This year, on Mother's Day, you might want to surprise you mother or grandmother with a special gift.

© Sprinkles Cupcakes

How about a pair of designer Southwest style boots, a Southwestern-style bag, a Southwest cook book or an Arizona garden book?

If none of those or the other typical Mother's Day gift ideas grab your attention, then maybe one of these ten ideas might. Read More...

In this issue: bows and arrows, local idols, yoga in the park, mixed martial arts, La Cage tea party, book signings and creating pretty bites.

This column includes announcements of seminars, workshops, community events, fundraisers and other programs for which there is an admission charge, a donation expected or you are otherwise expected to spend money, such as shopping events. Advance registration is required at some these events, so you might see them listed here weeks before they are scheduled to occur.

If you are looking for programs or activities where there is no charge for admission, you can check my weekly "Free Things To Do" column (it comes out every Monday), or check the monthly calendar of recurring annual events.

Events are presented here in date order.

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This week you can eat pulled pork, hear a grasswacker, water your yard, watch a panda, get to a museum, hear fiddles, create urban art, ask questions, hear about down syndrome, make salad and learn to exercise at home.

This column includes activities and programs in the Greater Phoenix area that have free admission. If you are looking for fundraisers, seminars, workshops, and other community programs that have an admission charge, or where donations are expected, I have a separate column for those. I call them "Phoenix Area Programs, Fundraisers & Events" and you can find those listings in my blog. They tend to cover a wider range of dates than a week, because advance registration is often required. For a long list of programs and festivals that are annual events in Greater Phoenix check the calendar.

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The Arizona State Forestry Division will celebrate Arbor Day this week and we are all invited to join in the festivities. The event will include the reading of the Governor's Arizona Arbor Day Proclamation and the planting of eleven trees. There will be several speakers, and the Girl Scouts will take an active role in planting the trees. Ten trees will be planted to represent each decade, and a large 36" box tree will be planted and designated as Arizona's official "Centennial" tree.

Photo Credit: Getty

The trees planted at the Wesley Bolin Plaza will be a part of the Arizona Cactus-Pine Girl Scouts' Centennial tree planting project, Celebrating the Past, Planting for our Future, in collaboration with the Arizona Community Tree Council. The goal is to increase the number of trees planted throughout Arizona, to improve air quality at outdoor common spaces and to increase knowledge about the benefits of trees by planting 100 live trees throughout the state.

The Arbor Day Celebration will include hands-on activities (tree planting), education opportunities, both onsite and in the form of handouts on tree selection options, planting and other resource materials. The Arizona State Forestry Division partnered with Arizona Nursery Association, Arizona Community Tree Council, Arizona Cactus Pine Girl Scout Council, and the United States Forest Service for this Arizona Arbor Day celebration.

What: Arizona Arbor Day Celebration
When: Friday, April 27, 2012
What time: 9 a.m.
Where: Wesley Bolin Plaza, Phoenix
More Information about Arizona's Arbor Day Celebration: www.azsf.az.gov
More Information about National Arbor Day: www.arborday.org

More Arbor Day Celebrations Around Town

The Arizona State Forestry Division also provided me with some details about Arbor Day events in other parts of the metro area.

• Tempe - Tempe Town Lake
  April 27 @ 6 p.m.
  A 5k run is part of the celebration. $20 in advance, $25 day of race. All race proceeds benefit the Trees for Tempe program. Trees for Tempe plants new trees and replaces damaged trees to replenish Tempe's tree population.
• Phoenix - Margaret T. Hance Park
  April 28 @ 8 a.m
  There will be a presentation of the Tree City USA Award, tree planting, and a tree workshop.

You Might Also Be Interested In....

• When is Arbor Day?
• Arizona's State Tree
• America's 100 Most Common Trees