PHOENIX/MESA ENTERTAINMENT 74

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A DAY IN GATEWAY
THE DESERT IS IN FULL BLOOM WITH A TASTE OF SPRING
AT EVERY TURN
By Michelle Streeter
In the gateway towns of Queen Creek and Gilbert, and the neighboring city
of Mesa, fruit orchards are in full bloom and fresh produce stands are fully
stocked with the riches of spring. The fragrant scent of citrus blossoms fll the
air throughout the region and visitors and residents alike can join in you pick it
activities and chef-driven dinners at area farms.
FRESH SQUEEZED
Mesa's original citrus grower Te Orange
Patch is a popular roadside stop for visitors.
Featuring 110 acres of citrus and 30 acres of
sweet corn, passersby can enjoy the fragrant
orange blossoms each spring when temperatures
begin to rise. Guests are invited to relax in the
orchard, watch the picking and production
process and taste the many varieties of citrus
fruit grown in Mesa. Te store also features
daily fresh squeezed orange juice, fresh honey
with an active bee colony on-site, homegrown
snacks and other gif items for sale.
DINNERS DOWN THE ORCHARD
Just east of Mesa in the charming town of Queen
Creek, guests can make reservations for an
exquisite dining experience at Schnepf Farms,
a fourth generation family farm and the largest
organic peach grower in Arizona. Schnepf
Farms hosts their Dinners Down the Orchard
program in the middle of their 300 acre farm.
Ofered a handful of times a year, each one is
hosted by a notable valley chef and features the
culinary bounty of the season. Tis year, dinners
will take place March 1, March 29 and April 26.
Dinners are farm casual and include numerous
courses paired with wine, served at sunset and
under the stars.
GET GLOBAL IN GILBERT
On April 12, the town of Gilbert will host the
annual Gilbert Global Village Festival. Tis
multi-cultural family celebration, held at Gilbert
Civic Center, will highlight traditional and
contemporary forms of dance, music, children's
activities, arts, crafs and ethnic foods. Te all-
day event from noon to 6 p.m. is a great way for
visitors to celebrate the rich cultural traditions
of countries from around the world.
Squonk Opera performs
The peach orchard at Schnepf Farms sets the stage
for a delightful evening featuring some of the Valleys top chefs
Relax and sample the many varieties
of fruit grown in Mesa at the Orange Patch
Thousands come out to visit world cultures at the
GIlbert Global Village event each year