Hello, thanks for the opportunity to speak and present our proposal to continue the events that we believe directly benefit Dewey-Humboldt.
AFOSA was formed in 2006 by residents of the Dewey-Humboldt area who were concerned about the encroachment by neighboring Prescott Valley.
AFOSA’s first event was the 2007 Centennial Agua Fria Festival. We arranged the festival in traditional style with vendors and a parade on Main Street. We invited businesses and crafters, and with assistance by interested government agencies we enticed participation by a broad array of agencies and groups. We arranged participation by the horse-drawn Wells Fargo Stagecoach, we secured an ultralight squadron fly-over during the parade; and we held hay rides through town.
Prior to 2006, the Dewey-Humboldt Community Organization (DHCO) had focused on Town planning. Prompted by federal and state agencies, the group’s concerns expanded to include open space.
AFOSA’s aims to strengthen community resident connections and continue building Dewey-Humboldt’s independence and leadership. We believe that caring for open space adds to the Town’s unique appeal as Arizona’s Country Town.
Municipal/nonprofit partnerships are a well-established means to build a town’s quality of life and general reputation. Without a robust events calendar, the Town risks losing its distinct identity and becoming a mere suburb of its larger neighbor.
After incorporating and achieving nonprofit 501(c)(3) status, AFOSA stayed busy organizing public-land clean-up parties, other festivals, and contributions to Town planning. We also took part in regional open space activities such as our recent proposal for a new strategy for Forest Service desert fire management.
We are requesting the Town allocate $12,700.00 for the five events listed below. The events will leverage citizen volunteers, the Town’s public spaces, and AFOSA’s organization to increase community cohesion, benefit local businesses and institutions, and build Dewey-Humboldt’s visibility and reputation.
I want to end my presentation with a call for volunteers. If you would like to help with planning and conducting events, please sign up here or on our website: https://aguafriaopenspace.org/community-events.
A 2006 photo of some of AFOSA’s original volunteers.
FISCAL 2026:
- Dewey-Humboldt Day (Our Independence Day)– March 28, 2026. $2,000.
Expected attendance, 500+.
Budget: Total $2,000.
Banners and flyers: $300
Insurance and traffic management: $700
Sanitation and cleanup: $1,000
Safety: Volunteer patrol
Equipment borrowed from the Town: tables, chairs, awnings
FISCAL 2027: - Summer Bash — July 25, 2026. $9,000.
Expected attendance, 500+.
Budget: $9,000.
Banners and Flyers: $300
Food: $3,000
Rides & Games: $4,000
Insurance and traffic management: $700
Sanitation and cleanup: $1,000
Safety: Volunteer patrol, awning shade, a cooling station at the Library
Equipment borrowed from the Town: propane grills, warming table, tables, chairs, awnings - Trunk or Treat (October). $300.
Treats, best-trunk prize, flyers - Angel Tree (Mid November to late December). $500.
Tree and angel ornaments, misc. supplies, “top-off” gifts, and flyers. - Christmas Light Parade, Santa & Cookies (Mid December). $900.
Cookies, cocoa, coffee, flyers, “top-off” gifts, and insurance
Equipment borrowed from the Town: Outdoor heaters, tree, ornaments.
