Teens ages 14–18 are invited to join the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Cadet Program — a unique opportunity to learn about law enforcement, build leadership skills, and serve the community. Weekly Tuesday afternoon sessions provide hands-on training and real-world insight into public safety. This is a drop-in program—students can start at any time.
Teens ages 14–18 are invited to join the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) Cadet Program — a unique opportunity to learn about law enforcement, build leadership skills, and serve the community. Weekly Tuesday afternoon sessions provide hands-on training and real-world insight into public safety. This is a drop-in program—students can start at any time.
Discover how cacti survive brutal heat, scarce water, and hungry animals with remarkable adaptations. Dr. Ken Sweat of Arizona State University explores the unique features, survival strategies, diversity, and habitats of this fascinating plant family. Presented by Desert Foothills Land Trust and The Holland Center, this program kicks off this year’s Foothills Speaker Series.
Explore how the Desert Foothills Leadership Academy can strengthen leadership skills, expand your professional network, and deepen your understanding of the issues shaping the Desert Foothills region. Meet Academy alumni, community leaders, and business professionals while learning how the program develops leadership potential through diverse perspectives and community-focused experiences. Free light bites and drinks provided.
Learn why Medicare Supplement premiums are rising, how to evaluate your options, and strategies for protecting yourself from future increases while maintaining the coverage you need. This free educational presentation covers when it may make sense to keep your current plan, when to explore alternatives, and how guaranteed issue rights and medical underwriting can affect your choices. Lunch provided.
A special event celebrating the art of expression by our current featured gallery artists Pamela Fingerhut, Diane J. Huff, and Margit Kagerer. Meet the artists and learn about each piece in the exhibit.
Explore two Scottsdale cases from the 1970s and 1990s with local historian Bruce Wall, a former Scottsdale Police Department Crime Prevention Police Aide. Hear the story of a teenager whose disappearance was initially believed to be a runaway case, and a shocking story of two men who were murdered after a road rage incident.
Meet award-winning local authors, talk all things books, and purchase signed copies of your favorites while supporting local writers and our community. Reading is fun—and even better when you meet the people behind the stories! This free community event is open to all.
As the future of the Colorado River hangs in the balance, learn how history, policy, drought, and changing conditions are shaping Arizona’s water supply. Explore the agreement governing Colorado River allocations, why reservoirs are critically low, and how evolving water management decisions could affect communities, economies, and the future of Arizona.
Transform your yard into a fall fueling station for Arizona butterflies, including monarchs. Master Gardener and Monarch Tagger Adiane Hopkins shares the host and nectar plants butterflies need, thoughtful planting strategies that support pollinators, and how monarch tagging helps protect these remarkable insects.
Discover how paleontology reveals the ancient world through fossils, prehistoric life, excavation, and scientific clues. Taught by accomplished STEM students, this free session helps grades 1–5 learners build curiosity and critical-thinking skills while exploring what paleontology can look like as a future career. Each participant will uncover “fossils” and use evidence to reconstruct prehistoric life.
Travel the globe with National Geographic explorer Dan Buettner through all four episodes of the original Blue Zones docuseries, discovering how the world’s longest-living communities create longer, healthier, and more fulfilling lives. Enjoy stretch breaks, mindfulness activities, trivia prizes, and conversation between episodes—or drop in for a single stop on the journey.
Become a weather scientist for the day and discover how clouds form, why storms happen, and how meteorologists predict the weather. Taught by accomplished STEM students, this free session helps grades 1–5 learners build curiosity and critical-thinking skills while exploring meteorology as a future career. Students will create a cloud-in-a-container experiment and tornado model to explore air movement and pressure.
Come to our haunted desert for the 7th Annual Prickly Pear Festival! This free, family-friendly event features prickly pear treats and products, demonstrations of juicing, jojoba oil pressing and mesquite flour preparation, plus face painting, caricatures, a haunted-desert photo opportunity, and an interactive storytelling performance. Come in costume and kick off Halloween with fun, food, and desert-inspired festivities for all ages!