Town Snapshot: Prescott Valley Celebrates 40 Years of Incorporation

On August 22, 1978, 60 percent of Prescott Valley’s residents voted to incorporate, with just over 1,520 residents. Today, Prescott Valley has more than 45,000 residents, and the community is celebrating with an entire year of festivities.

To commemorate its progress, the Town kicked off the year with a blowout New Year’s celebration. More than 500 people enjoyed ice skating at the PV Event Center, roasting marshmallows, a huge bonfire, games and an emergency vehicle and first responder display for the kids. Two sessions of fireworks lit up the night sky, including one at midnight to bring in the New Year.

The Polar Bear Splash on January 6 saw 65 hardy souls hit the chilly waters of Mountain Valley Splash pool, and a host of extremely hairy men competed for the annual Ice Princess title! A free pancake breakfast, ice cream eating contest, and a “duck race” were some of the other popular events.

The next big event was the annual EGGstravaganza and Family Arts Festival in March. On the lawns of the Prescott Valley Civic Center, visitors enjoyed creative games and art, prizes, and thousands of eggs for kids to hunt.

In May, Prescott Valley Days will feature a “ruby anniversary” celebration with a Wizard of Oz-themed parade, a Fiesta del Pueblo with Hispanic entertainment and food, a fire show, and a Ranch to Table dinner highlighting locally grown ingredients.

Other anniversary events through the year will include planting of a 40th Anniversary tree on Arbor Day; Summer Movies Under the Stars series at the Civic Center -70s-era movies at the Theater on the Green; June’s annual Woofstock pet adoption event on the Civic Center grounds, sponsored by Prescott Dog Magazine, and the July annual fireworks and day of fun at Mountain Valley Park.

Prescott Valley Public Library’s first-ever Comic Con event is expected to draw more than 1,000 people to the library, Civic Center and adjacent Northern Arizona University satellite campus.

In August, the month of incorporation, a spectacular celebration is on tap at the Prescott Valley Civic Center. Two days of events will include Saturday stage entertainment by local children’s groups, a 70s tribute band and other live music, mariachi and ballet Folklorico performances, a large car show, bouncy houses, a Hollywood Squares-style show sponsored by the PV Chamber of Commerce, and an Antique Road Show-style event, sponsored by the PV Historical Society. Sunday’s lineup will include a Cowboy Church service at the Theater on the Green, a Gospel choir showcase, a wedding vow renewal presided over by the magistrate judge, and a picnic on the grounds. Each of the weekend’s two days of fun will include plenty of food, with some gustatory delights supplied by area ethnic cooks.

Finally, Gold Fever Days at historical Fain Park in October will feature tours of the park’s mining display and vintage cavalry town site, nearby Indian ruins, live entertainment and gold panning.

Prescott Valley’s Community Access Channel 56 is filming short historical vignettes of longtime residents sharing their memories of the community’s early years for use on social media and the Town’s website.

Watch the Town of Prescott Valley Facebook page, the website at www.pvaz.net, Twitter page @prescottvly for updates and times of events, or call Prescott Valley Parks & Recreation at 928-759-3090 for more information.