It's A Super Event, Eh?

Every year Phoenix-area residents have a chance to celebrate the friendship they share with our neighbours (cq) to the north who become our winter visitors/residents.

It's that time again! The Great Canadian Picnic is set for Saturday, Feb. 4 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Activity Complex of South Mountain Park (10919 South Central Ave., Phoenix 85042).

And the event just gets better and better every year. Here is a partial list of the fun, family friendly activities on the docket for 2017:

Freebies:

• Admission

• Parking

Picnic Activities

• Live music by the Jack Jackson band

• Classic car display

• Food trucks: Down Under Foods, Burgers Amore, Rockstar Hot Dogs, The American Poutine Company, • Dipstick Waffles and Bakery

• Great raffle and door prizes

• Face painting

• Balloons

• Temporary tattoos

• Snow slide and a big pile of snow

• Snow golf (putting on a snow drift)

Fun and Games

• Coyote's Youth Mobile Tour

• Hockey shoot out with the inflatable Coyotes goal

• Ball hockey

• Calf roping

• Corn Hole Boards

• Moose toss (a knock down game)

• Scavenger Hunt

• Curling game with the Coyotes Curling Club

•Rock Climbing Wall

One Million And Growing: Arizona's Canadian Tourists

"Record breaking" is simply the best way to describe Arizona's unique relationship with Canada as the state celebrates Canada Week. For the first time ever, 2015 brought more than one million recorded Canadian tourists to explore and enjoy communities across all of Arizona.

"Arizona enjoys a long standing friendship with our Canadian neighbors who bring an incredible economic impact of more than $1 billion each year in tourism dollars," said Kim Sabow, president and CEO of the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association.

A Home Away From Home

"It's incredible to consider that an estimated 75 percent of all international travelers going through Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport are Canadians and 80 percent of all international private jet activity at Scottsdale Airport is Canadian. That results in significant economic impact for our state."

Arizona's Canadian visitors stay an average of 20 nights in the state per trip with an average spend of $1,300 per visit.

"Canadians and Arizonans share similar character and values which provide a sense of community and welcoming," said Ken McKenzie, general manager of the Scottsdale Resort at McCormick Ranch and Chairman of the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association.

"Our state truly becomes a home away from home, and the result is repeat visits which go beyond important economic impact. We truly are thrilled to welcome these friends back again and again."

Largest Visitor Market

Canada's provinces of Alberta, Ontario and British Columbia represent the vast majority of visitors to Arizona. At the national level, Canadians remain the largest visitor market for the U.S., contributing to over 30 percent of total visits.

Further, Arizona's proximity to California and Mexico provides a tremendous opportunity to increase business tourism as more Canadian firms consider our state for strategic growth. Arizona's low tax structure and business-friendly regulatory environment make the state an ideal location for Canadian businesses interested in accessing two of the world's top economies.

Governor Doug Ducey is committed to growing a strong and vibrant economy from trade to tourism; our relation with Canada is creating important jobs supporting Arizona and its families," Sabow added.

For additional information, please contact Kim Sabow, president and CEO at the Arizona Lodging and Tourism Association at 602-604-0729 or ksabow@azlta.com.