July in Arizona offers
a mid-summer extravagan-
za of wonderful, colorful
events. This month\u2019s issue
will guide you through the
myriad of entertaining fes-
tivals that our state\u2019s cities
and rural areas bring you
throughout the month.

Office of Tourism will con-
duct the Governor\u2019s Conference on
Tourism. Each year, over 300 Arizona
tourism business people and officials
gather to consider the state of the indus-
try, review recent accomplishments, and
discuss ideas and goals for the future.
And this year, we all have reason to cel-
ebrate. Attempts to cut crucial funding
and downsize Arizona\u2019s Office of
Tourism were unsuccessful - to the great
benefit of tourism throughout our state.
The theme of this year\u2019s conference is
\u201cOne Vision, One Voice, One Future.\u201d

AZ Tourist News will be there, and we
invite you to come visit us and learn
how we make AZ Tourist News avail-
able to 160,000 readers every month.

We plan to use this opportunity to
encourage Arizona\u2019s Office of Tourism
to revise the manner in which they allo-
cate matching promotional funds. The
competitive bidding process on which
they rely is, of course, a common model
in the public sector. However, I believe
it is contrary to the very purpose of pub-
lic tourism funding, as well as this
year\u2019s conference theme of \u201cOne
Vision, One Voice, One Future,\u201d which
calls for a cooperative, synergistic
approach to promoting tourism in our
state. I propose that, in the bidding
process, AOT award credits to market-
ing plans which foster cooperation
among neighboring local and regional
communities. This will be a much more
effective investment of our tax dollars,
even as it will promote cooperation

(One Vision, One Voice, One Future),
helping us all make working together
the order of the day, in a very practical

Our hearts go out to the residents of
Mt. Lemmon\u2019s Summerhaven, as they
are challenged by the recent fires. As a
long-time resident of Tucson, I am
proud to see Tucson citizens pulling
together as a community to come to the
aid of the victims of this fire. We at AZ
Tourist News wish everyone affected by
these tragic events all the best and
eagerly anticipate the rebuilding and
revitalization of this beautiful area. Our
organization is committed to doing all
that we can to help businesses and
tourism venues in the area survive and

To reach an account executive, associate editor or to contact the editor or publisher, call (800) 462-8705. Any editorial portion of AZ Tourist News may not be dupli- cated without written permission from the Publisher. AZ Tourist News \u00a9 2003. 60,000 copies distributed monthly. Look for us at visitors centers, hotels, resorts, movie the- aters, restaurants, major attractions, major events, and everywhere else in Arizona!

Releases: Deadline July 15, 2003. Fax (520) 622-7275. Press releases, etc. are always welcomed.

Tucson, AZ, 85703. (800) 462-8705
Toll Free (520) 624-2897, (520) 622-
7275 Fax, email info@aztourist.com,

\u2022 Arizona Tourism Alliance
\u2022 Ahwatukee Foothills C of C
\u2022 Black Canyon C of C
\u2022 Benson/San Pedro Valley C of C
\u2022 Bisbee C of C
\u2022 Bouse C of C
\u2022 Buckeye C of C
\u2022 Bullhead Area C of C
\u2022 Camp Verde C of C
\u2022 Carefree/Cave Creek C of C
\u2022 Chino Valley Area C of C
\u2022 Chloride C of C
\u2022 Clarkdale C of C
\u2022 Coolidge C of C
\u2022 Copper Basin C of C

\u2022 Dolan Springs C of C
\u2022 Douglas C of C
\u2022 Ehrenberg C of C
\u2022 Eloy C of C
\u2022 Flagstaff C of C
\u2022 Globe-Miami C of C
\u2022 Golden Valley C of C
\u2022 Graham County C of C
\u2022 Grand Canyon C of C
\u2022 Greater Florence C of C

\u2022 Greenlee County C of C
\u2022 Green Valley C of C
\u2022 Holbrook C of C
\u2022 Jerome C of C
\u2022 Kingman C of C
\u2022 Lake Havasu C of C
\u2022 Marana C of C
\u2022 Metropolitan Tuc. CVB
\u2022 McMullen Valley C of C
\u2022 Oatman C of C
\u2022 Page/Lake Powell C of C
\u2022 Pearce/Sunsites C of C
\u2022 Phoenix C of C
\u2022 Pinetop-Lakeside C of C

\u2022 Seligman C of C
\u2022 Snowflake/Taylor C of C
\u2022 Southwest Valley C of C
\u2022 Springerville C of C
\u2022 St. Johns C of C
\u2022 Tombstone C of C
\u2022 Wickenburg C of C
\u2022 Willcox C of C
\u2022 Williams C of C
\u2022 Winslow C of C
\u2022 Yarnell-Peeples Valley C of C

Astronomy....................................................................................................33 Attractions..............................................................................................34-35 Az Tourist News Partners..........................................................................47 Birdwatching................................................................................................33 Casinos..........................................................................................................37 Central Arizona..........................................................................................5-7

Events, Featured..........................................................................................24 July Events..............................................................................................28 August Events.........................................................................................29 September Events.................................................................................30

A Month of Sundays.................................................................................31 Ongoing Events..........................................................................................31 Sports Events.............................................................................................32

Four Corners Region................................................................................22-23 Globe/Miami....................................................................................................7 Grand Canyon............................................................................................14-15 Guest and Dude Ranches.............................................................................42 Lodging............................................................................................................26 Mexico.............................................................................................................39 Native American Culture.......................................................................36, 38

Public Lands..............................................................................................40-41 Rim Country.....................................................................................................6 RV Resorts & Campgrounds...................................................................43-46 Statewide Map.........................................................................................24-25 Southern Az...............................................................................................18-21 Tombstone......................................................................................................20 Travel Briefs - International, National & Regional....................................4 Tucson..............................................................................................................19 Visitors Centers..............................................................................................47 White Mountains.......................................................................................12-13

Tourist News web site
(www.aztourist.com). Many of them will
not be visible to you, our visitors, but
will greatly enhance our ability to deliv-
er the latest and greatest news concern-
ing what is fun and educational to do
and see in our beautiful state.

One that is already in place is an
upgraded search capability for quickly
finding the pages containing the topics
you are most interested in.

Of the future changes the most visi-
ble will be a complete makeover of the
\u201clook and feel\u201d of our web site, with
new visuals as well as simplified and
improved navigation. We also will be
adding an online store for the purchase

So keep coming back and checking
us out - we\u2019re just getting started and
we\u2019re already on a roll!

Due to the demand for listing events, we have set the following guidelines. We hope that these will clarify our criteria.

not list all the events we receive. We
reserve the right to select appropriate
event listings and when space is tight,
we will give first priority to those who
partner with us.

180 characters. This should include the
necessary information such as event
title, date, venue, brief description of
event, admission and public contact
number for further information. The
name of the city is not included in the
word count.

ically this leaves out charitable events
and events that would draw from only
the participants\u2019 family, friends and like
demographic reach, unless these have a
particularly \u201cwestern\u201d or Arizona theme.

priority consideration. We have limited
staff to retype, fax for approval/proofing,
etc. If you can help us help you, it will
be in your best interest to do so, for the
time we can save will encourage us to
choose your events.

circulation reaching 125,000 readers.
Expanded distributed throughout all of Az at
over 1,000 locations including hotels, visitor
centers, visitor destinations, etc.

was established. Currently receiving over
500,000 verifiable hits monthly. Over 700
pages of information on Arizona destination

in Tanger Outlet Mall. Between Phoenix and Tucson on I-10 providing valuable and time- ly visitor information as needed 7 days a

Tourist News to publish The Arizona Event
Guide Quarterly. Published now 4 times a
year, 10,000 glossy guides are made avail-
able to visitor centers, chambers, and cvb\u2019s
throughout the state.

\u2022 2,500 species of wildflowers, trees, herbs, and shrubs
\u2022 200 acres of gardens, greenhouses, and natural habitats
\u2022 Guided tours daily at 11am and 1pm
\u2022 Spectacular views of the San Francisco Peaks

OK, you\u2019re ready to take a
weekend break... or maybe you\u2019re
planning for your summer vaca-
tion. There are so many choices in
this great state of ours, all promis-
ing a unique experience. There is
one town that delivers with charm,
character and distinctive appeal -
and that is Flagstaff!

Surrounded by natural wonders,
with world class attractions, festi-
vals and cultural performances,
Flagstaff offers something of inter-
est to all visitors. Outdoor enthusi-
asts, history buffs, culture vultures
and day trippers just out to enjoy
themselves all rave about this small town
with big appeal.

There are more than two hundred
restaurants and plenty of affordable
accommodations in Flagstaff. The town
hums with energy and bustle. Those with
a yen to shop will find gallery art,
antiques, Native Americana and much
more. Colorful night spots provide
evening entertainment.

While Flagstaff provides year-round
enjoyment, the summer is especially rich
in events of all types. Amerisuites, one of
our cover sponsors, is the host hotel for

letic demonstrations including the caber
toss, Scottish and Irish dancers, tradition-
al foods and vendors of quality Celtic
merchandise make this an event not to be

Shuttle Service to and from
the festival at Thorpe Park.
This All Suite Hotel is
affordable and family friend-
ly and offers a free Bountiful

include an indoor swimming
pool and whirlpool and 24 hr.
Universal Fitness Center.
Amerisuites is conveniently
located close to many restau-
rants and shops.

One of the unique things about
Flagstaff is that there is plenty to do
whether or not a special event is on when
you are visiting. The selection of top class
attractions is quite astonishing for such a
relatively small city and will keep you
busy exploring for days.

the highest elevation of any
arboretum in the US with only
70 days in the growing season,
some 2,500 species of plants
grow here. See the ad below for

wide for its collection of
Native American art, is cele-
brating 75 years of \u201cBringing the
Colorado Plateau to the World.\u201d Visitors
can view exhibits relating to anthropolo-
gy, biology, geology and fine art, as well
as enjoy the summer Heritage Program.

Another not-to-be-missed Flagstaff
attraction is Lowell Observatory, found-
ed in 1894. From this spot, the planet
Pluto was discovered in 1930, and astro-
nomical research continues today. On
clear evenings peer through the historic
telescope used by Percival Lowell. Day
tours are also available.

Part of the charm of any
city is its history. Learn
about turn-of-the-century
Flagstaff at theRiordan

tures original furnishings
and personal items of the
prominent Riordan family.
Another kind of history
can be explored along
Route 66 where the

Those looking to escape summer\u2019s
heat can take a cool day trip on the
Scenic Skyride at the Arizona Snowbowl
for spectacular views from 11,500 feet, or
stay overnight at one of the 25 cozy cab-

Grand Canyon. Fly over this wonder of the natur- al world withGrand

roomy \u201cVistaliner\u201d is a
stable, powerful airplane
delivering a smooth,
quiet ride. With climate
control, narration in 7
languages and the largest

As you plan your Flagstaff vacation,
consider the Radisson Woodlands Hotel
with its 183 newly renovated sleeping
rooms and elegant lobby adorned with

whirlpool spa, soothing steam room,
sauna and fitness center are on the
premises. The Woodlands Cafe and
Lounge serves Continental cuisine, while
Japanese dining can be found at the
Sakura Restaurant and fresh Sushi Bar.

large, tree-shaded sites, large pull-thrus
and full hookups. There is a general store
and Sandwich Shoppe, bath houses and
hot showers, playground, video rental and
the only outdoor heated pool at an RV site
in the area. Woody Mountain is found at
Exit 191 off I-40.

For more details on Flagstaff events
please see the listings on page 10. To
learn more about the attractions or our
sponsors, see their ads on the Flagstaff
pages or call the Flagstaff Convention

Cover photo credits: Flagstaff CVB, Lowell
Observatory, Celtic Festival/Betsey Bruner,
The Arboretum at Flagstaff, and the Museum
of Northern Arizona/Marinella.