Flagstaff Celebrates it’s Star-Filled Night Skies

The 2019 Celebration of the Night begins with the opening of NightVisions VII on April 12th 2019!

Protection of the night sky began in Flagstaff in 1958 – and Flagstaff continues to set the standard for effective night sky protection. A High Country News story by Peter Friederici – Stargazers defend darkness in Arizona – and David Portree’s award-winning story Flagstaff’s Battle for Dark Skies describe our special history and role in what is now an international dark-sky movement. This article is just one recent example showing what success looks like.

2019 Celebration of the Night Events

(draft schedule – subject to change)

15 Apr - 31 May	NightVisions VII		Coconino Center for the Arts Tuesday - Saturday 11 AM - 5 PM
			More than two-thirds of Americans live where they can no longer see the Milky Way galaxy because of light pollution. We have grown so isolated from night that in much of our culture it has become alien and fearful. NightVisions seeks to re-open our positive connections to the natural night and to bridge the divide separating artistic from scientific perception, promoting the idea that science and art are two intertwined aspects of human experience. Free
	12 April 5 PM		Member's reception FAC and FDSC Members only (become an FAC member) (become an FDSC member)
	12 April 6 PM		Public reception Free
			Be sure to visit the NightVisions Satellite exhibits at participating galleries in Flagstaff Arizona Handmade - 13 N San Francisco St Flagstaff - Every day 10-5 The Artists Gallery - 17 N San Francisco St Flagstaff - Mon-Sat 9:30-6 Sun 9:30-5 Criollo - 16 N San Francisco St, Flagstaff - Mon-Fri 11-9 Sat-Sun 9-9 West of the Moon - 14 N San Francisco St Flagstaff - Every day 10-5 The Flagstaff Tea Company - 123 S San Francisco St, Ste 5, Flagstaff - Wed-Sun 8-6 Vino Loco - 22 E Birch Ave, Suite 1, Flagstaff - Every day 2-close
20 April	Liz Story / Lisa Downing		Coconino Center for the Arts 7:00 PM Tiered Admission $30 - $35 Purchase Tickets
			Liz Story and Lisa Downing have been performing together for over a decade, and have developed a close friendship which extends far beyond the musical stage. While the music of these artists has been compared with George Winston and Jim Brickman, the compelling original music of these broadly imaginative composers possess an incomparable complexity which might better be described as “Piano Impressionism.” Both of these pianists have a passion for Dark Skies and support the need for the physical and emotional balance that the development and implementation of dark-sky friendly lighting has achieved in Flagstaff. Liz and Lisa hope to one day see the entire country honoring our night skies.
27 April	Bats - Night Creatures		Coconino Center for the Arts 7:00 PM Free
			Mary Layman’s favorite mammals are bats, and her enthusiasm for these remarkable animals will lead participants on an exploration filled with wonder and amazement. Learn how bats fly, what they eat, and why they play vital roles in nearly all ecosystems on Earth. “Miss Mary” has been an educator for 22 years, spending the first part of her teaching career as a traveling environmental educator for the non-profit Willow Bend Environmental Education Center in Flagstaff. She believes people of all ages learn best through play, and designs learning experiences that spark imagination, encourage creativity, and foster safe exploration.
10 May	River of Stars Human Nature		Coconino Center for the Arts 7:30 PM Admission $15 in advance, $18 at the door Purchase Tickets
			Human Nature Dance Theater is a collaborative dance performance group, creating original works of an interdisciplinary nature exploring human potential and our relationship with the natural world. In this specially commissioned performance, dancers Jayne Lee and Paul Moore begin with us in deep space: Nothingness. Everything is there, but undifferentiated – it is all potential. All that has ever been and will ever be, exists in the same moment. From that place a distinction between this and that is gradually recognized and so begins the making of form. We are floating and forming. Then a cataclysm occurs and the very fabric of our world tears apart. Here we are caught in this moment of darkness. Where do we go from here? How do we dance into the dark where our deepest knowing resides?
17 May	Night Stories		Museum of Northern Arizona 7:00 - 9:00 PM Suggested Donation $5
			There’s more to night than meets the eye. While we sleep, creatures creep and hunt, flowers bloom, and plants collect vital droplets of dew. Come experience the nocturnal world through fact and fable. Bundle up to share stories outside under the full moon on the MNA research campus. The presentations will include excerpts of a Shakespearean scene performed by FlagShakes, Aesop fables, and insights into the night life of the Colorado Plateau. Bring a flashlight to find your way back to your car at the end of the evening. Directions- This will be held outdoors in a small, rustic amphitheater by the entrance to the MNA Colton Gardens. Drive up N. Winding Brook Rd and turn left.
18 May	Night Walk		Buffalo Park 7:00 - 8:30 PM Free
			Join Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition leaders Lance Diskan and William Seven for a 3/4-mile Blue Moon walk in Buffalo Park over flat terrain in one of Flagstaff’s best night-sky locales. We will enjoy the rise of the full moon as we explore how Flagstaff established its world-leading role in night-sky protection, how almost every culture is a Star-Culture, how the skies played an essential role in the development of human society, how First Americans reflect the stars in their culture, and how starry skies play a valued role in modern Flagstaff civic life. Wear comfortable shoes and you may want to bring a flashlight. Kids welcome if accompanied by an adult.
25 May	Writers of the Night Skies		Coconino Center for the Arts 6:30 - 8:30 PM Suggested Donation $5
			Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition is thrilled to announce the addition of a new Literary Event to the 2019 Celebration of the Night! This event will be a live reading and performance that features prose and poetry written by local writers paying tribute to Flagstaff’s lovely dark sky cityscape! The contributions have been chosen by a panel of 4 judges: Paul Bogard (author of The End of Night), local writers and literary advocates Katie King and Ky J. Dio, and Coalition founder Lance Diskan. Dapper Dre will be hosting and introducing the Writers, and local photographers will be highlighting their work in the background during the show. Please join us in celebrating our dark sky city and the inspiration of star filled skies through a riveting and exciting literary performance!

See the NightVisions Satellite exhibits at participating galleries throughout Flagstaff.

2019  Celebration of the Night and NightVisions VII  events supported by Flagstaff Arts Council and Flagstaff BBB funds.