Good morning, East Mesa. Monsoon season is officially on, so keep a phone charged, a basic kit ready, and an eye on older neighbors as the first storms move in.
- 🍴 Downtown Mesa's food hall is adding a restaurant incubator. City council signed off on a low-cost launchpad for new local eateries at Main Street Market.
- 🛒 Three markets run Saturday. The Eastmark Farmers Market, the Berry Sweet Market at Vertuccio Farms, and an indoor maker market downtown.
- ⛳ Father's Day is Sunday. A golf scramble at Augusta Ranch and brunch at the Patio at Las Sendas.
- 🏀 Section 7 girls basketball is at Arizona Athletic Grounds. The national club tournament tips off Friday.
- 📚 Red Mountain Library has a full week. Crochet, sewing, a nutrition class, and kids programs Tuesday through Saturday.
- 🎓 Two school dates. A Mountain View HS campus tour Wednesday and a Mesa Public Schools board meeting June 25.
- 🎟️ Around the Valley. Mercury basketball, the Diamondbacks, and a Canadian indie triple bill in Phoenix.
A restaurant incubator for downtown Mesa
Mesa is turning part of its downtown food hall into a launchpad for first-time restaurant owners.
Key facts:
- What: City council approved an incubator built into Main Street Market, the downtown food hall, to help new and small eateries get going.
- Who: The effort involves Local First Arizona and its founder, Kimber Lanning, alongside the city's urban transformation manager, Jeff McVay.
- Where: Main Street Market in downtown Mesa, roughly a 20-minute drive from most of the east side.
- Why it helps: An incubator gives a cook with a concept a real kitchen and storefront without the cost of building one from scratch.
The point is to lower the first and hardest step for a local food business, the one where rent and buildout costs sink an idea before it ever opens. For east-side readers, it is both a new downtown spot to try and, for anyone sitting on a food concept, a cheaper way in.
What to watch: the first tenants and an opening timeline. Full story at the Mesa Tribune.
The week ahead
Midweek
- 📚 Red Mountain Library, Tuesday through Thursday. Crochet circles, a patriotic-banner sewing social, a family nutrition class, and a digital help desk, plus storytime and a Pokémon card club for kids.
- 🍕 Trivia at On The Green, Wednesday. Free to play with prizes, 7 PM at the Mesa sports grill. Details.
- 🏀 Section 7 girls basketball, Friday. The national club tournament runs at Arizona Athletic Grounds. Details.
Saturday markets and more
- 🥬 Eastmark Farmers Market, Saturday. At Eastmark Great Park, 5100 S. Eastmark Pkwy. Details.
- 🍓 Berry Sweet Market, Saturday. The farm market at Vertuccio Farms, 4011 S. Power Road. Details.
- 🛍️ Mission Square Marketplace, Saturday. An indoor market of local makers at Mesa Social Club. Details.
- 📖 Local Author Book Fair, Saturday. Mesa authors sign and sell from 10 AM to 1 PM at the downtown Main Library. Details.
- 🎸 Arizona Punk Festival, Saturday. State punk bands at the Nile Theater in downtown Mesa. Details.
Father's Day, Sunday
Around East Mesa
- 🏠 Typical Mesa rent is about $1,561 a month. That is down 1% over the past year. Zillow.
- 🗑️ Mesa is putting AI cameras on its garbage trucks. The city is upgrading the camera system across its solid waste fleet, the trucks that serve every east-side neighborhood. Details.
- 🎆 July 4 plans are set. The Arizona Celebration of Freedom returns to the Mesa Convention Center with entertainment and patriotic programs. Details.
From the schools
- 🎓 Mountain View HS campus tour, Wednesday. A 9 AM walk-through led by Dr. Oliver; email [email protected] to sign up. Details.
- 🏫 Mesa Public Schools board meets June 25. The governing board convenes at 6 PM at the district offices on North Stapley Drive. Details.
Around the Valley
A few picks worth the drive into Phoenix this week.
- ⚾ Diamondbacks vs. Angels, Monday. First pitch 6:40 PM at Chase Field, a weeknight interleague matchup downtown. Tickets.
- 🏀 Mercury vs. Las Vegas Aces, Wednesday. 7 PM at Mortgage Matchup Center. The Aces are one of the WNBA's powerhouse teams. Tickets.
- 🎤 Metric, Broken Social Scene, and Stars, Wednesday. Three Canadian indie acts on one bill at Arizona Financial Theatre. An unusual co-headline. Tickets.