D-Squared

It’s time to sing in the change of season … or change the season by singing. We cordially invite you to join D-Squared at our annual Winter’s Eve Concert – an evening of music and fun at the Big Bug Station in downtown Mayer at 7 PM on Saturday, December 5th.

Once again Mike Connors and his family are graciously opening our favorite venue for all to enjoy. We have some exciting new songs to share as well as some old favorites to snuggle up with for winter.

Back by popular demand this year is the Christmas Cookie Contest. So dig out your grandma’s favorite cookie recipe and bring a plate to share with everyone. There will be tasting and voting and some liquid refreshment to wash down those delicious cookies.

In light of the current economic situation, we are only asking a $10 donation per person. Time to hunker down with your friends and neighbors and be thankful for the true joy of the season – the chance to share good feelings with good folks in a good space.

Big Bug Station is located in historic downtown Mayer, Arizona at the corner of Central and Main, catty-corner from the post office (at the only stop sign on Central). Call 928.925.5172 for further information.

For those of you coming from out of town or wanting to extend your stay in the “Comfort Corridor”, we have two commercial lodging options nearby. The Creekside Preserve Lodge, one mile east of Mayer on Highway 69, offers individual cabins with hot tubs along Big Bug Creek in the $100 range (928.632.0777). The Charcoal Pit Motel right in town is a refurbished motor hotel in the $40 range (928.632.9696). Both are dog-friendly.

We hope you can find time in your busy holiday schedule to join us

OK, it’s officially summer and time to head for the mountains. If you find yourself in the Flagstaff area this weekend, check out the Flagstaff Folk Festival on Saturday and Sunday, June 27 & 28, 10 AM to 6 PM at the Coconino Center for the Arts, 2300 North Fort Valley Road in Flagstaff, Arizona.

One hundred folk acts on four stages in two days, workshops on all manner of folky things and lots of friends to hook up and play music with. There is also a contradance on Saturday night at the Sechrist school right next to the festival grounds.

D-Squared plays a 40-minute set at the Amphitheater stage at 4:50 PM on Sunday. We thought we’d start out on accordion (just warnin’ ya). Come watch it rain in the mountains, the amphitheater is indoors. Admission for the festival is $3/person & $9/family per day and parking is free. You can check out the full schedule and get further details at www.flagfolkfest.org.

For several years we’ve been hearing good things about the Granite Creek Vineyard and Winery in Chino Valley. They have included us in their summer concert series this Saturday, May 23 from 1 to 5 PM. This is sort of a casual sit around outside in a beautiful place – (Read on …)

The Glendale Folk and Heritage Festival kicks off Saturday and Sunday, March 21-22, 10 AM-5 PM, at the Sahuaro Ranch Park, 9802 North 59th Avenue in Glendale, Arizona.

Sahuaro Ranch Park Historic Area is an old Valley fruit ranch and vegetable farm featuring 13 original buildings, a rose garden, barnyard and historic orchards adorning the 17 acre park. This weekend it will play host to over 150 folk musicians performing, jamming, and conducting workshops at 9 different venues on the site, including D-Squared playing at 10:30 AM on Sunday in the Fruit Packing Shed.

In addition to performances of everything from folk to bluegrass, gospel to contemporary singer/songwriter, from celtic and blues to cowboy poetry and storytelling – there are workshops on ukulele, banjo, musical saw, spoons, concertina, dulcimer, guitar, songwriting, harmony singing, percussion, childrens’ music, Woody Guthrie, Stephen Foster, and American belly dancing. Ample opportunities exist for unscheduled performers to play at open sessions as well as jam and network with other players, so bring your instruments.

The Phoenix Folk Festival was held for many years at Encanto Park and organized by our friend Lon Austin. Phoenix lost interest when Lon retired from Parks & Recreation, so he has moved the festival to The Sahuaro Ranch Park which looks like an even better venue. This unique festival also includes family entertainment, historic site tours, blacksmith demonstrations, a children’s stage and activity area and much more. Food and snacks will be available for purchase. Admission is FREE!

So we invite you to join us for one of the best weekends to be outdoors in the Valley. I can smell the orange blossoms. Chuck Pyle, Sue Harris, Phil Shanks, Bill Burke, Fred Coon, Joe Bethancourt, Annie Moscow and many other old and new folk friends will be there too.

You can look this event up at GlendaleAZ.com (click on “Parks & Recreation” in QuickLinks, then “Glendale Folk & Heritage Festival”) for more details, including performance and workshop schedules (although you won’t find us on the schedule, we were last minute additions). You can also call 632.930.4200.