The Scottsdale Update printed newsletter is included in utility bills six times each year.

Sign up to receive Scottsdale Update newsletters

In addition to our printed newsletter, the weekly Scottsdale Update e-newsletter provides the latest information about projects, events, city programs and services.

 

Scottsdale Update – March 17, 2025

Mar 18, 2025, 10:59 AM by Office of Communications
Scottsdale news for the week of March 17.

HEADLINE NEWS

Scottsdale is working closely with the Old Town Farmers Market to minimize disruptions during construction of a new garage. The city-owned First Street and Brown Avenue Parking Garage – site of the current Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market – will be expanded to add two levels to the structure.

Community outreach will play a key role in shaping the design’s aesthetic, and the city is working closely with the Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market to minimize disruptions during construction.

"The Old Town Scottsdale Farmers Market is a valued part of our community, and we appreciate our strong partnership with its organizers. We’re exploring alternative locations in Old Town and are in ongoing discussions with the market team to understand their needs,” Scottsdale Tourism and Events Director Rachel Smetana said. “With construction not expected to begin until spring 2026, we have time to find the best possible solution that supports the market’s continued success."

Scottsdale Fire will host a wildfire mitigation discussion in DC Ranch. The Scottsdale Fire Department is ramping up its efforts to educate the community about mitigation steps people can take to reduce wildfire risks.

The department's wildfire experts will lead a discussion on a topic that is more top of mind than ever in the wake of catastrophic fires in California and other parts of the country.

  • 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, at The Homestead at DC Ranch, 18600 N. 98th St.

Learn about the department’s response and prevention strategies, city policies in Natural Area Open Space areas, and ways homeowners' associations and residents can work to mitigate risks and enhance wildfire resilience.

Learn more.

Learn how Scottsdale Airport’s future is taking shape through an ongoing Airport Master Plan Update. The public is invited to learn more about the airport’s current assets and anticipated aviation demand at an upcoming public workshop.

The workshop takes place from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 20, at the Scottsdale Aviation Business Center, 15000 N. Airport Drive, second floor. Attendees can share their input with the project team, who will be on hand to answer questions.

Learn more.

PUBLIC MEETINGS

Get a head start learning about city issues, projects and activities by attending or listening in on the many public meetings we host.

Week of March 17:

Week of March 24 – Check back next week for the full list:

Learn about the responsibilities of city Boards and Commissions and how you can serve.

Find more public meetings.

THINGS TO DO

Play ball! Spring training wraps up this week at Scottsdale Stadium. Catch the San Francisco Giants in Cactus League action before beginning their regular season. Scottsdale Stadium is the spring training home of the San Francisco Giants and offers a game experience like no other.

For spring training tickets, visit MLB.com/SpringTraining.

Catch a free ride to Scottsdale Stadium. The Scottsdale Trolley is offering a free hop-on, hop-off service during all Giants home games, making it a breeze to get to and from the ballpark.

The trolley service begins 1.5 hours before first pitch and runs until 30 minutes after the final inning, with trolleys arriving at designated stops every 20 minutes. Convenient stops are located near key parking garages in Old Town Scottsdale.

View the trolley map (PDF).

Get complete information about spring training in Scottsdale at ScottsdaleAZ.gov, search “spring training.”

Celebrate students’ visual and performing arts at The Scottsdale Family ArtsFest. This free two-day festival of creativity will include performances, interactive demonstrations and local food truck culinary delights. The event runs 5-9 p.m. Friday, March 21, and resumes 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, March 22, at Skysong, 1475 N. Scottsdale Road.

Spring Training Movie Night: Million Dollar Arm. This heartwarming film adds to the baseball fever happening around Old Town Scottsdale during Spring Training. Join us for a cozy night under the stars!

Food trucks offering light snacks and refreshments will be available starting at 6:30 p.m. The movie starts at 7 p.m.

Open seating on the grass of the East Bowl at the Scottsdale Civic Center will be available. Parking in Old Town Scottsdale is free and available adjacent to the Civic Center. A list of all parking garages may be found on the Old Town Scottsdale’s website.

This event is free, and pre-registration is requested.

Keyboard Conversations with Jeffrey Siegel: Humor in Music. Merriment in musical tones! Jeffrey Siegel helps listeners find the humor in Chopin, Mendelssohn, Beethoven and Aaron Copland.

Martha Graham Dance Company. For its centennial celebration, this legendary dance company presents “Dances of the Mind,” focusing on Graham’s psychological works and multifaceted women characters.

Sun & Sounds: Smokestack Lightning and Stanley Serrano. Hear tunes from blues band Smokestack Lightning and Latin Grammy nominee Stanley Serrano at this free outdoor concert at Scottsdale Civic Center in a laid-back, family-friendly atmosphere with unique artist vendors and cold drinks at the bar.

Ongoing:

Get more events information.

PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Financial crime workshop. Sgt. Joel Lewis of the Scottsdale Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit will speak about what the Financial Crimes Unit does, fraud awareness and current crime trends, and tips to avoid becoming a victim of fraud. There will be a Q&A session following the presentation.

  • 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 19, at the Granite Reef Senior Center, 1700 N. Granite Reef Road

Neighborhood College: Treasures of Scottsdale Two -- Two Musical Stories. Scottsdale has a concert venue built in the 1950s and operated by a university but widely unknown today. Learn about the family behind the venue. In our second story, hear the story behind a singing cowboy on horseback in Old Town for over 20 years. And what was the finale of his act each week that left winter visitors with dropped jaws? Learn about our recently retired Singing Cowboy of Scottsdale. Presenter: Bruce Wall, city of Scottsdale.

  • 1-3 p.m. Wednesday, March 19, at the ASU Kerr Cultural Center, 6110 N. Scottsdale Road
  • Register online

The Vietnam Vets Top 20. Every veteran has his/her distinct songs and personal memories, and they became the basis for the award-winning book We Gotta Get Out of This Place: The Soundtrack of the Vietnam War by Doug Bradley and Craig Werner. But thanks to the "Top 20/Top 40" radio format of the 1950s and ‘60s, there are several tunes that resonated more widely among those vets interviewed.

Join Vietnam veteran Doug Bradley and find out if your song is one of the Vietnam Vets Top 20 at this free event hosted by the Arizona Musicfest in partnership with the city of Scottsdale's Vietnam War 50th Commemorative effort.

  • 2 p.m. Friday, March 21, at Arizona Musicfest, 7950 E. Thompson Peak Parkway.

Space is limited for this free event – please register.

To honor local Vietnam veterans, the city of Scottsdale is hosting a free lunchtime event at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 29 — National Vietnam Veterans Day — at the Scottsdale Civic Center East Bowl.

Hosted by the Scottsdale Veterans Advisory Commission, the event is a public show of appreciation to those who served during the Vietnam era. This community gathering will feature complimentary lunch for registered guests, and special guest speaker, Vietnam veteran Frank Lambert.

FYI

Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard closures: Loop 101 bridge construction. ADOT crews have started work on the Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard bridge, at street-level and up-top. Expect to see lane restrictions and closures on the mainline and on Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard. Travelers should expect heavy congestion in the area; please consider taking an alternate route to avoid delays.

  • Full closures of Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard: 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Friday, March 21 to Monday, March 24
  • Full closure of Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard: 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Friday, March 28 to Monday, March 31

Stay in the loop, subscribe to ADOT Loop 101 Princess Drive/Pima Road to Shea Boulevard construction updates.

The Pima Road Multi-use Path will be temporarily closed from McDowell Road to Chaparral Road through September 2025 due to ongoing construction. Bicyclists may use bike lanes on Granite Reef Road, 86th Street and 87th Street for north- and southbound travel. Plan ahead and allow extra time for these detours.

The Pima Road Improvement Project will improve traffic flow, increase roadway safety, reduce flooding impacts and strengthen multimodal and pedestrian features along the Pima Road Corridor. Visit pimaroadimprovements.com or call the project hotline at 480-442-1087 for more information.

Scottsdale will closure two trailheads in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve for preventative maintenance of asphalt parking surfaces.

  • Brown’s Ranch Trailhead: Closed all day on Wednesday, March 26, and will reopen at sunrise on March 27.
  • Lost Dog Wash Trailhead: Closed all day on Thursday, March 27, and will reopen at sunrise on March 28.

During these brief closures, please take the opportunity to visit one of our other Preserve trailheads. Please visit ScottsdaleAZ.gov for maps of other Preserve access points.

Job of the Week: Human Services Case Worker. The Human Services case worker for the Vista Del Camino Community Action Program will provide essential social services to people in need, ensuring that individuals and families facing financial hardship receive the support and resources they need to improve their well-being. Your work will directly impact the community by helping clients with financial assistance, connecting them to local resources, and guiding them through their personal challenges.

City employees enjoy competitive benefits while working in a supportive, high-performance organization focused on delivering on our mission – Simply Better Service for a World-Class Community. Learn more and apply.

QUICK LINKS

Was this page helpful?
Tell us how we can be more helpful.