The Ostrich Festival was created in Arizona in 1989. It is held annually and attracts thousands of fun-lovers, who enjoy attractions, music, parade and ostrich races. Arizona is the 48th state and last of the contiguous states admitted to the Union, achieving statehood on February 14, 1912 – the 50th anniversary of Arizona’s recognition as a territory of the United States. Arizona is noted for its desert climate, exceptionally hot summers, and mild winters, however it also features pine forests and mountain ranges in the northern high country, with cooler weather than in the lower deserts. There is some disagreement over the proper etymology of the name “Arizona.” Possible origins supported by historians are the Spanish sentence ‘zona arida’ , shortened to Arizona or the Basque phrase aritz ona, “good oak,” and the O’odham phrase ali ?onak, “small spring”.
