The beautiful backdrop of Carefree, its many splendors and the fantastic art on hand isn’t all the Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival has to offer the thousands of people who attend each year. The festival holds the title of Arizona’s largest wine-tasting event, featuring first-class wines from Arizona, California, Australia, Germany, Austria, France and Italy.

Live entertainment is a mainstay at this annual festival and this year is no different, featuring the enchanting music of the “Lord of the Strings” Arvel Bird, an internationally known violinist.

The festival runs today thru Sunday (January 15-17) from 10am – 5pm each day.  Parking is free and admission is only $3.  Get out and enjoy great weather, art and wine this weekend at the Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival!

**Please note that the Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon & 1/2 Marathon takes place Sunday, January 17. For road closures and tips on getting around town on Sunday, please click here.

Barrett-Jackson:This auto auction features more than 1,000 of the world’s finest collector and special-interest automobiles and is attended by 250,000 collectors and enthusiasts.
Dates: January 11-18
Location: WestWorld of Scottsdale (101 Freeway and Frank Lloyd Wright)
Admission: $10-$120

Sunday A’Fair: This free Sunday afternoon festival takes place outdoors and features concerts, a diverse selection of arts and crafts, and hands-on activities for children.
Dates: January 11 – April 12, most Sundays
Location: Scottsdale Civic Center Mall
Admission: Free

Russo & Steele: Be sure to check out this boutique-style auction featuring American muscle cars, European sports cars, hot rods and customs.
Dates: January 14-18, 2009
Location: Scottsdale Road and Mayo Boulevard
Admission: $20 general admission

Arizona Fine Art Expo: Juried artists are showcased in a working studio environment, giving attendees unprecedented access to some of the world’s most gifted designers, painters, sketch artists and sculptors.
Dates: January 15 – March 29, 2009
Location: Jomax and Scottsdale Roads
Admission: $8

Native Trails: A celebration of Native American Culture through song, dance, art, music and food.
Dates: January 15 – April 11, 2009 (most Thursdays and Saturdays)
Location: Scottsdale Civic Center Mall
Admission: Free

Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival: Experience jury-selected artists displaying fine art that includes bronzes, paintings, pottery, photography, scratchboard, wood, clay, metal and glass sculptures, batiks and more.
Dates: January 15-16, 2009
Location: Downtown Carefree, Ho Hum and Easy Streets
Admission: $3

Celebration of Fine Art: Attending this event is like attending more than 100 artists’ studios in one day!  You can meet the artists and watch them while working.
Dates: January 16 – March 29, 2009
Location: Scottsdale Rd. and Mayo Boulevard
Admission: $8

Rockin’ ArtWalk: Runners, family and friends are invited to spend the afternoon in the thriving Downtown Scottsdale Arts & Shopping District. Here, you can enjoy an enticing array of galleries, dining and nightlife.
Dates: January 17, 2009
Location: Scottsdale Arts District, Main St. and Marshall Way
Admission: Free

P.F. Chang’s Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon & 1/2 Marathon: This marathon tours through three of Arizona’s most vibrant cities (Phoenix, Tempe, and Scottsdale). With perfect winter running weather and live music every mile, this is an event not to miss!
Dates: January 18, 2009
Location: Phoenix/Tempe/Scottsdale
Admission: Free for spectators, $100-$125 for runners

Arizona Sun Circuit Quarter Horse Show: Come to watch 1,500 of the country’s best quarter horses compete for $20,000 in prizes.  Horses and riders from around the world ride in five rights over eight days.
Dates: January 22-31, 2009
Location: WestWorld of Scottsdale (101 and Frank Lloyd Wright)
Admission: Free

FBR Open: As the largest event on the PGA TOUR, the FBR Open has gained legendary status for being unlike any other golf tournament.  In addition the golf festival during the day, be sure to check out the Bird’s Nest Music Fest at each night.
Dates: January 26 – February 1, 2009
Location: TPC Scottsdale (Greenway Parkway and Frank Lloyd Wright)
Admission: $25 and up

Scottsdale is a great place for a Valentine’s Day romantic getaway. In addition to the great resorts, the weekend is packed with great events for you and your loved one to create a truly memorable trip. Here are just a few:

Cavalia
Opening February 14th under the big white tents on the corner of Scottsdale Road and the 101 Loop, Cavalia is an homage to the poinant history and facinating bond between human and horse.

Celebration of Fine Arts
Opening Monday the 16th, The Celebration of Fine Art is a fusion of the best of art galleries, art studios and art shows. A juried, invitational show, it features 100 of the finest artists from the United States, Canada and United Kingdom who work in an intimate studio setting, showing and selling their art to visiting art lovers.

Scottsdale Native Trails
On January 15, 2009, Native Trails presented by the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation and produced by the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, will debut its seventh season of free noontime festivals dedicated to exploring the rich and varied cultures of Native America. Located at the outdoor amphitheater at the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall, just north of the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts, the festival features Native American music, dance, art and traditional foods.

5th Avenue Fine Art & Wine Festival
This popular event returns to the Fifth Avenue area for three days of music, wine and more than 60 artists, who will be displaying a wide assortment of original paintings, photography, glassworks and unique crafts.

Arabian Horse Show
Since 1955, the annual Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show has set the pace in the Arabian horse world. It has grown from 50 horses to more than 2,000 horses, bringing top owners, trainers and breeders from around the world competing for a chance to win.

2009 NBA All-Star Game
See all the exciting action of NBA All-Star weekend including the Rookie Challenge, Shooting Stars, a competition featuring NBA and WNBA players and NBA legends, Skills Challenge, a contest of top guards working against the clock to complete a series of passes, free throws, lay-ups and agility drills, and the Three-Point Shootout, where six of the best long-range shooters compete against each other and the clock in a test of accuracy. Of course no All-Star game would be complete without the Slam Dunk Contest, which will showcase some of the NBA’s best athletes as they take to the air mystifying fans with their gravity-defying creativity.

Along with Krista Sheldon, more than 165 juried fine artisans from throughout the United States and abroad will be coming together for this spectacular event. Paintings in all mediums and subjects will be on display, in addition to impressive small, medium and life-sized sculptures, sparkling hand blown glass, authentic rope baskets, wood, clay, metal, stone, one of a kind handcrafted jewelry, exceptional photography and much more.

The festival also marks the return of Arizona’s largest wine tasting event; participating wineries will be AZ Wine Company, A International Wines, Kokopelli and Page Springs Cellars. AZ Wine Company will also have a variety of micro-brews available for sampling. For $10.00, patrons will receive an engraved souvenir wine or beer glass with six tasting tickets, allowing them to enjoy the combination of fine wine, art, savory food, exquisite chocolate, and live musical entertainment featuring Arvel Bird, all together for one unforgettable experience.

16th Annual Carefree Fine Art & Wine Festival
Date: Friday, January 16 – Sunday, January 18th, 2009
Time: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm each day
Location: 101 Easy Street, Carefree, Arizona
Let us know if you’re going!