Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 crisis, many of our events have been cancelled or postponed. Please consider supporting us in lieu of attending these events.

Our Event Sponsors are important partners who enjoy special recognition and other perks. Download our Sponsorship Packet for more details.

Contact Melanie Mills, the Events and Outreach Coordinator, for more information.

Friends of the Verde River is proud to present the following events.

Are you tired of seeing garbage clutter up your favorite outdoor spots? We are too! Trash dims the beauty of our great outdoors, and it poses serious threats to wildlife. We can all pitch in to make a difference by picking up trash. We can help keep nature beautiful while protecting the animals!

Along with Prescott Creeks and the Oak Creek Watershed Council, we are excited to bring you a Virtual Trash Pick-Up Challenge. This event will be held July 5-12. The #PurdyVerde Virtual Trash Pick-Up Challenge encourages communities throughout the Verde Watershed – from Paulden and Prescott, through the Verde Valley, all the way to the greater Phoenix area – to pick up as much trash as possible from important habitats within the Verde Watershed (what’s a watershed? We’re glad you asked!).

Want to participate? Please join in the fun and help us keep our beautiful natural areas clean and Purdy (#PurdyVerde)! Everyone can enjoy this opportunity to show some love to our beloved wild places. 

We ask all participants to please do the following:

1. Pick your favorite spots to pick up trash. Need ideas for where to go? Check out this map.
2. Safely pick up as much trash as possible!
3. Share photos and/or video by email, or post them to social media using the hashtag #PurdyVerde
4. Keep track of the approximate weight of your trash haul, and how many hours you volunteered. The average full trash bag weighs ~15 lbs.
5. Be sure to have a plan for transporting the trash you collect.
6. Bring supplies that will keep you safe and hydrated. 
7. Wear gloves, supervise children, wash your hands often, and have fun!

Learn more here.

Date and Time: July 5-12, 2020

Event Location: Virtual! Use the hashtag #PurdyVerde on social media, or send us an email with your pictures.

More Information: Contact us with questions or for more information.

Join volunteers from the Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival to clean up a section of Mingus Avenue. The section of road in question is a beautiful riparian area that provides habitat to many bird species.

All supplies including bags, grabbers, and safety vests are provided.

Date and Time: There are several opportunities to join in on a VVBNF Highway Cleanup:

• July 18, 2020. Meet at 6:30 am
• September 10, 2020. Meet at 7 am
• November 21, 2020. Meet at 8 am
• January 16, 2021. Meet at 8:30 am
• March 20, 2021. Meet at 7:30 am
• May 15, 2021. Meet at 6:30 am

Event Location: Cottonwood, AZ. Meet at the dirt lot on Mingus Avenue between 18th Street and the Verde River bridge.

More Information: Contact Debbie LaFrance for more information.

Join us in Old Town Cottonwood for an afternoon and evening of music! This all-local lineup is sure to get you moving. Bands donate their time to this free-to-attend, family friendly music fest. And our wonderful partners at State Bar will donate a percentage of beverage sales to Friends.

Date and Time: September 5, 2020 from 2p.m.-12a.m.

Event Location: The State Bar in historic Old Town Cottonwood.

The Verde River Runoff is a kayak, canoe and stand up paddleboard event that encourages competitive and leisurely boaters to run the beautiful Verde River during the annual spring runoff. This year, we have postponed the event to the fall due to unsafe high water and COVID-19. Options for participation include a 5-mile fun float and a 10-mile competitive race. Both events conclude at Beasley Flats.

Date and Time: September 12, 2020 from 7 am to 3 pm

Event Location: Camp Verde, AZ

More Information: Visit our site or click here to register.

Join us on the second Thursday of every month for Thirsty Thursdays at the State Bar. $1 of every beer you enjoy is donated to Friends!

Date and Time: Second Thursday of every month from 3-6p.m. Please note: this event has been postponed indefinitely in accordance with recommendations from the CDC and AZ Department of Health.

Location: The State Bar in Old Town Cottonwood, AZ.

Postponed until further notice.

The annual Spring Heritage Pecan and Wine Festival is a celebration of Camp Verde’s pecan growers and wineries. The Festival includes nut and wine tastings, vendors, and music. This spring event coincides with the Verde River Runoff. Verde River Runoff race winners will be announced and the winning ticket for the Run the Verde Raffle will be drawn at the Festival on March 21, 2020.

Date and Time: March 20-21, 2021.

Event Location: 75 E. Hollamon Street, Downtown Camp Verde.

More Information: Purchase wine tasting tickets in advance here. Click here for more information.

AZ Gives Day is a predominantly digital event that occurs yearly. Join in next year on the 24-hour online giving blitz in suport of local nonprofits! AZ Gives Day “helps raise awareness about the critical role Arizona nonprofits play in our communities and inspires people to give generously creating a thriving and stronger Arizona for all.”

Date and Time: TBA for 2021.

Event Location: Online! Check back for our AZ Gives Day link.

More Information: Click here for more details.

The Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival, described as “the friendliest birding festival,” is an annual celebration of birds, birders, and nature in the beautiful Verde Valley. This festival brings together experienced and amateur birders alike to enjoy unique workshops, exciting field trips led by experts, and inclusive events.

Date and Time: April 22-25, 2021.

Event Location: Dead Horse Ranch State Park, Cottonwood, AZ

More Information: Visit our site for more details.

The Tilted Earth Festival was “created to foster the growth of culture, community and the economy in the great Verde Valley of Arizona.” Tilted Earth is a Summer Solstice celebration of music, wine, and food.

Date and Time: June 18-19, 2021.

Event Location: Page Springs Cellars in Cornville, AZ.

More Information: Visit the Tilted Earth site for more details.

The Wild and Scenic Film Festival, presented in partnership with Prescott Creeks, is an annual film festival. Local environmental nonprofits invited the public to experience unique stories and adventures through amazing films that illustrate the Earth’s beauty, the challenges facing our planet and the communities working to protect it.

Date and Time: TBD for 2021.

Event Location: Camp Verde and Prescott, AZ

More Information: Visit our site for more information.

The State of the Watershed Conference brought together experts from The Nature Conservancy, the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, and more to discuss the highly-anticipated, innovative Watershed Report Card. This conference is open to the public.

Date and Time: TBD for 2021.

Event Location: TBD for 2021.

More Information: Visit our site to learn more about the Verde Watershed Report Card.

Pillsbury Wine Company’s “Hatty Hour” encouraged patrons to wear their favorite hats and grab a glass for a chance to win a bottle of wine. Pillsbury donated 15% of sales to river conservation projects.

Location: Pillsbury Wine Company in Old Town Cottonwood, AZ.

Are you, or is your organization, a partner of Friends of the Verde River? Or, do you have an upcoming event that directly relates to the Verde River, or to the Verde River Watershed? We’d love to support your work by putting your event on this page.

Email Maya the following: event name, location, date(s) and time(s), email address of a contact person, website (if applicable), brief description, and a photo.

Interested in sponsoring an event? Click here to download our 2020 Sponsorship Packet for more information!