Adrift Assemblages
Ann Metlay has spent most of her life writing and teaching writing, so when she retired to the Verde Valley in 2010, she decided she wanted to pursue something different. An active student and teacher at…
Sedona Things to do
Airport Loop
There’s no denying the 3.3-mile trail that loops around Airport Mesa offers views of every major red rock formation in Sedona, but we were equally as enthusiastic about the landscape of the mesa itself. A constant…
Sedona’s Jack Of All Trades
When we spoke to author, tech company CEO, Sedona resident and Beatles collector extraordinaire Chris Formant, he was in the middle of hiking his way through Argentina and Chile. That’s just how he rolls. Chris’ second…
Sedona International Film Festival
For the 25th anniversary of the Sedona International Film Festival, Patrick Schweiss, the festival’s executive director, says movie lovers will find nods to the festival’s past and present. From Feb. 23 through March 3, more than…
Love Songs
Plan a pre-Valentine’s Day afternoon out on Feb. 10 when Verde Valley Sinfonietta presents Sweet Melodies at 2:30 p.m. at the Sedona Performing Arts Center. The concert features Debussy’s Petite Suite and Brahms’ Serenade No. 1…
George Winston
Pianist George Winston will take the stage at the Sedona Performing Arts Center on Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets to the show are $45 to $65. George, who grew up in Montana and plays a…
Music To Our Ears
Chamber Music Sedona’s 6th annual Winterfest concert is mixing things up this year. The festival culminates in a concert on Jan. 13 at 2:30 p.m. at Sedona Performing Arts Center. Dubbed Shepherd on the Rock, the…
Red Mountain Music Academy
In October, longtime Sedona resident and music teacher Deanna Branaman opened the doors to Red Mountain Music Academy at the former Big Park School in the Village of Oak Creek. Deanna and her husband, Jeff, were…
NAU Art Museum
Arizona is world-renowned for its rich Western and Native American artistic heritage, but there’s a hidden gem in northern Arizona that wants to bring your attention to what’s happening in the world of contemporary art. Northern…
Let’s Go: Dining in Sin City
NOBU RESTAURANT A GLAMOROUS AND EVOCATIVE NIGHT ON THE TOWN Dining at the Caesars Palace outpost of Nobu Restaurant allows you to suspend reality. The stylish dining room sets the stage for what will be a…
Girdner Trail
Named after a family of ranchers who herded cattle in this area, the Girdner Trail connects Yavapai College and the former Sedona Cultural Park with Dry Creek Road via 4.75 miles of interesting and diverse terrain….
Sedona Northern Lights
As if Sedona’s red rocks weren’t magical enough, Sedona Northern Lights returns for the second year, Dec. 13-16. At 6, 7, 8 and 9 p.m., the 182,000,000-square-foot face of Camelhead Rock will be transformed into the…
Great Southwest
When we first introduced readers to Chris and Debbie Jones, owners of Great Southwest gallery, the couple had recently relocated their home and business from Colorado Springs. That was back in 2013. At the time, Great…
Dance, Dance, Dance
Nothing announces the start of the holiday season like Sedona Chamber Ballet’s presentation of Phoenix Ballet’s The Nutcracker. The timeless performance takes place Dec. 1 at 2 and 7 p.m., and Dec. 2 at 2 p.m….
Turkey Trot 5K
Before you head to that Thanksgiving feast, burn some calories at the 9th First Annual Sedona Turkey Trot 5K at Posse Grounds Park on Nov. 22 at 9 a.m. The race, presented by Sedona Running Company,…
Bear Mountain Trail
The trail that leads up Bear Mountain may only be 2.5 miles one way, but it’s easily one of the most difficult hikes in Sedona. There’s little to no shade, so if hiking this trail is…
Spanish Nights
Escape to Spain this month without packing more than your handbag when Verde Valley Sinfonietta presents Spanish Nights on Nov. 18 at 2:30 p.m. The concert, the first of three in the sinfonietta’s 2018/19 season, takes…
Devil’s Bridge
The name of Sedona’s largest sandstone arch, Devil’s Bridge, might sound sinister, but there’s no need to start reciting your Hail Marys just yet. The short, 0.9-mile trail that leads to the top of the arch…
Halloween
Halloween is here! There is no shortage of haunted happenings in the Verde Valley for the young and the young at heart, starting with Jerome’s 2018 Ghost Walk on Oct. 12 and 13 from 6:30 to…
Artful October
If you are an art collector – or if you just appreciate beauty – October is your favorite month. First up is the Sedona Arts Festival on Oct. 13 and 14. The 28th annual event takes…
Prescott Area Artist Studio Tour
The best weekend to shop for art in Prescott is Oct. 5-7 during the 11th annual Prescott Area Artist Studio Tour. Whether you only have an hour and you’re limited to downtown Prescott, or you have…
Cockscomb Butte Trail
Have you ever wondered about the spindly spires of the Cockscomb formation west of Sedona and on the very edge of Red Rock Country? Then you need to spend an afternoon exploring Cockscomb Butte Trail. The…
Native American Heritage Park Trail
Learn about the people who called our area home 1,400 years ago along the new Native American Heritage Park Trail in Camp Verde. The half-mile loop boasts interpretive-exhibit signs that educate hikers on the people native…
Moonlight Madness
Despite recent whispers of Sedona losing its small-town charm, there are still plenty of opportunities to connect with neighbors and celebrate what we love best about Red Rock Country. The Collective Sedona’s Moonlight Madness Concert is…
Grand Canyon Celebration Of Art
Artists have been inspired by their landscape since man first began scratching images on cave walls, which is why celebrating visual art at a place like Grand Canyon National Park is such a natural fit. This…
Michael Kollwitz
For most people, the first time they witness Michael Kollwitz tap out classic rock and old standards on his instrument, the odd-looking Chapman Stick, they have one response: What is that instrument and are you really…
Sedona Family Foot Rodeo
Celebrate the history of Posse Grounds Park with the City of Sedona’s Parks and Recreation department during the Sedona Family Foot Rodeo. The event takes place at the lower softball field at Posse Grounds Park on…
Crescent Moon Creek Walk
When the days are hot, and you never know when a monsoon storm is going to pop up, we tend to stick to tried-and-true (read: short) hikes. Crescent Moon Creek Walk, more popularly known as Red…
Vroom, Vroom
Listen up car lovers! The 44th Annual Prescott Antique Auto Club Watson Lake Show happens Aug. 4-5 at Watson Lake Park in Prescott. The show takes place from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and admission is…
Sedona Summer Colony
With all of the distractions of day-to-day life, finding time to focus on an art project can be challenging. That’s why the Sedona Summer Colony has been so successful. For the third summer in a row,…
High Profile
One of the coolest (literally) spots to be this month is on top of 11,500-foot Mt. Agassiz near Flagstaff. How do you get there? Take Arizona Snowbowl’s Scenic Chairlift to the top. The chairlift takes you…
Independence Day
Happy 242nd birthday, America! Celebrate Independence Day with the 4th of July Wet Fest at the Sedona community pool from noon to 4 p.m. The free activity features a water slide, games, water toys, swimming, live…
Jerome Artists Cooperative Gallery
The Hotel Jerome, built in 1917, is one of the first buildings you see when you pull into the former mining town turned tourist destination. It’s located on the right side of AZ-89A just as the…
Rector Trail
Because you are holding a copy of Sedona Monthly in your hands – whether you live here or not – it’s safe to assume that you have a favorite Red Rock Country trail. (No, we won’t…
Let’s Go To The Movies
What happens when you combine great movies with balmy Sedona evenings? The City of Sedona Parks and Recreation Department’s new Sedona Summer Cinema Series, which begins June 6 and happens every Wednesday through the month. The…
Tilted Earth Festival
Fourteen years ago, Eric Glomski, owner and director of winegrowing at Page Springs Cellars and co-founder of Arizona Stronghold Vineyards, decided to marry two of his biggest passions, wine and music, with an annual harvest festival….
Red Mountain Trail
If you don’t mind the long drive, hiking into the amphitheater of Red Mountain, a 1-million-year-old cinder cone in the San Francisco Peaks Volcanic Field, is a must-have experience. The trail begins at the end of…
The Copper Ball – Tapas On The Rocks
If you’re reading this in northern Arizona, a medically progressive part of the world, it won’t surprise you to hear that research done by the Cancer Centers of Northern Arizona has indicated that cancer patients who…
Kindness Blooms
Last summer, an 80-year-old, housebound man named James Bean passed away in Uptown, Sedona. He didn’t have any family, but before quietly passed away, he told his caretakers that his biggest concern was that his partner’s…
Sedona Gallery Association
Back in 2004, four art experts – Peggy Lanning, Isabelle Cozart, James Ratliff and Karen Ely – founded the Sedona Gallery Association as a way to promote Sedona’s fine art galleries. With the association came the…
Jail Trail River Walk
Looking for something to do with the kiddies during spring break? Family in town? Sometimes not everyone is up for – or capable of – a 6-mile hike in the red rocks. That’s when Cottonwood’s Jail…
Sedona Wolf Week
It all started with four sold-out movie screenings in April 2016 at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre. The film was Medicine of the Wolf directed by Julia Huffman, and the organizers were Betsy Klein and Timon…
Dry Creek Trail
In late winter and early spring, Dry Creek is anything but dry. Depending on how much rainfall we’ve received, it’s completely impassable in some locations. The key to hiking this trail is finding that ideal time…
Mountain Juniper Gallery
Spend even a short amount of time with woodworker, furniture maker and artist Dan Taylor, and there’s one thing you’ll understand immediately: Dan respects his materials above all else. His material of choice for the past…
8th Annual Old Town Blues Festival
In LosAngeles back in the late 1990s, Blues Dawg was a quartet playing blues standards and originals, and they were receiving plenty of buzz. The band performed at legendary LA venues including B.B. King’s Blues Club,…
Jane Alexander
You might say Jane Alexander’s acting career is the stuff that dreams are made of. She earned an Oscar nomination for her film debut in The Great White Hope (1970) but only after she starred in…
Petty Cache
Norman Petty is the most famous person you’ve probably never heard of. He was a music industry whirlwind: instrumentalist, songwriter, audio engineer, talent manager and, most important, an independent record producer. The 20 Top 40 hits…
The 13th Annual Sedona Marathon Event
Lace up those sneakers! The 13th Annual Sedona Marathon Event takes place Feb. 3 on Navoti Drive behind the Sedona Medical Center. The race begins at 9 a.m. and is expected to draw more than 3,000…
Reitz Ranch
Even though world-renowned ceramicist Don Reitz passed away in 2014 at the age of 84, his spirit can still be felt around the kilns and in the studio at his off-the-beaten-path ranch in Clarkdale. The ranch’s…
Munds Mountain Trail No. 77 in Sedona
The only remnant of any movie set ever built in Sedona is a tall rock chimney and fireplace shrouded in brush and trees on a rocky basalt road at the top of the Mogollon Rim. Reaching…
Chamber Music Sedona
Now in the middle of its 35th season, Chamber Music Sedona has a winter lineup that will warm everyone’s ears. First up, the Fifth Sedona Winter Music Festival happens Jan. 10-14 and features clarinetist and festival…
Courthouse Butte Loop in Sedona
The verdict is in: Courthouse Butte Loop is one of the prettiest trails you’ll hike in the snow – and it’s easy. The 4.5-mile loop traverses the base of Courthouse Butte, one of Sedona’s largest monoliths,…
Sedona’s Sir Harrison Blues Band
When Harrison Begay takes the stage, he might play a Jimi Hendrix or Miles Davis song, but it’s not going to sound like Jimi Hendrix or Miles Davis. “We give those songs an R&B groove or…
Sedona Arts Center’s Loving Bowls
What’s better than shopping? Shopping for a cause! Sedona Arts Center’s Loving Bowls event returns Dec. 9 from noon to 3 p.m. More than 1,100 bowls created by area ceramicists will be sold for $10 each….
Christmas in the Southwest
35th Annual Christmas Boat Parade of Lights Put on a sweater and gather along the shores of Lake Havasu in the far western corner of our state for London Bridge Yacht Club’s 35th Annual Christmas Boat…
A New Take on an Old Classic
When it came time to make plans for November’s Native American Heritage Month, Ken Zoll, executive director of Verde Valley Archaeology Center, had an idea. Ken sits on the advisory board for Verde Valley Sinfonietta, and…
Boynton Canyon in Sedona
Scenic Boynton Canyon near Enchantment Resort is one of Sedona’s most popular trails and deservedly so. But because it’s in danger of being loved to death, we haven’t written about it in 12 years. Instead, we’ve…
Sedona Open Studios
Thinking about holiday gift giving? Forgo online shopping and spend a weekend browsing local artist studios during Sedona Visual Artists’ Coalition’s Fall Open Studios Tour. The self-guided, free tour takes place Nov. 10-12 from 10 a.m….
Halloween in Sedona
It’s that time of the year when thoughts turn toward costumes and candy. There is no shortage of haunted happenings in the Verde Valley for the young and the young at heart, starting with the Pumpkin…
A.B. Young Trail in Oak Creek Canyon
The A.B. Young Trail is the only route (of which we know) that climbs the west wall of Oak Creek Canyon. From AZ-89A in the northern reaches of the canyon, you can spot the trail, which…
13th Annual Sedona Plein Air Festival
It’s that magical week in fall when Sedona’s streets, trails and viewpoints are teeming with plein-air painters from around the country. We’re talking about Sedona Art Center’s invitational 13th Annual Sedona Plein Air Festival, which returns…
Sedona Arts Festival
If you love to shop and you love the red rocks, there is no better festival than Sedona Arts Festival, now in its 27th year. On Oct. 7 and 8 on the sports field at Sedona…
Sedona’s El Dorado
When Claudio and Karla Herrera first met, they were part of a small population of Ecuadorian immigrants living in New York City. Karla was attending the Fashion Institute of Technology, intent on studying fashion design and…
Sedona Pet Lovers Gala
If what Gandhi said is true and the greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated, then Sedona is already pretty great. In the first six months of 2017, 316…
Sedona Winefest 2017
Under a big-top tent on the field at Posse Grounds Park, wine lovers leisurely made their way from one winery to the next, sipping on glasses of red, white and rose. They nibbled on squares of…
Sedona’s Loy Canyon
Sometimes you just want to walk in the woods, Hansel-and-Gretel style. That’s when you need to explore Loy Canyon and Loy Canyon Trail. The trail meanders along the floor of the canyon for 4 relatively flat…
Fiesta del Tlaquepaque in Sedona
The 45th annual Fiesta del Tlaquepaque, a celebration of Mexican Independence Day, takes place Sept. 9 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village. Tlaquepaque’s longest-running tradition will feature mariachis, flamenco dancers, ballet…
Pedal to the Medal in Sedona
Sedona Golf Resort’s 4th Annual Sedona Bike & Brew Festival returns Aug. 26 with mountain bikers racing a 6-mile course at the resort. The race takes bikers around all 18 holes and through 80 acres of…
“Hold Your Horses!” at the Phippen Museum
The horse, that quintessential symbol of the American West, will be celebrated at the Phippen Museum’s fourth annual Hold Your Horses! invitational exhibition and sale. The opening reception takes place at the Prescott museum on Aug….
Lakes within a four-hour drive of Sedona
Lake Havasu State Park If the name Lake Havasu conjures up images of girls gone wild on spring break, you’re not completely off the mark: It’s still a party hot spot for coeds in March and…
Sedona’s Baldwin Trail
We don’t hike much during this time of the year, however, if we’re going to spend time on a trail, Baldwin ticks all of the boxes for a summertime jaunt. It’s in close proximity to Oak…
Independence Day in Northern Arizona
Apple pie? Check. Charcoal for the grill? Check. Patriotic playlist? Check. Happy 241st birthday, America! It seems like every community in the Verde Valley and northern Arizona has something lined up for the Fourth of July….
Sedona Summer Colony
Like many good stories, this one begins with a bottle of wine. It was October 2015, and Eric Holowacz and Paul Amadio had recently moved to Sedona; Eric relocated from Baton Rouge, and Paul had most…
R.C. Gorman Navajo Gallery in Sedona
To spend time in R.C. Gorman Navajo Gallery in Uptown’s Cedic Plaza is to receive an education on the lithograph printing process and R.C. Gorman, arguably the first Native American to be internationally recognized as a…
Sedona’s Thunder Mountain Trail
Thunder Mountain Trail is a gem of a hike that meanders along the base of its namesake, also known as Capitol Butte or Grey Mountain. Though there isn’t a ton of shade along the trail, it’s…
Tlaquepaque North Block Parties
What’s summer without a block party? How about four of them? Tlaquepaque North will be hosting block parties every Saturday in June from 4 to 8 p.m. Each free event will feature live entertainment along with…
Tim Young in Sedona
Tim Young looks like a musician. His long blonde hair is worn loose under his trademark black fedora, and when he plays, he’s frequently in a black button-down shirt and blue jeans, his prized Martin acoustic…
Welcome to Twin Peaks
When you push open the glass door of Twede’s Cafe located on a busy corner in North Bend, Washington, you experience one of two sensations. If you’re a fan of David Lynch and Mark Frost’s early-90s…
Jerome Historic Home and Building Tour
Arizona’s mile-high town is the place to be May 20-21 when the Jerome Historic Home and Building Tour returns for its 52nd year. The guided tour takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (the last…
Verde Valley Wine Festival
Despite the threat of rain, last year’s inaugural Verde Valley Wine Festival was a sold-out event: 1,400 people spent the cool afternoon at Clarkdale Town Park, sipping wine, beer and spirits, noshing on tidbits from local…
Vultee Arch Trail in Sedona
Back in the day, accessing the Vultee Arch Trailhead wasn’t nearly as challenging as it is now. The only way to reach it today is with a high-clearance four-wheel drive vehicle (yes, you need both high…
Sedona’s Turquoise Tortoise Gallery
Peggy Lanning has owned and operated Turquoise Tortoise Gallery for 46 years as of this month, first in Glendale, Arizona, and then in Sedona since 1981. Even though she doesn’t have an education in fine art,…
Bun Appétit, Sedona
Butterfly Garden Inn The burgers at Butterfly Garden Inn in Oak Creek Canyon are easily one of Sedona’s best-kept secrets (until now, of course). Some people might not even realize that there’s a kitchen mixed in…
Fleur-de-Sedona
Mary Senseney The first thing that strikes you about Mary Senseney’s Village of Oak Creek garden is its orderly, well-manicured and thoughtfully executed design. But when you stroll through the courtyards and along flagstone pathways, you…
Sedona Visual Artists’ Coalition Open Studios Tour
It seems like lately consumers are looking for experiences when it comes to parting with their hard-earned cash. Mike Upp, co-chair of the Sedona Visual Artists’ Coalition Open Studios Tour, understands that, and it’s one of…
Viva Las Vegas
Tempt Lady Luck when the Scorpion Booster Club brings the action of a Las Vegas casino to Sedona Golf Resort on April 21 from 6-10 p.m. during Viva Las Vegas. The event will act as the…
Templeton Trail in Sedona
For those who like to spend half the day rambling through Red Rock Country at a leisurely pace, Templeton Trail is right up your alley. You’ll only encounter one steep climb along this 9-mile (round trip)…
Bonne Idée, Sedona!
Mark your calendars, francophiles: On April 8, Tlaquepaque Arts & Crafts Village will host A Taste of Provence from 4-7 p.m. Listen to songs in French and English from three French bands; watch demonstrations by a…
Cowgirl Up! Art from the Other Half of the West
Artwork from 58 of the country’s most renowned women western artists will be on display in what is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about art shows in the state: Cowgirl Up! Art from the Other…
Sedona’s Munds Wagon Trail
We’ve hiked this trail in warm weather without a puddle in sight, so we suspect our experience was relatively rare, which made it even more special. Despite a blustery breeze, the scenery made us feel like…
The Golden Dragon Acrobats
The Golden Dragon Acrobats, a renowned troupe of 16 Chinese artists, will take to the stage at the Sedona Performing Arts Center on March 4 at 7 p.m. The show, presented by Yavapai College Performing Arts…
Sedona Mountain Bike Festival
Maybe you’re someone who regularly “shreds the red.” Or you just like to drink craft beer, sample food-truck fare and hang out with the cool kids. Both of you will want to be at the Sedona…
Sedona Film Festival: Bruce Hornsby
When you think of Bruce Hornsby, you probably automatically think of his 1986 hit, The Way It is, which earned him a Grammy for Best New Artist in 1987. What you may not know is that…
Bomb, But Not Forgotten
On April 1, 1952, a 1-kiloton atomic bomb, part of the U.S. military’s Operation Tumbler-Snapper – aimed at developing tactical nuclear weapons – was detonated at Area 5 of the Nevada Proving Ground, later known as…
Bike and Brew in Sedona
Love biking? Passionate about microbrews? Head to Oak Creek Brewing Co. on Wednesdays from 5 to 7 p.m. for the Bike and Brew event organized by Dennis Ketterman, publisher of Bike and Paddle Magazine. “It’s really…
Creative Gateways in Sedona
Pilisa Rainbow Lady walks through the bright gallery at the back of Creative Gateways artist co-op and points to one of her glass plates hanging on the wall. She explains that when she got stuck on…
Sedona’s Cathedral Rock Trail
Cathedral Rock Trail has long been one of our top 10 favorite hikes in Sedona, but the recent crowds in the area have kept us at bay for a couple of years. Then it dawned on…
Sedona Winter MusicFest IV
Chamber Music Sedona will put a soundtrack to the short days and cold nights of winter during its Sedona Winter MusicFest IV happening Jan. 4-8. This year’s festival sees the return of clarinetist Alexander Fiterstein and…
Let it Snow!
Arizona Nordic Village Arizona Nordic Village, formerly known as the Flagstaff Nordic Center, changed hands in October 2015, and last winter the cross-country-ski playground began encouraging snow bikes to come out and play. It also added…
Sedona’s Boynton Canyon Vista
When the days are short and the temperatures chilly, we like to explore some of Sedona’s shorter trails, and Boynton Canyon Vista checks all the boxes. The trail leads to a saddle between two red rock…
