CAMP VERDE – Since 2014, the Verde Valley Archaeology Fair and American Indian Show has been connected to the Town of Camp Verde’s annual Spring Heritage Pecan and Wine Festival.

Not to leave out the annual International Archaeology Film Festival, the Verde Valley Archaeology Center has plenty of events scheduled for the March 18-19 celebration.



Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month is celebrated in March each year. Of course, so is the college basketball tournament nicknamed March Madness.

The fine folks of the Archaeological Institute of America coined the phrase ArchaeoMadness as a way of celebrating all things archaeological.

With lectures, demonstrations, exhibits, displays, arts and crafts – and movies both short and feature-length, the Verde Valley Archaeology Center has quite the schedule of events planned for its annual Verde Valley Archaeology Fair, which includes the annual International Archaeology Film Festival and the annual American Indian Art Show.

Also in downtown Camp Verde, the Archaeology Fair is from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday. Lectures will be held in Town Hall Room 106, the art show in the community center gymnasium on Hollamon Street, and all films will be shown in Town Hall Room 204.

Celebrated in conjunction with the Spring Heritage Pecan and Wine Festival, Emerging Native American Artists is the theme of the annual Art Show. Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, Yavapai, Apache and New Mexico Pueblos are part of the event, also from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday at the community center.

Live entertainment this year includes Grammy-nominated Aaron White, David Wolfs Robe, Cibecue Creek Apache Crown Dancers, Pima Basket Dancers.

Lecturers this year will talk about the General Crook Trail, the Verde Salt Mine, Reconstructing the Lupanar, Excavation and Discovery Along the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, the Cavates of Cosmos Mindeleff, and the Human Response to Environmental Stress and the Collapse of the Ancient Maya Civilization.

VVAC’s annual International Archaeology Film Festival will include Naachtun: The Forgotten Mayan City; First Footprints - Super Nomads: 50,000 To 30,000 Years Ago; and four archaeology shorts.

Visit www.verdevalleyarchaeology.org for more information.

Also open during the archaeology festival, the Verde Valley Archaeology Center is located at 385 S. Main Street.

For more information about the archaeology fair, call (928) 567-0066 or visit http://verdevalleyarchaeology.org/Fair for a schedule of events.

Schedule of Events, Spring Heritage Pecan and Wine Festival (Schedule always subject to change)

Saturday, March 18

10 a.m. until 6 p.m. – Vendors on the downtown soccer field

10 a.m. – Verde River Runoff, at White Bridge and Clear Creek access points

10 a.m. – Vintage baseball game at Fort Verde State Historic Park

10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – Lecture ‘Gerry Ehrhardt: The General Crook Trail’ at Town Hall, Room 106

10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – Film Square Holes: ‘Kolb Archaeological and Education Project’, at Town Hall, Room 204

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Verde Valley Archaeology Fair: ArchaeoMadness, at Verde Valley Archaeology Center

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – American Indian Art Show, at Community Center gymnasium

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Ancient Indian Technology Display & Presentation, at Fort Verde State Historic Park

10 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Wine tents open

10 a.m. to 6 p.m. – Verde Valley Questers selling homemade pecan pies, cookies, and sweet spicy pickles

All day – Pecan launch (children 10 and younger must be accompanied by adult); soccer field

11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. – Live music by Dave Rice, outside wine tent

11:30 a.m. – Live performance by Aaron White, Community Center gymnasium

Noon to 2 p.m. – Film ‘Naachtun: The Forgotten Mayan City’, at Town Hall, Room 204

Noon – Vintage baseball game at Fort Verde State Historic Park

Noon to 1:30 p.m. – Lecture ‘Dr. Tod Bostwick: The Verde Salt Mine’ at Town Hall, Room 106

12:30 p.m. – Live performance by Cibecue Creek Dancers, Community Center gymnasium

1 p.m. until 3 p.m. – Hands-on pecan activity, at downtown gazeboandsHan

1:30 p.m. – Live performance by Pima Basket Dancers, Community Center gymnasium

2 p.m. – Vintage baseball game at Fort Verde State Historic Park

2 p.m. to 6 p.m. – Live music by Cheap Sunglasses Band, outside wine tent

2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Lecture ‘Michael Zajac: Reconstructing the Lupanar’, at Town Hall, Room 106

2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Four Archaeological short films, at Town Hall, Room 204

2:30 p.m. – Live performance by Aaron White, Community Center gymnasium

3:30 p.m. – Verde River Runoff awards ceremony, at soccer field

Sunday, March 19

10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. – Film ‘Helluva Way To Treat A Soldier ’, at Town Hall, Room 204

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – Verde Valley Archaeology Fair: ArchaeoMadness, at Verde Valley Archaeology Center

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. – American Indian Art Show, at Community Center gymnasium

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. – Wine tents open

10 a.m. until they sell out – Verde Valley Questers selling homemade pecan pies, cookies, and sweet spicy pickles

10 a.m. – Lecture ‘Dr. Ted Neff: Grand Archaeology, at Town Hall, Room 106

11 a.m. – Judging of the Pecan Pie Baking Contest, at Ramada by the soccer field

11:30 a.m. – Live performance by David Wolfs Robe, Community Center gymnasium

Noon to 1:30 p.m. – Lecture ‘Dennis Gilpin: The Cavates of Cosmos Mindeleff’, at Town Hall, Room 106

Noon to 1:30 p.m. – Film ‘Saving Mes Aynak’, at Town Hall, Room 204

12:30 p.m. – Live performance by Cibecue Creek Dancers, Community Center gymnasium

1 p.m. until 3 p.m. – Hands-on pecan activity, at downtown gazeboandsHan

1 p.m. to 4 p.m. – Live music by Skunky Ron, outside wine tent

1:30 p.m. – Live performance by Pima Basket Dancers, Community Center gymnasium

2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Lecture ‘Dr. Jaime Awe: Human Response to Environmental Stress and Collapse of Ancient Maya Civilization’, at Town Hall, Room 106

2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Film ‘First Footprints’, at Town Hall, Room 204

2:30 p.m. – Live performance by David Wolfs Robe, Community Center gymnasium