Arizona Nordic Village Sets the Stage for Premiere Dark Skies Destination Event

The vision began in the living room of Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition member William Seven in fall 2019. It would be a destination dark skies event, drawing people from around the region with a captivating world-class speaker, a talented quartet filling the night air, telescope viewing under the darkest of skies, a silent auction featuring one-of-a-kind artwork and experiences, original specialty brews crafted in Flagstaff and the kind of creative, delectable food local chefs are known for.

As the group began sharing the idea, the search for the right location ensued. That’s when Arizona Nordic Village, owned by Babbitt Ranches, offered its unique, off-the-grid hospitality among old growth ponderosa pines and aspen-lined meadows. The yurts and cabins could offer glamp-worthy overnight accommodations for traveling guests, and the area itself, just 15 miles north of Flagstaff, would create the feel of being swept up by the wilderness and the stars.

Legendary Egyptologist Zahi Hawass also signed up. He would captivate listeners with stories about night, where the journey into the afterlife began for Ancient Egypt’s deceased and a fantastic adventure of gods, gatekeepers, serpents and riddles ensued.

The coalition, Arizona Nordic Village, Dr. Hawass and the vision waited the pandemic out for two-and-a-half years. Finally, on Sunday evening, Sept. 25, the event unfolded, with a setting made possible through the generosity and hospitality of Arizona Nordic Village.

Artist Arline Marten donated artwork featuring the night sky to the silent auction. She and her husband, Chuck, attended the event, Flagstaff Dark Skies: An Evening of Awareness, Appreciation and Awe.

“My husband and I were swept away with the environment staged at the Nordic Center, the evening’s well thought out events, with the rare opportunity to hear Dr Zahi Hawass speak of ancient Egypt,” she said. “We also enjoyed seeing many longtime friends while swept up in the magic of the evening! Did you notice the smiles and warmth on the faces of the guests throughout the evening? It was an evening of awe and wonder, a truly successful event, a world-class event. FDSC and all the generous organizers should know this was a complete and beautifully orchestrated evening! Thank you again for an amazing night. We are still enjoying discussing our evening at the Nordic Center.”

And that’s why this month’s Dark Skies Champion is Arizona Nordic Village. “The hard-working and tremendously accommodating staff members at Arizona Nordic Village created an evening of enchantment that sets the bar so very high for dark skies destination events to come. We can’t say enough about their customer service and can-do attitude tucked into the forest that is so beautifully and uniquely Flagstaff in setting and atmosphere,” said Coalition Executive Board Member Robert Breunig, who attended with his wife, Karen Enyedy. FBN

Watch for 2023 Flagstaff Dark Skies events at FlagstaffDarkSkies.org 

To see the interview with Zahi Hawass, watch Zonie Living on StarWorldWideNetworks.com