Jun

Fireworks planned at Phoenix area casinos this Fourth of July

Stay at the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort for just $101 per night and enjoy Fourth of July festivities at nearby Rawhide Western Town. (Click the pic to check on rooms/rates.)

Fireworks, food and fun are on the agenda at a couple of Phoenix area casinos for the big Fourth of July 2009 weekend. Check out these special holiday events coming up at casinos in and around Phoenix this weekend-

Head out to Fort McDowell Casino on Friday, July 3 and start your holiday weekend with a bang — and maybe a big hit on slots or poker? — when the casino hosts its annual Independence Day bash. The Fort McDowell fireworks show will begin at 9:30 pm but there will be plenty to do before the aerial display including gaming in the casino or perhaps dinner at one of the several restaurants available.

One of our favorites is the Ahnala Restaurant and Lounge at the adjacent Radisson Fort McDowell Resort where specialties such as thick steaks, juicy burgers and Native American-inspired dishes are cooked over a mesquite fire. Many of the house specialties showcase citrus, pecans and herbs grown locally at the Fort McDowell Yavapai Farm. The comfortable lounge features an extensive list of specialty cocktails including the signature “Deep Blue Sea Martini” with a festive azure tint highlighted by a bright red maraschino cherry that is perfect for toasting the start of the holiday weekend!

The next night, Fourth of July fireworks will light up the sky at Rawhide Western Town on the Gila River reservation. Located near Chandler and the community’s popular Wild Horse Pass Casino, this replica of an Old West town circa the 1880’s will host “A Star Spangled Shoot Out” from 5:30pm – 10pm. The whole family will be entertained by cowboys, gunfights and more while lots of cowboy grub will be for sale plus a big fireworks show caps off the day’s events. Gate admission of $10 per person includes Rawhide attractions and the fireworks display. Parking and kids under 5 years old are free.

Holiday Hint: Skip the traffic hassles and book a night or two at the nearby Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort with its extensive pool complex, luxury spa, adjacent golf courses, gourmet dining and more. The Wild Horse Pass Casino can be accessed via BOAT from the resort’s creek-side location! Rooms — starting at just $101 per night for Friday and Saturday — were still available at press time. Check here for reservations on this great Fourth of July hotel deal: Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort & Spa .