GREEN VALLEY, ARIZONA — Artisans, vendors, food trucks and more will be on hand Thursday, Jan. 17, for the first of four free weekly “Country Markets” at Historic Canoa Ranch, 5375 S. I-19 Frontage Road in Green Valley.

The pilot program will be held every Thursday for the next four weeks, through Feb. 7 at Canoa Ranch, which is managed by the Pima County Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation Department. Guests also can enjoy music, local produce and much more at the market, which will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The vendor fee for a 12 x 12 space is $20.  All vendor fees go towards the restoration of the Tradesman House for a future research/oral history library and gift shop.  Vendors keep their sales.

Prospective vendors should contact Valerie Samoy, NRPR special staff assistant, at  Valerie.Samoy@pima.gov, 520-724-5220 or 520-349-5026.

“If all goes well, we’ll likely test other days and continue throughout the spring and pick up in the fall,”, said.

The entry gate to Historic Canoa Ranch is open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. for access to the newly restored Canoa Lake and the Anza Trail. Guided tours of the historic site are conducted Tuesdays and Saturdays at 10 and 11 a.m. Visit www.pima.gov/canoaranch for more info on programs and other guided tours.

In 2001, Pima County purchased and began to restore the 4,800-acre Canoa Ranch complex with voter-approved 1997 and 2004 bond funds. Pima County opened the ranch headquarters to the public in March 2013.

PIMA COUNTY — The dedication of Canoa Lake and the completion of 47 miles of the Anza Trail in Pima County will highlight Pima County Natural Resources, Parks & Recreation’s sixth annual Anza Day celebration on Saturday, Oct. 20, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Historic Canoa Ranch, part of Raul M. Grijalva Canoa Ranch Conservation Park, 5375 S. I-19 Frontage Road in Green Valley. The event is free and open to the public.

A dedication ceremony begins at the ramada next to the lake at 9:30 a.m. to celebrate t

he newly restored lake and the Anza Trail. This year marks the 50^th anniversary of the National Trail Systems Act that established the Anza Trail and the Arizona Scenic Trail. Representatives from the National Park Service and the Anza Trail Color Guard on horseback will take part in the ceremony.

Guests can join a tour of the Anza Trail on horseback for $50. Make reservations by contacting NRPR’s Valerie Samoy, special staff assistant, at 520-724-5220 or Valerie.Samoy@pima.gov.

District 5 Supervisor Richard Elías, chairman of the Pima County Board of Supervisors, will emcee the festivities. District 4 Supervisor Stephen W. Christy will offer remarks, as will the mayor of Sahuarita and representatives of the Green Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Farmers Investment Co. (FICO), which contributed easements to help complete the Anza Trail.

U.S. Rep. Raúl Grijalva, who lived on the ranch as a boy, is expected to attend, as is former Congressman Ed Pastor.

Immediately following the 9:30 a.m. dedication ceremony, the Santa Cruz Valley Bicycle Advocate Committee and Green Valley resident Bill Adamson will lead a bike ride on the Anza Trail.

The day also will feature local celebrated authors who will hold book sales and signings and give talks throughout the day. All have written either fiction or non-fiction based on the history of the Santa Cruz Valley.

Anza Day also will feature:

• The five-piece country western band 43 Miles North;
• Ballet folklorico performances by Danzacultura Mexicana;
• Visit vendors, artisans, crafts and information booths;
• Tours of Canoa Ranch and its exhibits;
• 4H animals in the corrals;
• A chuck wagon meal by Rex Dalton and his award-winning EZ Cattle Company Cow Camp Café; and
• Beer, wine and margaritas for purchase

Juan Bautista de Anza was a lieutenant colonel in the Royal Spanish cavalry and commander of the Tubac Presidio. When he led a 240-person expedition to northern California in 1775-76, the group spent its first night at the paraje, or campsite, at the site of Canoa Ranch.

In 2001, Pima County purchased and began to restore the 4,800-acre Canoa Ranch complex with voter-approved 1997 and 2004 bond funds. Pima County opened the ranch headquarters to the public in March 2013.

Beginning Oct. 22, the entry gate to the ranch will be open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday, allowing visitors access to the pond, berm area and Anza Trail.

For more information about the ranch, including volunteer opportunities and guided tours, please visit Historic Hacienda de la Canoa online, call 520-724-5520 or email CanoaRanch@pima.gov.