Things To Do – February/March 2026

February/March 2026 issue of InMaricopa Magazine's Things To Do Guide. InMaricopa.com InMaricopa is Maricopa's premier local news source InMaricopa is your go-to source for hyper-local news and information about Maricopa, Arizona. Stay informed with the latest community updates, events, and stories that matter to our city. InMaricopa is the only dedicated news outlet focusing exclusively on the city of Maricopa, ensuring residents are always in the know.

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February 2026 | InMaricopa.com

Bocce Ball

Bocce Ball Game Rules

M aricopa residents ball on the east side of Copper Sky Multigenerational Center. Maricopa City Councilmember Vincent Manfredi said he got the idea during a recent family outing to Electric Pickle in Tempe. “We’re always looking for can now soak up the rays by playing bocce creative ways to bring people together. Maricopa has such a strong tradition of community, and we’re excited to offer another free activity for residents of all ages,” Manfredi said. Residents 18 and older can check out a bocce set by bringing their ID to the front desk at Copper Sky and head to one of the courts on the east side of the multigenerational center. Play is first come, first served, but residents can also schedule a reservation. “Bocce is great because anyone can learn it in minutes,” said Maricopa Parks & Recreation Director Rocky Brown. Have a ball (or 4)!

Includes: • (8) 90mm Bocce Balls: 2 Red / 2 Green / 2 Blue / 2 Yellow

• (1) 50mm White Pallino Ball (Jack) • Distance Marker and Carrying Case.

Free Play Rules: With Free Play Bocce, the rules and setup are much easier when you do not have a court to play on. Games can be played on any soft surface (grass, turf, sand, clay etc). Games are typically played between 2 teams, with 4 balls each to a team. Teams can consist of 1 player (4 balls each), 2 players (2 balls each) or 4 players (1 ball each). A coin flip decides which team throws the Pallino (small white ball) first. Game Objective: The object is to throw your bocce balls closer to the Pallino or Jack , than your opponent. The first team to reach 12 points wins the game (must win by 2). A match typically consists of 3 rounds. Bocce ball game rules

Bocce Ball Game Rules

Includes: • (8) 90mm Bocce Balls: 2 Red / 2 Green / 2 Blue / 2 Yellow

• (1) 50mm White Pallino Ball (Jack) • Distance Marker and Carrying Case.

Pallino Throw: • The pallino is the first ball put into play after the coin toss. Its is tossed underhand within a resonable distance. • Once the pallino is in play, it can be knocked anywhere on the desired playing field. Game Play: • The initial pallino thrower always throws the first bocce ball. All balls are thrown underhand. • Unlike Courted Bocce, teams always alternate throws until all balls are thrown, regardless of which team's ball is closest to the Pallino. • Once everyone has thrown at the pallino, calculate the scoring team for that frame (1 to 4 points per frame). If a bocce ball is touching the pallino, its often known as a “baci” or “kiss” and can be rewarded 2 points if they remain touching at the end of the frame. • The first team to reach 12 Points wins the game (must win by 2) . Typically games are played from 12 - 21 Points Scoring: Once all 8 balls have been thrown at the pallino , only one team scores after points have been calculated (1 to 4 points per frame). If a bocce ball is touching the pallino, its often known as a “baci” or “kiss” and can be rewarded 2 points if they remain touching at the end of the frame. The first team to reach 12 points wins the game (must win by 2). Green Scores 1 Point Green Scores 2 Points Red Scores 3 Points INSIDE alternate throws until all balls are thrown, regardless of which team’s ball is closest to the Pallino. PALLINO THROW • The pallino is the first ball put into play after the coin toss. Its is tossed underhand within a resonable distance. • Once the pallino is in play, it can be knocked anywhere on the desired playing field. GAME PLAY • The initial pallino thrower always throws the first bocce ball. All balls are thrown underhand. • Unlike Courted Bocce, teams always

INCLUDES • (8) 90mm Bocce Balls: 2 Red / 2 Green / 2 Blue / 2 Yellow • (1) 50mm White Pallino Ball (Jack) • Distance Marker and Carrying Case. GAME OBJECTIVE The object is to throw your bocce balls closer to the Pallino or Jack, than your opponent. The first team to reach 12 points wins the game (must win by 2). A match typically consists of 3 rounds. FREE PLAY RULES With Free Play Bocce, the rules and setup are much easier when you do not have a court to play on. Games can be played on any soft surface (grass, turf, sand, clay etc). Games are typically played between 2 teams, with 4 balls each to a team. Teams can consist of 1 player

INSIDE Pallino Throw: • The pallino is the first ball put into play after the coin toss. Its is tossed underhand within a resonable distance. • Once the pallino is in play, it can be knocked anywhere on the desired playing field. Game Play: • The initial pallino thrower always throws the first bocce ball. All balls are thrown underhand. • Unlike Courted Bocce, teams always alternate throws until all balls are thrown, regardless of which team's ball is closest to the Pallino. • Once everyone has thrown at the pallino, calculate the scoring team for that frame (1 to 4 points per frame). If a bocce ball is touching the pallino, its often known as a “baci” or “kiss” and can be rewarded 2 points if they remain touching at the end of the frame. • The first team to reach 12 Points wins the game (must win by 2) . Typically games are played from 12 - 21 Points (4 balls each), 2 players (2 balls each) or 4 players (1 ball each). A coin flip decides which team throws the Pallino (small white ball) first.

INSIDE • The first team to reach 12 Points wins the game (must win by 2). Typically games are played from 12 - 21 Points. OUTSIDE touching the pallino, its often known as a “baci” or “kiss” and can be rewarded 2 points if they remain touching at the end of the frame. • Once everyone has thrown at the pallino, calculate the scoring team for that frame (1 to 4 points per frame). If a bocce ball is SCORING Once all 8 balls have been thrown at the pallino, only one team scores after points have been calculated (1 to 4 points per frame). If a bocce ball is touching the pallino, its often known as a “baci” or “kiss” and can be rewarded 2 points if they remain touching at the end of the frame. The first team to reach 12 points wins the game (must win by 2).

OUTSIDE Scoring: Once all 8 balls have been thrown at the pallino , only one team scores after points have been calculated (1 to 4 points per frame). If a bocce ball is touching the pallino, its often known as a “baci” or “kiss” and can be rewarded 2 points if they remain touching at the end of the frame. The first team to reach 12 points wins the game (must win by 2). Green Scores 1 Point Green Scores 2 Points Red Scores 3 Points INSIDE OUTSIDE Green Scores 1 Point Green Scores 2 Points Red Scores 3 Points

INSIDE

OUTSIDE

InMaricopa.com | February 2026

February 2026 | InMaricopa.com

Parks

Copper Sky Regional Park

Maricopa’s marquee park, Copper Sky opened in 2014 to much fanfare, instantly changing what the city offered its residents. The 98-acre park brought together city-sponsored fitness and recreation programs, expansive fields and courts, a skatepark and a central home for large community events. This summer, the park adds its next major piece with the opening of The Fieldhouse at Copper Sky, designed to host indoor sports such as basketball and volleyball in a city where summer heat has long limited indoor options. Before it became Copper Sky, this area was originally called the Vekol Retention Basin, or Vekol Park. Copper Sky took Maricopa to the next level because it satisfied a lot of community needs, but it also brought other people out to see what

then, and looking back, it’s wild that it’s already been 11 years. The Fieldhouse should open late this summer. It’s a huge indoor space that can host four basketball games or six volleyball games at the same time. That’s going to help the community, because there just isn’t enough indoor space here. With our summers, kids need more indoor space than we have now.

Maricopa is all about. They added eight more multipurpose fields and four more ball fields. That tripled our inventory, and we finally caught up with the size of the community. We had a huge grand opening for the multigenerational center, and then two weeks later we turned around and had the salsa festival. The aquatic center opened a couple months after that. It was crazy back

Pacana Park Pacana, the Spanish word for pecan, reflects the acres of pecan groves that once stretched across the area. Pacana Park opened in 2006 as the new city’s first official park, quickly becoming its primary gathering place. As Maricopa grew, the park grew with it, and in 2008 the city purchased an additional 10 acres to add fields, open space and parking. Pacana Park is definitely a foundational piece of the community, and I think a lot of people have good memories from that. It opened in 2006 and the city held a big, two-day festival. I’m thinking back to when I used to coach youth sports at Pacana. We had so many kids. We took each soccer field and divided it into six mini fields so every team could get a practice spot. You had four different waves of practices, so in one hour you had 12 different soccer teams sharing two soccer fields. It’s what the city did to get by until Copper Sky Regional Park opened, but I think it also helped build that tight-knit community because there were just so many kids at Pacana Park. In the last 20 years, Pacana has really created a lot of memories, and I think the city has continued to add to it. Now there’s an outdoor fitness court, cornhole boards and new murals.

Room to play The story of Maricopa’s parks BY MONICA D. SPENCER

M aricopa has been building itself one park at a time. Some opened when the city was still figuring out what it wanted to be. Others are just now coming online, shaped by a community that has grown more layered and more demanding of its public spaces. A few exist only on paper but already carry big expectations about what Maricopa’s next era should look like. Taken together, the city’s parks tell a story of growth, patience and ambition. Of soccer practices packed six teams to a field. Of grand openings that doubled as civic milestones. Of long waits, neighborhood pride and the constant push to keep up with a fast-growing city. In 2026, several of those storylines converge. New parks open. Old ones celebrate milestones. Expansion plans move from ideas to drawings. And for the first time in nearly 20 years, Maricopa begins rethinking its parks system as a whole. Parks and Recreation Director Rocky Brown has been present for much of that arc, first as a coach and resident, now as the person guiding what comes next. What follows is his walk through Maricopa’s parks, one by one, reflecting on where they started, how they’ve been used and what they are still meant to become. Some answers have been lightly edited for readability.

InMaricopa.com | February 2026

February 2026 | InMaricopa.com

Parks

SAVE THE DATE Mike Ingram Heritage Park Ribbon Cutting 44200 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway

Lake View Park Opened in 2024, Lake View Park is the city’s newest park, tucked into The Lakes at Rancho El Dorado neighborhood. The park debuted with two youth ballfields, a playground and ramadas with picnic tables, and in 2025 those fields became the site of Maricopa hosting the Arizona Little League World Series for the first time. I like to think of Lake View as a community hidden gem. It’s tucked back there, but as soon as you drive up and see it, it’s a surprise. Lake View came on board last year, and the first phase has two ballfields and a playground. What’s exciting is we’re kicking off design later this month for the next phase. There are 12 acres to the west of the existing fields, and we’ve selected a designer. We’re laying out rough ideas for how a couple more ball fields can fit there to help Little League. Right now, Little League is spread between three sites: Copper Sky, Pacana and Lake View. If we can get them three fields there, they could go down to one site, which would be more convenient for everyone.

Feb. 24 10 a.m.

Mike Ingram Heritage Park Set to open next month, Mike Ingram Heritage Park is already being positioned as the city’s next landmark. Located across from the tracks, the railroad-themed park will house the city’s historical walk, the Maricopa Historical Museum and an amphitheater, anchoring Maricopa’s past in a space designed to be actively used. Mike Ingram Heritage Park opens Feb. 24. It was supposed to open last year, but Arizona had the wettest year on record. That caused some disruption because the ground has to dry out before you can move earth. I’m excited for the park. It’s on the smaller side, but it’s cute and it’s a special neighborhood park. It’s going to have a themed railroad playground and the California Zephyr car right there. It’s something you can take your kids to, where they can run around, see a historic train and play on a train-themed playground. Kids are fascinated by trains, and I think of McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park in Scottsdale. Maricopa is getting its own version here, which is cool because the kids can just let their minds wander.

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Hosted by: American Legion Auxiliary Unit 133

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InMaricopa.com | February 2026

February 2026 | InMaricopa.com

Parks

Park 48 First mentioned during a Parks and Recreation Committee meeting in 2024, the 55-acre project across from City Hall now known as Park 48 has already cycled through several names, including Iconic Park and Civic Center Park. Still in the conceptual stage, the project represents the city’s most ambitious vision for a future public space, with current plans calling for Arizona-inspired geographic features, sports courts, a large event lawn, a covered playground, a 3.4-acre lake, a zip line, a rock- climbing zone, cloud-inspired ramadas, splash pads and space for food trucks, all intended to anchor what the city hopes will eventually become a new entertainment district. The city was working on that before I got here, and the way it was described to me was a love letter to Arizona. That’s really cool, because I haven’t seen a park like that anywhere else in the state. I feel like you can never have too many one- of-a-kind things, because people want to check

There are also opportunities to develop a district around it, with restaurants and other entertainment. It’s already by City Hall and the library, and if you build a park like this, I think you can create a hub of activity similar to downtown Gilbert or Scottsdale.

them out. That’s what Maricopa needs more of. This is a park I see people in the community really loving because it’s going to be cool and it’s going to be theirs. At the same time, people will see it posted on Instagram and think, “OK, I need to take a trip down there.”

Conceptual renderings show covered splashpads surrounded by rock monuments emulating Sedona’s red rocks at Park 48 near City Hall.

Come out and support our organization with a delicious stack of pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee! $8 per person • $4 per child under 10 • $20 per family Hosted by: American Legion Auxiliary Unit 133 Veterans Center, 41614 W. Smith-Enke Road, Suite 110

All proceeds go to The American Legion Auxiliary to aid and benefit our Maricopa Veterans

InMaricopa.com | February 2026

February 2026 | InMaricopa.com

Parks

Mapping Maricopa’s parks

Proposed park

Remembering Rotary Park

Pacana Park may be the city’s first official park, but it was not Maricopa’s first place to play. That distinction belongs to Rotary Park, which opened in the late 1950s at what is now the northeast corner of Plainview and Mercado streets, the site of today’s Mike Ingram Heritage Park. Managed by the local Rotary Club, the 3½-acre park filled a major need in the small community. A pool built in 1958 an- chored the site, along with a ramada with picnic tables and grills, a basketball court, a volleyball pit and restrooms. For decades, Rotary Park was a gath- ering place for families looking for relief from the heat. That role evaporated when Copper Sky Regional Park’s aquatic cen-

Lakeview Park

Mike Ingram Heritage Park

“I used to go there when I was living here and host teen events there. It was the only [public] pool in town, but everything has a lifespan,” he said. “There just no lon- ger was a need for that pool and it was just loved to death.”

ter opened in 2014. The Rotary Park pool closed that year and was filled in 2019. Parks and Recreation Director Rocky Brown remembers the park well from his early days in Maricopa, when he served as the city’s youth coordinator and recreation manager.

Pacana Park

East Park

Because of you, life doesn't stop.

Park 48

Copper Sky Regional Park

BLOOD DRIVE

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS OUR LADY OF GRACE CATHOLIC CHURCH SUNDAY, MARCH 1, 2026 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM

~ Arizona Renaissance Festival voucher for a complimentary one-day admission.

Copper Sky Fieldhouse opens

~ Donate March 1 - April 5 and be automatically entered for a chance to win a $10,000 gift card* (opt-in required)

City parks through the years

Parks, Trails and Open Space master plan released

Vitalant Bloodmobile 18700 N St. Gabriel Way - Maricopa, AZ

Parks Master Plan update kicks off

Lake View Park opens

To schedule your appointment, call Vitalant at 1-877-258-4825, scan the QR Code or visit www.vitalant.org

2006

2008

2014

2024

2026

2027

Lake View Park opens Phase 2

Mike Ingram Heritage Park opens

Copper Sky Regional Park opens

Pacana Park opens

Questions? Call Andre Blakely at (602) 281-0409

For more information or to schedule a donation, call 877-25-VITAL or visit us at vitalant.org Find us @vitalant:

InMaricopa.com | February 2026

February 2026 | InMaricopa.com

Events

25 MUSD Governing Board 6:30 p.m., Governing Board Chambers 44150 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway 26 Youth Volleyball Registration Copper Sky Recreational Park 27 Reaching Teen Hearts 5 p.m., Villages at El Dorado Clubhouse 20991 Butterfield Parkway

28 Copa Creates 10 a.m., Maricopa High School 45012 W. Honeycutt Ave. Inside the Creative Mind: Steven Portrey 3 p.m., Maricopa Library & Cultural Center 18160 N. Maya Angelou Drive MARCH 1 KOC Blood Drive 9 a.m., Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church 18700 N. St. Gabriel Way 2 Prevention education series: Alcohol 5 p.m., Copper Sky 44345 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

3 City Council 6 p.m., City Hall Council Chamber 39700 W. Civic Center Plaza 7 Concert in the Park 5 p.m., Heritage Park 44200 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway 9-10 Lifeguarding Course 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Copper Sky Aquatic Center 16

FEBRUARY 1 Youth Volleyball Registration 9 a.m., Lowe’s Home Improvement 44220 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway 2 Prevention education series: Vaping 5 p.m., Copper Sky 44345 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. 3 City Council 6 p.m., City Hall Council Chamber 39700 W. Civic Center Plaza Maricopa Amateur Radio Association 9 a.m., Maricopa Library & Cultural Center 18160 N. Maya Angelou Drive SafeHouse – Break the Ice 9 p.m., Maricopa Water & Ice 20928 N. John Wayne Parkway 4 Cornhole League 6 p.m., Duke’s Roadhouse 19395 N. John Wayne Parkway 5 Future Freshman Parent and Student Night 6 p.m., Desert Sunrise High School 16200 N. Murphy Road 6 Friday Night Car Meet 6:30 p.m., Home Depot 42410 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway 7 4-H BBQ Fundraiser 11 a.m., Maricopa Agriculture Center 37860 W. Smith-Enke Road

27-29 Wild West Music Fest Copper Sky Regional Park 44345 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

APRIL

4 Paws & Claws Festival 10 a.m., Pacana Park 19000 N. Porter Road, West Field 8 MUSD Governing Board 6:30 p.m., Governing Board Chambers 44150 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway 13 Prevention education series: Marijuana 5 p.m., Copper Sky 44345 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

April Swim Lesson Registration Opens 7 a.m., Copper Sky Aquatic Center 25

A Night of Stars 2026 6 p.m., Grand Ballroom, Harrah’s Ak-Chin 15406 N. Maricopa Road Recovery Church 7 p.m., Community of Hope Church 45295 W. Honeycutt Ave.

Copa Cultural Night Market FEB. 21

MUSD Governing Board 6:30 p.m., Governing Board Chambers 44150 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway

21 Grown-Up Swimming Meet 2-5 p.m., Copper Sky Aquatic Center 21 Copa Cultural Night Market 4 p.m., Copper Sky Regional Park 44345 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. 22 Lunchtime Connections: AI and Your Business 11:30 a.m., Cold Beers & Cheeseburgers 20350 N. John Wayne Parkway, Suite 160 24 City of Maricopa Republican Club 10 a.m., Calvary Chapel 44301 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway MUSD Game Day Job Fair 10 a.m., Maricopa Unified School District Office 44150 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway

MUSD Governing Board 6:30 p.m., Governing Board Chambers 44150 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway 15 Austin B. Sweeney concert 12 p.m., Mandy’s Wine Bar 41600 W. Smith-Enke Road, Suite 120 Copa Farmers Market 9 a.m., Lowe’s Home Improvement 44220 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway 16 Wine, Women and Wealth Networking 6:30 p.m., Native Grill & Wings 21164 N. John Wayne Parkway City Council 6 p.m., City Hall Council Chamber 39700 W. Civic Center Plaza 20-22

Great AZ Puppet: Jack Rabbit & the Tortoise 2 p.m., Central Arizona College 17945 N. Regent Drive, Room A100 Tickets $7.50 Inside the Creative Mind: Terry Oldfield 3 p.m., Maricopa Library & Cultural Center 18160 N. Maya Angelou Drive Tales and Treasures 5 p.m., Province Clubhouse 20942 Province Parkway 8 Republican Assembly 7 p.m., Barro’s Pizza 21101 N. John Wayne Parkway Copa Farmers Market 9 a.m., Lowe’s Home Improvement 44220 W. Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway 11 2026 State of the City Address 5 p.m., Desert Sunrise High School 16200 N. Murphy Road

Lifeguarding Course Times vary, Copper Sky Aquatic Center

InMaricopa.com | February 2026

February 2026 | InMaricopa.com

Weekly Recurring Activities

Fitness

2nd and 4th Tuesday

Thursdays Fun Van supported by First Things First 9-10:30 a.m. Fun Van supported by First Things First 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Preschool Storytime 10-10:30 a.m. Preschool Storytime 4-4:30 p.m.

Ultimate Conditioning 12 p.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Cycle & Strength 6 p.m.. Copper Sky Fitness Center SHINE + UPLIFT 6 p.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Saturdays

Beginner Line Dancing 12-1 p.m., Maricopa Community Center Thursdays Silver Sneakers Classic 9:30 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Bereavement Social Group Meeting 1-2 p.m., Maricopa Community Center Fridays Silver Sneakers Classic 9:30 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center

Mondays Yoga 7:15 p.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Aquafit 8 a.m., Copper Sky Aquatics Center

Writers Group 10-11 a.m. Wednesdays

Baby Time 9:30-10 a.m. Baby Time 10-10:30 a.m.

F.a.m.ily Zumba 9:30 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center 2nd Saturday

Ultimate Conditioning 8:30 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center POUND Rocket Workout 9:30 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Zumba 10:45 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center

Baby Time 10-11 a.m.

LEGO Club 5-6 p.m. First Thursday Non-Fiction Addiction 11 a.m.-12 p.m. 4th Thursday (excl. Dec.) Novel Ideas Adult Book Club 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Last Thursday Novel Ideas Adult Book Club 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Fridays 5UP Storytime 4-5 p.m.

Tales & Tails: Read With A Therapy Dog 3:30-3:45 p.m. Tales & Tails: Read With A Therapy Dog 3:45-4 p.m. Tales & Tails: Read With A Therapy Dog 4-4:15 p.m. Tales & Tails: Read With A Therapy Dog 4:15-4:30 p.m. Tales & Tails: Read With A Therapy Dog 4:30-4:45 p.m. Tales & Tails: Read With A Therapy Dog 4:45-5 p.m.

Yoga 11 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center META Copa Training 6 p.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Yoga 7:15 p.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Wednesdays Aquafit 8 a.m., Copper Sky Aquatics Center

Cycle 6:30 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Aquafit 8 a.m., Copper Sky Aquatics Center Seated Zumba Toning 8:10 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Ultimate Conditioning 8:10 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Zumba 9:30 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center SHINE Dance Fitness 10:45 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center

Saturday Bootcamp 8 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center 3nd Saturday CurveCode 8:30 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Senior Activities Mondays Silver Sneakers Classic 9:30 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center

Movie Matinee 1 p.m., Maricopa Community Center

Maricopa Library & Cultural Center Tuesdays Toddler Time 9:30-10 a.m.

Ultimate Conditioning 12 p.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Cycle & Strength 6 p.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Zumba 6:30 p.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Tuesdays Power 30 5:30 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center

Every Other Saturday D&D Adventurers League 12-5 p.m. 2nd Saturday

Ultimate Conditioning 8:30 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Zumba 10:45 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center

Toddler Time 10-10:30 a.m.

Chair Yoga 10:45 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center

Toddler Time 10:30-11 a.m. 1st and 3rd Tuesday

Garden Gurus 10-11 a.m.

New Beginner Line Dancing 12-1 p.m., Maricopa Community Center Tuesdays Silver Sneakers Classic 9:30 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Coffee with Friends 1:30 p.m., Maricopa Community Center Wednesdays Creative Sisterhood with Stiches for Love 9 a.m.-12 p.m., Maricopa Community Center Silver Sneakers Classic 9:30 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center

Friday Fibers 4-5:30 p.m.

Ultimate Conditioning 12 p.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Cycle 6 p.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center

4th Wednesday (excl. Dec.) Novel Ideas Adult Book Club 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Yoga 11 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center META Copa Training 6 p.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center

ALL EVENTS ARE TENTATIVE. NOT ALL EVENTS APPEAR IN PRINT.

Every Other Friday APOP Anime for Teens 5-5:30 p.m.

Color Me Calm Adult Coloring 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Preschool Storytime

Cycle & Strength 6:30 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Zumba 6:30 p.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Yoga 7:30 p.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Thursdays Power 30 5:30 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center

Yoga 7:15 p.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Fridays Aquafit 8 a.m., Copper Sky Aquatics Center Ultimate Conditioning 8:30 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center Zumba 10:45 a.m., Copper Sky Fitness Center

HAWAIIAN HULA & TAHITIAN DANCE CLASSES All levels ❀ Kids, teens & adults ❀ ESA accepted

FREE RIBBON LEI WORKSHOPS Support cancer survivors at Maricopa Relay For Life (April)

Learn With Aloha LLC

InMaricopa.com | February 2026

February 2026 | InMaricopa.com

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the American Medical Association have both cleared the plant of its oft-perceived reputation for being poisonous. Still, poinsettias aren’t edible — eating them can cause stomach irritation and discomfort. People sensitive to latex should handle them carefully, as the white sap that seeps from broken leaves or stems may cause mild skin irritation. It’s also mildly toxic for kids and pets. While many people treat poinsettias as disposable holiday décor, they can easily be kept alive and thriving well past the holiday season with proper care.

OINSETTIAS ARE AMONG THE most recognizable symbols of the holiday season. They’re so popular they account for about one-quarter Important updates that will help you make informed decisions - keeping you and your family safe! of all flowering potted plant sales each year. There are more than 100 varieties in a wide range of colors, though red remains the favorite. California leads the nation in poinsettia production. The plant is named for Joel Robert Poinsett, an amateur botanist from South Carolina and the first Festive favorite How to keep poinsettias vibrant all season long — and why they’re not actually poisonous The Maricopa Community Alert Network (MCAN) keeps you in the loop when it matters most. Unplanned or extended road closures Public safety activity impacting your neighborhood BY CHERYL PURVIS P

Cheryl Purvis is a Pinal County Master Gardener.

U.S. ambassador to Mexico, who introduced it to the U.S. in 1825. Native to Mexico, poinsettias naturally bloom in December as the days grow shorter. Unlike most flowering plants, we admire them not for their tiny yellow flowers but for their vibrant modified leaves, called bracts. In nature, these colorful bracts help attract pollinators to the plant’s modest central blooms. The National Poison Center in Atlanta and

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5 TIPS TO KEEP YOUR POINSETTIA HEALTHY AND COLORFUL THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS AND BEYOND 1. Give the plant 6-8 hours of indirect sunlight daily. 2. When buying, check the small flowers at the center of the bracts. The best plants have tight yellow, white or green buds. If you see yellow pollen, the bracts won’t stay bright for long. 3. Place the plant near a window but out of direct sun — about a foot away is ideal. Poinsettias thrive in temperatures in the 60s and can be damaged if exposed to temperatures below 50 degrees. 4. Keep the soil evenly moist, but

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watering, set the plant in a sink, water thoroughly and let it drain completely. Never let it sit in standing water. 5. Poinsettias prefer a humid environment. Lightly misting the foliage can help preserve color and freshness.

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InMaricopa.com | December 2025

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