Grand Canyon community members who are veterans gather for a group photo at Mather Amphitheater in recognition of Veterans Day. Grand Canyon National Park thanks them and all veterans for their service and sacrifice. Wednesday, Nov. 11, is also a fee-free day for U.S. citizens visiting all national park sites. (NPS/M. Quinn)
Dear Museum Friends,
As we enter the season of giving thanks and gathering to spend time with friends and family, I want to share how grateful we are for your connection to MNA. It means the world to us to see you in the galleries and at our events sharing your favorite parts of the museum with your companions. November and December are times when we seek special connection with friends, family, or community. The Museum of Northern Arizona is the perfect place to visit at this time of year, whether it be with your friends, with family members, or seeking to connect with a community of people who enjoy shared interests. Our galleries and exhibitions offer special insights into the arts, culture, and science of the Colorado Plateau, and invite you to enjoy, reflect, and learn about this remarkable part of the world. In this newsletter you will see a range of special events that magnify that experience – come along and enjoy contemporary Native American art and performance; visit our gift shop to find a unique gift for that special someone; or enjoy a musical performance by the US Navy during Navy week. Above all, be sure to enjoy our newest seasonal experience, the Snowpine Model Railway, new for this year but set to become an annual seasonal favorite in Flagstaff.
Thank you for being part of the MNA community. I look forward to seeing you at the museum.
Mary Kershaw
Executive Director & CEO
Museum of Northern Arizona
FLAGSTAFF— The public is invited to attend the Coconino Hispanic Advisory Council’s (CHAC) inaugural Nuestra Comunidad Community Recognition Breakfast from 7 to 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 13, 2026 at American Legion Post 3, 204 W. Birch Ave., Flagstaff. Doors open at 6:45 a.m.
The celebration includes guest speakers, community and veterans award presentations and entertainment.
Bring your handouts for our Community Information Table!
By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth
COCONINO COUNTY — Please join CCC&Y for its next Prevention Council Zoom meeting at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, 2026. The Council meets the first Thursday of the month.
The guest speaker for this month will be Arel Meister-Aldama of Sorena Health.
Our meetings provide our coalition partners with the opportunity to share the latest news about their projects that support children, youth and their families in Northern Arizona.
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TheatriKids is bringing William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream to the stage, and Flagstaff’s rising young performers are ready to take on this classic comedy!
Follow four young couples into an enchanted forest where nothing goes according to plan. Fairy king Oberon and queen Titania are locked in a feud, the mischievous Puck is handing out love potions with questionable aim, and one unlucky actor, Nick Bottom, gets a very unexpected makeover. Before long, romantic mix-ups multiply and the forest turns into a playground of magic and mayhem.
FLAGSTAFF — Neither rain, hail nor a little snow failed to dampen the spirit of the 23rd annual Celebraciones de la Gente held on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 23 and 24 at the Museum of Northern Arizona. The annual Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos remembrance was presented in partnership with Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces.
The 23rd annual Celebraciones de la Gente featured headline performances by Mariachi Agave from Tucson and Flagstaff’s own Ballet Folklorico de Colores, which has performed at the annual event since Celebraciones was founded in 2003. The event also included a number of cultural lectures and the ever-popular sugar skull-decorating workshops.
Photos and videos courtesy of Ruth Eaton, members of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces and the staff of the Museum of Northern Arizona show the vibrant festival continued despite the challenging weather conditions.
Halloween Tours at Riordan Mansion; 2026 Halloween Bash at Flagstaff Visitor Center, more.
Join members of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel Centennial committee, the Guadalupanas and more, for stories about the history, contributions, and devotion of the Mexican Catholic community.
The park remains on track to begin distributing treated water from the new South Rim Water Treatment Plant on Nov. 16, pending completion of required testing and startup activities. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has been on site this week to review water safety requirements, and there are no significant water quality concerns to report at this time. Routine water quality monitoring and monthly lead and copper testing in 30 housing units are also continuing.
Click below for the latest news updates from the:
Office Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes
Reviving a neglected Caribbean archive
Over the last year, Honors College student Daniella Ferrero worked alongside a faculty member to transcribe a Methodist missionary’s account of life in 1820s Jamaica. Her work doesn’t just shed light on the complexities of 19th-century slavery, colonialism and religion. It also reinforces a timeless lesson that’s important for every scholar and citizen to remember: History is rarely straightforward because people aren’t one-dimensional.
FLAGSTAFF — The Literacy Center and United Way of Northern Arizona are partnering to bring together community organizations for a fun morning focused on reading, learning, and connecting families with resources in our community. This event, open to the whole Flagstaff Community, will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 7 at Kinsey Elementary School, Flagstaff.
Building Arizona’s rural healthcare workforce
More than $6.35 million in funding will help NAU students pursue careers in healthcare while addressing a critical shortage of health workers in rural, tribal and medically vulnerable areas of Arizona. The two awards to the College of Health and Human Services will provide more than $1.27 million in scholarships each year for the next five years.
Northern Arizona is stronger when people and organizations work toward the same goal. That idea is at the heart of United Way of Northern Arizona’s 2026-2027 Campaign Breakfast, and time is running out to register.
Annual Campaign Breakfast
Thursday, October 29th • 8 am
High Country Conference Center
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — Hikers can once again explore several inner-canyon trails. These trails have reopened following repairs after trail damage caused by recent flooding.
The South Kaibab Trail below The Tipoff and the entire River Trail, connecting the South Kaibab to the Bright Angel Trail, has reopened to hikers. The Bright Angel Trail between Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse and Havasupai Gardens has reopened to hikers only. This section will remain closed to stock use as crews continue to repair additional trail damage.
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Bright Angel Trail Closure Extended
Due to recent rockfall and ongoing trail work, Bright Angel Trail remains temporarily closed to foot traffic between the Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse and Havasupai Gardens. The closure will remain in place until further notice as crews continue clearing debris and stabilizing the area.
Stock traffic is expected to be delayed longer as trail work continues. Hikers should check the park’s Key Hiking Messages page for current trail status.
By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth
COCONINO COUNTY — A number of local organizations are presenting a variety of free youth events this Fall, including wellness, resource fairs and Halloween-related activities.
The Coalition will continue to update this resource list. If you have a program you want us to include, please send an email to frank@coconinokids.org. Thank you.
Also, be sure to check out our monthly EVENTS section to see other upcoming programs in Northern Arizona.
(Updated Oct. 20, 2026)
From painting Flagstaff blue and gold to packed open houses, a community BBQ, the ASNAU carnival, an exciting Homecoming football game and more, campus was full of energy this weekend. Check out some pictures on Instagram.
Join us for an exclusive evening with our festival artists, featuring delicious food by Heartline Catering, wine, beer, and the first opportunity to purchase original paintings created especially for this event.
Enjoy time with the artists, celebrate their incredible work, and experience a special awards presentation with guest judge Betty Carr.
FLAGSTAFF — Mariachi music, folklorico dances and a central courtyard illuminated by hundreds of candles placed on nearly two dozen ofrendas/altars — visitors to the Museum of Northern Arizona will once again experience it all when Celebraciones de la Gente returns on Oct. 24-25, 2026 courtesy of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces and its partnership with the Museum.
The 23rd annual Celebraciones de la Gente will feature headline performances by Mariachi Agave from Tucson and Flagstaff’s own Ballet Folklorico de Colores, which has performed at the annual event since Celebraciones was founded in 2003. It was at that time that Nuestras member and longtime historian Delia Munoz came up with the name which means Celebration of the People.
Route 66 Centennial Walking Tour
Historic Downtown Flagstaff
Route 66 turns 100 this year, and in Flagstaff it’s still the road people take to work, school, and the grocery store. On Freaky Foot Tours’ Route 66 Centennial Walking Tour, a local guide takes you along both the original 1926 route and the 1934 reroute, past neon signs from the motel wars, a Green Book landmark, and a mural that packs a century of the Mother Road onto one wall. Along the way you’ll hear about a French priest, a Boston astronomer chasing Martians, and an unsolved double murder from 1916. It’s a 90-minute, 1.3-mile stroll from Heritage Square that is open to all ages.
Learn More
FLAGSTAFF — A ‘No Kings: Vote Early – Flagstaff’ rally will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. MST, Saturday, Oct. 17 at 211 W. Aspen Ave., Flagstaff.
Join us to rally in celebration of exercising our superpower – voting!
We will provide non-partisan education for those who haven’t yet voted, including finding the closest ballot box or how to vote early in-person. We will also provide volunteer opportunities for our Election Protection program.
Bring signs with the theme of early voting en mass as the best way to thwart attempts to disrupt elections. Have fun with it! Superhero costume + voting is our superpower. Voting is as American as Apple Pie. Express yourself! The People Decide Our Elections,
FLAGSTAFF — Members of the Coconino Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC) and other local community leaders and residents were honored during the Hispanic Heritage Month and Alumni Day special football game and tailgate event against Montana State at the Skydome on Oct. 10.
The event included performances by the NAU Mariachi and Folklorico entertainment groups.
South Rim Water Treatment Plant Begins Testing with Bright Angel Creek Water
Big progress is happening on the South Rim. On October 15, we began bringing water from the Bright Angel Creek intake into the South Rim Water Treatment Plant for the first time. This is a major step toward a more reliable water supply for our community.
The artists have arrived! Twenty-five accomplished artists from across the countryhave gathered in Red Rock Country for the 22nd Annual Sedona Plein Air Festival, bringing nine extraordinary days of painting, creativity, and community to Sedona.
Throughout the festival, these talented artists will set up their easels across Sedona and the Verde Valley, capturing the changing light, brilliant colors, and breathtaking landscapes that make this place so inspiring.
Grand Canyon Semester students lend a helping hand on the North Rim
As the 2026-27 year kicked off, students in the unique Honors College program Grand Canyon Semester spent two full days at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon clearing barbed wire that had been burned by the Dragon Bravo Fire. Their work didn’t just benefit public lands and wildlife—it also gave them crucial hands-on experience that could serve them well in their outdoor-focused careers.
By Virginia Watahomigie • Executive Director,
Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth
COCONINO COUNTY — I have been trying to find a way to explain and honor this work since I celebrated my 10-year anniversary with CCC&Y in September. But I write, erase, re-write and let it sit….let me explain how all of this amazing work is also tied to my own lived experience. This is a story of both celebration and sorrow. It is a story about my why.
First, I want to celebrate all the amazing successes and work we have done together, from conferences, symposiums, early childhood fairs, workshops, prevention strategies, lot’s of writing and reports and so much more. I am honored to have been invited to speak and listen in so many amazing spaces
The 22nd Annual Sedona Plein Air Festival is almost underway, and artists from across the country are arriving in Red Rock Country for nine extraordinary days of painting, creativity, and community.
Throughout the festival, artists will set up their easels across Sedona and the Verde Valley, capturing the changing light, brilliant colors, and breathtaking landscapes that make this place so inspiring.
And you’re invited to experience it all!
Homecoming festivities start in two days, Jacks! Don your school colors and get ready for a weekend packed with pride, tradition and celebration, both on campus and throughout Flagstaff. There’s something for everyone, and new this year—campus open houses to learn more about campus spaces.
FLAGSTAFF — Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and Alumni Day with a special football game and tailgate event against Montana at the Skydome. Tailgate for 150 people!
Members of the Coconino Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC) and other local community leaders and residents will be honored during the game.
Star Party
High Country Motor Lodge
Journey through the stars with cultural astronomer Dr. Danielle Adams for an evening of celestial storytelling and telescope viewing under the night sky.
As twilight deepens, you’ll experience the night sky through the lens of cultural astronomy as Dr. Adams reveals the rich histories behind well-known star names and showcases Arabian star names. You can also enjoy close-up telescopic views of Saturn and other celestial objects as the Milky Way rises.
A Message to Our Grand Canyon Community: Every Drop Counts
This community has met every challenge the canyon has thrown at it with grit and generosity. These past weeks have tested us, and you have answered with patience, cooperation, and care for one another. Thank you.
As the park scales back the temporary resident water services starting Friday, Oct. 9, we want to acknowledge what you’ve already accomplished. You have adapted your routines, supported your neighbors and worked together to conserve water during Stage 4 restrictions.
The Coconino National Forest is planning to conduct pile burns next week as conditions allow. Pile burns are a type of prescribed fire. Certified prescribed fire specialists will use these upcoming pile burns to help reduce unwanted fuels – notably by cleaning up debris left over from area timber sales. More information about the importance of prescribed fire is available on the Coconino National Forest website at https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/coconino/fire/management
For nine days this October, 26 artists from across the country will spread out across Sedona and the Verde Valley, painting the landscape as it changes around them—capturing the light, color and extraordinary beauty of Red Rock Country in real time.
And you don’t have to experience the festival from a distance.
This year, there are several special opportunities to join us where the painting is happening—from an evening among the vineyards at D.A. Ranch to an intimate private Sedona residence, or by picking up your own brushes and participating in the Community Paint Out.
Reserve your place now and be part of the 22nd Annual Sedona Plein Air Festival!
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz — Flagstaff City Hall offices at 211 W. Aspen Ave. will be closed on Monday, Oct. 12 in honor of Indigenous Peoples Day. City Hall offices will reopen Tuesday, Oct. 13 from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
City of Flagstaff facilities that are also closed on Indigenous Peoples Day include:
These last couple of months have been busy, filled with community, events, art, and Flagstaff fun. Thank you for your involvement in everything we do and for your continued engagement in art, science, and culture! Here is what has been happening at Creative Flagstaff and Coconino Center for the Arts:
Explore Something New. Create Something Wonderful
There’s always something new to discover at Sedona Arts Center! Whether you’re picking up a paintbrush for the first time, developing your skills at the pottery wheel, or exploring a completely new medium, our upcoming classes and workshops offer opportunities to learn, experiment, and grow.
From painting and ceramics to stained glass, photography, mixed media, and more, you’ll find welcoming instruction, hands-on experiences, and a creative community ready to inspire you.
Find your next creative experience and join us in the heart of Sedona!
Our newsletter has a new design, but it still brings you the same great news from Parks & Recreation.
The air is getting cooler, and Fort Tuthill County Park is the place to be this fall! From hands-on culinary classes and archery clinics to live music at the Pepsi Amphitheater, there is something for everyone this October. See what’s coming up in programs, events, and everything happening at Coconino County Parks & Recreation.
By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth
COCONINO COUNTY — Whether it’s connecting families to food and shelter resources, to helping foster care families learn about potential scholarship programs for their youth, resource guides provide a valuable assistance to residents throughout Coconino County and Northern Arizona.
To spread the word about these valuable information resources, CCC&Y has compiled a listing and links to a variety of additional resource guides throughout the region including CCC&Y’s own recently updated Fall/Winter 2026 Page/Fredonia and Tuba City/Navajo Nation resource guides.
READ MORE
Preserving the past for the future
From site to screen, a team from the Department of Anthropology is working to preserve history at Wukoki Pueblo, an ancient Indigenous dwelling 30 miles north of Flagstaff. Their work will not only create a detailed digital record of the site but will also create a three-dimensional model that’s accessible to people anywhere in the world
FLAGSTAFF — An ‘ICE OUT RALLY’ will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. MST, Saturday, Oct. 10 at 211 W. Aspen Ave., Flagstaff.
##Join Flagstaff DSA to protest ICE’s detention and deportation of our neighbors.
Immigrants are being removed quietly – so it’s up to us to show up and speak up for them!
Flagstaff Oktoberfest
Wheeler Park
Raise your steins, Flagstaff — the 17th Annual Flagstaff Oktoberfest returns to Wheeler Park on Saturday, October 3rd from 10 AM–9 PM! Celebrate fall in the mountains with a full day of craft beer, brats, live music, contests, kids activities, vendors, and our famous Puppy Races with High Country Humane.
Come dressed in your best Bavarian gear and enjoy everything from the Root Beer Garden to lawn games to local food favorites. Every ticket supports the Debbi Grogan Memorial Fund, helping fund music education for local students through the Flagstaff Unified School District Foundation.
Flagstaff’s First Friday ArtWalk is a monthly celebration of creativity that brings downtown to life. Local galleries stay open late with special artist receptions and entertainment, so check out the gallery map to visit them all!
Join us for First Friday today, October 2, starting at 5pm! The 2026 ArtWalk season is generously underwritten by Dapper Dre, supporting Car-Free First Fridays with traffic closures on Aspen St. for art and performance activations.
I know it’s been a little while since you’ve heard from me. It’s been a busy year here at MNA and we are preparing some very special experiences for you this autumn and winter. In addition to our new exhibitions and lively programming, we are introducing a new holiday experience in November that’s sure to become a favorite tradition in Flagstaff and Northern Arizona. There’s lots of information in this newsletter, so I invite you to take a moment and have a look at all that is happening here. Autumn is such a beautiful time in Northern Arizona. I look forward to seeing you at the museum.
Mary Kershaw
Executive Director & CEO
Museum of Northern Arizona
COCONINO COUNTY — Coconino County Flood Control District participated in Science in the Park last weekend as part of the annual Flagstaff Festival of Science. The District educated attendees about the post-wildfire flood mitigation and forest restoration processes, as well as provided an interactive display for children to get a hands-on experience of on-forest flood mitigation.
Rethinking history
An anthropology professor at NAU is helping rewrite history. Corina Kellner’s research into ancient sites and mummies in Peru could challenge what historians thought they knew about the Nasca civilization, the Wari Empire and how they interacted with each other.
To purchase a Christmas tree permit, visit Recreation.gov and search for Kaibab National Forest Christmas Tree Permits. It is important to carefully read the overview and need-to-know information prior to purchasing the permit. Visitors will also need to set up or log in to a Recreation.gov account to complete the transaction. Up to 5 trees may be purchased on a single permit at $15 per tree. A small processing fee will be applied to the transaction.
FLAGSTAFF — From astronomy to rocket science and everything in between, young people had a wide variety of hand-on activities to enjoy and learn from at the 2026 Snook Science in the Park presented on Sept. 26, 2026 by the Flagstaff Festival of Science.
More than 60 exhibitor booths crowded Wheeler Park in downtown Flagstaff as children had a wide variety of activities to choose from. Unofficially, more than 3,500 people attended the event, according to event organizers.
Some of the exhibitors ranged from The Arboretum, CCC&Y, Coconino Community College, the Coconino Astronomical Society, Coconino High School’s CocoNuts Robotics, Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition, Flagstaff Fire Dept., Lowell Observatory, Meteor Crater Education Alliance, Momentum Aerial, the Museum of Northern Arizona, Northern Arizona University, Riordan Mansion, Slide Rock State Park, Tynkertopia, to the U.S. Geological Survey.
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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz — Join City staff and the project team on Thursday, Oct. 15, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Flagstaff Aquaplex (1702 N Fourth Street) to learn more about the Butler-Fourth Improvements Project! This community meeting will give you the opportunity to view the current design plans, ask questions and share your feedback. This is an open house with no formal presentation, join us anytime between 5 and 6:30 p.m. Can’t make the meeting? Displays will be available on the project website, www.butlerfourthimprovements.com, after the event.
Community Potable Water Tank Update
The Bright Angel Flash Flood Incident Management Team has updated the size and, in some cases, location, of potable water storage tanks throughout Grand Canyon Village in order to serve residents who have relied on the tanks during the current water emergency.
The potable water tank placement plan was developed with input from park leadership and based off usage reports. There are a total of 16 tanks at various locations, for a total of approximately 15,000 gallons. Although the total amount of water has been reduced, it still exceeds the average daily use of approximately 6,000 gallons per day.
Not To Be Missed: Snook’s Science in the Park
Driven by Curiosity comes to life at Snook’s Science in the Park! Explore more than 50 interactive exhibits for all ages featuring hands-on science activities, solar telescope viewing, aerial demonstrations, cool car photo ops, and much more. Fun for the whole family!
Join us at Wheeler Park on Saturday, Sept. 26 from 10am – 2pm. FREE
Snook’s Science in the Park is generously sponsored by Northern Arizona Healthcare and Peak Engineering.
Snook’s Science in the Park
Wheeler Park
The headlining event for the Flagstaff Festival of Science, Snook’s Science in the Park offers hands on science events, activities, and workshops for all ages! If you are interested in a career or knowledge in a STEM field, this is the event for you.
Discover something new and interact with over 50 vendors from a variety of Flagstaff scientific institutions! 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. FREE!
