No matter how your political views align, we think everyone can agree that the recent election was a divisive one. From national leaders to local candidates, as well as a pair of controversial propositions, it didn’t seem like anyone could agree on anything for a while there.

But while there is certainly a long road ahead, ballots have been cast and, according to the way we do business in this country, the decisions are more or less final. But while things are about to change for both Arizona and the United States as a whole, this weekend proved that life can still provide normalcy and, more importantly, unity as we move forward into the unknown.

The holidays have always been a busy time around Fountain Hills, with this past weekend’s Festival of Arts and Crafts trumpeting the arrival of another packed season. For three days, thousands of residents and visitors crowded the streets of downtown Fountain Hills to enjoy each other’s company, peruse hundreds of booths, grab a bite to eat and listen to some live music. Amidst all of that hustle and bustle, it was easy to forget the stress and struggle of the past year, even if only for a few days.

This weekend we have even more events crammed into just a few days, complete with the 35th Annual Orme Dam Victory Days rodeo, pow wow and festivities from Nov. 18-20 and the Back the Blue event at Fountain Park on Nov. 19.

Next week is Thanksgiving, which means we’ve got the Turkey Trot coming up, with the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade to follow, both huge events for Fountain Hills.

And, again, this is only the beginning. Events like Breakfast with Santa and the Stroll in the Glow will help put everyone in the holiday spirit in early December, with a dozen other local functions filling in the gaps between now and 2017.

We encourage everyone to put aside the things which have divided us for these past 18 months and come together once more as a community. None of these upcoming events will be nearly as much fun without you.