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 YOUR CITY. YOUR MORNING. Hello, Gilbert.CITYAPOLLO DAILY · AZ | ||||||||
City view · Gilbert  Historical city view: Gilbert Road and Page Avenue, photographed in 2009. Liberty Market and the Gilbert water tower are in the background. · Cygnusloop99 · License | ||||||||
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Hello, Gilbert. School break still has a few days left, and the two big local districts return on different dates. Today’s read pairs that practical calendar check with Heritage District art, a current restaurant offer, adult conversation and arts programs, and family activities worth putting on your calendar. | ||||||||
School planning Today’s big storyTwo school calendars, two return dates Two named districts, two return dates. Official calendars checked October 14. Original CityApollo editorial graphic. · CityApollo Fall break has a different finish line for the two school districts many Gilbert families use. Gilbert Public Schools lists its break as October 5–16 and marks Monday, October 19 as the day classes resume. Higley Unified students return Tuesday, October 20: Monday, October 19 is a staff professional-development day with no school for students. Put the date for your own district on the family calendar before making a Monday childcare or work plan. Check the district and the officeHigley’s building schedule adds another detail. School offices are closed through October 18 and reopen October 19, one day before students come back. During break, the district office’s posted holiday hours are Monday through Thursday, 7:30 AM–4 PM. A visit to handle paperwork and a student’s first day back therefore belong on separate lines in your plan. Check the office you need before making the trip. Both district calendars are useful beyond the headline return date. Gilbert Public Schools’ calendar shows the school events and early-release entries that follow break, while Higley posts its student and office notices together. These are the two named districts’ schedules; charter schools, private schools and other districts can have their own dates. Save the appropriate official calendar rather than relying on a single town-wide back-to-school reminder. For the remaining days off, choose an outing around the participant’s age and the booking terms. Perry’s LEGO Hour this afternoon is a one-hour building challenge for ages 7–12. Saturday’s Perry Boo Bash is an all-ages celebration with limited, first-come activities. Southeast Regional’s Saturday baby playdate is a smaller reserved session for pre-walkers, with older siblings excluded. The event details below help you match the activity to the right child and leave room for a plan that works for the adults, too.
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EventsWednesday, Oct 14Today: a LEGO challenge for ages 7–12 | 4:00 PM–5:00 PM | Perry Library, Library Event Room, 1965 E Queen Creek Rd, Gilbert | No fee listed; check with the library Ages 7-12 · No registration required A creative prompt starts Perry’s LEGO Hour, then participants use bricks and their own ideas to build a solution to a real-world challenge. The one-hour afternoon program gives children ages 7–12 a focused making activity during school break. Head to the Library Event Room; no registration is required. Thursday, Oct 15Science meets art, close to home | 6:30 PM–7:30 PM | Southeast Regional Library, The Dig, 775 N Greenfield Rd, Gilbert | No fee listed; check with the library Adult (18+) · Registration required; confirm current availability Unclaimed reserved places can be reassigned five minutes after the start. Explore the meeting point of science and art through works from the Phoenix Art Museum collection. The Southeast Regional discussion looks at how technology, mathematics and new materials have inspired artists to try new ideas and solve creative problems. Reserve through the library and arrive on time for this adult program. Friday, Oct 16A conversation hour for English practice | 10:30 AM–11:30 AM | Perry Library, Library Event Room, 1965 E Queen Creek Rd, Gilbert | No fee listed; check with the library Adult (18+) · No registration required Perry’s conversation group brings people together to practise speaking and understanding English. English speakers are welcome to join the discussion, so the hour also offers a way to meet others while helping keep a conversation going. The exact Friday session is an adult program with no registration requirement. Saturday, Oct 17Saturday’s Boo Bash at Perry | 10:00 AM–12:00 PM | Perry Library, 1965 E Queen Creek Rd, Gilbert | No fee listed; check with the library All ages · No registration required; activities first-come with limited space Perry’s fall celebration combines pumpkin decorating, crafts, games and a haunted-house activity. It is listed for all ages and runs for two hours, giving families several activities to choose from. Individual activities have limited space and are first-come, first-served. There is no advance-registration requirement. A playdate designed for pre-walkers | 11:15 AM–11:45 AM | Southeast Regional Library, The Dig, 775 N Greenfield Rd, Gilbert | No fee listed; check with the library Listed ages 0–18 months; intended for babies under 14 months or pre-walkers · Registration required for infants; open at the fresh check; older siblings excluded Babies and their caregivers can share free play, music and time with other families in The Dig. The header lists ages 0–18 months, while the description specifically welcomes babies under 14 months or pre-walkers. Register only the infant attending and arrange a different activity for older siblings, who are excluded from this session.
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News NotesEducation A college-and-career date for the family calendar Higley’s current calendar lists its College and Career Fair for Tuesday, October 27, 5–7 PM at Higley High School, 4068 E Pecos Road in Gilbert. Save the campus and time if post-high-school planning is on your household’s list, then follow the district’s school notices for the program and participation details. It is a separate event from that evening’s district board meeting. Local business A downtown stop that spans breakfast to dinner Liberty Market at 230 N Gilbert Road spans several kinds of downtown meal: its official page links breakfast, lunch, dinner, children’s, beverage and espresso menus. Posted hours are 8 AM–9 PM Monday through Saturday and 8 AM–8 PM Sunday. Use the current menu to choose a stop around your Heritage District plans; reservations, larger groups and takeout have separate links on the restaurant’s site. Schools The first week back includes early release Make room for a second calendar check after the return date. Gilbert Public Schools lists a one-hour early release on Wednesday, October 21. Higley’s current calendar separately lists elementary dismissal at 1 PM and middle-school dismissal at 1:35 PM that day. Follow your school’s notice for the pickup plan; the two districts describe their schedules differently. Civic Water and transportation, with a venue change Gilbert Chamber’s October 27 infrastructure discussion has an updated location: the Tower Room at Town Hall, 50 E Civic Center Drive, 3:30–5 PM. Topics include water supply, transportation funding and project priorities. This complimentary program is exclusively for Chamber members and has a registration link. Members can use the agenda to prepare questions about how transportation projects are prioritized and funded. Jobs GPS has a support-staff job fair on the calendar Gilbert Public Schools’ official calendar lists a support-staff job fair for Thursday, October 22, 9 AM–1 PM. For people considering work with the district, that is a date worth checking alongside its recruitment information. Follow the district’s current event details for the location, available positions and application instructions before making the trip. | ||||||||
Eat & drink The Local FindTwo Postino offers, with two different clocksA Heritage District stop comes with a useful price check. Postino East, 302 N Gilbert Road, Suite 102, currently advertises $6 glasses of wine and $6 pitchers of beer every day until 5 PM. That is the daytime drinks offer, with the time limit doing the important work when you plan a visit. Read the time window before orderingThe separate Board + Bottle special pairs a bruschetta board with a bottle of wine for $25 after 8 PM on Mondays and Tuesdays. Choose the offer that fits the day and time you will actually be there. The evening bundle is a Monday/Tuesday special; Wednesday readers can still use the daily pre-5 PM drinks pricing. Alcohol offers are for adults 21 and older. The location page links food and beverage menus and a reservation option, making it easy to see meal choices before ordering. It also lists a dog-friendly outdoor patio and free parking lots nearby. Check current qualifying selections with the restaurant and choose the visit around the time window for the offer you want.
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Arts & outdoors Worth a closer lookA fall art hunt through the Heritage DistrictThe Great Gilbert Gourd Hunt gives the Heritage District an ongoing seasonal art story. The town’s tourism calendar dates this year’s edition from September 25 through November 1. Its current description points to new immersive art experiences and story-filled scenes shaped by pumpkin artist Ray Villafane. That format makes the listing useful when planning a downtown discovery alongside a meal or another stop. Look for the art experiences around the Heritage District and follow the official program details for individual venues. The page gives the overall exhibition dates but does not state a separate admission price or daily start time, so check any venue-specific or ticketed activity before committing to it. The program’s theme is local lore interpreted through playful pumpkin art. Keep the November 1 end date handy if a downtown visit is on your fall list. Use the ongoing exhibition as a starting point, then save individual dated performances and demonstrations with their own times, venues and booking details. That keeps a flexible seasonal discovery separate from a reserved event.
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Plan aheadTuesday, Oct 20Turn a turning point into a family story | 6:30 PM–8:00 PM | HD SOUTH, 10 S Gilbert Road, Gilbert | Free; registration required Ages 14 and older · Registration required; reserve through the organizer ASU professor emeritus Duane Roen leads a writing workshop about opportunities, the decisions people make and how those choices shape a family story. Bring a laptop or a notebook and pen to work from your own experiences. The organizer welcomes ages 14 and older and requires registration for this free evening program. Thursday, Oct 22An introductory self-defense class for families | 6:30 PM–7:30 PM | HD SOUTH, 10 S Gilbert Road, Gilbert | Free; registration required Children 7 and older, teens and adults; ages 7–12 need a parent or guardian present · Registration required; reserve through the organizer East Valley Martial Arts instructors lead physical techniques alongside discussion of awareness and prevention. Children ages 7 and older, teens and adults can participate; ages 7–12 need a parent or guardian present. Adults may join the class or observe. The organizer recommends comfortable clothing and requires registration for the free session. Saturday, Oct 24A moose story, drawing and an author visit | 1:00 PM–2:30 PM | HD SOUTH, 10 S Gilbert Road, Gilbert | Free; registration required Recommended for ages 6–10 · Registration required; reserve through the organizer Author Kathie McMahon will discuss her chapter-book work and read from Moose in Training. Illustrator Tanja Bauerle then demonstrates drawing a moose, followed by children’s activities and a book signing. HD SOUTH recommends this free program for ages 6–10 and requires registration. Bring your reader’s curiosity and reserve before attending. Library services Save November 11 as a library closure day The county district’s 2026 holiday table lists a full-day Veterans Day closure on Wednesday, November 11. The current calendars separately confirm that date for Perry and Southeast Regional. Plan physical library visits around the closure; an online district author event appearing that day does not mean either Gilbert building is open. | ||||||||
The WrapThe useful part of a local calendar is finding the plan that fits your household. This week has a short building challenge, time to practise English, an infant playdate and a downtown art discovery, each with its own participation details. Keep your school’s return date handy, reserve the programs that need booking, and send the CityApollo team a local tip or correction through Gilbert’s tip form.
CityApollo’s editorial team is responsible for research, publication and corrections. Prepared with AI assistance and source checks. Have something local to share? | ||||||||
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