EXPERIENCE ARIZONA

experience. arizona Festivals, powwows and get-togethers / by CARRIE M. MINER THREE PHOTOGRAPHERS TEACH TECHNIQUES OF SOUTHWEST PORTRAITS

For the first time, three professional photographers will team to lead a Friends of Arizona Highways workshop. Participants in the April 3-7 workshop will live and work in 1927-era adobe buildings on a ranch outside Tucson.

Navajo photographer LeRoy DeJolie, recently featured on a PBS documentary, will share his secrets about early morning light at Mission San Xavier del Bac, help create Yaqui portraits in a nearby village and lead the group through a saguaro forest accented by late-afternoon sunlight.

Jeff Kida, whose cowboy portraits have become icons of the Southwest, will teach the use of artificial lighting and use Mexican vaqueros as models at a ranch's old library, barn and tack rooms.

J. Peter Mortimer, Arizona Highways' first photo director, will take participants into Mexico and emphasize the use of natural light to develop images of the residents.

For more information on this or other workshops, contact the Friends of Arizona Highways at (602) 712-2004 or toll-free at (888) 790-7042, or visit its Web site at www.friendsofazhighways.com.

Other workshops include: April 16-20 Follow the Mission Trail into Mexico with Jeff Kida.

May 10-18 Raft the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon with Jack Dykinga.

CAMEL COUNTRY

January 12; Quartzsite In 1856, the first of two shipments of camels arrived in Texas as part of an Army experiment using the animals to carry supplies in the arid Southwest. A caretaker named Hadji Ali came with the first 33 camels. The soldiers promptly changed his name to "Hi Jolly."

Under his supervision, the camels quickly proved their worth, but the Army officers and their mounts shied away from the strange-looking animals. As a result, the experiment foundered, so the War Department sold many of the camels and released others into the Arizona desert. Hi Jolly, respected and honored for his part in the experiment, died in Quartzsite on December 16, 1902, at the age of 64.

The town of Quartzsite celebrates Hadji Ali's life with the Hi Jolly Daze Kick-Off Parade and Festivities at Town Park. Highlights include live entertainment, a fiddlers' contest and a singing contest. Information: (928) 927-5600.

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

January 30-February 1; Holbrook The famed Pony Express-following a 2,000-mile route along the Oregon Trail through Kansas, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada and California - delivered mail from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento, California, and everywhere in between.

The Navajo County Hashknife Sheriff's Posse, organized as a search and rescue team in 1955, will deliver mail for the U.S. Postal Service during the 44th Annual Hashknife Pony Express. The riders will carry 20,000 first-class letters from Holbrook to Scottsdale, where their arrival kicks off the annual Parada del Sol, a parade of horse-drawn entries. Information: (928) 524-4155.

WINGS OVER WILLCOX

January 18-20; Willcox Each winter thousands of sandhill cranes flock from as far away as Siberia to roost at the Willcox Playa, a giant lake bed south of Willcox. The playa, which covers 50 to 60 square miles, turns into a shallow lake with the onset of the monsoons, providing these long-legged birds protection from landlocked predators such as coyotes.

Every morning as the sun begins to peek over the Chiricahua Mountains, the cranes start shifting and vocalizing and then, in a great burst of energy, lift off simultaneously in groups of up to 10,000 birds.

This natural spectacle headlines the 9th Annual Wings Over Willcox. Tours offered at the event range in price from $20 to $40 and include a Sparrow Seek and a Hawk Stalk. Free seminars cover such topics as sandhill cranes, basic birdwatching, bats and the history of the Chiricahua Mountains. Information: (520) 384-2272 or toll-free (800) 200-2272.

INDIAN ARTS SHOWCASE

January 12-13; Litchfield Park The Southwestern Indian arts and crafts market is dominated by traditional and contemporary works created by Hopi and Navajo Indians. Some of the most popular items include kachinas, rugs and pottery.

More than 150 artists will showcase their work at the 10th Annual West Valley Native American Arts Festival held at the West Valley Fine Arts Center. The festival also includes dances, demonstrations and ethnic food. Information: (623) 935-6384.

Other Events

Cowboy Classics Western Art and Gear Show; December 29-January 1; Phoenix; (602) 258-8568. Featuring cowboy art, saddle and leather work and silversmithing.

Tyson Wells Rock, Gem and Mineral Show; January 413; Quartzsite; (928) 927-6364. Precious metals and stones, lapidary equipment, goldsmithing, silversmithing and supplies.

Tucson Quilters Guild Quilt Show; January 11-13; Tucson; (520) 882-1968. More than 200 quilts displayed.

Phoenix Open; January 21-27; Scottsdale; (602) 8704431. One of the PGA's top events, held at the Tournament Players Club of Scottsdale.

Australia Day; January 26; Superior; (520) 689-2811. Aboriginal music and Australian folklore, stories and poetry readings at Boyce Thompson Arboretum.

Yuma Lettuce Days; January 26-27; Yuma; (928) 7825712. Farm equipment displays, cabbage bowling, lettuce box car derby, salad toss-off, arts and crafts, petting zoo and live entertainment.

Note: Dates and activities could change. Before planning to attend events, phone for fees and to confirm days and times.