ABSOLUTE DANCE AND PERFORMING ARTS PRESENTS THE NUTCRACKER

Absolute Dance brings the beloved classic, The Nutcracker, to Grand Junction with six performances of thrilling choreography, dazzling costumes, a cast of 75 local performers, and featured professional guest artists, Nicholas Patterson and Sayaka Ishibashi from Orlando Ballet and the incredible magician, Danny Baker. This is a holiday tradition you won't want your family to miss, it is a perfect holiday treat! With direction and choreography by Dina Duckworth, Tanner Blee and Theresa Kahl, join us as we tell the story of a young girl named Clara and how a mysterious gift from her Uncle Drosselmeyer brings about enchanted dreams and magical scenes.

December 21, 2018 - December 23, 2018

The Robinson Theatre

1100 North Ave 
Grand Junction, CO December 21, 2018 - December 23, 2018

https://www.visitgrandjunction.com/events/absolute-dance-and-performing-arts-presents-nutcracker

Studt's Pumpkin Patch

October 1 – 31, 2018

The Original Studt’s Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze is the Biggest and Best in the Grand Valley guaranteed! Studt’s is excited to once again offer fun for the whole family!

https://studtspumpkinpatchandcornmaze.com/

HORNS & FRILLS - SUMMER EXHIBIT

This summer, Horns and Frills: Ceratopsian one of the Most Striking Dinosaurs Ever Found exhibit opens to the public on May 18th at the Dinosaur Journey Museum in Fruita. The exhibit be on display until September 16th. Don't miss your opportunity to see this amazing exhibit!
https://www.visitgrandjunction.com/events/horns-frills-summer-exhibit

Palisade Peaches

A quick and easy guide to picking the perfect peach in Palisade, Colorado.

Each fall, delicious Palisade peaches show up at grocery stores, roadside stands and Colorado farmers markets.

Locals will tell you Palisade peaches are the best, simply because they’re ripe, sweet and loaded with chin-dripping juice. The Grand Valley’s hot days and cool nights are perfect for bringing out the natural sugars in the peaches and growing big fruit. In comparison, peaches from other areas, such as California, seem invariably dry, mealy and tart because they must be picked green to survive traveling and won’t develop any more sugar once they are picked.

Two varieties of peaches grace local stands: early season cling peaches and freestones. The names “cling” and “freestone” refer to the peach pits and mean what they sound like. A “cling” peach will stick to the pit and a “freestone” is not so securely attached, particularly when they are fully ripe. Freestones are larger, juicier, sweeter and easier to work with in the kitchen since the pit pops right out of a ripe peach. 

To select the perfect Palisade peach look first around the stem. If the skin is green near the stem the peach was picked green. Use these for recipes where a firmer peach is needed, such as grilling. If the skin around the stem is yellow or red then the peach is ripe. If it yields easily to pressure then it is very ripe and will bruise easily. These peaches must be handled with care and are perfect for eating right away. Fresh peaches should be available until the first or second week of September.

Don’t miss the Palisade Peach Festival in August, featuring live music, chef demos, a peach eating contest, and lots of peach tasting. It’s a lot of fun and a chance to take a box of sweet, Colorado mountain sunshine home with you.

https://www.visitgrandjunction.com/selecting-perfect-palisade-peaches

Get Well Gifts

At Cheeriodicals they create and deliver more than get well soon gifts and big green boxes! The boxes are amazing (a great alternative to flowers gifts or gift baskets) and are filled with a variety of items that will be sure to brighten anyone’s day – man, woman or child. But the real “get well gift” is the surprise and the feeling of knowing that someone cares enough to send something unique and personalized during the times when a smile is most needed.

https://www.cheeriodicals.com/get-well-soon-gifts/

Botanical Gardens

The Western Colorado Botanical Gardens / Butterfly House is a paradise found, with a butterfly exhibit as well as over 600 exotic tropical plants from around the world. Enjoy a tranquil moment watching the fish, looking for the resident toads, turtles, or tree frog, or watching a butterfly emerge from its chrysalis. Outdoor gardens include the Rose, Herb, Native, Western Heritage and Children's Secret Garden.

https://www.visitgrandjunction.com/art-culture-museums/western-colorado-botanical-gardens

Camp 7

Located in Collbran, Colorado, Camp 7 is a summer day camp for kids.  Camp 7 has over 40 acres and adjacent to land owned by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which is features unlimited rolling hills and mesas.  Campers enjoy a natural camp environment with exceptional opportunities for summer fun and growth.

Here in Collbran at the site of Camp 7, our goal is simple; we get these kids to Camp 7 and create an environment that fosters self discovery, teamwork, gratitude, and enrich the drive to reach for greatness.  All along preparing them for the day they leave camp and ready to contribute the journey to climb their own summit.

http://www.camp7.us/

Host a Student

Hosting an iE exchange student is a life-changing experience for the entire family that lasts well after the time of the exchange. Open your heart and home to a student that wants to share in your life, community and culture.

Host Family Provides-a private or a shared bedroom, three meals a day, local transportation and a quiet place to study.

Student Provides- money for all personal and school expenses and insurance.

iE Provides- a local coordinator to help select a student that is right for your family and provide one on one support throughout the entire experience. Host families do not receive any form of payment.

https://www.volunteermatch.org/search/opp2299814.jsp

Volunteer Opportunities in GJ

Catholic Outreach of Mesa County is looking for volunteers to help with three different programs that they offer, performing a variety of tasks:

• Day Center - Receptionist, Laundry, shower and storage supervisor, mail and message deliver, cleaning and maintenance. Call 970-263-3658 for more information.
• Outreach Center - Receptionist, Interviewers, clothes sorters, data entry, story readers, food sorting, administrative, cleaning and maintenance. Call 970-241-3658 for more information.
• Soup Kitchen - Cooks, food prep, dishwashers, food sorters, servers, food pickups, recycling, cleaning and maintenance. Call 970-243-0091 for more information

Colorado National Monument is looking for volunteers to help work the visitor center desk as well as a few other opportunities. For more information, visit their website.

Community Hospital is looking for volunteers to assist the operation of the hospital in a variety of capacities. For more information, please contact Bev Stephens at 970-298-6260 or karen.martsolf@gjhosp.org. You can also visit their website.

Food Bank of the Rockies is looking for volunteers to working in the warehouse filing orders, performing light cleaning and completing occasional office work. For more information, please contact Betty Heath at 970-464-1138or bheath@foodbankrockies.org. You can also visit their website.

Grand Junction Police Department is looking for volunteers to help with two different programs.

• Public Safety Volunteers help by performing clerical work, computer entry, statistical analysis, providing tours, extra patrol, investigation assistance, community presentations, neighborhood speed controls, graffiti, and vacation checks. For more information, contact Jeannie Lewis at 970-549-5130.
• Victim's Advocates are available to provide support, information, and resources for victims during ongoing investigation. Serve 4, 12 hour on-call shifts a month. For more information, please contact Mary Harmeling at 970-549-5290.

https://www.coloradomesa.edu/student-life/volunteering/opportunities.html

FIVE UNEXPECTED ADVENTURES IN THE GRAND JUNCTION AREA

Discover These Hidden Gems

The landscape surrounding Grand Junction provides an ideal environment for year-round outdoor adventure. With plenty of sunshine and mild weather, almost any day is perfect for 18 holes of golf, an epic mountain bike ride, or a scenic hike in Colorado National Monument. But did you know Grand Junction has several lesser known activities worthy of checking off any bucket list. Here are five ideas for discovering some of Grand Junction's hidden gems.

1. Rock Climbing, Canyoneering, and Adventure Hiking

2. Unique River & Lake Adventures

3. Dinosaur Museum, Trails, and Digs

4. Tour The Little Book Cliffs Wild Horse Range

5. Agritourism in Action 

https://www.visitgrandjunction.com/five-unexpected-adventures-grand-junction-area

DESERT R.A.T.S. TRAILRUNNING FESTIVAL

Friday-Sunday, April 13-15 | A weekend of fun and running on the beautiful trails near Fruita, Colorado, choose your length from a variety offered. See website for list of races and schedule of events.

April 13, 2018 - April 15, 2018

Kokopelli Trail System

Mack Trailhead 
Mack, CO 81525

https://www.visitgrandjunction.com/events/desert-rats-trailrunning-festival

2018 Downtown Restaurant Week

Join us for our first annual Downtown Restaurant Week, Sponsored by Alpine Bank and Special Partnership with Visit Grand Junction, March 19-25.

See below for participating Restaurants and click the logo for more information and their special menu.

Passport Rules:

Step  – Pick up a Restaurant Week Passport during the week-long celebration at any participating restaurant, select retail shops downtown, or our office at 437 Colorado.
Step  – Visit 6 different participating eateries during the week.
Step  – Get your passport stamped by ordering off the ‘Restaurant Week Menu’ at each participating eatery you visit (only one stamp per restaurant!)
Step  – Turn in your completed passport (6 stamps!) to 437 Colorado Ave by March 30 to qualify for a chance to win ALL of the gift cards from EACH participating restaurant! That’s right, folks, 15 gift cards in total for the grand prize!

https://downtowngj.org/restaurant-week/