Rancho Sahuarita Marketplace hosts grand opening

Rancho Sahuarita Marketplace, 15980 S. Rancho Sahuarita Blvd., will celebrate its grand opening Saturday, Nov. 22 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Adding culture to the event, a special art festival will coincide with the opening, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 22 and 23 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. featuring more than 60 booths. The art festival is free of charge and will feature a selection of the finest quality local and national artists including paintings, sculptures, photography, ceramics, glass art, jewelry, metal art, woodwork, gourd art, mixed media and more.

This event includes live entertainment, prize drawings, a jumping castle, kiddie-train rides, and special promotions on Saturday.

The grand opening ceremony will begin with a ribbon cutting Saturday morning at 10 a.m. at the main entrance to the Marketplace, south of Chase Bank.

A fun-filled ukulele group will kick-off the live entertainment at 10:15 a.m., followed by the Green Valley Aires barbershop singers at 11 a.m.

The Sahuarita All-Star Cheerleaders will perform at noon and at 1 p.m. a mariachi band will stroll the Marketplace, stopping and entertaining throughout.

Visitors can pick up Marketplace maps, “A Passport to Fun,” to enter for prizes. Maps will be stamped at each participating business, making the visitor eligible for prize drawings. Participants must be over 18 and visit each merchant. All forms must be turned in no later than 1:45 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 22 at the information booth to be eligble to win.

The grand prize and second prize baskets are filled with gifts and items donated by the participating merchants totaling over $1,500.

Tenants are also hosting tastings, giveaways and/or individual prize drawings in their stores. Tenants will draw the winning names at 2 p.m. near Roy Long Realty.

Registration forms for prize drawings are available on the Rancho Sahuarita Clubhouse web site at http://www.ranchosahuarita.com/backyard/.

Registration forms can also be picked up at participating merchants and on the day of the event at the information booth.

The Marketplace is also supporting Roy Long’s charitable collection program, the “Long Haul.”

A Goodwill truck will be available at the Marketplace for collections on Saturday, Nov. 22, starting at 10 a.m. All donations received will benefit Goodwill, the Food Bank and Southern Arizona Humane Society.

Rancho Sahuarita Marketplace is anchored by a 108,000-square-foot Fry’s Marketplace and a Chase Bank, and about 35,000 square feet of adjacent retail space.

rford@gvnews.com | 547-9740