Annual "Heritage Days" events in these two communities straddling the Arizona–New Mexico state line will continue Sept. 9-10, celebrating the event's long-standing series of eye-catching presentations highlighting the area's natural, cultural and historic heritage.
“Our biggest local event of the year has grown with the community, and this year’s event has something for newcomers and old-timers alike,” said Reed Peters, President of Friends of Cave Creek Canyon, the event’s primary sponsor.
Hourly presentations at the Geronimo Event Center in Rodeo will begin Saturday, Sept. 9, at 10 a.m. Well-known community story-teller and event producer Howard Topoff will lead off Saturday's wide-ranging talks on history, nature and culture with a showing of rarely seen video excerpts from the original Portal-Rodeo Theater Company's hilarious and remarkably extravagant productions from decades ago. Other informative presentations will include a focus on the Owls of the Chiricahua Mountains’ Important Bird Area; the never-before-told history of Highway 80; How a wildlife bridge across I-10 at Steins Pass will reduce car crashes and animal deaths; a reminder of the many often-ignored but common poisonous critters outside our doors; a complete history of the Civilian Conservation Corps in southeastern Arizona; and a detailed look at the conservation milestones achieved so far in the Chiricahua/Peloncillo region. A buffet lunch will be available on-site for $10.
A simultaneous, fully-covered outdoor Market and Crafts Fair with live music and many vendors will be located just outside the Event Center, opening at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9, featuring a wide range of goods, including local produce, hand-crafted jewelry, candles, woodcrafts, books by local authors, baked goods, information on regional and local conservation efforts, and much more.
On Sunday, Sept. 10 an Audubon Society Birding Tour will start at 9 a.m. at the Cave Creek Visitor Center near Portal, followed by a special Dedication Event celebrating the designation of the Chiricahua Mountains Important Bird Area at Noon at Cave Creek's South Fork Trailhead parking area.
For photos, complete agenda and more information about Heritage Days: http://www.friendsofcavecreekcanyon.com/events/heritage-days/
