What's Good, Gilbert (3/4)

Happy Tuesday, Gilbert. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let The Gilbert Brief serve up this week’s What’s Good Edition featuring five things that’ll help you live better, stay ahead, stress less, and enjoy more ☕️

In this week’s edition:

• Spring fling is back 🌸 

• Lots of free stuff 📑 

• Healthy eats on the go 🥕 

• A friendly reminder 📋️ 

• Get summer ready 🏠️ 

Let’s get to it!

🌸 Support 140 local businesses at once

The Gilbert Spring Fling Market kicks off on Friday and runs through Sunday at the Gilbert Civic Center. As an annual spring-time tradition, it’s a great excuse to get out of the house and support more than 100 small business, makers, and creatives (who happen to be your neighbors).

All weekend long from 9 am to 2 pm, you’ll be able to browse booths and entertain the littles with a bounce house, crafts, free glitter tattoos, a visit from the Easter Bunny, and an Easter egg hunt to name a few.

There’s even an adult Easter egg hunt with thousands of dollars in prizes, raffles, various food trucks, free puppy portraits, and free cotton candy.

The best part? It’s free →

Looking ahead, the Smoke Show BBQ and Country Music Festival ($79+) is March 22nd and the Gilbert Global Village Festival is April 5th (free).

📚 Your library card has secret super powers

Your Maricopa County Library card might be the most underutilized tool in your wallet. Don’t have one? You should get one! It’s free for residents →

Beyond free books (which is a huge win already if we’re being honest), our libraries have evolved into full resource centers with benefits that make paid subscriptions jealous.

From documentaries, magazines, and free online courses to audio books, eBooks, consumer reports, LinkedIn learning courses, newspapers, tv shows, movies, and music, your card gives you immediate access to a whole lot of free stuff.

On top of that, you can check out seeds to start a garden, telescopes, ukuleles, museum passes, free performance tickets, laptops, hotspots, and science kits.

Each branch also offers free programs, events, and challenges, including tax preparation, teen hangouts, book clubs, yoga, story time, crafts, recipe swaps, play dates, senior social meetups, bingo, game nights, and more.

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to check out your neighborhood library, this is it →

🥗 A quick tip to healthier eating around town

Finding quick & nutritious food can feel like hunting for a unicorn. The secret weapon? Establishing a rotation of healthy local spots for those "I can't even" days.

It’s not always easy to find places with transparent ingredients and balanced meals featuring actual vegetables. But when you find one, make a mental note, start a list in your notes app, or write it down on paper.

This way, you always have a go-to when you don’t want to think about lunch or dinner.

I started my own list a few weeks ago and let me tell you… it’s a whole lot easier to make smart choices amidst the chaos.

Top of my list? The Uprooted Kitchen — all of their meals are so tasty you’ll have to remind yourself they’re healthy (and plant-based), but their crepes, sandwiches, and sweets are my favorite.

📝 You have 42 days to file your taxes

This is your friendly reminder that April 15th will be here before you know it. Whether you DIY it with TurboTax, keep it old school with pen, paper, and snail mail, or leave it to the pros (we like G.A.C. & Gilbert Tax Service), it’s just as important to get all your tax ducks in a row as soon as possible.

If you want to file them yourself and need assistance, AARP Foundation volunteers will be at various locations on different days at different times throughout the area to help you for free.

No matter your age or income, they’ll answer all your questions and hep you cross “tax panic” off your to do list →

🏠 Spring tune-ups for homeowners

As we shake off the last of winter, it’s time for some spring maintenance around the house. Start by inspecting your roof for sagging, deterioration, and visible damanage, and checking screens before bug season kicks in. If your home has gutters, you should also make sure they’re in working order. Hit up State 48 if you prefer relaxing instead of getting up on a ladder.

Your foundation and siding are other areas that require special scrutiny. Look for obvious signs of wear, cracks, and deterioration that can lead to expensive problems later.

While you're outside, check for drainage issues and trim any plants that are getting too cozy with your foundation (Little John’s is great if you don’t want to deal with outdoor cleanup yourself). You may also want to consider giving your deck and siding a proper power wash to rinse away dust and other grime – just be gentle with those pressure settings.

Inside, make sure your air conditioner is ready for the desert heat. If you need a tune-up, repair, or replacement, we like True North and Agape Air. 

The town of Gilbert offers an emergency home repair program for qualified residents.

🧩 Extra fun & games

This week’s word search features the most fun, unique, or Gilbert-esque words from this edition.

See ya Friday (with a fresh batch of 20+ things going on next week)!

P.S. Know of any good things around Gilbert we should share or want to ask a question? Feel free to reply (or email us) any time.