Slew of events signal spring in Maricopa

Spring, the vernal equinox, officially begins on March 20 this year, but Maricopa residents know that they have their own special events calendar that lets them swing into spring a bit early.

That calendar is produced by Marty McDonald and his staff at the city’s Parks, Recreation and Libraries department, and it declares that spring begins Saturday, when the Maricopa Mutt March and the Little League spring soccer program kick off the fun-in-the-sun season at Pacana Park.

Officially part of the 50th annual Stagecoach Days celebration, the Mutt March will feature man’s (and woman’s) best friends strutting their stuff for the cameras and for prizes.

On March 9, Stagecoach Days will focus on all kinds of fun activities for kids and adults, from 30 tons of snow to a beer garden and western foods. The event, formerly sponsored by the Rotary Club, is held under the auspices of the city and the Maricopa Chamber of Commerce.

The death of a child in a local irrigation ditch 50 years ago spurred local residents to build a city swimming pool so kids could learn how to swim. Members of the Rotary Club created Stagecoach Days to raise funds for construction of the pool, located next to the city’s library on Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway.

“The event still raises funds for the annual cost of maintaining the pool,” said Will Dunn, Maricopa councilmember, whose grandparents, the late Will “Sonny” and Dorothy (“Dode”) Dunn helped originate the idea.

It’s too late to enter the city’s annual Fishing Derby at Pacana Park, slated this year from 2:30 to 5 p.m. March 29 because the 170 available reservations for children between the ages of 5 and 12 have all been filled. Space had to be limited at the lake for safety considerations, McDonald explained. But anyone is welcome to come out and watch or cheer their favorite entrant on to victory.

The city will stock the park’s lake with 1,000 pounds of trout and bass for the event. Each entrant will receive a rod and reel kit and a free barbecue dinner, provided by event sponsors Fry’s Marketplace and Orbitel.

Spring will continue with the biggest event of all, the Fourth Annual Maricopa Salsa Festival presented by inmaricopa.com, to be from noon to 6 p.m. April 26 at Pacana Park. This event, one of the most popular and successful, is expected to draw 6,000 people this year.

The Salsa Festival will feature up to 95 vendors, 50 salsa competitors who will provide free samples and compete for a $1,000 prize for best overall salsa, $500 prizes for best hot, best mild and most unusual salsas, and $300 prizes for the best guacamole and best bean dip.

As in previous years, live music will be featured, along with a bigger and better Kidz Zone, a food court (man cannot live on salsa alone), and a beer and Margarita garden.

Parking will be available, but McDonald said he hopes to also offer shuttle bus service to and from the event.

More information on these events ­and many others is provided in detail in the spring issue of The Activator, the PRL department’s quarterly newsletter.

The Activator also provides a calendar of classes and other activities for adults, teens and children of all ages. Copies of that publication should be available this week at City Hall, elementary schools and many local businesses.

Submitted photo