.m. at the Elks Theatre in downtown Prescott; the other is “Let the Season Begin” at 7:30 p.m. in the Yavapai College Performing Arts Center (PAC).

Christmas celebrations continue Saturday, Dec. 2, when the streets surrounding Courthouse Square are packed with spectators for the 35th annual Christmas Parade. Beginning at 1 p.m., The “Cowboy Christmas”-themed parade will feature dozens of floats, bands, horses, decorated vehicles and scores of marching groups and organizations.

Later that evening, at 6 p.m., the switch will be turned on for 63rd annual lighting of the 101-year old Courthouse. That will be followed by caroling.

That same evening, Sharlot Hall Museum has a 6 p.m. open house, “Frontier Christmas,” featuring Living History interpreters sharing tales of Frontier Prescott.

 

Acker Night Tradition in 29th Year                                                                                  

More than 100 community musicians will perform in various businesses and shops in downtown Prescott beginning at 5:30 p.m., Friday Dec. 8. The event begins with a community sing-along of Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.” Acker Night, made possible because of a bequest from the estate of pioneer Prescott businessman James Acker, is a fundraiser for art and music scholarships for qualified students.

That same weekend, Sunday, Dec. 10, the Prescott POPS Symphony Orchestra will perform traditional seasonal favorites during a 3 p.m. concert at the Yavapai College PAC.

Just a few days later, the heartwarming Irving Berlin “White Christmas, The Musical” will be performed at 7 p.m., Dec. 14-17, in the Yavapai College PAC.

Many other programs and performances will be ongoing during the holidays, especially in the many churches throughout the community. Those can be found by looking online or by checking local calendars.

 

New Year’s Eve Boot Drop

Thousands of revelers will gather in downtown’s Historic Whiskey Row for the 7th annual Boot Drop. The six-foot illuminated boot is slowly lowered down a 40-foot flagpole from atop the Palace Saloon and Restaurant. One participant said last year, “Even though it isn’t New York City and Times Square, I’ll bet we have more fun than they do.” QCBN

 

For more holiday event information, contact the Prescott Chamber of Commerce at 928-445-6000 or visit Prescott.org.

 

By Ray Newton, QCBN

 

Photo by Ray Newton

 

 

           

 

 

Filed Under: Local News, Tourism Tagged With: Arizona's Christmas City, Feature, tourism

Arizona’s Christmas City Glistening for the Holidays

December 9, 2016 By quadcities Leave a Comment

Prescott, known as “Arizona’s Christmas City” for the past 27 years, is decorated for what local planners say will be the best holiday season yet.

“Our judgment is that this year will likely be a record breaker for visitors who enjoy what has become a premier holiday event in Arizona. We can’t even begin to estimate the positive economic impact of having locals and visitors involved in several days of holiday activities. It will be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said Kendall Jaspers, executive director for Prescott Downtown Partnership (PDP).

Organizers have been planning for months for the major attractions of Christmas City, decorating the historic Courthouse and wrapping lights on the almost 200 trees of the Courthouse Plaza.

“All this was preparation for what has been called the signature event in Prescott’s long history of celebrating Christmas,” he said.

The festivities officially begin at 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 3, with the 34th annual Christmas Parade and the 6 p.m. Courthouse lighting of the 100-year-old, four-story Neo-classsic granite Yavapai Courthouse.

This year, the parade has the theme of “All I Want for Christmas,” said Harold Viehweg, a parade organizer and a Prescott Chamber of Commerce staff member.

Jaspers praises local leaders and organizations for raising almost $80,000 to support the Courthouse Lighting. “Without the help of Tommy Meredith and the Friends of Jersey Lilly [a Whiskey Row saloon], we wouldn’t come close to funding the lighting. They annually have been the biggest contributors to the event because they solicit donations for live and silent auctions.”

Jaspers also appreciates ongoing support from Arizona Public Service, Unisource, Cable One, the Prescott Fire Department and the City of Prescott, Prescott Unified School District and Yavapai County officials.

“Every year, people and organizations in Prescott step up and make sure we keep our title as ‘Arizona’s Christmas City,’” said City of Prescott Tourism Director Don Prince. “From the iconic Courthouse Lighting and the Christmas Parade to Acker Night and some of the newer attractions like the Boot Drop New Year’s Eve, Prescott pulls out all the stops to make each holiday season better than the one before.”

Chamber of Commerce CEO David Maurer has estimated that more than 600,000 lights will be sparkling in the downtown area during the holidays.

Another event to note on calendars is the 28th Annual Acker Night on Friday, Dec. 9, which will feature musicians from throughout the region in downtown businesses. The music begins at 5:15 p.m. across the street from the Courthouse with a public sing-along of the famed Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus.” Following that, more than 100 musicians will be performing in shops.

The event is named after James S. Acker (1865-1955), a generous Prescott developer and merchant who contributed property and other resources for recreational parks and to support music for children. Acker Night is a fundraiser for school music programs in Prescott, Prescott Valley and Chino Valley.

In other holiday news, the “World’s Largest Gingerbread Village” at the Prescott Resort on Highway 69 will be open seven days a week until the New Year. The village features more than 100 hand-made gingerbread houses and other structures created by local residents and businesses. “Builders” pay for “lots” on the display streets so they can place their houses and other items for viewing. The village is used as a fundraising project to help support Yavapai Big Brothers, Big Sisters. It is estimated that more than 50,000 people will wander the long lobby corridor to see the colorful and creative village, which has a model train chugging through the community.

Also ongoing through Dec. 30 is the Village of Lights in Prescott Valley. Located south of 6th Street, the drive-through Village of Lights greets visitors with an oversized animated toy soldier pointing the way toward dozens of sparkling holiday decorations, many in motion. Organized by the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce, the display features millions of lights and has become a traditional favorite in the Quad Cities area. QCBN

By Ray Newton, QCBN

For more information about holiday events, visit prescott-az.gov/events, prescottdowntown.com/events, prescott.org/events1, pvaz.net/calendar.aspx or pvchamber.org/events.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: Arizona's Christmas City, Feature, Glistening

Arizona’s Christmas City Offering Sleigh Full of Events

December 18, 2015 By quadcities Leave a Comment

This vividly lighted float is typical of the entries that entertain viewers during the annual Holiday Light Parade around the Courthouse Square
This vividly lighted float is typical of the entries that entertain viewers during the annual Holiday Light Parade around the Courthouse Square

“Bigger and better than ever!”

That is what Kendall Jaspers, executive director of the Prescott Downtown Partnership, says about upcoming events, which have brought worldwide recognition to Prescott as “Arizona’s Christmas City.”

Jaspers, with considerable pride, cited a recent article published in USA Today ranking Prescott as a “must see” community in Arizona, especially during the exuberant Christmas season.

“I am more and more impressed every year with how many people and organizations work together to make the celebration so successful,” said Margo Christensen, Ponderosa Hotel Management vice president and marketing director.

She praised the Prescott Downtown Partnership (PDP), the Prescott Chamber of Commerce, the Tourism Advisory Committee, Tommy Meredith of Jersey Lilly Saloon, Matt and Marco with the Enchanted Christmas and other supporters.

“I hope residents and visitors will realize the tremendous amount of time it takes to produce all the events we sponsor to maintain our official ‘Christmas City’ status,” she said.

More than just local residents will know about “Arizona’s Christmas City,” when the Cox TV “Arizona Weekend Explorer” show is broadcast throughout the Valley of the Sun. City of Prescott Tourism Director Don Prince says TV crews shot a 30-minute travel program about Prescott in October. The show is airing this month.

Acknowledgement of Prescott as a community that celebrates Christmas in a unique way goes back 53 years. In 1962, then Gov. Paul Fannin declared Prescott to be the official Arizona “Christmas Town.”

It was 27 years later that the more recent name, “Christmas City,” came to be when then Gov. Rose Mofford issued an official proclamation to that effect, according to Prescott Chamber of Commerce CEO David Maurer.

The economic impact of having thousands of residents and visitors involved in eating out, spending money on lodging and, of course, shopping throughout a month-long period is incalculable, Jaspers says.

A Holiday Light Parade on Saturday, Nov. 28, signaled the beginning of more than a month of Christmas celebrations. For the first time, the Memorial Island Triangle at the intersection of Gurley and Sheldon will be decorated.

 

Christmas Parade, Courthouse Lighting Attract Thousands

Thousands of people will line downtown streets at 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 5, to view more than 100 parade entries, including 10 marching bands.

“The Chamber of Commerce coordinates the parade,” said Maurer. “We’re pleased to have Marlin Kuykendall, the retiring Prescott mayor, as Grand Marshal,” Maurer said.

Later, at 6 p.m. that day, streets around the iconic Courthouse Square will be jam-packed at opening ceremonies marking the 61st annual Courthouse Lighting. For the 25th consecutive year, Prescott native Ken Bennett, former Arizona state legislator, secretary of state and now a Congressional candidate, will read the Christmas story. Afterward, a kaleidoscope of colors will brighten the courthouse and adjacent trees when the switch is turned on.

Those lights will remain on during nighttime all the way through Martin Luther King weekend in January 2016, Maurer said.

The cumulative cost for the various celebrations amount to “…$75,000 to $85,000 annually. The city contributes $30,000; the Chamber of Commerce, $5,000; and the PDP, $5,000.

Jaspers and Maurer both praised Jersey Lilly Saloon owner Tommy Meredith and the Friends of Jersey Lilly for setting a goal of an additional $30,000 to be collected from the private sector as support for the Courthouse Lighting.

 

Acker Music Night Showcases Quad Cities Performing Groups

Acker Music Night is another Prescott tradition that brings thousands of people together.

Following the opening ceremony at 5:15 p.m., Friday, Dec. 11, in front of Bashford Court on Gurley Street, the public can wander streets to hear performers entertain from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

“Acker Night has become so popular that we’ve expanded the venues to include the Depot Marketplace and SpringHill Suites on Sheldon,” said J.S. Acker Music Park Association President Scotty Currey. “More than 110 performing groups will be scattered throughout downtown Prescott at virtually every business along the way.”

The festive Wells Fargo stagecoach will be parked downtown for those who want a photo opportunity.

A special event is planned for 7:15 p.m. near the platform at Bashford Court. “We’re inviting everyone from throughout the community to join together and fill the evening air with the joyous sound of the ‘Hallelujah’ Chorus’ from Handel’s Messiah,” said Currey.

He added that a rumor – not yet confirmed but fairly reliable, was “…that some aliens, possibly from Star Wars, were going to visit Prescott to get the feel of the Christmas season. We want people to be aware of this possibility,” he warned.

 

Many More Entertainment Activities

The popular Prescott POPS Symphony Orchestra is presenting “Home for the Holidays” at 3 p.m., Sunday Dec. 13, at the Yavapai College Performing Arts Center (YCPAC).

The Texas Tenors will perform “Deep in the Heart of Christmas” at 7:30 p.m., Dec. 19 at the YCPAC.

Several other programs are scheduled at the YCPAC. Visit www.ycpac.com for a complete listing.

 

Boot Drop Welcomes 2016

The city invites all to close out the Christmas festivities and ring in the New Year by attending the traditional Boot Drop scheduled for 10 p.m. and midnight on Thursday, Dec. 31. Hundreds are expected to celebrate with the lowering of the illuminated custom-made cowboy boot across the street from the Courthouse Square. A carnival, ferris wheel and fireworks will be part of the festivities. QCBN

 

 

By Ray Newton, QCBN

Filed Under: Business Tagged With: Arizona's Christmas City, Ray Newton

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