Surprise Mayor Skip Hall.
City of Surprise
By Skip Hall
I am excited to share with you the events happening in our city! Our community is alive with activities that cater to all ages and interests. From family-friendly festivals and cultural celebrations to educational workshops, there is something for everyone to enjoy. I look forward to seeing you at one of the events and celebrating together as a community!
CURRENT EVENTS
City Council Meetings
The next City Council Meeting is on October 15 at 6 p.m. The public is welcome to attend in person, or you can tune in on surpriseaz.gov/SurpriseTV, the Surprise City Gov Facebook page at facebook.com/CityOfSurprise or on Cox channel 11.
Surprise Fiesta Grande
Join us this Saturday, October 5, from 5 - 9 p.m. for Surprise Fiesta Grande at Mark Coronado Park, 15960 N. Bullard Ave. This all-ages event celebrates the vibrant culture and traditions that have shaped our city with an evening of live music, food, entertainment and more! Families will experience authentic Mexican food, mariachi music, folklórico dancing, a car show, Lucha Libre wrestling, a petting zoo and pony rides, inflatables and other great attractions! For more details, check out surpriseaz.gov/FiestaGrande.
Sunday in the Park
Get ready to enjoy cooler weather and outdoor fun as the City of Surprise brings back its Sunday in the Park events this fall!
The first event will be held on Sunday, October 13, featuring live music from N-the-Mix with Steven Powell, a variety of food trucks, a shopping market, an assortment of beers and wines, and family friendly activities for all ages. Admission is free; food and drinks will be available for purchase. Bring a blanket or lawn chair, and don’t forget all dogs must be leashed!
Join us again on Sunday, November 10, with live music by Yachtzilla.
Both Sunday in the Park events will take place at Mark Coronado Park (15850 N. Bullard Ave.) from 3 - 7 p.m.
To see the list of upcoming events, visit surpriseaz.gov/SpecialEvents.
G.A.I.N. Night
Surprise Police and Fire-Medical departments bring together family fun, community outreach and safety education all into one great event called G.A.I.N (Getting Arizonans Involved in Neighborhoods) Night.
Come out to meet the first responders in your area, create community connections and gather information from a wide variety of safety providers. Kids of all ages will enjoy the chance to get an up-close look at police cars, fire trucks, specialty emergency vehicles and equipment. Safety organizations will also be out with displays offering tips on how to keep you and your family safe. Admission is free; food and beverages will be available for purchase.
Join the G.A.I.N. Night fun this year!
Saturday, October 26
5:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Mark Coronado Park
15960 N. Bullard Ave.
As part of our community outreach efforts, the Salvation Army will be at G.A.I.N. Night, accepting non-perishable food donations for the upcoming holidays. Your donation will impact those in need and enter you into a raffle for great prizes!
Surprise Celebrates Five Years of Being a Dementia Friendly City
On October 22, the City of Surprise will mark our fifth year of proudly being a member of the Dementia-Friendly America network of communities! As part of the celebration, our community is encouraged to attend a free in-person Dementia Friends Information Session in partnership with Dementia Friends Arizona and Banner Sun Health Research Institute.
There are three one-hour sessions to choose from, including one for Spanish speakers. Each session provides attendees with the opportunity to learn more about dementia—what it is, what it’s like to live with it, the most common types and tips for communicating with people with dementia.
Dementia Friends Information Sessions:
October 4
9:30 - 10:30 a.m. (for Spanish speakers)
11 a.m. - noon
Surprise Regional Library Program Room, 16089 N. Bullard Ave.
October 28
10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Surprise Senior Center, 15832 N. Hollyhock St.
Registration is limited to the first 50 participants. Reasonable accommodations will be available upon request. To register, please email Trisha.Weston@surpiseaz.gov. Learn more about Surprise being a Dementia-Friendly community and our Memory Café offerings at surpriseaz.gov/DementiaFriendly.
Pickleball Tournament
A major USA Pickleball Association tournament will be coming to Surprise this month.
Monster Smash, a sanctioned double-elimination pickleball tournament, will feature competition in men’s and women’s doubles, mixed doubles and senior mixed doubles from October 25 - 28 at the Surprise Community Park pickleball courts located at 14534 W. Tierra Buena Ln.
Visit pickleballbrackets.com for more information, including start times and playing brackets.
The public is welcome to attend this free event. Please note, open pickleball court availability will not be available throughout the tournament.
For additional information, please visit exploresurprise.com or contact the Sports & Tourism department at 623.222.2222.
Arts & Culture Events
The City has many ways you can enjoy the arts and culture scene in our community. From theater performances, gallery tours and more, there is something for you to explore!
Lunchtime Theater | Isreal Solomon Duo
October 10 • Noon - 1 p.m.
Outdoor Art Sketching Tour
October 16 • 10 a.m. - noon
AZ Speaks | Take a Hike! Explore, Enhance, and Experience Your Understanding of Arizona
October 23 • 11 a.m. - noon
Registration required for events listed above. Find details and sign-up information at surpriseaz.gov/ArtEvents.
Strategic Business Planning Study for the Vista Center for the Arts
The City of Surprise has engaged TheatreDNA and Assembly Arts to conduct a facility assessment and strategic business operations review of The Vista Center for the Arts, which has historically been operated by Dysart Unified School District with support from nonprofit The Vista Foundation. The goals of the study are to identify the next evolution of The Vista’s mission and purpose and to determine the capital improvements required to fulfill them.
One of the first points of community engagement is an online survey. This survey seeks to gather input on preferences of events, facility amenities and entertainment, as well as the community’s desire to purchase tickets to these types of events.
The survey is available through November 8, 2024 on the study webpage at surpriseaz.gov/VistaStudy.
SEPTEMBER HIGHLIGHTS
Board and Commission Members Sworn In
Congratulations to all the new Board and Commission members sworn in at the City Council Meeting on September 17! These included positions on our Personnel Appeals Board, Arts & Cultural Advisory Commission, Library Advisory Commission and Audit Committee. Thank you to all the wonderful residents for volunteering their time in our city! Learn more about our Boards and Commissions at surpriseaz.gov/Boards.
American Business Women’s Day
Councilmember Cline and I had the honor of attending the American Business Women’s Day event hosted by our Economic Development Department on September 18. The event was dedicated to recognizing the significant contributions and achievements of women in the business community. It honored outstanding women in business and the broader Surprise community and welcomed Amber Cordova from Prestamos CDFI as the keynote speaker. Prestamos CDFI is a community development financial institution that supports underserved communities through lending and business services. Amber’s vast expertise and inspiring journey motivated and empowered all attendees, as she shared insights on how preparation positions us for both unexpected opportunities and those we actively pursue. Thank you to Jeanine Jerkovic and her team for putting together such an incredible event.
West Valley Chamber Alliance Event
The Lightbox at West-MEC in Surprise was the venue for the packed West Valley Chamber Alliance breakfast on September 27! The event featured an economic development themed panel presentation with Greater Phoenix Economic Council CEO Chris Camacho and Rounds & Associates President & CEO Jim Rounds.
NEWS & UPDATES
Fire First Fridays
The Surprise Fire-Medical Department is bringing life-saving knowledge and training to the community through new safety classes that provide basic emergency response training so community members will know how to start helping while waiting for emergency crews in a life-threatening situation.
On the first Friday of each odd-numbered month, you can take a Stop the Bleed & Narcan Class. On the first Friday of each even-numbered month, we have non-certifying Hands-Only CPR & AED Classes.
All classes start at 4 p.m. Participants must be 12 years old or older, and a registered adult must accompany attendees aged 12-17.
Pre-registration is required at surpriseaz.gov/FireFirstFridays.
Veterans Day Parade
Be part of the annual City of Surprise Veterans Day Parade! The Parks & Recreation Department is now accepting parade entry applications from clubs, organizations, groups and residents who want to show their patriotic spirit and honor those who have bravely served our country.
The parade will be held Monday, November 11, beginning at 10 a.m., and will run along Bullard Avenue between Paradise and Tierra Buena lanes. For more information, head to surpriseaz.gov/VeteransDay.
To register, head to surpriseaz.gov/SurpriseRec and click on ‘Special Events.’ Entry applications are due by Friday, November 1. There is no fee to participate.
For more information, please contact 623.222.2258 or caseyworthy@surpriseaz.gov.
Household Hazardous Waste
Surprise has rolled out a new Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Collection Program. Instead of offering collection events three times a year, the pilot program allows residents to schedule collections monthly. The pilot program runs through November 2024.
For details, visit surpriseaz.gov/HHW.
To schedule a collection, residents can use the My Surprise app or call customer service at 623.222.1920. All scheduling is based on availability and is first come, first served.
SAVE THE DATE
SciTech Festival
The City of Surprise celebrates science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) efforts in the community with our annual SciTech Festival on Saturday, November 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Mark Coronado Park parking lot, 15960 N. Bullard Ave.
This free, fun-filled and educational event celebrates STEAM in a fun and interactive environment. Technology and our daily interactions with it continue to grow exponentially. This SciTech Festival aims to inspire our future and current and workforce to seek careers in STEAM fields and showcase the local businesses and organizations already making great strides in these fields.
Spring Training
Major League Baseball, along with the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals, have released the 2025 Cactus League Spring Training schedule. Opening Day is Friday, February 21, with the Royals hosting the Rangers at Surprise Stadium, which recently ranked second in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice awards for “Best Spring Training Facility.”
2025 Spring Training ticket packages, including season tickets, mini-plans and group tickets will go on sale starting Tuesday, October 29, at 10 a.m. (AZ time). Individual game tickets for Spring Training at Surprise Stadium will go on sale online at SurpriseStadium.com on November 12, at 10 a.m. Information regarding game times and promotional events will be announced later. To be alerted to the most up-to-date ticket information – please go to ticket information form and visit SurpriseStadium.com.
Also save the date for the 2025 Out of the Park Music Fest on March 22, after the Royals and Rangers game!
Thank you to all residents who have signed up to receive my monthly newsletter. Your engagement is essential, and I'm happy to keep you informed about community updates, events and items that may be of interest to you. Please do not hesitate to contact me at skip.hall@surpriseaz.gov, 623.222.1313. Also, feel free to visit my webpage at surpriseaz.gov/Mayor. Follow me on Facebook facebook.com/SurpriseMayor and X @SkipHall2.
