Hail, wayfarer, and mind the sunbeam on the step — Middas dawns bright and cool over the Rim this Wednesday, November 4, with a high of 58, clear skies, and not a drop of rain in it, the first true sun after the grey days. The Holds spend it well: a wildflower walk in the Prescott highlands at 10:00 AM, neighbors at study in Payson at 9:00 AM, and the whole week gathering itself behind today like a bard tuning up. Ahead lie a Verde valley farmers market on Thursday, the great Sedona Mountain Bike Festival and a Pine fish fry on Friday, a star party and a haunted saloon night on Saturday, and music in the pines on Monday. By the Nine, leave the heavy cloak on its peg, bring a light one for the cool evening, and let the sun do the cheering today — the mead hall will handle the rest.
Happening in the Holds Today
Payson— Bible Study at Juanita’s gathers today, Wednesday, November 4, at 9:00 AM at 139 Hash Knife Drive in Payson. It is a friendly, come-as-you-are morning of study and good company around a neighbor’s table — the sort of small, steady gathering that holds a town together between the big events. New faces are the honored guests at such tables. Arrive a touch early, bring your questions, and expect the coffee to be as warm as the welcome.— “Got Sneakers” Recycle and Fundraiser runs all day today, Wednesday, November 4, in the Payson Unified School District, and continues through November 19. Old sneakers that might have gone to the midden instead get a second road to run, and the drive raises funds along the way. It is an easy good deed for guests with a spare pair in the wagon — ask at a school office where the collection stands. A small quest, honestly, but the best kind: one anybody can finish before supper.
Prescott— Wildflower Walk sets out today, Wednesday, November 4, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Highlands Center for Natural History, 1375 S. Walker Road in Prescott. A guide leads walkers through the highland woods to see what the season still offers after the rains, at a pace made for looking closely. The walk is free, and an RSVP is required, the center’s calendar says. Wear sturdy shoes and bring water — and today, by the Nine, bring your sunniest mood to match the sky.
The Days Ahead
- Thu, Nov. 5— Windmill Park Farmers Market sets up Thursday, November 5, from 2:00 PM at Windmill Park, 9950 E. Cornville Road in Cornville, down the Verde road from Camp Verde. Local growers and makers bring produce, baked goods, and handmade wares to an easy afternoon market in the valley. It is a fine excuse for a scenic ride and a full basket. Valley Dwellers climbing up for Rim Country air will find the valley itself in a generous mood.— The Beauty of Granite Mountain is presented Thursday, November 5, at 7:00 PM at the Natural History Institute in Prescott. An evening given to the great granite shoulder that watches over the town — its stone, its trails, and the creatures that call it home. Lovers of the high country will feel right at home in the audience. Come learn why the Hold’s own Rim has a worthy cousin to the west.
- Fri, Nov. 6— Sedona Mountain Bike Festival opens Friday, November 6, at 9:00 AM at Posse Grounds Park, 525 Posse Grounds Road in Sedona, and runs through Sunday, November 8. Riders descend on Sedona’s famous red singletrack for demo rides and guided group rides, with food trucks, a beer garden, and live music between runs. Word from the festival is that rider registration has sold out — so go as a spectator and enjoy the show. By the Nine, it is the biggest wheel-show in the Holds this week.— First Friday Fish Fry and Bingo returns Friday, November 6, at the Pine Strawberry Community Center, 3916 AZ-87 in Pine. Fish is served from 4:30 PM at $7, $12, or $15, with homemade pie at $5, and bingo starts at 6:00 PM. The hall fills with neighbors, the fryers sing, and somebody always goes home hoarse from cheering a card. Arrive hungry and early — the pie has a way of vanishing first.— GrannyCore Christmas Sale opens Friday, November 6, in Payson and runs through Saturday, November 7, the Hold’s yard-and-estate-sales sheet reports. Early Christmas treasures, handmade and homey goods, and the sort of finds that start a season right — all gathered under one roof for two days. Treasure hunters should come with a list and leave with a story. Check the sales sheet on the Hearth’s table for the address before you ride out.— Payson Farmers & Craft Market is listed Friday, November 6, from 2:00 to 6:00 PM in Payson, on the town events calendar at payson.com. Growers and crafters lay out produce and handmade wares for an easy afternoon of browsing in the pines. It is a gentle way to stock the pantry and meet the makers in one stop. Bring a basket — the Hold’s tables have a way of filling it.
- Sat, Nov. 7— Morning Cafe on Zoom pours Saturday, November 7, at 9:30 AM from Unity of Payson, 110 E. Bonita Street in Payson, running to about 12:30 PM. It is an inspirational start to the day over coffee and good company, in person in spirit and online in fact — the event page carries the Zoom link. Guests at the Hearth can join from the mead hall table with a mug in hand. A gentle quest, and a kind one.— Star Party at Red Rock State Park begins Saturday, November 7, at 5:30 PM at 4050 Red Rock Loop Road in Sedona. Telescopes come out as the light goes down, and the red rocks turn to silhouettes under a sky full of cold, bright stars. Guides help visitors find planets and constellations, so no star-lore is required — only warm layers. After the grey days, a clear desert night sky is pure mead for the eyes.— Camp Verde ALPR Community Discussion meets Saturday, November 7, at 9:00 AM at the Camp Verde Community Library, 130 N. Black Bridge Loop in Camp Verde. Neighbors gather to hear and be heard on the town’s license-plate reader cameras — a plain, civic morning of questions and answers. Every voice in the Hold counts the same at such a table. Bring your questions and a neighborly temper.— Consistently Haunted at The Palace runs Saturday, November 7, from 8:00 to 10:00 PM at The Palace Restaurant & Saloon on Whiskey Row in Prescott, and tickets are $30. Brave guests tour the old saloon’s haunted corners with the lights low and the stories high — the Palace has been collecting both since the 1800s. It is a delicious shiver of an evening for travelers who like their history with goosebumps. Book ahead; the ghosts, at least, never miss a night.
- Sun, Nov. 8— A Tribute to the Ol’ Cherokee Cowboy plays Sunday, November 8, at 3:00 PM at 117 E. Gurley Street in Prescott. An afternoon of song and story in honor of a western legend, in the heart of Arizona’s Christmas City, makes a fine Sunday outing for music lovers. Expect warm harmonies, tall tales told straight-faced, and a room full of folks who know the choruses. Get there a little early for a good seat.
- Mon, Nov. 9— Open Mic Night: Music with a Purpose runs Monday, November 9, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at THAT Brewery & Pub, 3270 AZ-87 in Pine. Singers, poets, and storytellers take the mic in the pines, hosted by members of the Fuel Reduction team, with tips benefiting fuel-reduction work that protects the Hold. Share a song, bring a guitar, or simply cheer your neighbors over a pint. Community vibes, music with a purpose — a bard’s night done right.— Payson Community Drum Circle beats Monday, November 9, at 6:30 PM at 1000 N. Beeline Highway in Payson, the town events calendar at payson.com says. Drummers of every level sit in one circle and find one rhythm together — no audition, no sheet music, only hands and heartbeats. Extra drums have a way of appearing for the drumless. It is the mead hall’s heartbeat, let out for an evening walk.— Story Time at Show Low Public Library meets Monday, November 9, in the Kids Room of the Show Low Public Library, the city’s live feed says. The youngest travelers of the Hold get songs, stories, and the run of the picture-book shelves for a happy hour. Call the library at 928-532-4070 to confirm the day’s hour before you ride over. Every bard in the Holds started exactly this way: listening.
- Tue, Nov. 10— Veterans Day Celebration Concert sounds Tuesday, November 10, at 6:00 PM at Payson High School, 301 S. McLane Road in Payson, the town events calendar at payson.com says. The Hold gathers on the eve of Veterans Day to honor its veterans with an evening of music — the sort of night where the whole town sings a little straighter. Seats fill early for this one, friends. Arrive in good time, and bring your gratitude with you.
