The Renaissance Festival has a long history of hosting weird and wacky shows. The first fair started in California in 1962, and was originally planned as a fundraiser for a local radio station. The fair ended up being more successful than the team that founded it intended, which is why the Renaissance Festival is still around today, staging events around the world. Each fair now boasts over a quarter of a million visitors every year and generates around $2 million.

 You are driving on the freeway and approach a semi-truck; but as you look closer, you see there is NO DRIVER! What would you do if you saw that? It might become the future of driving, and may be sooner than you think.

TuSimple is a provider of autonomous freight semi-truck solutions, and has said its technology will be operational by 2024, according to Forbes. (TuSimple has its headquarters in San Diego, and offices in Arizona and Texas).

 Recently my family visited the Plum Creek Alpaca Farm in Prescott Valley. When we entered the farm, the farm dogs walked along with us as we visited the different pens. They housed a variety of groups of alpacas. Some areas were for the females or males and there was even an area for the nursery.

 Most people think of Arizona as a hot desert landscape, but there’s snow in our state if you know where to look. Recently I went to Snowbowl in Flagstaff to go skiing. I had so much fun!

My family skied for four days on the amazing Mount Humphreys, the tallest point in the state with a base elevation of 9200 feet. I started practicing skiing on the very short beginner slopes. It’s important to learn how to stop and how to have your skis in a pizza shape to control speed.

 Do you have a pet? Or favorite animal? Then you should go to the Tucson Subaru Pets of Pima Parade, or POPP! This parade is a way for humans to show their love for their pets, of all shapes, sizes and species. This is the inaugural parade, and will also have music, classic cars, entertainment and more!

POPP starts at 8:30 a.m. on Historic 4th Avenue in Tucson on Saturday, April 23. Attendance is free but the parade will serve as a fundraiser, with donations and proceeds supporting the Pima Animal Care Center, also called PACC, which shelters animals.

 “I Wish I Had a Wookiee: And Other Poems for Our Galaxy” is a great book for children who loved the Star Wars series. This book of poetry features poems about things that actually happened in the movies. For example, it shows Jango’s and Boba Fett’s relationship in a way that’s similar to the films. It also features new concepts entirely, such as a poem called “Looking for Gungan City.” That poem is about a girl swimming to try and find the underwater city of Gungan, which did not happen in the Star Wars movies.