July Festivals and Events in the Phoenix Area

The Phoenix area and its surrounding communities host lots of annual festival and special events.  Here are just a few, for a full list and detailed information, visit phoenix.about.com.

Latin Rhythms Festival
Live music, wine tasting, food sampling at Kokopelli Winery & Bistro. Downtown Chandler.  July 18 – 20

McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park Free Concerts
July 6, 13 from 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. in Scottsdale. Bring a blanket or a lawn chair and enjoy a variety of music. Train and carousel rides are available throughout all concerts for a small charge.

Monsoon Madness
July 12 in Queen Creek. Inflatable bounce-houses, water slides, dunk tank, the Queen Creek Mud Pit, and more. 

Starry Safari Friday Nights at the Phoenix Zoo
Select zoo trails will be open as will gift shop and snack bar. Animal encounters, water play activities, carousel rides and more. Bikes and boats available to rent.

Summer Concert
July 12, 19, 26 All concerts are free and start at 7 p.m. Held at Kierland Commons Plaza.

Summer Splash Festival
July 19 Family-friendly day of water-related activities, with water slides, dunk tanks and cyber maze water tag. Aqua-Tots will be on hand to give free tot swimming lessons. There will also be arcade games, food and entertainment. Free admission. Historic Downtown Chandler.

Downtown Living in Phoenix! Stunning 3 Level Corner Townhouse $585,000

DOWNTOWN LIVING! Sleek & Contemporary 3 Level Corner Townhouse. 1st level spacious office & half bath. 2nd level living room, dining room, fireplace, kitchen, half bath & 2 balconies. 3rd level 2 master suites each with walk-in closets & balconies plus full size laundry. Kitchen features granite tile counters, SS appliances and high-end gas range. Designer window treatments and ceiling fans in all rooms. Hardwood floors on 2nd level and plush carpet on 3rd. 2 car garage. Community pool and gym. 1 block to light rail and walking distance to all that downtown has to offer! Minutes to airport, seconds to I-10. Pet friendly neighborhood. Don’t wait – this one won’t last!

More info and pics.

June Festival and Events in the Phoenix Area

The Phoenix area and its surrounding communities host lots of annual festival and special events.  Here are just a few during the month of June, for a full list and detailed information, visit phoenix.about.com.

Big Boys and Their Toys
Classic cars, collector cars, RV and off-road, boats and sports cars, and lots of other toys at the Phoenix Convention Center.   June 14, 15, 16 .

Firebird International Raceway Summer Spectacular
Robosaurus makes his only Arizona Appearance. Jet Cars, Funny Cars, fireworks. 
June 21.

Grand Canyon State Games
Olympic-style competition in judo, weight training, baton twirling, table tennis and more. 
June 19-22.

Jazz in the Garden
Friday evenings starting at 7 p.m. Enjoy listening to a variety of jazz styles under starry skies on the Garden’s beautiful Ullman Terrace. Gourmet picnic dinners, bar, wine tasting for an additional charge. Desert Botanical Gardens. Tickets must be purchased. Ticket price includes admission to the garden.
Every Friday evening in June .

Miss Arizona Pageant
During the last week of June you can see some of the brightest and most talented young ladies in the state compete for the Miss Arizona crown. The winner will get to represent Arizona at the Miss America Pageant. June 19 – 21.

Starry Safari Friday Nights at the Phoenix Zoo
Select zoo trails will be open as will gift shop and snack bar. Animal encounters, water play activities, carousel rides and more. Bikes and boats available to rent. Every Friday night in June .

Home Price Drop Accelerates

Home-price declines are accelerating nationwide, pushing a hoped-for turnaround in the housing market further down the road.

The Standard & Poor’s/Case-Shiller index that measures home prices in 20 major metro areas dropped 12.7% in February from a year earlier — the sharpest decline in the data’s two-decade history.

Areas of the country that saw the greatest run-ups in prices in the first half of the decade are now seeing some of the steepest declines. Home prices in the Las Vegas, Miami and Phoenix markets fell in February by more than 20% from a year earlier.

 Even after sharp drops for more than a year, however, home prices in Los Angeles, Miami and Washington, D.C., remain more than double their levels at the start of the decade.

Full Article

Source: Sudeep Reddy, The Wall Street Journal, 4-30-08

 

May Festivals & Events in the Phoenix Area

The Phoenix area and its surrounding communities host lots of annual festival and special events.  Here are just a few during the month of May, for a full list and detailed information, visit phoenix.about.com.

Arizona Special Olympics Summer Games
2,000 athletes compete in track and field, powerlifting, gymnastics, softball skills, tennis and other events at the ASU Band Practice Field.  May 1 – 3

Chandler Spring Starlight Concert
Free concerts at the amphitheater at Tumbleweed Park. Pack a picnic dinner, bring a blanket, sit out under the stars and listen to a different type of music each week.

Flashlight Tours 
Nights in the desert are anything but dull. Nighthawks fly, night-blooming flowers open, toads sing and owls watch as you roam the trails of the Desert Botanical Garden, never knowing what will be around each corner. Wear walking shoes, and bring a flashlight. 7 p.m. Flashlight tours are free with admission, but require reservations. Call 480-941-3510.  Every Thursday and Saturday in May .

Greek Food Festival
Presented by St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church this Festival at Tempe Town Lake features food, fun and games for the whole family!  For info call 480-899-3330 or visit www.atasteofgreeceaz.com.  May 2, 3 and 4.

Moonlight Movies
The City of Phoenix shows free movies at Steele Indian School Park in central Phoenix.  Moonlight Movies start at sunset and are free to the public. Call 602-495-0739 for more information.  May 17

Queen Creek Peach Festival
Enjoy peach picking, recipes, sampling, and entertainment at Schnepf Farms.   May 10, 11, 17, 18, 24, 25

That Thursday Thing!
Each event night has a theme, food and beverage, and extended shopping hours at 90 antique and specialty shops. Admission and parking are free. 5 p.m. – 8 p.m. in Historic Downtown Glendale. 
May 15

Total Listings vs. Total Sold Since 2002

 What an interesting graph! Total listings since 2002 have ranged from a low of under 10,000 to a high of 60,000.  On the other hand, Solds have remained more consistent, with a low of 2,000 to a high of 10,000 a month.  There is currently an 18 month inventory of properties in the Phoenix area.