Good morning, Scottsdale. It's the Fourth of July weekend, and it's a hot one: highs near 102° today and holding around 100° through the weekend. Plan anything outdoors for early morning or after dark.
- 🎨 Old Town's Summer Spectacular ArtWalk lands next Thursday. Galleries across the Arts District stay open late on July 9.
- 🍷 A California wine tasting opens the weekend in Old Town. Friday night at Jamie's Bottle Shop on Main Street.
- 🎬 Dinner and a movie returns to Marcellino. Two Italian-film nights in Old Town early next week.
- 📚 Summer reading programs fill four library branches. Kpop dance, fairy lights, and jazz for toddlers.
- 🚸 New pedestrian safety zones are coming to Scottsdale parks. The city laid out the plan this week.
The big one: next Thursday's ArtWalk
Scottsdale's signature night out comes back bigger next week. The Gold Palette ArtWalk goes Summer Spectacular on Thursday, July 9, with galleries across Old Town's Arts District open late and artists on hand to talk about new work.
Key facts:
- What: Gold Palette ArtWalk, Summer Spectacular edition, presented by the Scottsdale Gallery Association.
- When: Thursday, July 9, from 6:30 PM.
- Where: Old Town Arts District galleries.
- Anchor show: Wilde Meyer Gallery (4142 N Marshall Way) hosts a group show with Jeremy Serna, Manny Valenzuela, Michelle Andres, and more, with light refreshments.
The Thursday ArtWalk has run year-round for decades and is the backbone of the 100-plus-gallery Arts District. It's a big part of what "the West's Most Western Town" has meant since the Chamber adopted that tagline in 1947. The Summer Spectacular is the warm-season edition, timed for gallery-hopping after the heat breaks.
The weekend
A quieter holiday weekend, but Old Town has a few things going.
- 🍷 California wine tasting, Friday. Guided pour through California's wine regions. Jamie's Bottle Shop, 7033 E Main St, 6 PM. Details.
- 🎮 Virtual reality gaming, Friday. Drop-in VR for ages 12 to 18 at the Civic Center Library. Details.
- 🧠 Sunday trivia in Old Town. Weekly team trivia and prizes at House Rules, 7232 E 1st St. Details.
- 🍔 Chompie's family nights, Tuesday. Food trucks and family fun at Chompie's, July 7. Details.
🌃 Old Town and nightlife
Bars, galleries, and dinners out this week.
- 🎬 Dinner and a movie at Marcellino. A screening of "Only You" Monday and "Marriage Italian Style" Tuesday, both with dinner at the restaurant's shared table for 10. Marcellino Ristorante, 7114 E Stetson Dr, 5:30 PM. Monday. Tuesday.
- 🖼️ Public art celebration at SMoCA, July 16. Scottsdale Arts marks its temporary public-art program at the museum. A good one to put on the calendar now. Details.
This week at the libraries
Summer reading is in full swing, and the branches are running programs almost every day. A few worth a look:
- 💃 Kpop dance workshop, Tuesday. Arizona Kpop Dance Crew teaches a full routine, no experience needed, ages 12 to 18. Arabian Library. Details.
- 🧚 Fairy night lights, Thursday. Kids build enchanted lights from reused bottles, ages 5 to 11. Mustang Library on 90th Street. Details.
- 🎺 WeBop jazz for little ones, Friday. A Jazz at Lincoln Center program for babies through age five and their caregivers. Civic Center Library. Details.
- 🌧️ Stormwater build day, Thursday. Maricopa County presenters run hands-on lessons on keeping pollution out of local waterways, ages 8 to 12. Appaloosa Library. Details.
Around Scottsdale
- 🚸 New pedestrian safety zones for city parks. The City of Scottsdale detailed a plan this week to add pedestrian safety zones across its parks. Details.
- 💧 Water planning for a leaner Colorado River. Scottsdale Water says it's preparing now for future uncertainty on the river that supplies much of the city. Details.
- 🏠 Rent check. Typical rent in Scottsdale runs about $2,167 a month, up 2% over the past year.