It’s time to break out the paper calendar, the chalkboard hanging on a cupboard door, the digital planner on a smartphone, or whatever tool you use to track special dates, because from now through October, there’s a special event or festival almost every week in Flagstaff.
Festival season, as summer is often called here in the high-elevation mountain town, is a special time of year when visitors from the scorching-hot parts of the state flock to the cool, pine-scented shade of Flagstaff. And it’s the time when locals wake up nearly every Saturday and know there’s something fun happening around town, if they can only remember which event.
Flagstaff still has Art in the Park, Celtic Festival, Chili Festival, Mother Road Classic Route 66 Car Show, Hopi Arts and Cultural Festival, Barks and Brews, Coconino County Fair, Pickin’ in the Pines, Flagstaff Festival of Science, Flagstaff Music Festival, Cornucopia, Oktoberfest and more on tap this year.
For a full list of festivals, prices, dates and descriptions, visit DiscoverFlagstaff.com.
“We’re excited and are really ramping up and getting our festival organized now,” said Motion Olson, marketing and community relations director at the Flagstaff International Film Festival, which is returning for its second year.
Like many festivals, the Flagstaff International Film Festival attracts visitors from metro Phoenix to the cool pines of Flagstaff, and it also has international appeal.
“We have a good amount of filmmakers from here in Arizona. And we have some international submissions across seven different genres,” Olson said. “We really love attracting talent and interest across wide genres of filmmakers and enthusiasts worldwide.”
Here are some of the summer festival highlights:
Shakespeare at Lowell Observatory
After the patriotic festivities from the July 4th weekend, the next big event on the calendar is the Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival, celebrating its 10th anniversary. 2024’s productions include Julius Caesar and The Merry Wives of Windsor.
The festival takes place under a large tent at historic Lowell Observatory. Catch shows Thursday through Sunday from July 11 to Aug. 4. Showtimes are 7 p.m. nightly with additional 2 p.m. shows on weekends. flagshakes.org
Flagstaff International Film Festival Returning
The Flagstaff International Film Festival will take over the Orpheum Theater and other venues Aug. 3-4 with avant-garde dramas, comedies, animations, science fiction and a wide array of films. The event also features question-and-answer sessions, workshops and networking events.
One highlight will be a screening of a film called “First We Bombed New Mexico,” which Olson described as the story “Oppenheimer” left out, about nuclear testing. It is scheduled to show at Theatrikos Theatre Company. The producer/director, Lois Lipman, and star of the documentary, cancer survivor Tina Cordova, will visit Flagstaff for the screening and a question-and-answer session with viewers.
“It’s a poignant, thought-provoking, oftentimes discouraging but also triumphant documentary about downwinders and the community around the Trinity (nuclear test) site,” Olson said.
Screenings take place from 9:30 a.m.-10 p.m. both days. flagstaffinternationalfilmfestival.com
Kids Squared, a Weekday Activity for Children
The Flagstaff Downtown Business Alliance brings Kids Squared to Heritage Square two days a week throughout this month to provide fun, engaging activities from community partners including Lowell Observatory, the Arizona Game and Fish Department, Flagstaff Little Music Makers, Wee Scotty Sews and more. The event is from 10-11 a.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays through July 30 (excluding July 4) in Heritage Square downtown.
Get Outdoors at The Arboretum
Some of the best views of the San Francisco Peaks are found at this hidden gem tucked into the ponderosa pine forest. The Arboretum is keyed in on raising the understanding, appreciation and conservation of native plants on the Colorado Plateau.
The 200-acre forest holds 750 plant species to explore in its gardens, greenhouse and trail. And like much of Flagstaff, the place is pet-friendly, with $2 admission tickets for dogs. Special events at The Arboretum include its Mountain Melodies Concert on Sunday, Aug. 4, featuring The Flag Five. The concert is 5-7 p.m. The Arb also hosts Ales at the Arb with Dark Sky Brewing Company the third Wednesday of each month from 6-8 p.m. www.thearb.org. FBN
By Ryan Randazzo
Learn more at discoverflagstaff.com and the Flagstaff Visitor Center (1 E. Rt. 66).
Ryan Randazzo is the marketing and media relations project manager for Discover Flagstaff. He can be reached at Ryan.Randazzo@FlagstaffAZ.gov or 928-814-9623.