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Need a local day trip with your out-of-town thanksgiving guests?
Chinese Pistachio trees are in peak Autumn colors with leaves changing pumpkin-orange and vivid red at Boyce Thompson Arboretum State Park over the next two weeks.
BTA is open Friday, Nov. 23, and is definitely the place to be Nov. 24-25 when the park’s annual Fall Foliage Finale Festival brings two days worth of live music, hot-spiced apple cider, and East Valley vendors selling unique arts and crafts.
Guided 11 a.m. tours are offered all three days, and Saturday-Sunday events are held beneath the colorful canopy of pistachio leaves across from the Herb Garden. Music is by ‘Celestial Misfits’ on Saturday (Scott Schaefer on flute and didgeridoo dueting with guitarist-vocalist Scott Simon) returning by popular demand to share a day of original songs, instrumentals, and classic rock both days, with performances between 11 a.m. and 3p.m.
A stroll beneath the breathtakingly beautiful trees wouldn’t be complete without a cup of hot and spiced apple cider. That will be available again this year, and vendor tables with unique arts-and-crafts from BTA annual members. Sunday will include food prepared by Eric and Terri from Tall Order Catering
Participants include Queen Valley’s Leda and Leroy Fide (leather crafts and handmade beadwork), Queen Creek jeweler Barbara Pohan, Mesa resident Jennifer Jansen (pendants, earrings, cards and more that use Arboretum scenes and art) and ceramic artist Ellen Winstead here with two friends from the Mesa Art Center.
Most events are included with daily admission of $9 for adults, $4.50 for ages 5-12. Read more and see a fall color preview at AG.Arizona.edu/BTA.
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