Every year in Prescott, the Daily Courier honors the best of the area’s businesses through its Readers’ Choice Awards. Most of those businesses are nominated by the owners, their friends, or their colleagues, and then voted on by their patrons. The awards are an opportunity to highlight businesses and recognize them for their work. They’re also fun, and they have inspired us at The Launch Pad Teen Center to ask the question: Who do teens consider the best?

The Prescott Area Teen Choice Awards is an opportunity for teens to nominate and vote on businesses, coaches, teachers, nonprofit organizations, restaurants, resource officers, parks, churches, community leaders and others they consider youth advocates. Award recipients will be honored at a community wide event at the Hazeltine Theatre on the evening of April 12.

Jason and Amanda Koiter, with more than 40 years of combined experience in the entertainment industry, are thrilled to announce the launch of the Prescott Conservatory of Performing Arts (PCPA), a nonprofit 501(c)(3) dedicated to empowering young artists through exceptional performing arts education. Together, Jason and Amanda bring their passion for the arts and decades of expertise to nurture the next generation of performers in Prescott and beyond.

The PCPA offers a wide range of group classes and workshops for students in grades six through 12. Programs include acting, improv, theater arts, voice (including show choir), instrumental music, and dance. Private lessons are available in voice, piano, guitar, and drums for those seeking one-on-one instruction.

Amanda, PCPA’s Executive Director and a writer and actor, recognized for her roles on television hits such as “Criminal Minds,” “ER,” and “Third Watch.” She also worked behind the scenes in the writers’ offices of “Third Watch” and “Criminal Minds.” Jason, the Conservatory’s Director of Operations, brings a wealth of experience as a musician, recording engineer, and film and television producer. He serves as Co-Producer of “Criminal Minds: Evolution” on Paramount Plus.

The PCPA is excited to announce its first-ever Spring Talent Show, Prescott’s Got Talent Jr., an event designed to spotlight the incredible talents of local youth. This spectacular evening will take place on Saturday, March 29 at The Hendrix Auditorium at Prescott Mile High Middle School at 300 S. Granite St. in Prescott.

The history of women in rodeo at Prescott Frontier Days® – World’s Oldest Rodeo® is rich with trailblazers, traditions, and transformative milestones, marking the significant roles women have played in rodeo culture from its earliest days. Known as a proving ground for the best riders, ropers, and racers, Prescott’s rodeo set the stage for female competitors to showcase their talent and courage, carving out spaces for women in a largely male-dominated sport.

Arizona’s Christmas City promises a delightful season lineup including parades, live music, Santa visits, street parties, and more

It’s the most wonderful time of the year in Prescott. This year, Newsweek honored the city, “Everybody’s Hometown,” as one of its Top 10 Best Christmas Towns in the Nation, further cementing its reputation as the ultimate destination for holiday cheer and celebrations. Prescott’s annual holiday attractions have begun downtown, and there are several free events happening that will make your holidays complete.

What began 24 years ago as a small community Christmas light display has blossomed into one of Arizona’s most dazzling holiday attractions. Prescott Valley’s Valley of Lights has become a beloved tradition, drawing thousands of visitors annually. The event features animated displays created from thousands of colorful lights designed to spark wonder in both young and old.

The idea for Valley of Lights was first envisioned in 2000 by then-Chamber Executive Director Lew Rees. Inspired by a similar light display in his former community of Branson, Missouri, Rees collaborated with a local lighting company to plan and create the first eight original displays. Retired Executive Assistant Beverly Oleson fondly recalled how, in those early days, staff and volunteers worked tirelessly to bring the vision to life—dragging electrical cords, securing displays, and staffing the donation booth. Little did they know this fledgling event would grow into Prescott Valley’s premier holiday attraction.

Maria Vomlehn Flurry, of Arizona Philharmonic, Sticks and Tones, and manos percussion, to teach composition to Prescott third graders

Maria Flurry is a household name when it comes to Arizona’s music community. She performs as a timpanist with Arizona Philharmonic and Flagstaff Symphony, and is one half of Sticks and Tones with her husband, Henry Flurry (who is co-founder and Artistic Director of AZ Phil).

Now, through AZ Phil and Prescott Unified School District’s Composition Collaboration Project, Maria is preparing to lead a composition program for nine third-grade classes at three elementary schools: Lincoln, Taylor Hicks, and Abia Judd.

This year, the World’s Oldest Rodeo® will shine a spotlight on an extraordinary group of athletes and contributors: the Women in Rodeo. With a nod to the trailblazing women who have shaped rodeo culture from its earliest days, this year’s theme celebrates the often overlooked yet pivotal role women have played in the rodeo world. From barrel racing to trick riding and beyond, women have been integral in shaping not only Prescott Frontier Days®, but the entire sport of rodeo.

“We are incredibly excited to unveil ‘Women in Rodeo’ as the theme for 2025,” said Jim Dewey Brown, General Manager of Prescott Frontier Days®, Inc. “This allows us to honor the deep-rooted traditions and the countless women who have contributed to the history of rodeo—not just as competitors, but as leaders, stock contractors, and pioneers in the sport. Their strength, grit, and determination are central to our rodeo’s legacy.”