Patty Griffin at el Pedregal

Patty Griffin has come a long way since her days as a telephone switchboard operator in Boston. Too shy for years to perform her music in front of an audience, Griffin finally emerged as a  performer when her guitar teacher coaxed her into joining him on stage in a tiny Cambridge,  Massachusetts club.

The Grammy‑nominated singer /songwriter will make her Valley debut in the intimate setting of el Pedregal at the Boulders from 7‑10 p.m., March 10, in Carefree. The show is the second stop on her “Children Running Through Tour” which kicks off March 9 in Tucson. Tickets are $38.

El Pedregal at the Boulders is located at 34631 N. Tom Darlington Drive in Carefree. For more information, call (480) 488‑1072 or visit elpedregal.com.

37th Scottsdale Arts Festival good to go

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts will present the 37th annual Scottsdale Arts Festival March 9‑11 on the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall.

The festival has been a popular attraction to artists and visitors since 1971. During the three‑day event, nearly 200 artists from throughout North America display their work for sale on the Scottsdale Civic Center Mall. Artwork can be purchased directly from the artists or from the Scottsdale Art Festival’s online art auction.

Visitors also enjoy continuous live music and entertainment, hands‑on activities for children and families commissioned by the Scottsdale Public Art Program, free admission to the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, food, beverages, free parking and shuttle service.

Hours are 10 a.m.‑6 p.m. March 9‑10 and 10 a.m.‑5 p.m. March 11. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for students, and free for children 12 and younger. Discounted advance tickets are available for purchase through the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts box office at (480) 994‑2787. Scottsdale Civic Center Mall is located adjacent to Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts at 7380 E. 2nd St. in Scottsdale.

ASU presents Celtic trio

The Cathie Ryan Band–A Celtic Trio will present an evening of traditional Celtic music at 8 p.m., March 9, at Arizona State University Kerr Cultural Center.

Ryan has established herself as one of the genre’s most popular and enduring singer‑songwriters. She has released four highly‑acclaimed CDs and is featured on more than 40 compilations of Celtic music. She is also in great demand as a producer and arranger for a wide variety of musical genres.

Tickets are $20 and $19 for reserved seating and $16 for general admission and are available through ASU Kerr Cultural Center, ASU Gammage and all Ticketmaster outlets. Kerr Cultural Center is located at 6110 N. Scottsdale Road in Scottsdale. Call (480) 596‑2660 or visit asukerr.com for information.

Art festival seeking volunteers

The 37th annual Scottsdale Arts Festival is just around the corner and volunteers are needed to assist with a variety of tasks, including admissions, artist hospitality, refreshment concessions, children’s activities and an online art auction.

The event will take place March 9‑11, and is presented by the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.

All volunteers are required to attend a two‑hour training session and will receive a complimentary T‑shirt, a pass to the festival and lunch. Volunteers may register online at sccarts.org/volunteer.

For additional information, call (480) 874‑4673 or e‑mail festivalvolunteer@sccarts.org.

Elaine Stritch in Scottsdale

Broadway performer Elaine Stritch will present her Tony Award‑winning one‑woman show “Elaine Stritch at Liberty” at 8 p.m., March 9‑10, at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts  Virginia G. Piper Theater.

The show is a candid, behind‑the‑scenes look at the stories of Stritch’s life in the theater and the highs and lows of her long career.

Along the way, Stritch may tell a few hilarious tales about her friends Marlon Brando, Rock Hudson, Richard Burton, Noel Coward, Ethel Merman and Vivien Leigh, to name a few. She also sings selections from her repertoire of Broadway classics, such as “The Ladies Who Lunch,” “There’s No Business Like Show Business” and “I’m Still Here.”

Tickets are $65 from the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts box office at (480) 994‑2787 or  online at scottsdaleperformingarts.org. Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is located at 7380 E. 2nd St. in Scottsdale.

Heard curator lauded

Joe Baker, the Heard Museum’s Lloyd Kiva New Curator of Fine Art, was awarded Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art’s second Contemporary Catalyst Award at the third annual SmoCA Benefit on Feb. 10.

The award acknowledges an individual from the creative sector of the arts community who, through his professional or civic activities, has raised the profile of art, architecture and design in the Valley and has contributed to the area’s growth with quality.

Joe Baker is a curator, teacher, artist and national leader in the Native American arts community. In his current position he has brought groundbreaking exhibitions to the Heard Museum–projects that have vastly broadened the public’s understanding of contemporary Native art and expanded the possibilities for Native artists.

Seven nominations were recognized at the benefit for the award. Each candidate was judged on the criteria of vision, advocacy, originality and prominence. The award was coordinated by the Contemporary  Catalyst Award Committee.

Big band to make big sound in Scottsdale

The World Famous Glenn Miller Orchestra, considered by many to be the greatest big band of all time, will perform at 5 and 8 p.m., March 17, at Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.

The orchestra remains one of the most sought‑after jazz ensembles in the world, performing Miller’s classic hits such as “In The Mood,” “Chattanooga Choo Choo,” “A String of Pearls,” “Moonlight Serenade” and “Tuxedo Junction.”

In 1956, the Glenn Miller Estate formed the present Glenn Miller Orchestra as a result of the extraordinary public interest in the film “The Glenn Miller Story.” It remains the most active big band anywhere.

Led by trombonist Larry O’Brien since 1988, the Glenn Miller Orchestra travels over 100,000 miles each year and performs nearly 300 engagements with a repertoire of more than 1,700 songs.

Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts is located at 7380 E. 2nd St. in Scottsdale. Tickets are $40 and available at (480) 994‑2787 or online at scottsdaleperformingarts.org.