< PreviousA S ONE OF THE LARGEST RENAISSANCE FAIRS IN THE NATION, THE ARIZONA RENAISSANCE FESTIVAL AND ARTISAN MARKETPLACE brings one of the most fanciful times in history alive with a 50-acre European-style village complete with knights in shining armor, mythic heroes and creatures, live jousting tournaments, ancient artisan shops and more. The nonstop, day-long Medieval fun returns for its 35th annual year on February 4 through April 2, 2023 with new and fan favorite experiences that will take children and adults of all ages on a trip back to a time of chivalry, royalty and mythology. Guests can watch honorable warriors clash their steel weapons in the nation’s only permanent 5,000-seat jousting arena, participate in a variety of contests, try their hand at bows and arrows in the archery range, indulge in feasts fit for kings and delight in the dozens of magical storybook characters, games and people-powered amusement park rides. The 16 entertainment stages will highlight performances from festival favorites Don Juan and Miguel and 30-time whip-cracking Guinness World Record holder Adam Crack; in addition, this year’s festival will host new shows including Fool’s Medicine, The Emergency Clown Nose Show and the Dancing Swords of The Ren Men. The Royal Faire will also feature over 200 artisan shops where merchants display unique hand- made goods, such as shields, scented candles, furniture, jewelry and clothing, while demonstrating skills that date to the Middle Ages, including blacksmithing, glassblowing, woodcarving, weaving and candle making. The Arizona Renaissance Festival and Artisan Marketplace is held Saturdays and Sundays and on Presidents’ Day from February 4 through April 2, 2023 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 12601 East U.S. Highway 60, Gold Canyon, Ariz. 85118. Admission is $22 for children 5–12, $34 for adults 13 years and above and free for children under four. General admission tickets can be purchased online in advance or at the Festival Box Office where senior and military discount tickets are available as well with valid I.D. Learn more at www.Arizona.RenFestInfo.com Arizona Renaissance Festival & Artisan Marketplace Celebrates 35 Years By Savannah Leedy ADVERTORIAL , ARIZ ONA.RENFES TINF O .C OM 202 3 EDITION 70 INARIZ ONAINARIZ ONA 71 202 3 EDITION , CA C T U S LE A G U E February 24– March 28, 2023 Time to play ball: With 15 MLB teams and 10 stadiums across the Valley, spring training is back this season in home run force. MLB Spring Training The Valley is now the spring training home to 15 MLB teams, making Arizona a go-to destination for baseball lovers. Ahead of the season’s start, we sat down with Diamondbacks players Josh Rojas and Zac Gallen to talk about all things spring training and look ahead to the 2023 season. 202 3 EDITION 72 INARIZ ONA Take Me Out to the Ball Game! BY CASSIE BRUCCI If you’re looking for a quintessential springtime experience in Arizona, look no further than spring training.AZF: As an Arizona native, you’re part of the first generation to grow up with the Diamondbacks, and now you’re playing for them. What significance does this hold, especially during a milestone year? JR: Growing up an Arizona sports fan, I always rooted for the hometown teams. It’s been pretty special to contribute and help turn our franchise in the direction we’re trying to go. AZF: You were nominated for a Roberto Clemente Award last year, acknowledging all the fantastic work you do supporting youth baseball. What does that mean to you? JR: It was a great honor. It wasn’t anything that I expected. I don’t host free baseball camps with the hopes of being nominated. I do it for the kids in the area that I grew up in that don’t have all the gear they need. I’m trying to instill confidence in the next generation that they can make it to the big leagues. AZF: Did you attend many spring training games growing up? What is your favorite memory? JR: I went to quite a few. One of my favorite memories is going to see Ichiro Suzuki play. Growing up, he was my favorite player, so seeing him in batting practice before the game was pretty awesome. AZF: Why should someone attend a spring training game? How would you persuade someone who’s never been? JR: I love the laid-back environment. It allows players and fans the opportunity to interact in ways you typically can’t during the regular season. You can talk to players, get their autographs and see the teams practice before the game. AZF: There are so many great things to do in Arizona this spring. Aside from spring training, what are you looking forward to? JR: This year, I’m looking forward to the Super Bowl and all the pre-game events. And I always look forward to the WM Phoenix Open. The environment is unlike any other golf tournament. INARIZ ONA 73 202 3 EDITION INTERVIEW Josh Rojas Third Baseman- , TA N A LA U R E N P H O T O G R A P H Y MLB Spring TrainingAZF: You set new career highs and franchise records during the 2022 season. What milestones or goals are you hoping to reach this season, personally and as a team? ZG: My biggest goal is staying healthy. Especially over the last couple of years, I’ve realized how vital my health is to make all my starts. In terms of personal stats, I want to build on the previous year. As a team, I’d love to make it to the playoffs and ultimately win the championship. AZF: You’re originally from New Jersey and played for the Miami Marlins before coming to Arizona. How have you enjoyed your time here so far? How has fan reception been? ZG: I love it in Arizona. This town wants its teams to win, and when the teams do well, people really show up. I was traded twice before I turned 24, so it’s been good to find a place to call home. AZF: What’s your favorite spring training memory with the Diamondbacks? ZG: My first spring training season with the Diamondbacks was pretty memorable. Salt River Fields had the largest crowds I ever saw at a spring training game, and the energy was palpable. Seeing how excited the fans were was special. I remember telling my friends they needed to come experience spring training in Arizona. AZF: Between the Diamondbacks’ roster and farm teams, there’s a lot of promising young talent. Who do you think is poised for a breakout season? ZG: It’s tough to choose, but I’d say Alek Thomas. Although he’s struggled a bit offensively, he’s an unbelievable defender and is probably the best center fielder I’ve ever played with. He’s a prime breakout candidate, and I’m looking forward to seeing what he can accomplish this year. AZF: What are some things you’d recommend out-of-town folks do or see while visiting for spring training? ZG: Arizona has a lot of really great food, so I’d recommend checking out some restaurants. Bacanora, Buck & Rider and Otro Cafe are a few of my favorites, but there are excellent options everywhere. You can stumble into a spot, and the next thing you know, it’s your favorite place. n 202 3 EDITION 74 INARIZ ONA MLB Spring Training INTERVIEW Zac Gallen Pitcher- , TA N A LA U R E N P H O T O G R A P H YThe Arizona Diamondbacks are celebrating their 25th year as an MLB franchise. Here’s a look back at highlights over the past decades leading up to their silver anniversary, as well as exclusive interviews with famous former players Randy Johnson—hall of famer and one of baseball’s greatest pitchers—and Luis “Gonzo” Gonzalez—former record-breaking all-star left fielder—who have both left an indelible mark on the team we know and love today. AZF: If you could relive a single moment in your career with the D-backs, what would that be? Randy Johnson: It is a team highlight but something I was asked to do. It would be coming out of the bullpen in game seven (of the World Series) because a whole year, a whole season was under my belt. I never doubted my ability but didn’t know what the results were going to be after everything I accomplished that year. I didn’t know what I was going to be able to give. If I don’t pitch well and all of a sudden give up a couple of runs, maybe the likelihood of what the outcome was may not have happened. It was a matter of me being in uncharted waters after everything I had gone through that year. It was something I had never experienced, and it was one of the greatest efforts that I’ve probably ever put forward in anything I've ever done baseball-wise. Luis Gonzalez: Game Seven of the World Series. You dream as a little kid to be in that special moment with all eyes on you to help win a world championship. To be that player in that moment, you wish you could bottle it up and share it with your teammates and everyone in the stadium and throughout the state. AZF: What is the best advice you’ve ever received? RJ: The best advice I ever received was from my dad, Bud Johnson: “You’re putting your name on whatever you’re doing, do it well.” LG: The best advice I’ve received came from my mom, Ame Silverstein: Treat people the way you want to be treated. Always be respectful to everyone. Appreciate everything you have because it can be taken away at any time. Always enjoy the moment and live in the moment. AZF: How has the game changed (or not) since you were playing? RJ: The game has changed over the last 10 years as things have come and gone and others are being implemented. The shift was new, and now it will be gone. The time clock has been talked about since I was playing because they wanted to shorten up the game. After being to some Minor League games where they implemented the time clock, I watched games that were two and a half hours. LG: The game has changed a lot especially with the new rules. It’s changed for the players because social media has become a huge part of what they do on and off the field, the endorsements and different types of opportunities these players can come into, especially those with great big personalities. It helps the fans get to know them better and who they are not just as players but as people. AZF: Crystal ball—Where do you see the D-backs headed in the next 25 years? RJ: We are building a strong foundation with homegrown talent and hope over time that translates to sustained success. As the team has more success, it will become a destination for players who want to play at home, like I did when I signed here in 1999. We have seen it work in the past with our postseason teams being a good mix of veterans and young players who were invested in this city. The fans here are great about supporting their teams, and I expect we will give them plenty to cheer about in the years to come. LG: I’d like to see us win a few more championships and make some trips to the World Series. We have a great amount of young talent coming through the system in the next few years. Hopefully, we can continue to grow with them and help them become champions here for our state and for our organization. n 202 3 EDITION 76 INARIZ ONA Batter up! Arizona Diamondbacks Celebrate 25 Years BY CHRISTINA SILVESTRI Randy JohnsonLuis Gonzalez INTERVIEW , BARR Y GOSSA GE/ARIZ ONA DIAMONDBA CKS , JED J A C OBSOHN/ALLSPOR T 25 Years of the Diamondbacks in a Nutshell (a fresh-roasted MLB peanut nutshell, of course) Established: March 9, 1995 Stadium groundbreaking: Nov. 16, 1995 Inaugural season: 1998 Inaugural Game: March 31, 1998 vs. the Colorado Rockies 6 postseason appearances (1999, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2011, 2017) 2001 World Series champions 5-time NL West champions (1999, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2011) Retired numbers: 42 for Jackie Robinson (number retired on April 15, 1997); 20 for Luis Gonzalez (number retired on Aug. 7, 2010); 51 for Randy Johnson (number retired on Aug. 8, 2015) MLB Spring Training202 3 EDITION 78 INARIZ ONA MLB Spring Training , THE SC O T T SD ALE CHARROSOf the 10 ballparks that host spring training in the Phoenix metro area each year, Scottsdale Stadium—the spring training home of the San Francisco Giants—offers the ultimate VIP experience for both dedicated fans and leisure visitors alike. The Charro Lodge is a one-of-a-kind private facility built within Scottsdale Stadium that provides patio-style seating, all-inclusive food and drinks and an outstanding view of the game with its ideal location adjacent to the bullpen in right field. Perfect for hosting groups or entertaining clients, The Charro Lodge accommodates up to 600 people with shaded seating and unbeatable 360-degree field views. Once inside, guests can enjoy a complimentary full-service bar and delicious food from a featured local restaurant and premium ballpark fare, plus some famous Charro hospitality that’s all included with the price of admission. The Charro Lodge is managed by the Scottsdale Charros, one of the city’s leading philanthropic organizations that is composed of an all-volunteer, nonprofit group of business and civic leaders dedicated to supporting youth sports, education and charitable causes. Every March, the Scottsdale Charros welcome more than 200,000 fans to Scottsdale Stadium, making it not only one of the top destinations for spring training but also the Charros’s premier annual fundraising event. The Scottsdale Charros and The Charro Foundation have donated more than $20 million to the community to date through grants to local charities and schools, students and teachers in the Scottsdale Unified School District. “Scottsdale has a certain energy to it that is not found in many other places around the Valley,” says Bob Weston, Scottsdale Charros 2023 baseball chairman. “The abundance of quality retail, restaurants and hotels, along with the best service in Arizona, means that everyone who comes through town will find something fun to do. I love that Scottsdale Stadium is located in the heart of Old Town, which provides unparalleled access to the best entertainment in the entire metro area.” History It all started back in 1961 when a special activity affiliate of the Scottsdale Chamber of Commerce convened at Hotel Valley Ho with the goal to promote and attract tourism to Scottsdale through sports and cultural activities. The Scottsdale Charros began hosting the Boston Red Sox for spring training at the old Scottsdale Stadium the following spring. In fact, many credit the Scottsdale Charros for helping to save the Cactus League by attracting the Chicago Cubs for spring training from 1967– 1978, followed by the Oakland A’s for a three-year contract that ended in 1981. The San Francisco Giants have called Scottsdale Stadium home for spring training ever since. Today After Scottsdale Stadium received a $50-million upgrade in 2019, the Scottsdale Charros, the San Francisco Giants and the City of Scottsdale extended their contract to 2044. “We are very excited about having the first ‘normal’ spring training season since 2019,” says Weston about the 2023 spring training schedule. “While we are proud of the experience we have been able to provide fans during the past few challenging seasons, we cannot wait to enjoy the first full schedule in the newly renovated stadium.” While spring training continues to be the primary fundraising activity for the Scottsdale Charros, the group has identified new opportunities to raise funds for charitable causes, including the Charro Invitational Golf Tournament, which will also take place this spring as well as hosting the annual Parada Del Sol Historic Parade in Old Town Scottsdale. n VIP tickets to The Charro Lodge for the 2023 season can be purchased at www.charros.com/spring-training-baseball INARIZ ONA 79 202 3 EDITION Experience Spring Training Like a VIP at The Charro Lodge at Scottsdale Stadium BY CHRISTINA SILVESTRI FEEL GOODNext >