For those of you still hanging around Quartzsite, this week we have the Bluegrass On The Beach Festival up in Lake Havasu City.  You’ll have a fun toe-tapping time on the shore for 3 days of great music. There will also be arts, crafts, and music vendors. Gates open for dry camping this Monday.

If you choose to stay in Quartzsite, The QIA will be having a Craft Faire and Yard Sale.

Don’t go home just yet. Next month we have a county fair for you and the Renaissance Faire is coming as well as one more festival. The party ain’t over yet!

“Bluegrass On The Beach” Festival
March 1, 2019 – March 3, 2019 Lake Havasu State Park, # 4, 699 London Bridge Rd., Lake Havasu City 10am-6:30pm (Fri/Sat); 10am-5pm (Sun)

QIA Craft Faire and Yard Sale
March 2, 2019 QIA 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

The big RV show is over and it was as good as always. The crowds sure have thinned out in Quartzsite. Many have packed up and gone home. There’s plenty of room now to move around and put more space between rigs.  Still lots of venues open. The groceries tent in Tyson Wells is having a 50% off sale right now so it’s a good time to re-stock.  Look for discounts happening at other vendors as well to avoid dragging leftover inventory back home. Silly Al’s is still busy and their pizza is just as delicious.

This week starts the Western Winter Blast Pyrotechnic Show up in Lake Havasu City. Camping reservation at the park are sold out but you can drive up and park for the evening or check if the BLM area is now open again. Click the link below for more details. You may want to plan to see the fireworks on one of the same days as the Rockabilly reunion. There will be 30 bands playing on two stages, retro fashion and nostalgia, car show with over 800 cars and motorcycles, pin-up girl contest, lots of food, beer garden, and plenty of rock-n-roll oldies music. Check link for times.

Annual Western Winter Blast Pyrotechnic Show
February 13, 2019 – February 17, 2019 SARA Park, 7260 S. Sara Parkway, Lake Havasu City begins at dusk, organized show 7:30 p.m – 10:00 p.m.

Annual Lake Havasu City Rockabilly Reunion
February 15, 2019 – 17, 2019 Lake Havasu State Park, Windsor 4, 171 London Bridge Rd., Lake Havasu City

Alas, the Big Tent is done. Lean back, relax, and smoke ’em if ya got ’em. Hope you all found plenty of goodies to take home.  You don’t have to leave just yet. There are still plenty of other venues that will be open for at least another month and, of course, plenty of cheap camping on BLM lands for the rest of the winter.

The official Escapees Geocaching get-to-gether starts Monday. There will be lots of teaching and learning going on and the campfires are good too.

The local food bank is putting on a fundraiser that sounds like fun. Learn to line dance or help others learn and be sure to bring some food for the donation box.

Lake Havasu is hosting the annual Vintage Trailer Campout.  There will be lots of old style trailers to view and nearby activities.

Tyson Wells Arts & Crafts Fair starts next Saturday in case you still have some show money left or haven’t found that chicken kitchen towel yet.

Over at the QIA, they’ll be doing another craft faire and yard sale as well as dinner and a concert. Now that sounds good to me. I love dinner theater!

Lastly, the local VFW Post 769 has put out a call for volunteers to help. I know your sergeant told you to never volunteer in Basic Training but I think he/she would be OK with helping others and it’s good for the soul.

ATTENTION:
Needed, volunteers at Post 769!
Contact Jean Wendt 360-509-3962

*Expediter-pull dinner tickets, organize orders, hand out orders on Fridays -4-7 pm, pick 1 Friday a month, get free dinner and beverage!
*Dishwasher, 9-11 am each day. Pick one day a week to help and get a free breakfast that day!

*Dishwasher Fridays 4-7 pm, pick 1 Friday a month to help your VFW and get a free dinner and beverage!

*Floor cleaner, Th after 7pm, Friday after 7 pm. Pick 1 day a week or month to help out at your VFW. Must have good shoulder, back and arm strength. Sweep, mop, take out garbage after each of our busy nights-free meal for following day.

Escapee Geocachers
January 28, 2019 – January 31, 2019 GPS N 33° 35.135 W 114° 13.529 (Hwy. 95, Near MM-99,BLM Roadrunner) 9am Open to all geocachers, $5 at registration

Live, Love, Laugh, Line Dance Fundraiser – Food Bank
January 28, 2019 QIA 11am – 2pm $5 No partner needed. Learn new dances. Refreshments and prizes.
Food donation box

Lake Havasu Vintage Trailer Campout
January 31, 2019 – February 3, 2019 Lake Havasu State Park, 699 London Bridge Rd, Lake Havasu City, AZ

Tyson Wells Arts & Crafts Fair
February 2 – February 11, 2018 Tyson Wells 9am-5pm

QIA Craft Faire and Yard Sale
February 2, 2019 QIA 9:00 am – 1:00 pm

Dinner & Concert
February 2, 2019 Quartzsite Improvement Association (QIA) 7:00pm – 8:00pm

Hope you all are enjoying the Sports, Vacation, RV Show this week in the Big Tent and surrounding area. Anyone have a favorite booth? The rodeo is coming up this weekend in Lake Havasu City and that’s always a rip roaring time you don’t want to miss. Quartzsfest Amateur Radio Operators Gathering is going on this week so you may be seeing a lot of antennas this week. If you need some fine entertainment, the twin sons of the late Ricky Nelson will be in town to honor their father’s music at the QIA. Please verify times and available tickets at the QIA.

I see my favorite geocache, The Dump, is getting found regularly. The Escapees Geocachers BOF (Birds Of a Feather) are there having fun finding the other local geocaches so if  you see someone running around in circles, groping poles,  or looking like they have lost their keys on the ground, don’t worry about them. They are just geocaching.

I am sad to report that Darlene’s eatery with their wonderful food and pies is now closed as the beloved owner has passed on. May she rest in peace. She will be missed.

For other places to eat, check the Tyson Wells area. You can find delicious sourdough cheddar bacon grilled cheese sandwiches there and Noel’s Mexican Food has yummy taquitos. The VFW today is serving food across from Herbs on Central. 12-4 Beef tacos $1, 4-? Fish Tacos, soft beef tacos and taco salads.

You may also want to check out the Quartzsite Senior Center. They have a lot of entertainment this time of year and Bingo on Saturday and Wednesday nights.

Quartzfest Amateur Radio Operators Gathering
January 20 – January 26, 2019 Road Runner BLM near mile marker 99

Grand Canyon Pro Rodeo Assn. & Little Delbert Days
January 26, 2019 – January 27, 2019 SARA Park Rodeo Grounds, 7206 Dub Campbell Parkway, Lake Havasu City 10am – 4pm

Ricky Nelson Remembered (by his sons Matthew and Gunnar Nelson)
January 25, 2019 Quartzsite Improvement Association (QIA) 7:00pm – 8:00pm (please call ahead and verify availability) Seating Prices: Center Stage Front – $45 Center Stage Rear – $35 Wings – $25

Have we ever got a busy week for you! Thankfully, there’s a little separation on the start dates and lots of overlap so you can fit them all into your schedule. We start off with the QIA PowWow with hundreds of vendors of beautiful gems, minerals and jewelry as well as a hobby area and food. Tyson Wells Sell-A-Rama is also opening this week. The Big news, of course, is the Big Tent opens this week with the Sports, Vacation, and RV Show! Woohoo! There will be lots of great food, all manner of items big and small to shop, and some free giveaways. I wonder what Progressive will be giving out this year?

Be careful parking in the wash. Don’t want to get stuck in that sand though the local tow truck operators do appreciate your lovely cash every year. Police will also be ticketing for parking in no parking zones as usual.

For entertainment, checkout Buses by the Bridge up in Lake Havasu for you VW lovers and shuffle on over to Blythe for their Bluegrass Music Festival. The music is excellent and food will be available there too. Those into Ham Radio may enjoy the Quartzfest Amateur Radio Operators Gathering.

Whew! So much to do this week. Plan well, drive safe, don’t forget to relax with friends around the campfire in the evenings.

Annual QIA Pow Wow
January 16, 2019 – January 20, 2019 QIA

Buses by the Bridge
January 17, 2019 – January 20, 2019 Lake Havasu State Park, Windsor 4, 171 London Bridge Rd., Lake Havasu City

Tyson Wells Sell-A-Rama
January 18, 2019 – January 27, 2019 Tyson Wells

Blythe Annual Bluegrass Music Festival
January 18, 2019 – January 20, 2019 Colorado River Fairgrounds, Blythe, CA

BIG TENT….SPORTS, VACATION & R.V. SHOW
January 19, 2019 – January 27, 2019 1/2 mile south of I-10 on Hwy. 95 from 9 am to 5 pm

Quartzfest Amateur Radio Operators Gathering
January 20 – January 26, 2019 Road Runner BLM near mile marker 99

It’s January and here comes the fun!   While we wait for the Big Tent, there’s still plenty to do and enjoy. Up in Lake Havasu City, we have the annual Quilting At The Lake starting tomorrow and starting Thursday through this weekend is the Havasu Balloon Festival and Fair. If you haven’t seen this festival yet with brightly colored balloons flying over London Bridge, you really should make the time to go see it. It is AWESOME! The fair nearby has lots of great food and vendor booths as well as flying demonstrations. If you have never flown in a balloon, this is your chance!

In Quartzsite on Saturday  we will be having the annual Hi Jolly Daze Parade. For those of you new to Quartzsite, Hi Jolly was a camel driver who came to Quartzsite to help with an experiment in using camels as beasts of burden in the American desert. The experiment failed. Hi Jolly moved to Quartzsite in his final years and is buried in the local cemetery with a very large grave marker you should also see. If you are into geocaching, check your geocache app before going.

Also on Saturday, the New Christie Minstrels are back to entertain the Quartzsite crowd at the QIA. They do two shows that are very much worth seeing.

Annual Quilting at the Lake
January 8, 2019 – January 12, 2019 London Bridge Resort, Lake Havasu City 9am-4pm  Classes $95/ day

Havasu Balloon Festival and Fair
January 10, 2019 – January 13, 2019 Lake Havasu State Park, Windsor 4, 171 London Bridge Rd., Lake Havasu City 6am-9pm

Hi Jolly Daze Parade
January 12, 2019 Town Park 11am-1pm

New Christie Minstrels
January 12, 2019 (two shows 2pm & 7pm) QIA Building

Now that January is here, The Author’s Fair at the Reader’s Oasis (Home of the Naked Guy). Trader’s Market at Desert Gardens and Prospectors Panorama at Kuehn and I95 are also open for your shopping pleasure.  The Tyson Wells Gem show started this week through the 13th.  Whew! Getting busy!

The government shutdown is still going on but the winter folks already in Quartzsite are taking it in stride and hanging in there. The dumps are open and there’s still plenty of boondocking spaces available in the area. Please be mindful of your trash. Putting it next to a full dumpster is considered littering and you will be ticketed. Rangers are patrolling the area. Keep your pets on a leash outside at all times and don’t leave them alone outside to become lunch for a hungry coyote.

Author’s Fair Readers Oasis
January, 2019 – February, 2019

Traders Market
January, 2019 – February, 2019 Friday – Sunday Desert Gardens Show Grounds 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

Prospectors Panorama
January 2019 – February 2019 35 W. Kuehn St. 9am-5pm

Tyson Wells Rock & Gem Show
January 4, 2019 – January 13, 2019 Tyson Wells

Per Shanana Rain Bear of the Quartzsite Chamber of Commerce, “Quartzsite Christmas Light Parade is Saturday, December 15th. 7pm. Line up at QIA. Parade heads east on E. Main Street, north on Plymouth. Ends with a party at the Community Center.” Dress warm and come ready to party! Santa Claus is coming to town.

Quartzsite Christmas Light Parade
December 15, 2018 Quartzsite Main St. 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Coming Friday is the QIA Health Fair from 8-9 am at the QIA. They will be checking blood pressure and providing info.

If you love clam chowder, your chance to sample several is coming up at the QIA on Saturday for only $5 and you will also be helping to support the local food bank. There will be a dessert contest too. You just have to donate a dessert to be entered. Call Pam at 603-834-0647 for contest rules or more information. There will also be music and raffle prizes. Sounds like a great way to spend a Saturday in the desert!

QIA Health Fair
December 7, 2018 Quartzsite Improvement Association (QIA) 8-9 am

Friends of the Quartzsite Food Bank Soup & Chowder Fundraiser
December 8, 2018 Quartzsite Improvement Association (QIA) 12 pm $5