Our office is open 7-days a week to help with all your Kayenta real estate needs.
Your Kayenta Home and Properties Sales Team:
Jeff Sproul, Principal Broker
Steve McAllister & Naomi Doyle, Sales Agents
435-628-7234
Wisdom Project Update
by Matt Marten
We conducted two community meetings on April 26th and 27th to introduce the potential development of Independent and Assisted Living facilities in Kayenta. Approximately fifty-five community residents attended and expressed interest in the project.
The meetings were facilitated by myself and my long-time friend, Patty Flood. Patty is a nurse with extensive experience in case management for senior communities in California. During the meetings, we discussed the scope of work under consideration, which includes various levels of housing available for purchase and rental. Independent living options would consist of individual stand-alone homes and attached villas. The main building would house community amenities such as meeting spaces, dining areas, kitchen, offices, fitness studios, etc. Attached to the main building will be the Casita Suites for residents requiring Assisted Living services.
The location proposed for this project encompasses several acres of land east of the current pickleball courts. All building designs will adhere to the Kayenta Concept and barrier-free universal design principles.
Audience members actively participated in the discussion and demonstrated enthusiasm for the project, encouraging us to further research and develop a detailed plan. Our next steps include critically examining the specifics of housing and community amenities, determining the project’s scope and cost, and establishing the operational framework.
We will continue to provide updates on progress as the planning stages evolve. Additionally, we have created an email list for those interested in receiving updates and announcements about future meetings. Please spread the word and share information with your neighbors. We will do our best to provide updates and meeting announcements here in the Kayenta Connection.
Photos by Alan Holben
Native Arts Market
ART FESTIVAL
Friday, May 2, 2025 | 5:00pm-8:00pm during FIRST FRIDAYS at Kayenta
Saturday & Sunday, May 3-4, 2025 | 10:00am-5:00pm
FREE to attend!
Kayenta Arts Foundation is thrilled to host the 2025 Kayenta Native Arts Market, formerly known as Festival of the Americas. This exciting event will feature a wide range of traditional and contemporary Native American art, including jewelry, pottery, textiles, paintings, and sculptures from dozens of artists located throughout the Southwest.
Enjoy spectacular art, stunning desert vistas, food trucks, and an exciting lineup of indigenous performers throughout the weekend. This event is fun for the whole family, and offers an incredible opportunity to learn more about native cultures.
During the Native Arts Market, Kayenta Arts Foundation hosts fundraising events for the Shivwits Band of the Paiute Tribe of Southern Utah. By shopping at our silent auction, you are supporting their impactful scholarship fund.
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES
Coyote Tales
May 9
The Night’s Theme: Surrender
Coyote Tales are live, open-mic style storytelling events with amateur and experienced storytellers. Each event has a theme on which stories are to be based. The theme for this event is: “Surrender.” Potential storytellers may address that theme in any way they choose. Prior to the event, storytellers craft their true, on-theme story, practice the telling (5-7 minutes or less), and work on eliminating excess detail to nail the perfect ending.
When the doors open, potential storytellers put their name in the hat in hopes of being chosen to share their tale. If chosen, the storyteller takes the stage to delight the audience.
For more information or to get on stage to share your tale, please contact Victoria through the Coyote Tales website at www.coyotetalesstories.com.
Elisa Harkins
May 10
Wampum / ᎠᏕᎳ ᏗᎦᎫᏗ
Wampum / ᎠᏕᎳ ᏗᎦᎫᏗ is an ongoing project where visual artist and composer Elisa Harkins sings in a combination of Cherokee, English, and Muscogee (Creek) to electronic dance music, some of which is inspired by sheet music of Indigenous music notated by Daniel Chazanoff during the 20th century.
As an act of Indigenous Futurism, it combines disco and Indigenous language in an effort to alter the fate of these endangered languages through active use, preservation on pressed vinyl, and radio play.
The performance of Wampum / ᎠᏕᎳ ᏗᎦᎫᏗ is referring to Wampum belts and Indigenous peacekeeping as well as the Cherokee use of wampum beads as currency.
ᎠᏕᎳ ᏗᎦᎫᏗ, pronounced a-de-la di-ga-gu-di can be translated to “money on a string”.
The intention of the Wampum / ᎠᏕᎳ ᏗᎦᎫᏗ performance is to create a metaphorical peacekeeping agreement that is between the people watching the piece, regardless of tribe or race.
A Season on the Wind | Music for Migratory Birds
May 17
The Bowerbird Collective
The Bowerbird Collective proudly presents ‘A Season on the Wind’, a cinematic concert based on author, ornithologist and conservationist Kenn Kaufman’s book of the same name. This event is an inspiring ode to migratory birds, and an unforgettable night of musical storytelling. A musical and visual journey from the shores of Lake Erie across the Americas, this performance stars three internationally acclaimed musicians, and features spectacular visuals and soundscapes. Created by the Bowerbird Collective, an award-winning Australian-based organization making art for nature, at the invitation of the Biggest Week in American Birding festival and Kenn Kaufman himself, the work features a newly commissioned score by The Brothers Balliett (NYC), whose music is praised as “vivid, emotive, with contemporary twists”.
Also featured on the program is ‘Rivers are our Brothers’, a song cycle by Majel Connery on ecological responsibility told from the point of view of the land.
VOYAGER LECTURE SERIES
May 20
Valley Fever and Our Rapidly Changing Environment
With Dr. Katharine S. Walter and Dr. Ginamarie Foglia
This year’s Voyager Lecture Series follows “The History of This Land,” from the deep time studied in geology, through modern concerns related to our changing environment.
Our final lecture of this series comes from Dr. Katharine S. Walter, an infectious disease epidemiologist based in Salt Lake City. Landscape development and climate change are elevating the risk of a new fungal infection in Southern Utah: Valley Fever. Join Dr. Walter, along with Dr. Ginamarie Foglia, as they discuss dangerous emerging fungal pathogens, Valley Fever, and the implications of very local projects including the proposed Dry Wash reservoir.
Learn more at Evo-Epi Laboratory
UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS
EVERY MONTH
First Fridays at Kayenta
We’re thrilled to introduce First Fridays at Kayenta, happening on the first Friday of every month, September through June! Enjoy live music, food trucks, and a pop-up boutique market in the Kayenta Art Village beginning at 5:00 pm, with film screenings in the theater presented by DOCUTAH, and good vibes all around.
Live Music
Kayenta Jazz Trio • 5:30p-7:30p
FREE • Live Music in the Courtyard!
Kayenta Native Arts Market Preview!
5:oop-8:00p
This exciting event will feature a wide range of traditional and contemporary Native American art, including jewelry, pottery, textiles, paintings, and sculptures from dozens of artists located throughout the Southwest.
Visit Make Space!
5:00p-7:00p
Come be a part of our growing art community for First Friday, view art, meet fantastic teachers, and learn what MakeSpace has to offer for art classes.
DOCUTAH Presents: On Sacred Ground
7:30p
More information on this event below.
Part of DOCUTAH
May 2
Film: On Sacred Ground
The peace and serenity that envelops Bear Butte Mountain in South Dakota seems an unlikely venue for activism. It is here, amid the bucolic grasses and flowers, the grazing Buffalo and wildlife that the stage has been set for battle. While not Wounded Knee or Custer’s Last Stand it is still the stuff of history – and just as important to Native Americans.
Sunday Night… Alright!
May 18
with Soul What!?
Join us at the Kayenta Village Outdoor Theatre. Presenting Soul What!?, Southern Utah’s favorite classic line-up, playing a high-energy show filled with classic hits and loads of fun. Join your friends as we celebrate the new season’s warmer weather with music and dancing.
Doors open at 6:30PM and Soul What!? performs from 7:00pm-9:00pm. Feel free to bring your own snacks and beverages. Sit back and prepare for a great toe-tapping time!
Visit our website for information and tickets to all our amazing events.
We look forward to seeing you at the Center for the Arts in Kayenta.
Kayenta Community
The local perspective. Our businesses and residents news and events.
In celebration of the 21st anniversary of the Desert Rose Labyrinth
(built by Kayenta volunteers in 2004)
PLEASE JOIN US FOR
World Labyrinth Day • “Walk as One at 1”
Saturday, May 3rd at 12:45 pm
Every year on the first Saturday in May, thousands of people all around the globe participate in World Labyrinth Day as a moving meditation and celebration of the labyrinth experience. Many “Walk as One at 1” local time to create a rolling wave of peaceful energy passing from one time zone to the next. See last year’s video from around the world (including Kayenta) at worldlabyrinthday.org.
The Desert Rose Labyrinth is a hidden gem in our community, funded and maintained by residents. (Please let us know if you’d like to volunteer to help pull weeds or trim trees at the labyrinth.)
Unique Experiences,
Gastronomic Delights,
Local Perspective,
Exceptional Art.
Metal Artist
Lance Ludlow
“I’ve always been considered a little redneck with a touch of class. Sometimes my work weighs heavy one way or the other.”
featured at
Gallery 873
Community Spotlight
Janell Bassett, Editor
Eric and Leslie Wickfield: Co-Pilots for Life
There was something about the freedom of flying that attracted both Eric and Leslie Wickfield as teenagers, years before they met.
Leslie started out skydiving, and figured out one day that “I could fly this plane, and if I got my license, I could jump for free!” That led to working as a flight instructor before she took a job at a marine products company near Boston where she worked in the back office and also flew the company plane when executives needed to travel.
With the Citation jet in Iceland
Eric, meanwhile, pursued his interest in aviation, making his first solo flight just after high school graduation. Though his parents pushed him to study business, he went to work at the FlightSafety Academy in Vero Beach, Florida, as an instructor, later flying business aircraft for various corporations and taking a job as a Demonstration and Production Test Pilot at General Dynamics. Along the way, he met and hired Leslie as a co-pilot. Together they started a financial services business as Eric was in school obtaining his MBA, which they later sold.
Both Wickfields have made their mark in the world of aviation. While working for the marine products company, the president told Leslie he would like to travel to Europe in the company plane, a Cessna P210, which Leslie says “was not even close to the type of aircraft that ‘normal’ people fly across an ocean,” as it lacked long range navigation and communication radios, as well as extra fuel tanks. So Leslie charted a route through Canada, Greenland, Iceland, and Scotland to England. She became one of the youngest women to ever fly that trip in a single engine airplane alone.
Flight path
Her accomplishments, Eric adds are “really extraordinary. Not many male pilots, me included, would have been brave enough to cross the Atlantic Ocean in a single engine propeller powered airplane! Leslie had to navigate by dead reckoning and her compass — exactly in the same manner as Lindberg and Earhart.”
Leslie quit flying for a few years as a stay-at-home mom, but both Wickfields eventually returned to the air. Along the way, Eric became Executive-in-Residence in the graduate school of management at Boston University, became a recognized author and speaker on aviation safety, and was honored this year with the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award by the FAA, the highest honor that can be bestowed on a civilian pilot. Living in Groton, Massachusetts for 30 years, both were involved in local schools, local civic and charity activities, and served as youth soccer coaches.
They found Kayenta looking to retire in a warmer climate with plenty of opportunities to indulge their love of hiking, motorcycling, and racing cars. Eric finds the spectacular scenery piques his interest in photography, while Leslie enjoys cooking, quilting and knitting. They both cherish the truly friendly people here. Eric was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Shonto Point HOA.
Though Leslie always swore that “I would not even date a pilot, much less marry one,” as she says, “fate intervened, and Eric and I married less than two years after we met.” Together, they traveled the world, enjoyed adventures from Guam to Guatemala, and are happy to have landed at last, in Kayenta.
Editors note. If you know someone that you think should be featured in our monthly Kayenta Connection under our NEW “Resident Spotlight” section please email the Kayenta Connection at kayentaconnection@rdicreative.com. Our intent is to focus on the incredible people living in our community– be they seasoned residents or new recruits.
Located in beautiful Kayenta.
Make some magic in May! Your next creative breakthrough starts at MakeSpace. Join our small classes (8-10 students) where we offer personal instruction for artists at all levels in a focused and relaxed environment. Check out the variety of classes available on our website.
We are offering an opportunity to do something unique this month –
Papermaking and Bookbinding
Name of Class: 4 Week Series: Art for the Analytical Mind – Exploring Papermaking, and Bookbinding
Teacher: Andrew Kosorok
Date: May 10, 17, 24, and 31 (Saturdays)
Time: 1pm – 4pm
Learn the fundamentals of sacred geometry, papermaking and marking, as we dive into book making in this unique workshop with local expert, Andrew Kosorok. Over four classes you will create a number of simple books of different styles, as well as a traditional Japanese-style binding sketchbook. You will also make Ebru marbled paper for the book covers plus more while making a variety of books to use or gift. You will learn from Andrew who has an interesting and diverse artistic background. See our spotlight on this special instructor below:
Andrew Kosorok is a stained glass artist, sculptor, writer, and student of sacred form and geometry. He lives and works in Utah, although originally from Washington state, Andrew’s Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts both focus on Sculptural Stained Glass with minors in English, Philosophy, and Comparative Humanities. Andrew is a pluralist chaplain and currently studying Media and the Arts for Peace with the United States Institute of Peace Global Campus.
His work is an exploration of touchpoints connecting people of diverse backgrounds and cultures. Using patterns and techniques from multiple traditions including medieval bookbinding and Islamic design and architecture, he works to understand cultures through contextualizing their art.
Andrew is sought after as a consultant on stained glass construction and restoration internationally. Currently working as a professional designer and a university sculpture professor, he is also interfaith liaison for multi-ethnic community service groups, and a teaching artist with the Utah State Division of Arts and Museums
Some of our other workshops include:
One-Day Scratchboard Workshop
May 3
Join Springdale artist Lisa Benham for a fun day of creating small-scale scratchboard art! This type of art uses a direct etching process that invites experimentation with a variety of scraping, cutting, or rubbing tools. This class is for artists of all levels.
Unlock Your Inner Wisdom with SoulCollage®
May 9
Join local artist Beth Hopwood for a SoulCollage® workshop, where creativity meets self-discovery! Through intuitive collage-making, you’ll tap into your inner wisdom and find inspiration in a supportive, welcoming space. No art experience needed.
One Day Workshop: Painting with Wool
May 16
Instructor Debbie Hussey will help you unleash your inner artist with a wool-tastic adventure in our beginner wool painting class! You’ll have a blast creating a 2D needle-felted sleeping fox that’s practically begging to nap on your wall. We’ve got you covered with all the fuzzy supplies and that perfect frame to make your fox come to life.
MakeSpace Open Studio
Friday, May 2, 5:30 – 8:00 pm
A First Friday Event
Get a behind-the-scenes look at this hub of creativity.
Your Community. Your Classes. Your Space.
View the full schedule online.
Information & Class Registration
And, while you are there, register your email to receive monthly updates on classes.
MAKESPACE | 918 ART VILLAGE WAY | IVINS, UTAH 84738
Petite Feast Dinner Club
MAY’S DINNER HAS SOLD OUT BUT SEATS ARE NOW AVAILABLE FOR OUR JUNE FEAST
ARRIVE AS GUESTS….LEAVE AS FRIENDS
JUNE DINNER
Saturday, June 14th, 2025
~Reserve Your Seat at the Table~
There’s nothing quite like summer. The weather is perfect for enjoying good food, good friends and the abundant produce we have available in southern Utah. There are garden tomatoes still warm from the sun, bright fresh basil, crisp summer squash, tasty beets and sweet berries to pair with all manner of seasonal treats sure to delight you. This menu features a unique carpaccio salad of garden-fresh zucchini thinly sliced and served with house made cheese and a bright and zesty basil mint vinaigrette. The homage to summer continues with homegrown piccolo tomatoes and grilled Utah corn showcasing summer’s bounty as a flavorful bed for a succulent pan seared chicken breast. The celebratory meal even starts off with a summery bang by opening with an interesting take on vinegary salt roasted new potatoes served with a smoky paprika-spiced aioli. They’re the perfect accompaniment to serve alongside our take on a spiked lemon cooler. Cheers!
MENU
HORS D’OEUVRE
GARLIC ROASTED NEW POTATOES WITH PAPRIKA AIOLI
LEMON CITRUS COOLER
FIRST COURSE
ZUCCHINI CARPACCIO SALAD WITH HOUSE MADE RICOTTA, BASIL MINT VINAIGRETTE AND A LIGHT SABA DRIZZLE
SECOND COURSE
SHRIMP WITH ROASTED TOMATOES AND HOUSE MADE SQUID INK TAGLIATELLE
ENTREE
PAN SEARED CHICKEN BREAST SERVED OVER CORN, TOMATO AND WHITE BEAN SALAD
DESSERTS
WHITE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE AND SORBET WITH BASIL AND RASPBERRY
To reserve your seat at the table please click on the link below
Petite Feast Dinner Club
DINNER LOCATION: PRIVATE HOME IN KAYENTA, UTAH
**The exact address and driving directions will be emailed 1 week prior to the event.
About Petite Feast Dinner Club: after 35 years as a restaurateur, caterer, chef and Food and Wine best new chef nominee, Victoria Topham is opening her kitchen to share her unique culinary skills and healthy cooking style with guests just like you. PF Dinner Club offers guests the opportunity to socialize with new friends around a shared table while enjoying deliciously upscale meals. Monthly dinners will feature an hors d’oeuvre hour followed by a multi course dinner where mingling with the chef in the kitchen is encouraged. ** Think – mash-up of a restaurant, dinner party and cooking class. And, she always has a few unplanned courses and surprises for her guests! Events are announced monthly through the website and pricing for each event varies. Victoria is happy to accommodate your special celebration requests and dietary preferences whenever possible.
I hope to see you soon.
“Susan Dinter here to say I have never had food like yours in my life. It was wonderful, and so was the company. We sat with a woman who was a partner with one of the big four CPA firms and now has horses that she shows, with another who works for NASA and has been involved with the Mars exploration, another couple who camp and travel as we do, and, of course, my friend Susan. We would not have changed one thing about last night. Wonderful, wonderful!. – Susan Dintner
“Thank you, Victoria. The meal was superb, the company and friendships, priceless. Thank you for all of your caring and kindness. ” – Laela
VIRTUAL DINNER PARTY # 105
VIETNAMESE NOODLE BOWL WITH SPICY PEANUT NƯỚC CHẤM
Break out the chopsticks tonight and try this delicious, fresh-tasting Asian noodle bowl based on the iconic Vietnamese noodle dish bún thịt nướng. Bún (pronounced boon) are the white-colored rice vermicelli noodles found in many Vietnamese dishes. They are a mainstay of classic Vietnamese cooking. Throughout Vietnam there are countless variations of bún dishes in the form of soups, stir fries and salads; each one influenced by local ingredients and regional culinary traditions. But regardless of the region, there is one thing that all bún recipes have in common – chewy noodles, fresh vegetables and herbs and a zesty, savory sauce. Once you’ve got the basics down, the rest is up for interpretation. The recipe below stars my favorite vegetables and protein, but feel free to improvise or use whatever you might have on hand. It’s all about highlighting the harmonious marriage of flavor and texture in classic bún – think chewy, slippery, crisp, ingredients combined with bright herbs and a robust sweet/hot peanut nước chấm sauce to create a one bowl dinner that is light, healthy and anything but boring.
If you’re looking for a wine to pair alongside, Tim says he would stick with a crisp, dry and acidic white. Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Chenin Blanc or Gruner Vetliner would all work well. And if you like bubbles, Tim says a sparkling wine would make for a nice pairing.
If you have not joined the Virtual Dinner Party but would like to dine with us, please prepare this recipe – or any other – and share it with your family, friends and neighbors. It is our group’s firm belief that by preparing something good to eat and sharing it with those we love, we are participating in one of life’s greatest joys. The connection, community and good will that come from it fill us with joy, hope and gratitude. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.
Thanks for coming to the party and Cook On! – Victoria
VIRTUAL DINNER PARTY # 105
VIETNAMESE NOODLE BOWL WITH SPICY PEANUT NUOC CHAM
INGREDIENTS:
½ # boneless skinless chicken breast, grilled and cut into cubes
Soy dressing for noodles (recipe follows)
Peanut nước chấm (recipe follows)
½ # flat rice noodles – available in the Asian section of most grocery stores
2 T. olive oil
1 medium cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1 large carrot, peeled and cut into julienne
10 spears asparagus, trimmed and blanched
½ red bell pepper, julienned
1 bunch green onion, cut into 1” lengths
2 C shredded green cabbage (a combination of red and green may be used)
½ C fresh cilantro, chopped
½ C radish, thinly sliced
¼ C fresh mint and basil leaves, rough torn
Garnish: lime wedges and chopped peanuts
METHOD:
Prepare soy noodle dressing and peanut nước chấm dressing and set aside.
Prepare rice noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Toss with soy dressing. Set aside.
Decoratively arrange seasoned noodles, chicken, cucumbers, carrots, green onion, cabbage, cilantro, radish, peppers, asparagus and mint between 2 bowls. Drizzle peanut nước chấm sauce over top and garnish with chopped peanuts, mint and lime wedges.
Soy noodle marinade – Process ¼ C rice vinegar, ¼ C water, 1 T freshly grated ginger, 1 clove garlic, minced, 1 t honey, 2 t soy sauce and 1 t Asian fish sauce in blender until smooth.
Peanut nước chấm dressing – Process ½ C peanut butter, 3 T water, 1 T sugar, 2 T soy sauce or fish sauce, 2 T fresh lime juice, 1 T rice wine vinegar, 1 T chili-garlic paste, 2 cloves garlic in blender until smooth. Adjust water to achieve a smooth pouring consistency.
Serve 2 with leftovers
Please join us May 9th to hear true stories told live the Coyote Tales way!
Storytelling – in all its forms – is a powerful bond that connects and unites us as individuals and communities. Coyote Tales events are community-focused storytelling celebrations that not only entertain, but strive to foster deeper empathy, compassion and understanding the listener. On May 9th Coyote Tales is pleased to join The Center for the Arts at Kayenta in inviting you to enjoy a unique evening of true tales told live on stage.
We are delighted to welcome Christopher Cokinos, author of several books including, Hope Is the Thing with Feathers: A Personal Chronicle of Vanished Birds, The Fallen Sky: An Intimate History of Shooting Stars and, most recently, Still as Bright: An Illuminating History of the Moon to our stage. Olivia Dudding, Poet Laureate of Helper, Utah will join him to share their stories based on the evening’s theme SURRENDER.Who knows, some of your Kayenta friends and neighbors may also toss their name in the hat in the hope of getting on stage!
If you are interested in getting on stage to share your tale, please contact Victoria
https://coyotetalesstories.com/
The night begins with a pre-show party – open to all ticket holders – hosted by Petite Feast and Kayenta Homes and Properties where guests can socialize and nosh on upscale finger foods like, PF hot chicken skewers with housemade pickles and salted hot honey dip, vegetarian carrots-in-a-blanket, rocky road brownies and other tasty snacks. Stillhouse Road Bluegrass will even be on hand to add just the right amount of cowboy charm to the party.
Everyone has a story – Vic
Event Details
Date: Friday, May 9th
Center for the Arts at Kayenta
Pre-show party 6:30 pm, stories at 7:30 pm (event ticket required for admission) $20.00
GET TICKETS:
Coyote Tales events are funded by Petite Feast, Kayenta Homes and Properties, Utah Humanities and Black Desert Resorts.
We are grateful for the in-kind support of SBDance & Desert Dweller Realty
All proceeds from live Coyote Tales events have benefited local non-profits or have been FREE.
435.656.0165 xetavarestaurants@outlook.com
Xetava Cafe is locally owned, and unlike anywhere you’ve ever been. Designed to be a respite from the bustle of modern life, the building is nestled under the giant red cliffs of Ivins, surrounded by the Kayenta Art Village and Center for the Arts.
Hours of Operation
Monday – Friday, 11 am – 8 pm
Saturday & Sunday, 10 am – 8 pm
Saturday & Sunday Brunch, 10 am – 3 pm
435.656.0165 xetavarestaurants@outlook.com
The menu at The Rusted Cactus provides unique dishes that capture the flavor of the season. Within the walls, the Lewis and MacKay families hope to create a dining experience with shared plates that will cultivate a love of food, friendship and new flavors.
Hours of Operation
Monday – Saturday, 4 – 8 pm
Health, Fitness & Wellness
Kayenta’s locally run gyms, fitness classes, spas, group workouts, wellness activities, and mindful experiences.
“It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.”
– Mahatma Gandhi
Elevate Fitness
Coming Attractions at ELEVATE Studio in Kayenta!
New equipment coming to the studio!
Freemotion dual cable cross machine & Smith machine
Plus, New perks and offerings for members!
Soul Space retreats coming 2025
New Classes Coming!
Yoga 101
9:30 am Thursday
Vinyasa Morning Flow
10:00 am Saturdays
Open Gym
Current Class Offerings
ElevateFit / ElevateFITFusion
9:30 am, Mon, Wed, Fri
Elevate Yoga
9:30 am Thur, 10 am Sat
Class size is limited and subject to change.
Elevate Studio • 435-632-1381
jyfitness@me.com
Be happy. Be healthy. Have a blast!
ELEVATE!
Pre-registration is required.
Contact John before attending your first class.
Kayenta Home Yoga
“We need to balance the yang of effort with the yin of calm acceptance of what is.” Paul Grilley
2025 Class Schedule
Tuesday & Thursday 9:30 – 10:45: Vigorous Vinyasa Flow
Wednesday 9:30 – 10:45: Meditative Yin/Deep Stretch
Wednesday 11:00 – 12:00: Chair Yoga
Preregistration is required. Please call/text/email for more information
Karen Kushner (E-RYT 500)
978-621-0499
Find Your Joy Yoga
Find Your Joy Yoga
Tuesdays at 9:30 am
At John Yohmans’s Elevate Fitness Studio in Kayenta!
Classes are $15 • Punch cards are available for $75 (5 classes)
No sign-up is required!
Call/text: 435-862-7743
Javier’s Massage
Javier Guzman LMT/LMMT
Massage is medicine
for the body and mind
Hi, I’m Javier Guzman a licensed massage therapist who resides in the beautiful community of Kayenta. My handcrafted massages are designed for you whether you want relaxation, deep therapeutic, stress reducing, pain relieving, or just to improve overall health & well-being. Don’t delay your journey to a healthier you!
“I think he is a neighborhood treasure. He has a very nice casita where he works. I love his massage and he is a really nice, thoughtful, considerate, good guy.” ~ Christy Lueders
Call or text for an appointment:
Javier Guzman
206-271-6165
Kayenta Pickleball Group (KPG)
Does Pickleball Pique Your Interest?
If you have an interest in joining or have played very little to even not at all and would like to try it prior to paying dues, contact Denton Zubke by email at dbzubke@gmail.com or by phone or text at 701-570-4043. It’s a great way to meet other Kayenta residents and enjoy some fun and get some great exercise.
We’re planning on more organized events such as clinics, beginner classes, and round robins in 2023. Join us in learning to play. It’s fun the first day, infectious, and great for fitness. Please email Denton Zubke or Erin at the Kayenta office for more information.
Email DentonDesert Rose Labyrinth
The labyrinth is sacred ground, a place of rest and renewal.
The Desert Rose Labyrinth & Sculpture Garden is a community resource with the intention that all who walk the labyrinth will be blessed with peace, comfort, and open hearts. The Labyrinth is maintained and funded by Kayenta volunteers. Please be respectful and leave only footprints. For more information or to make group reservations, please contact:
Cheryl Collins
Email Cheryl
Beth Hopwood
Email Beth
Desert Rose Labyrinth
792 Kayenta Pkwy, Ivins UT
Trips and Trails
Kayenta Exploration Group
Monday, May 19, 2025
We will be going to Smiths Mesa, north of Virgin.
Meet at the Kayenta Design Center at 9 am.
Please bring a lunch. Half to all-day trip. 20 miles of dirt road.
Any questions, call Charlie at 435-656-1956
Community Advocates
Are you a Kayenta resident? Do you have a cause or passion that you are personally involved with in the St. George area?
If so, let your neighbors know right here.
DPI – Desert Preservation Initiative
Advocate: Chuck Warren
May 2025 Update
Marking, and Measuring, Success
Tackling a huge project, such as the removal of dangerous invasive plants, particularly tamarisk, requires planning, commitment, and patience. It also requires tracking progress, to demonstrate success and keep volunteers and the community on board. Thus, the resounding success of DPI’s biggest project to date is cause for celebration and calls for a continuing effort to protect native habitats from invasive species and to reduce wildfire risk.
Since December 2023, 30 DPI volunteers contributed some 1,500 hours to clear five acres of tamarisk. While the physical effort has been substantial, the results have been dramatic. Within the project area, between Cactus Gulch Court and Wisteria Way where fire risk to homes was highest due to the enormous fuel load, the destruction of native habitat by the invasion of tamarisk was striking.
“We found dead cottonwood trees, two to three feet in diameter, which likely were killed by the invasion of water-consuming tamarisk,” reports DPI President Chuck Warren. “No native plants have survived inside what became a monoculture of this invasive plant/tree. The size and density of tamarisk invasion suggests that considerable water was present in this area in the past and may now be available for the return of natives.”
This massive project is but one of 35 that have been completed in the 3 ½ years since DPI was founded. Warren estimates another 300 to 400 hours of work will be required to finish removal of tamarisk in this particular area alone.
As part of its mission to permanently remove invasive plants, DPI begins monitoring removal areas for tamarisk regrowth within three months after a project has begun and continues to monitor the site for up to two years. If regrowth appears at nine or twelve months, the monitoring visits continue until two 3-month intervals show no regrowth. Given the great expanse of infestation that had been visible to homes [with debris piles left to decompose in time] cottonwood and mesquite trees were planted, adding to surviving trees and adding to the force of native species now naturally advancing into tamarisk dead zones.
“Good things happen when people work together and support each other in a mission to preserve the desert ecology and reduce fire danger,” says Warren. Clear results include new access to space for trails and recreation that was previously blocked, increased diversity of plants and animals, and reduced fuel load for wildfires, which has become an on-going issue as insurance companies raise rates and threaten cancellation of coverage for homeowners. “And certainly of significance is the development of relationships and connections with others in the community and city,” Warren adds.
Although the work of DPI has made a tremendous difference in our community, the invasion of tamarisk in southern Utah requires on-going vigilance. What can be accomplished requires not only time and physical effort but also financial support to cover operating expenses and the costs of purchasing and maintaining the equipment—saws, clippers, a chipper, and herbicide applicators—used in the process. Unfortunately, federal funding cuts threaten a promising grant for which DPI has applied that would open the door to hiring small crews to advance its work.
If you believe in this mission and would like to help celebrate DPI’s success to date, your financial support would be most welcome. Please contact Chuck Warren at chuckwarren222@gmail.com or Vice President Dan Beck at danbeck2@me.com if you are willing to donate and/or volunteer to support this effort.
“Ivins Inspired” Volunteer Program
Advocate: Victoria Topham
Have you always wanted to get involved in our community but aren’t sure how? Good news – a small team of volunteers is working on creating a volunteer database, connecting interested residents like you to the amazing groups that help make Ivins such a great place.
Join us in shaping our vibrant community through volunteerism. Every contribution counts, whether you have an hour or a weekend to spare. Your involvement makes a difference in making Ivins even greater.
We invite you to play an active role in our community’s future. Whether you’re passionate about parks, local events, or public services, there’s a place for you in the Ivins Volunteer Program. Already volunteering? We need you in the database, too! Please fill out our form to help match your skills with those of organizations that need you. Filling out the form doesn’t commit you to any of these organizations or roles, but it does help us connect you with opportunities, and it gives volunteer groups/organizations a way to find you and reach out.
*The Ivins Inspired Volunteer Program is entirely a volunteer program not owned or operated by Ivins City in any manner.
Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Humanity
Advocate: Patrick Barickman
To learn more about our projects and mission please visit our website.
Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Utah
835 South Bluff Street, St. George, UT. 84770
INKAS – Ivins No Kill Animal Supporters
Advocate: Lois Hewitt
Ivins No-Kill Animal Supporters (INKAS) is a 501(c)3 organization and a Registered Utah Charity. It was founded in 2010 with the mission of providing support to Ivins Animal Shelter and Adoption Center, now the Santa Clara-Ivins Animal Shelter. In 2006 our shelter became the first no-kill municipal shelter in the state of Utah. Maintaining a no-kill shelter, as opposed to one that euthanizes animals after a set period of time, is more costly because the animal’s needs must be met at the shelter until they are reclaimed by their owners, adopted, or transferred to an animal rescue organization. Through a memorandum of understanding with Ivins City, INKAS provides support through veterinary care, specialty foods, and other needed supplies. Funds are raised through the sale of merchandise at various local events and through the donations of many generous animal lovers. You can help by designating INKAS as your charity on Amazon Smile or by donating on our website.
Santa Clara-Ivins Animal Shelter
Bailee Mabe, Shelter Manager
474 North 200 West, Ivins
435-628-1049
Hours by appointment:
Monday – Saturday, 8am – 3 pm
Ivins Night Sky Initiative
Advocate: Kai Reed
Ivins Night Sky launched on January 8th, 2019. We are a 100% volunteer, not-for-profit, citizen organization. We registered as a Utah nonprofit corporation in February 2019 and received 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status from the IRS in March.
Our mission is to improve, preserve, and protect the night sky over Ivins and our heritage of dark skies through environmentally responsible outdoor lighting, and to serve as a resource for City officials, residents, and businesses.
Let us know if this Initiative is important to you, if you are willing to get involved, and what else you think we should be doing to improve, preserve, and protect the night skies in Ivins.
Email Ivins Night Sky
Friends of Snow Canyon State Park
Advocates: Lori Capshaw
Events
EventsWe’d like to invite all Kayenta residents to join us in supporting Snow Canyon State Park. Our mission is to provide support to Snow Canyon State Park through various means. For more information and to join Friends please visit our website.
Nextdoor Kayenta
Advocate: Ray Borg
Nextdoor is a completely private online website environment for all of the Kayenta Nextdoor neighborhoods. Special thanks to Ray Borg for being our fearless leader.
Community and City Resources
Kayenta resident-owned services, Kayenta businesses, and Kayenta enrichment programs that benefit the Kayenta community and Ivins City
Located in the desert community of Kayenta Utah, the Crescent Moon Inn is the perfect place to get away from it all. The Inn is just a short walk or bike ride from the Kayenta Art Village, where locally-owned art galleries, the Sacred Space Day Spa and the Xetava Garden Cafe add to your unique experience.
For Reservations or Pricing call:
435-879-9076
Looking for a Hair Artist right here in Kayenta?….JENN Hair Artist embodies the artistic creativity and passion of the beauty industry. She thrives in creating natural, sexy cuts and color styles for men and women. She looks forward to pampering you.
924A Art Village Way, Ivins, UT 83455
801 637-0884 (call or text)
Good Medicine Intuitive Skin Care
Good Medicine Beauty Lab is a small women-owned company, that creates high-quality face and skincare products. The products are all hand-crafted in our Kayenta lab, from ethically sourced ingredients and wild desert botanicals.
• Unique face and body care products.
• Safe, natural, and locally sourced wild botanical ingredients
Stop by and test all our products, we will be open every day from 9-5!
Kayenta Art Village: 873 Coyote Gulch Ct. Suite C, walk towards the Center for the Arts & look for the bright purple door.
435-656-5240
Is your Home dated, and in desperate need of a complete makeover? I can completely update the look and feel of your home without costly remodeling. I can help with affordable solutions that will transform your space. You will have a home that is organized, more current, and looks beautiful.
Are you building a New Home and need the finishing Touches? I can help with all the decorative touches, from home furnishings to tile, paint & more!
Happy Up Your Home with Home Stylist Nancy Weezy Forman, Kayenta Resident
215.805.0035 WEEZY@NANCYWEEZYFORMAN.COM
Desert Dermatology and Surgery
We are committed to offering you superior dermatological care in a safe, comfortable, and modern environment. Our highly skilled team of Board-Certified providers specialize in Dermatology, Mohs Surgery, and Dermatopathology, ensuring you receive expert care tailored to your unique needs.
Kayenta resident Dr. Christian Anderson DO, PharmD, FAOCD-CAQ Mohs, FASMS, FAAD has been dedicated to healthcare since 1985. He looks forward to making a lasting impact on the health and well-being of his community while navigating today’s complex healthcare landscape with a patient-centered approach.
Desert Dermatology and Surgery
(directly across the street from Rocky Vista University)
272 E Center St Suite 102
Ivins UT 84738
435-288-1311 work • 435-274-2958 fax
Kayenta Committees
Board opportunities, landscaping, and ACC & HOA contact information.
Kayenta Desert Arboretum
The Kayenta Desert Arboretum is getting a new and beautiful look this spring. Over the last couple of months our faithful volunteers have been turning the arboretum in to an impressive Kayenta attraction including a variety of new desert plants, many new sculptures and upgraded landscaping. On your next visit to Xetava or the Center For the Arts be sure to take an extra few minutes to stroll through the pathways in the arboretum.
Your community arboretum was created, managed and improved by residents in Kayenta who consider it to be another special feature of the area we live in. If you want to see it grow we would love to welcome you in to our all volunteer organization. Just email or call Roger Head, rbhkayenta@gmail.com; 435-632-1814 for additional information.
Kayenta Landscaping Committee
If you love plants and gardening….
A phenomenal new resource is now available to guide you in creating your Kayenta landscaping, available on the Kayenta HOA website.
The Kayenta ACC Landscaping Committee has just released a new guide to plants currently suggested for use, listing plant characteristics such as typical height and width, growth rate and—perhaps most useful—whether the species is available at local nurseries.
There are links attached to each of the plant IDs and names which lead to images of the plants and in-depth information available online.
In addition, the guide specifies in what areas plants can be used, such as the natural area, the transitional area or in a courtyard. A “Notes” section includes other advice and things to know about a given plant.
This user-friendly Guide to Kayenta Plants is located in the ACC’s Landscaping Documents.
ACC & HOA Information
The Kayenta ACC meetings are held the third Tuesday of each month, 1:00 pm in the Theater for the Arts. A hard copy of the agenda is posted in the Kayenta Homes & Properties office the Thursday before the meeting.
Questions? Ellen Nathan
Phone: 435-652-8333
Email EllenShonto Point HOA Meetings
The Shonto HOA Board meets regularly during the year avoiding some summer months. All meetings are from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM on the third Wednesday of the month in the Theatre for the Arts, located in the Kayenta Art Village.
Taviawk HOA Board Meetings
The Board plans to meet on the Thursday after the ACC meeting (which is the 3rd Tuesday of each month) bi-monthly at 9:30 am at The Management Group (formerly, F1 Property Management)
The Kayenta Concept
The Kayenta Concept is a philosophy that has steered the development of our exceptional community since its inception. The standards that underlie that concept are enforced by the Architectural Control Committee (ACC), which serves both the Shonto Point and Taviawk HOAs. The pre-amble to the 2021 ACC Handbook lays out the basics of the architectural rules that have been followed to create the homes and land-scape we live in.
When your home was designed the Kayenta Concept was front and center. The ACC reviewed your design to evaluate whether it followed the rules, and the ACC monitored construction of your home through landscaping and occupation, again, reviewing adherence to design and construction standards. When you received your occupancy permit and construction deposit refund from the ACC, on-going compliance with the Kayenta Con-cept became the responsibility of your HOA Board of Directors. Your Board has the authority to perpetuate the Kayenta Concept into the future and gladly accepts that role.
The Kayenta Concept is worth reviewing to remind us that what we have here has only happened because of the rules Kayenta developer Terry Marten set up to own, build and live in Kayenta. His vision and the governing documents he developed to achieve and maintain that vision established the Kayenta HOAs and gave them the responsibility and authority to enforce the CC&Rs that underlie the beauty and value we all enjoy
Ivins City Dumpster Dates and Blucan Recycling Calendars
Ivins City Offices are open.
For Appointments with a specific department call:
Administration: 435-628-0606
Building: 435-634-9753
Parks or Cemetery: 435-634-7719
Public Works: 435-634-0689
Dispatch: 435-634-5730 or Animal Control: 435-628-1049
Ongoing Events and Activities
Weekly and monthly gatherings
Kayenta Book Lovers
Meetings the 2nd Monday of every month. For more details contact our bookclub
Submissions
Email submissions / changes to kayentaconnection@rdicreative.com with “Kayenta Connection (month)” in the subject line. Our Kayenta Connection Newsletter updates the 1st of the Month. Please submit 6 days prior to the end of the month to be included.
The Kayenta Connection is a publication that is focused on the Kayenta Community (residents, visitors and other interested folks). Information and articles should appeal to our Kayenta readers and reflect the spirit of our community. The KC cannot be responsible for mistakes submitted by the contributor. We do not accept advertisements for services or events other than those provided by a Kayenta resident who is advertising their business/service to our community. The KC supports promotion of businesses located within the Kayenta Art Village.
The information submitted does not imply sponsorship or reflect the views and opinion of Kayenta Homes & Properties or Kayenta Development. Content not deemed appropriate for our readers will not be published. All information published in the KC is subject to editing.
Not on our mailing list?
Sign up for the Kayenta Connection. We will send you monthly reminders when our next issue of the Kayenta Connection is ready to view online. Sign up to stay connected.
Download a printable pdf of our monthly Kayenta Connection here.
If you know someone who would like to read a “hard copy” version of the Kayenta Connection, we are now providing a downloadable PDF. It can be printed on any personal printer. It is a low-resolution file to keep the file size manageable. It is a conversion from an online version, so some font sizes may be small. Print a few test pages first. Please note that it will require at least 25 to 30 sheets of paper.