Sedona Events and Activities - December 2008
Monday, December 1st, 2008It seems like the holiday season came on so fast and there is more to come. Pace yourselves and come to Sedona—where the life style is low key and you can catch your breath.
The Southwest Inn will be celebrating “Illumination” during the week of 12/01/08 through 12/06/08 with two exceptional presentations. Right across our parking lot, David Morrell will be at the Well Red Coyote on December 2nd (he’s the author of the Rambo series). At the Sedona Heritage Museum, Jeremy Rowe will speak on Historic Post Card Images of Arizona. This is part of the Sedona Historical Society’s Living History talks. On December the museum will be hosting a free open house. There will be live music in the Fruit Packing Shed and the making of corn husk dolls in the main part of the museum…what a great way to step back in time to a slower paced life.
On December 19th, right next door to our Inn, George GoodStriker (a Blackfoot Elder) will give a spiritual presentation about natural medicines and traditional sweat lodges.
Speaking of natural, Red Rock State Park is just 15 minutes from us. Everyday they have a guided nature walk and every Saturday guided bird watching. What a wonderful way to get outside and walk off the worries of the world. Following this theme, the Sedona Creative Life Center (sedonacreativelife.com) is hosting many programs during the month of December regarding enriching the human heart and soul, plus a variety of musical events.
On December 12th a Holiday Concert in the Chapel will be held at Tlaquepaque from 3:00 to 7:00pm. The following night, December 13th is the Annual Festival of Lights at Tlaquepaque. This is one of my personal favorites. It started over 30 years ago when Sedona was a very small town and always looking for a social reason to get together. About a week before the actual lighting, shop keepers at Tlaquepaque would be seen filling paper bags with sand and a candle. The night of the celebration, the inhabitants of this small community would go down, light the candles and then stay and share a beverage. These events are free and open to the public. For more details go to www.shoptlaq.com.
In the Sedona area, we are lucky to have several wineries. Page Springs Cellars (www.pagespringscellars.com) is having a “Gruel and Grog” event December 13 and 14.
Don’t forget while all these other events are going on, the Sedona Red Rock Fantasy (www.redrockfantasy.com) continues for the entire month of December. The weather has been most cooperative, so the nights are clear and not too cold. This is a great activity for all ages and lasts about 45 minutes. Then it’s time for hot chocolate…
The Southwest Inn will honor the tradition of “Giving” during the week of 12/14/08 through 12/20/08. To start things off, the Minnesota Vikings will be coming to town to play the Arizona Cardinals. Hope the Cardinals aren’t too relaxed about this game.
The Christmas week of 12/21/08 through 12/27/08 will be full of events. Many local artists will be giving concerts. On the 22nd there will be an evening of storytellng at the Well Red Coyote. There will be a presentation of Pilgramage to Bethlehem at the Wayside Chapel (www.pottershandProductions.com) on December 19, 20 and 21st. So, come to Sedona to take the time to reflect on the past year, celebrate your accomplishments, and spend some time with your family and enjoy the festive atmosphere at the Southwest Inn. We are currently planning a variety of guided hikes and bike rides to close out the year.
The Southwest Inn will begin to kick off the New Year from 12/28/08 through 01/03/09, and we will start planning for the Fiesta Bowl on January 5th. We’re looking forward to Buckeyes and Longhorns taking a side trip to Sedona! The Seattle Seahawks will be playing the Arizona Cardinals. How about dem Cardinals?!
