22nd Cochise County Cycling Classic

For all you bicycling fans out there, the Cochise County Cycling Classic in Douglas is an amazing event! The longest ride in this perimeter cycling event is a whopping 252 miles. Cyclists train long and hard to test their endurance in this ride.

This year, there’s also something for the beginners and those who want to just ride for fun. The the Perimeter Bicycling Association announced the addition of a four-mile Fun Ride to the 2009 Cochise County Cycling Classic.

And for something in between, there are the 157-, 92- or 45-mile rides.

The events take place on Saturday, October 17, 2009. Die hard long distance riders will start at 2 a.m. and the other rides will start between 6 and 8:30 a.m.

Ready to sign up? Get your gear and your support crew together and sign up now!

For information on places to stay, contact the Douglas Visitor Center at 520-417-7344. This is a busy weekend in Cochise County, so book your hotel rooms early. You can visit the Cochise County website for more information on hotels in the surrounding area.

Beer, wine, cowboy heritage, the county fair and art in the park!

Sept. 19, Bisbee Blues Festival

Sponsored by Old Bisbee Music, the Fourth Annual Bisbee Blues Festival will feature live blues from a variety of bands. Food and beverages will be available. Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the door.

Details: 11a.m. – 7 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 19. For more info, visit www.bisbeebluesfest.com, or call the Bisbee Chamber of Commerce at 520-432-5421.

Sept. 19, 5^th Annual Sierra Vista Fiddle Contest

Bring a lawn chair and enjoy the sounds of good old-fashioned fiddle music at the 5th Annual Sierra Vista Fiddle Contest. The event even features a solar powered sound system. Watch fiddlers compete for more than $3,000 in cash prizes. It will feature the “Pot O’ Gold Playoff” Celtic music competition. The contest is organized by and benefits the non-profit Cochise County Youth Orchestra.

Details: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 19 at Veterans Memorial Park, 3105 E. Fry Blvd. in Sierra Vista. Admission is free. Visit www.ccyo.info and click on “fiddle contest” for more information.

Sept. 25, 21^st Annual Elks Oktoberfest

Authentic German food and music, games for kids, dancing. Wine and beer are available.

Details: 4-10 p.m., Sept. 25 at the Elks Lodge, #1 Elks Lane, Sierra Vista. Admission is free. For more information, call 520-458-2065.

September 24-27, Cochise County Fair, Douglas

Enjoy carnival rides, 4-H demonstrations, livestock auctions, collegiate rodeo, bull riding, food concessions, retail booths, animal exhibits, arts and crafts, and live entertainment.

Details: 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Thursday through Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday at the Cochise County Fairgrounds, Leslie Canyon Road in Douglas. Admission is $6 got adults; $3 for seniors (age 60+) & children (age 6-17); Free for children (age 0-5). For more info: Cochise County Fair Association, 520-364-3819 or www.cochisefair.org.

October

Oct. 1-4 Rex Allen Days, Cowboy Hall of Fame Ceremony & Banquet

The Cowboy Hall of Fame is the kick-off for the Rex Allen Days celebration. Western fun, Willcox style, this event honors their hometown hero. Rex Allen gained fame as a singer, cowboy movie star and narrator for Walt Disney Productions. This year will celebrate 20 years of Rex Allen Days, and the First Annual Western Heritage Award will be presented. Activities for Rex Allen Days include a parade, rodeo, General Orlando B. Willcox International turtle race, cowboy dances, a country music concert and more.

Details: Full days of fun at the Willcox Community Center and in Willcox. Admission varies for each event. For more info, contact the Willcox Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture, 520-384-2272 or visit the Rex Allen Museum website. You can also see the full schedule of events.

Oct. 2 & 3, Bisbee Turquoise Hunt

The annual Turquoise Hunt will take place in what locals call “Number 7,” the Queen Mine’s dump. For two hours each day, rock hounds can scour the earth for the rarest and, some would say, most valuable “Bisbee Turquoise” along with other minerals.

For more info, contact the Bisbee Mining & Historical Museum at 520-432-7071.

Oct. 3 & 4, 38th Annual Art in the Park, Sierra Vista

This is one of the Southwest’s largest outdoor arts and crafts fairs, attracting more than 200 vendors.  Fine art, sculpture, fountains, jewelry, clothing and much more!

Details: Oct. 3 & 4; Sat. 9 am – 6 pm, Sun. 9 am – 4 pm. at Veterans Memorial Park, 3105 E. Fry Blvd. in Sierra Vista. Admission is free. Call 520-3378-1763 for more information or visit the website at www.huachuca-art.com.

Pie Fest in Portal, AZ

Photo (c) bucklava via Flickr

“Me oh my. I love pie!” Every time someone talks about pie, I think about this line sung by Andie MacDowell in the film, Michael (it’s about 3 minutes into the clip). Doesn’t this photo by bucklava make you wish for a slice of homemade pie with a good cup of coffee?

If you like pie, you might want to head to the annual Pie Festival, to benefit Portal Rescue. It will be held this Saturday, September 5, at the Rodeo Community Center in New Mexico.

11 a.m. – 1 p.m. (AZ time); Noon – 2 p.m. (NM time)

You can buy a slice, make it a la mode or buy a whole pie.  All kinds of pies will be available – from fruit to cream to meat to vegetarian and pizza pies.

I love pie!

Want more info on visiting? Check the Cochise County website! Portal is on the eastern side of the Chiricahua Mountains. It’s beautiful and out of the way. Perfect for a Labor Day weekend getaway!