Arizona PBS today announced “Month of the Desert” – a series of community engagement opportunities planned around three new programs featuring local ties. Taking place on the remaining Wednesdays throughout the month of July, the series includes two virtual watch parties and one in-person premiere event.
“At Arizona PBS, our goal is to form deeper connections with the citizens of this state by providing authentic content and opportunities to engage with that content, as well as with the communities around us,” said Adrienne R. Fairwell, the station’s general manager. “Throughout July, our ‘Month of the Desert’ celebration will help us do just that.”
Taking place Wednesday, July 13 at 7 p.m. on the @ArizonaPBS Facebook page, the first event in the series will be a virtual watch party for the debut episode of “America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston,” titled, “Death Valley: Life Blooms.” Hosted by bestselling author and podcaster Baratunde Thurston, “America Outdoors,” which premiered on July 5, explores the country’s diverse landscapes to see how they shape the way we work, play and interact with the outdoors.
On Wednesday, July 20 at 7 p.m., Arizona PBS will host a second virtual watch party on its Facebook page. This second virtual event will focus on the third episode of “The Great Muslim American Road Trip,” which is called “Back on the Road Again: Arizona, Nevada, California.” Another new addition to the PBS lineup, “The Great Muslim American Road Trip” follows a millennial Muslim American couple on a cross-country journey along historic Route 66.
The multi-week “Month of the Desert” celebration will culminate with an in-person premiere event for the desert-focused episode of “The Green Planet” on Wednesday, July 27 at 6:30 p.m. Taking place on the 2nd floor of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, which is located at 555 N. Central Ave. in Phoenix, the event will feature a screening of the episode, which was partially filmed in the Arizona desert, as well as remarks from Fairwell. Those who would like to attend this event can register for tickets by clicking here.
“Month of the Desert” is part of Arizona PBS’ “Your Arizona Connection Starts Here” brand elevation campaign which aims to grow and diversify the station’s audience, update members, viewers and partners on its new vision and direction and educate Arizonans on the many resources it provides.
For more information on the station and its campaign, visit www.azpbs.org/connect.
About Arizona PBS
Arizona PBS is one of the nation’s leading public media organizations, with four broadcast channels and a growing array of digital platforms. A trusted community resource for 60 years, Arizona PBS fosters lifelong learning through quality programming, in-depth news coverage and critical educational outreach services. It is one of the country’s largest public television stations, reaching 80 percent of Arizona homes and 1.9 million households each week. Arizona PBS has been part of ASU since the station launched in 1961. Learn more at https://azpbs.org.