Good morning, Queen Creek. It is the stretch of July when the smart move is to do everything early or after dark, and this week's calendar mostly obliges.
- 🍦 Salt & Straw is coming to The Switchyard. The Portland ice cream maker confirmed a Queen Creek location, the newest tenant signed to the growing development.
- 🏚️ A family is working to save a historic Queen Creek cotton gin. The land it sits on sold for a new gas station.
- 🏫 Primrose School of Queen Creek West opened July 15. A new early-education campus on the town's west side.
- 🍽️ Restaurant Week returns August 17 to 23. The third year of the Chamber's town-wide dining event.
- 🌮 Feastival food trucks run Friday night. Plus Saturday arena riding and barrel racing in town.
Salt & Straw picks The Switchyard
Salt & Straw, the Portland ice cream maker, has confirmed it is opening in Queen Creek at The Switchyard.
Key facts:
- What: A small-batch ice cream shop known for rotating, unusual seasonal flavors.
- Where: The Switchyard, the retail development that keeps adding tenants.
- Status: Officially announced. No opening date set yet.
- Bigger picture: The location continues the company's Arizona expansion.
The Switchyard has been signing tenants steadily, and a national name like Salt & Straw is a sign the development is pulling brands from outside the state. For a town that still measures itself partly by Schnepf peaches and Olive Mill tastings, a Portland ice cream chain is a different kind of arrival.
What to watch: An opening date has not been announced. The next signal is which tenant fills in around it. Details.
Around the corner
🏫 Primrose School of Queen Creek West held its grand opening July 15. The early-education campus sits on the town's west side, and the Chamber marked the ribbon-cutting with local officials and business partners.
🚓 Queen Creek's new police facility got a walkthrough. The town's police chief gave ABC15 a tour of the building. Details.
Property beat
Two property stories this week sit at opposite ends of the town's growth: a record-tier new build changing hands, and a piece of farm history standing in the way of a gas station.
- 🏠 A 2025-built Queen Creek home recently sold for $3.3 million. One of the higher-end sales to close in town this summer, per county records.
- 🏚️ A family is working to save a historic cotton gin. The Queen Creek property it stands on was sold for a new gas station, and relatives are trying to preserve the structure. Details.
The pull between preserving rural landmarks and building on the land they sit on has run through Queen Creek since it incorporated in 1989, when the town's stated purpose was to protect rural life while managing the change coming its way.
Queen Creek notebook
🍽️ Restaurant Week returns August 17 to 23. The Chamber's third annual town-wide dining event, with participating restaurants running specials and limited-time menu items. A month out, but worth marking now. Details.
🎸 The School of Rock Queen Creek house band made the 2026 AllStars tour. Local students were selected to open for School of Rock's touring AllStars at a Valley stop, sharing the stage with young musicians from around the world. Details.
🎓 Central Arizona College named an interim president. Dr. Karin Hilgersom started July 13, bringing 17 years as a college president and vice president. The Pinal County college serves students across the southeast Valley. Details.
The week
Monday
- 📚 Babies, Books, and Bubbles, 9:30 AM. Infant storytime at the Queen Creek Library.
- 🎬 Cinema Club, 6 PM. Adult film discussion at the Queen Creek Library.
Friday
- 👮 Books and Badges, 9:30 AM. A community-helper storytime for toddlers and preschoolers at the library.
- 🌮 Queen Creek Feastival, 5:30 PM. Friday-night food trucks, a weekly summer gathering.
Saturday
- 🐴 Beat the Heat Summer Riding Series, 6 AM to noon. Open arena riding at the Chapman Automotive Group Arena. A signed waiver is required.
- 🤠 BR Diamond Spur Summer Nights Barrel Racing, 5:30 PM. An evening of barrel racing open to beginners and pros.
Around the Valley
A few picks worth leaving town for this week.
🎸 Slow Joy at The Rosetta Room, Mesa. Wednesday, July 22, 7:30 PM. The indie project plays an intimate Mesa room, the closest of this week's picks. Tickets.
⚾ Diamondbacks vs. Athletics at Chase Field, Phoenix. Monday night, downtown. Close enough to make a weeknight of it. Tickets.
🎭 Dear Evan Hansen at Phoenix Theatre. Wednesday, July 22, 7:30 PM. The Tony-winning musical in a mid-size downtown house. Tickets.