My next monthly Community Meetings will be at 10 a.m. on November 17 at Arizona Traditions in the Ballroom, 17221 N. Citrus Rd., and at 10 a.m. on November 28 at The Grand in the Agua Fria Room, 17100 W. Clearview Blvd. I look forward to discussing the latest City news and answering any questions you have.
Domestic Violence Awareness Month
At the Council Meeting on Tuesday, October 3, Mayor Hall proclaimed the month of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Dana Martinez, Director at A New Leaf, was in attendance to accept the proclamation with Daniela Celaya, Program Manager at A New Leaf's Faith House Domestic Violence Shelter. Lilia Plescencia and her team from the Surprise Prosecutor's Office, Renee Gronski and her team, Carol Johnson, Patty Young, and Tina Cound from Victim Services at the Surprise Police Department were also in attendance.
Chick-fil-A Grand Re-Opening
On Wednesday, October 4, Mayor Skip Hall and I were thrilled to celebrate Chick-fil-A Surprise Marketplace's grand re-opening and ribbon cutting with Stefan Bringas, Owner-Operator, and his family. The beautifully remodeled location continues to offer dine-in, patio and drive-thru services. Welcome back!
Ikea Cinnamon Roll Day
Mayor Skip Hall and I joined the Economic Development team and hosted a very special event highlighting our recipe for success to become one of the U.S. IKEA expansion locations! This event celebrated Cinnamon Roll Day, in honor of Sweden's much beloved "Kanelbullens Dag" (Cinnamon Bun Day) celebrated every October 4. Thank you to all our “only in Surprise” bakeries for your delicious entries and our special guest judges from SACC Arizona!
Veterans Day Parade
Join us in honoring our service men and women at the 9th annual City of Surprise Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, November 11. The parade begins at 10 a.m. and will be routed along Bullard Avenue between Paradise and Tierra Buena lanes. It will feature community floats, bands, dancers and more! This annual event has become a tradition in Surprise, honoring the men and women in uniform who have selflessly served our country.
If you're arriving early to get a spot, there's an option to purchase breakfast and coffee from 7:30 - 9:30 a.m. at Surprise Stadium in the Centerfield Plaza. This year's breakfast is $7 and will be proudly served by the Surprise Police Department.
2023 Best of the West Event
The annual WESTMARC Best of the West Awards Dinner is a West Valley signature event. WESTMARC celebrates and recognizes outstanding contributions to the quality of life, education, workforce, economic development and innovation in the West Valley. This year, the City of Surprise had projects nominated from the Parks & Recreation, Transportation and Economic Development departments. The Surprise Transportation Department brought home the Innovation Award for our new WeRIDE Microtransit Program, along with Avondale and Goodyear. WESTMARC’s President's Choice Award was given to all West Valley mayors for their partnership and collaboration. Village at Prasada was nominated for the Economic Engine Award and the Surprise Adaptive Recreation Program was nominated for the Quality of Life Enhancement Award. Although they did not win their categories, they received Finalist awards.
Champions for Clean Air
The WeRIDE Microtransit Program also won the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Livable Communities award at the 36th Annual Champions for Clean Air Awards ceremony held on Friday, October 20. This award recognizes agencies who have made a special effort to improve transit, bicycle or pedestrian facilities that make communities more livable. The City of Surprise, along with the City of Goodyear and the City of Avondale accepted the prestigious award.
Arizona Women Leading Government Award
Congratulations to our Arts, Culture & Library Director, Kelsey Lamphier! Kelsey was presented with the inaugural Arizona Women Leading Government "Women Leading in Excellence Award" on October 20. This award recognizes an individual committed to women's advancement into leadership positions within local Arizona government.
Surprise Public Library System Home Delivery
Surprise Public Library System offers Words on Wheels, delivering a wide variety of library materials, including books, DVDs, music, audiobooks and more.
Surprise residents of all ages who are unable to visit a library on their own may request deliveries to their residence once a month.
After six months of service, the Arts, Culture & Library Department will review the successes and opportunities of this pilot program and adjust accordingly.
Join the Surprise Police Department for a Motorcycle Safety Class on Sunday, November 12. After demonstrations and discussion, participants will apply their learned skills on an interactive course!
For current motorcycle riders only, a motorcycle and helmet are required.
G.A.I.N. Night
Getting Arizona Involved in Neighborhoods Night was held on Saturday, October 21. Thank you to everyone who came out and the departments who made it possible. The event aims to unite the Surprise community and promote our safe and family-friendly city. It was a great evening filled with entertainment, food and community!
Surprise Party & Sparkling Surprise
Celebrate the holidays at our annual Surprise Party! Enjoy a variety of activities and entertainment experiences including a foam snow party, food trucks, a vendor village, kid zone, Santa, fireworks, drone shows and more!
The two-night event will run Friday, December 1 and Saturday, December 2, from 5 - 9 p.m. at the Surprise Recreation Campus - 15960 N. Bullard Ave.
This event also kicks off Sparkling Surprise, a display of nearly 200,000 lights in and around Surprise Community Park. The campus will be illuminated each night from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., through January 2.
Are you ready to discover arts and culture events in Surprise? From theater performances, gallery tours, poetry readings and more, the City offers a number of events throughout the year. Here’s what’s coming up:
