SEDONA CITY HALL ART DISPLAYS
Sedona is home to many art galleries, and one of the most under-the-radar art exhibits in the whole city is the City Hall Art Rotation program. The program usually rotates two artists about every fourth months. You can see artwork crafted by locals displayed in the council chambers and the gallery at the Vultee Conference Room. The most recent exhibition was dedicated to showcasing colorful quilts and textiles crafted by the Red Rock Quilters Guild. Previous themes have included couples who are both painters. The trick here? To view art outside of the opening reception, you must book an appointment via arts and culture coordinator Nancy Lattanzi. Visit sedonaaz.gov for more information.
Sedona Ballet
SEDONA BALLET
Sedona Ballet is devoted to bringing high-quality ballet to town. If you’ve seen ballet in Sedona, chances are high that Sedona Ballet was behind the show. During the holiday season, Sedona Ballet occasionally produces a performance of the classic holiday show “The Nutcracker.” The organization also brought the American Ballet Theater Studio Company, a dance company for dancers ages 17 to 21 that helps them develop professionally so they’re ready to be part of American Ballet Theater’s main company, for some special performances. Sedona Ballet Chairman Winnie Muench is also working on the Reflections Festival, which will bring top performing and visual artists to Sedona.
Chamber Music Sedona, photo by Jim Peterson
CHAMBER MUSIC SEDONA
Nearly everyone wants to visit a place as stunning as Sedona, and musicians are no exception. The nonprofit Chamber Music Sedona was established in 1983 and has been going strong ever since. The organization is dedicated to bringing world-class musicians to Red Rock Country to celebrate and honor classical music of all stripes. Since its founding, Chamber Music Sedona has brought over 550 artists to town. Besides its outstanding performances for adults, Chamber Music Sedona is also devoted to serving young people. The nonprofit has raised funds to purchase instruments and provide individual and group lessons for young people. During the day, Chamber Music Sedona also hosts Concerts for Youth for students at the Sedona Performing Arts Center. The 2024 season is slated to include performances like “Rachmaninoff: A Two-Piano Celebration,” “The Art of the Piano Quartet,” “Orion String Quartet Farewell Tour” and “Star of the Saxophone – Steven Banks and Xak Bjerken.”
Sedona’s Woods Canyon Trail
SEDONA’S WOODS CANYON TRAIL
We’ve covered nearly every hike in town, but one of our all-time favorites that doesn’t get nearly as much attention as it deserves is the Woods Canyon Trail. The trailhead is right by the Red Rock Visitor Center and District Ranger Station in the Village of Oak Creek, meaning that there’s always plenty of parking. You’ll follow an old Jeep trail that eventually enters into a canyon mouth. The trail then parallels Dry Beaver Creek and offers plenty of shade – it’s a perfect warm-weather hike. We’ve seen fellow hikers in bathing suits taking a dip when the water is placid. Although this trail doesn’t offer breathtaking views of Sedona’s red rocks like many of the area’s famous hikes, Woods Canyon Trail is still a fantastic hike. Enjoy creek views and sounds, plenty of shade and parking, and you won’t have too much trail traffic to contend with – making it a true rarity for hikes in the area.
Sedona’s Woods Canyon Trail
EMERSON THEATER COLLABORATIVE
Sedona has a rich history as a fine arts community. Despite the numerous art galleries, there was a lack of live theater for years. But that all changed in 2021 when the Emerson Theater Collaborative opened The Arts Academy of Sedona in the Village of Oak Creek. The nonprofit got its initial start back in 2008 and has another location in Connecticut. Camilla Ross is one of the individuals behind the Emerson Theater Collaborative, and she has produced more than 20 original works. On Oct. 27, Emerson will put on “70 Scenes of Halloween.” In this show, married couple Jeff and Joan deal with an assortment of ghosts, beasts and witches causing overall mayhem. The City of Sedona needed a live theater arts program, and Emerson has more than delivered.
Arizona Copper Art Museum
ARIZONA COPPER ART MUSEUM
When we’re in Clarkdale, we like to pop into the Arizona Copper Art Museum. Copper has played an important role in the state’s economy. So much so that Arizona is also called the Copper State. This museum is dedicated to copper and houses more than 5,000 works and art made out of copper. The initial seeds for the museum were planted in 1958 when John and Patricia Meinke of Minnesota spotted copper molds in an antique shop. Their collection grew from there, and the museum finally opened in 2012.
Arizona Copper Art Museum
The museum is one-of-a-kind and filled with a variety of treasures. You could probably spend all day here and somehow not take in everything. Visitors browsing can see a plethora of drinkware, cookware, ceiling tiles, brass artillery shell casings and candle holders.
Nellie Bly Kaleidoscopes
NELLIE BLY KALEIDOSCOPES
The entire town of Jerome is a hidden gem, but one shop that stands out from the rest is Nellie Bly Kaleidoscopes. It’s likely one of the only shops in Arizona, if not the world, that’s entirely dedicated to kaleidoscopes. Each kaleidoscope here is handcrafted.
Nellie Bly Kaleidoscopes
The shop on Main Street that’s been in business since 1988 features work from more than 90 artists. Find wooden teleidoscopes, a red cardinal with a kaleidoscope in its beak and so many colorful creations.
The-Quench Blacksmithing
BLACKSMITHING CLASSES IN FLAGSTAFF
Believe it or not, Flagstaff has its own blacksmith. Joshua Meyer teaches blacksmithing classes for locals. From Oct. 13 to 15, you can learn how to make your very own Damascus chef knife in a bladesmithing class. Learn how to forage, grind, heat treat, acid etch, add a wooden handle and polish and sharpen this knife. From Nov. 11 to 12, visitors can learn how to make a Viking axe. Joshua also occasionally teaches public community classes where students learn how to make rustic knives forged out of railroad spikes. Visit the-quench.com for more information.
FreeForm Coffee Roasters
FREEFORM COFFEE ROASTERS
FreeForm Coffee Roasters is one of Sedona’s newest shops. It’s owned by Daniel and Monica Garland. If their names sound familiar, it’s probably because they owned and operated Indian Gardens for a decade. In the wake of the pandemic, they decided to focus exclusively on coffee. They developed FreeForm Coffee. All of the coffee beans are sourced from eco-friendly, socially responsible and high-quality producers. Beans are then roasted fresh weekly in a San Franciscan SF-25 American Coffee Roaster housed in a facility on Brewer Road. FreeForm has partnered with Eden Reforestation Projects, a nonprofit that helps restore forests. For each bag of coffee purchased, FreeForm plants one tree. Guests can purchase subscriptions, individual bags of coffee, drinkware, filters, grinders, scales, water kettles and other coffee and tea accessories. In its light-filled coffee shop, customers can order matcha lattes, espresso, Nitro cold brews, mochas and a few sweets like chocolate croissants.
The Chai Spot
THE CHAI SPOT
Tucked away on the second level of Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village is one of the neatest coffee shops in town, The Chai Spot. There’s plenty to love about this shop that has locations in Sedona and New York City. We love enjoying this shop’s titular concoction on the balcony overlooking Tlaquepaque shoppers. Half of its profits benefit girls and women in Pakistan, who often struggle to get an education and establish their own careers. Seventy percent of the shop’s products are made by women and men in Pakistan living in rural areas. Whenever we step inside The Chai Spot, we always fall in love with the shop’s colorful décor. Guests can order a Traditional Cardamom Chai, a Coconut Rose Chai or a Butter Chai. The backstory of this shop also can’t be beat. When Italian-American David Barron and Pakistani Khalida Brohi fell in love in 2013, they spent two years trying to get their parents to be more open to the idea of their marriage. In the early days, they would share chai. The couple realized how the beverage could connect other people with very different beliefs. Here’s what they wrote about their experiences on the shop’s site: “We came to realize that the process of reducing fear and bias often feels like an insurmountable challenge, but not a hopeless one. Certain beliefs have been ingrained in our societies which create unfair bias and judgment about each other, long before we even get to know each other. Both of our families had many assumptions and prejudices which were hard to erase. Through persistence, empathy, many tears, and much care, we brought them to together.”
Redwall Distllery
REDWALL DISTILLERY
We were thrilled when Redwall Distillery finally opened earlier this year. Sedona now has its very own distillery. Redwall Distllery handcrafts four different spirits: vodka, gin, small-batch bourbon and cask strength American single malt whiskey. Redwall’s whiskey is aged for a minimum of three years and made using Sedona spring water from the Red wall layer of limestone in addition to imported grains. Everything is distilled and bottled on premises. Beyond the high-quality spirits, Redwall is just a fun spot. For starters, the distillery on Shelby Drive features stunning red rock views. The distillery also frequently hosts live music that adds to the lively atmosphere.
Redwall Distllery
