Spring is blooming with an assortment of events and new opportunities for people to explore the city’s rich cultural heritage as the Sedona Heritage Museum’s 25th anniversary celebration continues this month.
April’s programming includes an exciting mix of new stories and old favorites, according to Sedona Heritage Museum Executive Director Nate Meyers, who is also currently looking at revamping the museum’s Throwback Thursday reenactment featuring the characters of early pioneers.
“Because we have a historian on staff and a volunteer … new stories come up all the time about Sedona’s history because we’re always doing research,” Meyers said. “So we want to make sure we get those incorporated into the program.”
Since the Sedona Heritage Museum was founded on Oct. 18, 1998, it has expanded to include the Schuerman Homestead House and two historic cemeteries, with its programming increasing in proportion.
This month’s upcoming events include:
Monday, April 17: Chair caning demonstration, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free with admission.
Dale Compton will demonstrate how to hand-cane a classic chair seat during this “Mondays at the Museum” demonstration. Compton has successfully caned about 50 chairs over the last two decades, which he has obtained from a variety of second-hand sources, frequently in poor condition. He methodically repairs, rebuilds and refinishes each chair before caning to produce pieces that are both visually beautiful and useful.
Friday and Saturday, April 21 and 22: “Voices From the Grave: Spring Spirits Rising,” 3:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. $25.
Participants will be led through the 1893 Schuerman Red Rock Cemetery to experience excerpts from the lives of local pioneers, whose characters will be portrayed by experienced actors.
“The souls you’ll meet are John Lay [1851-1924], who built roads all over Yavapai County,” the Sedona Heritage Museum posted on Facebook; “Clara Thompson Purtymun [1887-1982], who saw Sedona from its Wild West days to modern times; Hilda Bishop Thompson [1892-1982], who came to Sedona from England; Dr. Myron Carrier [1842-1907], one of the area’s first doctors; Andrew Baldwin [1893-1943], who built the lowwater crossing at Crescent Moon Ranch; and Nancy Owenby [1862-1948], one of Sedona’s first real estate flippers.”
This one-hour program is a fundraiser for the maintenance of the pioneer cemeteries; tickets for this event are not refundable.
Sunday, April 23: Music at the Museum, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. $10.
The students of Squires Studio, a vocal performance group from Phoenix, will perform an eclectic mix of songs in genres from musical theater to modern rock ’n’ roll.
“This is something we haven’t really had before and we’re excited to explore hosting musical performances,” Meyers said. “It’s also a fun opportunity for the students to have a venue to perform in and these are some of the best students in the state.”
Monday, April 24: Verde Valley Spinners & Weavers Guild, 11 a.m. to 1p.m. Free with admission.
Guild members will be working actively on their wheels during their “Mondays at the Museum” event. Mary Pendleton of the Pendleton Weaving workshop in Sedona and other weavers from across the Verde Valley founded the guild more than 35 years ago. The guild currently has several dozen members who are ardent textile artists, including those who knit, weave, spin, dye and craft baskets.
Wednesday, April 26: Roger Naylor book talk and signing, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Free.
Arizona Tourism Hall of Famer and prolific writer Roger Naylor will visit the museum to promote his latest book “Awesome Arizona: 200 Amazing Facts about the Grand Canyon State.”
The book notes that Camp Verde is home to the world’s largest Kokopelli, Arizona is the sunniest state and has the most national monuments in the country and Jerome has the distinction of having the largest kaleidoscope store on the planet.
Saturday, April 29: Chuckwagon dinner and movie, 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. This event is already sold out.
The evening will kick off with a three course meal of beef stew, biscuits and apple cobbler served from the M Bar Lazy B chuckwagon, an authentic 1880s piece of history that will be set up behind the museum, with Bill Cowan cooking the meal. After dinner the museum will
show the 1952 film “Indian Uprising” in the apple shed. The Ray Nazarro-directed film is notable for its respectful depiction of American Indians and for having been filmed on location in Sedona.
All events will take place at the Sedona Heritage Museum located at 735 Jordan Road. Museum admission is $7 for adults and children under 13 are free.
