Good morning, Scottsdale. The crowds have thinned and the snowbirds are gone, which means the city belongs to the people who actually live here for a few months. Here is what is worth knowing as the week starts.
- 🚲 E-bikes lose access to zones in three city parks. Scottsdale is carving out walk-only areas where riding will be off-limits.
- 📚 Summer storytimes fill the libraries Tuesday. Crafts, reading buddies, and a therapy-dog reading session across four branches.
- 🎲 Trivia and live music run through Old Town. Weeknight trivia at three spots, plus wine and guitar on Saturday.
- 🌃 Old Town and nightlife. What is on at SMoCA and the tasting rooms this week.
- 🎟️ Around the Valley. Mercury basketball, an indie triple bill, and D-backs baseball downtown.
A new rule for e-bikes in the parks
Scottsdale is setting up pedestrian zones in three city parks, designated areas where e-bikes will no longer be allowed to operate.
Key facts:
Three city parks will get marked walk-only zones.
E-bikes are prohibited inside those zones once they take effect.
The change is aimed at the busy, foot-traffic stretches where riders and walkers share the same paths.
Riders who use the parks will need to know where the lines fall before the rule is enforced.
E-bikes have become a common sight on Scottsdale's park paths and the Indian Bend Wash greenbelt over the last few years, and this is the city's first move to fence off specific areas to riding rather than regulate the whole network. The three parks and the exact boundaries of each zone are spelled out in the report below.
What to watch: which parks are affected and where the zones begin. Details.
The week
Summer reading season is in full swing, and Tuesday is the busy day at the branches.
- 📖 Family Storytime, Tuesday at Mustang Library. Stories, finger plays, and rhymes for ages 0 to 5, 30 minutes. Pick up a ticket from staff 30 minutes early; space is limited. Details.
- 🐶 Tail Waggin' Tales, Tuesday at Arabian Library. Certified therapy dogs sit and listen while kids ages 6 to 10 practice reading. McDowell Mountain Ranch Road. Details.
- 👫 Reading Buddies, Tuesday at Civic Center Library. Teen volunteers run one-on-one reading and games for grades 1 to 3, 90 minutes. Details.
- 🎵 Music Fun-damentals, Tuesday at Civic Center Library. A six-week series on instruments, rhythm, and pitch for grades K to 2. Details.
And the weeknight trivia rounds keep their usual slots: Tuesday at The Rack on North Scottsdale Road, Thursday at Arena Sports Grill on East Bell Road, and Sunday at House Rules in Old Town on East 1st Street. Same deal each week, bring a team, win prizes. Details.
Around Scottsdale
- 🏠 Typical rent in Scottsdale is about $2,155 a month, up 2% over the past year. Source.
- 🏛️ The city adopted its budget for the coming year, the spending plan that sets what Scottsdale puts toward parks, public safety, and infrastructure. Details.
- 📈 For the real-estate crowd: the AMI June Mixer on June 25 at Kierland focuses on sourcing off-market Phoenix multifamily deals. North Kierland Boulevard, third floor. Details.
🌃 Old Town & nightlife
Bars, music, and galleries, plus what is on around Old Town this week.
Live music with Gretch, Saturday at Aridus Wine Company. Gretchen plays the Old Town tasting room from 2 to 5 PM. Arizona wine and a guitar on a summer afternoon. The patio is the move before the heat sets in. Details.
Summer Break @SMoCA, June 26. The contemporary art museum at Civic Center opens its doors for an after-hours evening event. Details.
Two of the bigger draws this week are already gone: the Glow Up sound bath at sunset at SMoCA and Bruce Hornsby at the Piper Theater, both on June 20, sold out. Worth setting a reminder for the next Scottsdale Arts on-sale.
Around the Valley
A few picks worth the drive into Phoenix this week.
⚾ Diamondbacks vs. Angels, tonight at Chase Field. First pitch at 6:40 PM. The Angels only swing through Phoenix a couple of times a year. Tickets.
🎤 Searows, Tuesday at Crescent Ballroom. Quiet, slow-burn indie folk in one of the better small rooms downtown. Tickets.
🏀 Phoenix Mercury vs. Las Vegas Aces, Wednesday at Mortgage Matchup Center. Tip-off at 7 PM against the league's marquee team. The biggest WNBA matchup that comes through here. Tickets.
🎸 Metric, Broken Social Scene & Stars, Wednesday at Arizona Financial Theatre. Three pillars of Canadian indie rock on one bill. An unusual co-headline you do not see often. Tickets.