-A Sunday Stroll in Old Town Scottsdale-
The weather was so beautiful today in Scottsdale that I couldn’t resist going down to Old Town to just walk around and see what was going on. We parked near the Scottsdale Civic Center Park and decided to visit the Sunday A’Fair. This event has been going on for 26 years and is sponsored by the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts. These free concerts are held on the outdoor area in the adjacent Scottsdale Civic Center Park.
As we walked nearer to the event, we could hear the soft and enticing music of the Alice Tatum Quartet. Their music was easy listening and they had attracted a large, diverse audience. 
It was my first time listening to this quartet, but I understand Alice has been sharing her versatile repertoire for the last 30 years in Scottsdale.
Relaxing on the lawn area were families, young people, older folks and lots of very relaxed dogs. The sponsors of the event encourage people to bring blankets, lawn chairs and picnic baskets and just sit back and enjoy. But, if you leave home without your picnic basket, no need to worry – there are ample food and beverage offerings available within the park area, or you can always seat yourself at one of the neighboring restaurants bordering the park.
While strolling around the perimeter of the lawn, I couldn’t help but admire the beautiful fountain surrounded by colorful and sweet-smelling flower gardens. And, I had not realized before that the adobe square table and chairs built in around the fountain feature a chess/checkerboard on top of it!
There were a number of vendors at this event, and I had a fun time talking to the three young ladies at the Twisted Gems of Scottsdale booth. Between the three of them, they produce a varied and absolutely stunning collection of jewelry. They also sell large brimmed straw hats and to adorn them, they offer unique and colorful bands made from different metals and gems. Most interesting was the fact that the three ladies, Jeannine Christian, Karen Holihan, Ann Ciemnoczolowski, were all born in Scottsdale and have been close friends since grammar and high school.
Next weekend is the final Sunday A’Fair for the season and the program will be “OrigiNation – A Festival of Native Cultures”. The event will offer the opportunity to explore and compare native cultures of Arizona and India. There will be live music and dance, an arts and crafts market, kid’s activities plus native inspired foods and beverages. Admission is free and it runs from noon to 4 PM. You can find more information at www.scottsdaleperformingarts.org.
