Lots of activities for you this weekend to start off the last month of 2015. As I mentioned last week, the Annual Boat Parade of Lights up in Lake Havasu City is being held Friday and Saturday. It’s a good way to get into the Christmas mood with a hot cup of chocolate or coffee while watching the festively lighted boats sail under London Bridge. On Saturday head on over to the VFW for the Fraser Memorial Chik-Nik and ATV Rally which raises funds to provide scholarships to applicants for training as Firefighters and EMTs in Quartzsite . Mmm! I can smell the BBQ chicken already! Save some room in your tummy to also go to the QIA Soup and Chowder Festival later that day. On Sunday, Santa arrives nearby in Blythe, CA in the Blythe Christmas Parade. Ho! Ho! Ho! I love a good parade and this is definitely a good one.

Annual Boat Parade of Lights
December 4 – December 5, 2015 @ 6:30pm Lake Havasu-London Bridge

Fraser Memorial Chik-Nik and ATV Rally
December 5, 2015 VFW Post 769 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

Soup and Chowder Festival
December 5, 2015 Quartzsite Improvement Association (QIA) 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Blythe Christmas Parade
December 6, 2015 Blythe CA – Hobsonway 5 p.m

I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving! Even when boondocking in the desert around Quartzsite, a wonderful meal with lots of companions is still possible with a little creativity and old fashioned skills. Follow it with a good campfire and that is my idea of Heaven on Earth. This year I discovered I didn’t have to buy a whole turkey and try to squeeze it into my limited freezer space then deal with leftovers forever. I bought just turkey legs instead. They defrosted much quicker and provide enough for one dinner and lunch. Yay! Much easier for me and it was very cheap too. I’m a happy camper!

After seeing the videos of Black Friday shopping today, I am very glad I am far away from the big stores. I used to love Black Friday but today it has become too violent and ridiculous. I’ll stick to online shopping from the safety of my computer chair.

If you have recovered from your turkey daze by tomorrow, there are a few things going on in the Q. Santa’s Workshop starts Saturday through Sunday and is always good for some early Christmas shopping. Also on Saturday, the Quartzsite Chamber of Commerce has their Small Shop Saturday event. You may want to start thinking about whether you want to run up to Havasu next Friday or Saturday for the Annual Boat Parade of Lights. It’s a beautiful tradition that is on its 33rd edition. There will be up to 50 boats brightly decorated for the holidays passing under London Bridge and on display at the nearby resort. Contained bonfires on the beach are allowed (see link) and free parking is available at the English Village. Bring your warm clothing , hot chocolate, and someone to snuggle and share it with.

Santa’s Workshop Arts & Crafts Show
November 28 – November 29, 2015 Tyson Wells Showground Rock Motel Building

Shop Small Saturday
November 28, 2015 Quartzsite Chamber & Tourism 8:00 am – 10:00 am

Annual Boat Parade of Lights
December 4 – December 5, 2015 @ 6:30pm Lake Havasu-London Bridge

Welcome to a new season of winter fun in Quartzsite! Things are ramping up nicely. Lots of snowbirds have already arrived. Many of my Canadian friends are either already there or on the road headed down that way. My Alaska friend has arrived. If you aren’t there yet, what’s keeping you?! Snow has already hit many of the northern states. It’s time to get out of Dodge, as they say, and hit the road to Quartzsite, AZ for warmer temperatures, no snow shoveling, great company, nightly campfires, plenty of shopping, and lots of good food.

So, let’s see what we have going on this week. There’s still plenty of room in local campgrounds and out on the BLM if you haven’t made it down here yet. Most of the swap meet venues are now open for your shopping pleasure. QIA is in full swing with lots of activities daily to enjoy. The Farmers Market is open every Wednesday from 10am – 2pm at Desert Gardens.

Up at Lake Havasu, they are hosting the annual Sand, Water, & RV Expo this weekend. This is a great chance to checkout off-road vehicles, trucks, sand rails, ATVs, UTVs, 4x4s, buggies, golf carts, motorcycles, electric vehicles, RVs, toy haulers, travel trailers, boats, kayaks, paddleboards, and all related accessory products and services. They also have a BBQ and concert. Whew, that gets me excited!

On Sunday afternoon, you can help the Quartzsite Food Bank raise money while enjoying chili and cornbread over at the Tyson Wells Building. Won’t you help? Who doesn’t love a good bowl of chili?!

Annual Sand, Water & RV Expo
November 21 – November 22, 2015 Lake Havasu State Park, Lot 4 (Windsor Beach) 9am-5pm (Sat), 9am-3pm (Sun)

Friends of the Quartzsite Food Bank Chili & Cornbread Fundraiser
November 22, 2015 Tyson Wells Building 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Check the events schedule page for new updates and many new events added. Don’t miss out on any of the fun in Quartzsite this season!

The events page has been updated for the coming season. We will add more events as we get the new dates for them. Start your planning engines and get ready to roll! See you there!

Another lovely week ahead in Quartzsite. The weather while a bit cloudy and rainy at the moment will be clearing for lots of sun and excellent temps for this weekend’s fun in Quartzsite and up at Lake Havasu.

As I mentioned previously, there is a geocache there that was getting found quite a lot during the RV show. Well, nothing has changed. It is still HOT! I see it getting found nearly every day still and one day I got 5 notices of it being found. Wow! If you like geocaching, Quartzsite is a great place to up your score massively. There are also some Munzees there if you are into that on your smartphone. New Munzees were placed there during the RV show so fire up your phones and go get some exercise.

It’s time for The Grand Gathering. It is billed as “The World’s Largest Gathering of Grands & Great-Grands”. There will be crafts, food, a health fair, and the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra will be playing at the Senior Prom. Get those Prom dresses ready and be sure to get advanced tickets.

Up in Havasu, there will be some fine Bluegrass music, the beach, good food, and lots to do with friends. Don’t forget to bring your own chairs or blankets for the stage area to listen to the many bands that will be performing for your pleasure. Enjoy the state park it is held in with all it offers including a nice sandy beach and hiking trails. There is also a ferry across the lake to the casino and a boat tour is available.

“Bluegrass On The Beach” Music Festival
Mar 6th – Mar 8th, 2015 Lake Havasu State Park, Lake Havasu City, AZ

The Grand Gathering
Mar 6th – Mar 8th, 2015 QIA and Town-wide Events

This is it! This week is one of the best times to be a winter snowbird in the Quartzsite area. Meet up with your fellow RC flyers at town park to show off your pilot skills or at least your building skills. The annual fireworks show in Lake Havasu City starts this week and it is like no other. Lots of dots will disappear from the desert this week as folks fire up their RVs and head up to Havasu to catch all five days of the show. While you’re there, catch the Rockabilly Reunion at Lake Havasu State Park, Lot 4 for the largest 1950’s-themed car show and music festival in Arizona. Back down in Quartzsite, the Desert Bloom ATV Rally will be going on for some rip roaring fun on the desert and QIA will be putting on their annual Gold, Treasure, & Craft Show. There is something to entertain everyone this weekend so don’t just sit there. Get out and play!

Quartzsite Flyers RC Fly-in
Feb 12th, 2015 Town Park

Annual Western Winter Blast Pyrotechnic Show
Feb 12th – 16th, 2015 @ dusk Lake Havasu City Rodeo Grounds, AZ

7th Annual Lake Havasu City Rockabilly Reunion
Feb 13th – 15th, 2015

Desert Bloom ATV Rally
Feb 13th – Feb 15th, 2015

Gold, Treasure & Craft Show
Feb 13th – 15th, 2015 QIA