Well met, traveler, under a grey Tirdas sky — the Rim wakes cool and overcast this Tuesday, November 3, with a high of 60 and no rain in it, and the Holds have laid out a week worth lacing your boots for. Today is Election Day, and vote centers stand open from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM, so cast your ballot early and the rest of the day is yours: volunteers take up tools at the Trail Day build in Pine from 7:00 AM, desert reptiles hold court in Sedona at 11:00 AM, and line dancers take the floor in Prescott by evening. Ahead lie a wildflower walk, a Cornville farmers market, the great Sedona Mountain Bike Festival opening Friday, a fish fry in Pine, a star party under red rocks, and an open mic in the pines on Monday. By the Nine, bring a cloak for the grey morning, a ballot for the box, and an appetite for the week — the mead hall will handle the rest.
Happening in the Holds Today
Payson— Election Day in the Hold — Tuesday, November 3 is Election Day, and polls and vote centers stand open from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM, the Arizona Advocacy Hub’s weekly roundup says. Every voice in the Hold counts the same, from the Jarl’s hall to the smallest cabin, so vote early and carry the day’s glow with you. Bring your identification and a little patience for the line. It is the most Skyrim duty of all: choosing who holds the throne, peacefully, with a pencil.— “Got Sneakers” Recycle and Fundraiser runs all day today, Tuesday, November 3, in the Payson Unified School District, and continues through November 19. Old sneakers that might have gone to the midden instead get a second road to run, and the drive raises funds along the way. It is an easy good deed for guests with a spare pair in the wagon — ask at a school office where the collection stands. A small quest, honestly, but the best kind: one anybody can finish before supper.— “Little Women” Play Rehearsal starts at 4:15 PM today at the Payson High School Auditorium, 301 S. McLane Road, on the school district’s calendar. The young players of the Hold are hard at the happy work of putting a beloved story on its feet — speeches, entrances, and all the merry chaos of rehearsal. Guests cannot buy a seat for a rehearsal, but the listing is a promise: a production is coming together right here in town. Wish the cast well if you pass the hall, by the Nine.
Pine-Strawberry— Trail Day Volunteer Build runs today, Tuesday, November 3, from 7:00 AM to 12:00 PM off Highway 87 just before Pine. Pine-Strawberry Fuel Reduction calls hikers, bikers, and runners to clear brush, move rocks, and shape a trail that will serve the Hold for years — and double as a fire-access route for crews. Tools are provided; bring water, gloves, and sturdy shoes, and email trails@psfuelreduction.org for directions. No experience needed, only willing hands and a morning to give.
Sedona— Snakes! Lizards! Tortoises! runs today, Tuesday, November 3, from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Creative Gateways / Kuivato Gallery, Tlaquepaque North, 336 AZ-179 in Sedona, and it is free. Visitors get a hands-on hour with desert reptiles, including Riggs the desert tortoise, a creature with more patience than most jarls. It is a splendid hour for curious children and grown travelers alike. Come learn which neighbors wear scales, and why they deserve respect, not fear.
Show Low— LEGO Club at Show Low Public Library meets today, Tuesday, November 3, from 4:00 to 5:00 PM in the Kids Room, for ages 5 to 13, the city’s own live feed says. Young builders get a table, a pile of bricks, and an hour to raise whatever castle, dragon, or longhouse their hearts dictate. It costs nothing and asks only imagination. Call the library at 928-532-4070 to confirm the day’s hour before you ride over.— Mahjong gathers today, Tuesday, November 3, at 12:30 PM at 1594 Johnson Drive in neighboring Pinetop-Lakeside. Tiles click, tea steams, and the table talk is worth the ride by itself — a quiet, friendly contest for patient minds. Newcomers who can count and smile will find a seat made welcome. It is the sort of small, warm gathering that makes a Hold feel like home.
Prescott— Intermediate Line Dance with Barb starts at 3:00 PM today, Tuesday, November 3, at 1280 E. Rosser Street, Suite B, in Prescott. Dancers who already know their grapevine from their jazz box get steps with a little more sparkle, at a pace that still leaves room to laugh. Bring smooth-soled shoes and a water bottle. Even the Dragonborn had to practice his footwork somewhere, friends.— Line Dance Lessons follow at 6:00 PM tonight at 214 S. Montezuma Street in Prescott. The evening class welcomes dancers to learn the steps in good company, one wall at a time, until the whole room moves as one. It is cheerful exercise dressed up as a party, and beginners are the honored guests. Come a few minutes early to claim a spot on the floor.
The Days Ahead
- Wed, Nov. 4— Wildflower Walk on Wednesday, November 4, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at the Highlands Center for Natural History, 1375 S. Walker Road in Prescott. A guide leads walkers through the highland woods to see what the season still offers after the rains, at a pace made for looking closely. The walk is free, and an RSVP is required, the center’s calendar says. Wear sturdy shoes and bring water — the trails will still remember the weekend’s weather.
- Thu, Nov. 5— Windmill Park Farmers Market sets up Thursday, November 5, from 2:00 PM at Windmill Park, 9950 E. Cornville Road in Cornville, down the Verde road from Camp Verde. Local growers and makers bring produce, baked goods, and handmade wares to an easy afternoon market in the valley. It is a fine excuse for a scenic ride and a full basket. Valley Dwellers climbing up for Rim Country air will find the valley itself in a generous mood.
- Fri, Nov. 6— Sedona Mountain Bike Festival opens Friday, November 6, at 9:00 AM at Posse Grounds Park, 525 Posse Grounds Road in Sedona, and runs through Sunday, November 8. Riders descend on Sedona’s famous red singletrack for demo rides and guided group rides, with food trucks, a beer garden, and live music between runs. Even travelers who never mount a bike will enjoy the festival air. By the Nine, it is the biggest wheel-show in the Holds this week.— First Friday Fish Fry and Bingo returns Friday, November 6, at the Pine Strawberry Community Center, 3916 AZ-87 in Pine. Fish is served from 4:30 PM at $7, $12, or $15, with homemade pie at $5, and bingo starts at 6:00 PM. The hall fills with neighbors, the fryers sing, and somebody always goes home hoarse from cheering a card. Arrive hungry and early — the pie has a way of vanishing first.
- Sat, Nov. 7— Morning Cafe on Zoom pours Saturday, November 7, at 9:30 AM from Unity of Payson, 110 E. Bonita Street in Payson, running to about 12:30 PM. It is an inspirational start to the day over coffee and good company, in person in spirit and online in fact — the event page carries the Zoom link. Guests at the Hearth can join from the mead hall table with a mug in hand. A gentle quest, and a kind one.— Star Party at Red Rock State Park begins Saturday, November 7, at 5:30 PM at 4050 Red Rock Loop Road in Sedona. Telescopes come out as the light goes down, and the red rocks turn to silhouettes under a sky full of cold, bright stars. Guides help visitors find planets and constellations, so no star-lore is required — only warm layers. After a grey week, a clear desert night sky is pure mead for the eyes.
- Sun, Nov. 8— A Tribute to the Ol’ Cherokee Cowboy plays Sunday, November 8, at 3:00 PM at 117 E. Gurley Street in Prescott. An afternoon of song and story in honor of a western legend, in the heart of Arizona’s Christmas City, makes a fine Sunday outing for music lovers. Expect warm harmonies, tall tales told straight-faced, and a room full of folks who know the choruses. Get there a little early for a good seat.
- Mon, Nov. 9— Open Mic Night: Music with a Purpose runs Monday, November 9, from 4:00 to 7:00 PM at THAT Brewery & Pub, 3270 AZ-87 in Pine. Singers, poets, and storytellers take the mic in the pines, hosted by members of the Fuel Reduction team, with tips benefiting fuel-reduction work that protects the Hold. Share a song, bring a guitar, or simply cheer your neighbors over a pint. Community vibes, music with a purpose — a bard’s night done right.
