January warms up Quartzsite

Quartzsite is heating up--in more ways than one. A spate of unseasonably cold weather has finally moved along, bringing "normal" daytime temperatures back into the 70's. Also heating up? The seasonal crowds are typically blocking streets with interesting manuevers--take for example, idling your motorhome in one of Quartzsite's busiest intersections--Main Street and "Post Office Way."

Sure enough, just as Quartzsite Police were sending four cars to investigate a vehicle pointed the wrong way and blocking two lanes of busy Highway 95 near the B-10, a couple of--well, bozos--decided to stop and chat in their motorhome blocking traffic at the post office at 2:00 in the afternoon. No, these weren't a couple of confused seniors trying to get directions to Phoenix, but a couple of 40-ish kids who apparently didn't want to drive around the block while one picked up the mail.

Quartzsite's major vendor venues, the Main Event, Tyson Wells, Rice Ranch, and all the rest are fired up and rarin' to move out their wares. The Big Tent is still just a blip on the radar--this year show promoter Kenny has pushed his Big Tent shows off a week. The 29th Annual Sports, Vacation, and RV Show that's the major drawing card for the season pops up in full January 21 through 29. This puts the ever-popular Rock and Roll Classic Car Show into February. To our thinking, Kenny has made one of the best moves possible. Instead of "packing the house" of Quartzsite events into a narrow slot, show promoters would be a lot smarter to stretch out the season.

Lest you think there's nothing going on but vendors in the meantime, here are some upcoming events you might take a shine to:

Saturday, January 7 The town's big street extravaganza in the form of the annual High Jolly Daze Parade firing up at 12:00 noon, appropriately at the fire station at Highway 95 and Tyson Street. Find your way to the end at the Town Park for food and music.

Friday, January 13 If you're only as old as you feel, you might still recall The New Cristy Minstrels. Think folk songs like, This Land is Your Land, and the ever raucous, Saturday Night. OK, so this time we all get together on Friday night, or afternoon, depending on your sleeping habits. The group will play to an undoubtedly full-house crowd at the QIA, two shows, 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm. Tickets are $12 a pop, available from the QIA office. If you want tickets, better get 'em early, as prior years have sold out quick.

Our next installment on 'QZ Activi-tees' will include a wild show featuring Paul Winer, "Bookstore Paul" and his not-so-secret "other life." Yep, there's more to Paul than a G-string and thousands of dusty books.