See our latest list of the best free things to do any time in 2016.
Low on funds and high on FOMO? We can help with that. Phoenix is chock-full of free events worth freeing your schedule for, including movie screenings, open mics, and a good deal of art walks. Because saving money is always in season, here are 50 free things you can do all year round.
Free admission is standard at establishments like the Phoenix Airport Museum, ASU Art Museum, ASU Museum of Anthropology, Arizona Capitol Museum, and Shemer Art Center (though some accept and encourage donations). But visitors can also get complimentary access to Phoenix Art Museum from 3 to 9 p.m. every Wednesday and 6 to 10 p.m. on First Fridays; Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art all day Thursdays and after 5 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; and Phoenix Children's Museum from 5 to 9 p.m. on First Fridays.
Let Your Pen Do the Talking
On the second Tuesday of each month, Practical Art invites Valley wordsmiths to share their work with Uptown P.E.N., which stands for poetry event night. The evening runs from 7 to 8:30 p.m. and features a first-come, first-served open mic opportunities as well as established poets reading their own prose. For details, visit www.practical-art.com or call 602-264-1414.
Walk the Art Walk
Metro Phoenix offers many opportunities to take in the arts. The Downtown Phoenix Art Walk runs from 6 to 10 p.m. on the first Friday of the month. The Downtown Mesa Art Walk goes from 6 to 10 p.m. on the second Friday of the month. The Downtown Chandler Art Walk happens from 6 to 10 p.m. on the third Friday of the month. The Scottsdale Art Walk runs from 7 to 9 p.m. every Thursday. The Sunnyslope Art Walk pops-up from 5 to 9 p.m. on the second Saturday of October and April.
Unleash Your Inner Geek
Throughout the year Nerd Nite Phoenix invites local to learn drink and discuss on a number of topics including superheroes, time travel, and government conspiracies. These beer-fueled brain teasers tend to change up their dates and locations so the best way to stay in the known is to visit phoenix.nerdnite.com or check out the Nerd Nite Phoenix Facebook Page.
Catch a Movie Under the Stars
Lawn Gnome Publishing is making every Tuesday night a mystery movie night. The free flick viewing begins at 7:30 p.m. in the backyard of the downtown bookstore. If you love surprises as much as you love watching films outside, visit lawngnomepublishing.com or visit the Lawn Gnome Facebook page.
Put Pencil to Paper in Mesa
Ready, set, draw. Pencil Fight is Lo-Fi Coffee's monthly community drawing series that gives guests pencil, paper, and sharpeners for an hour of illustration and a chance to win prizes such as a $20 gift certificate to Arizona Art Supply. For updates and information, visit www.loficoffee.com.
Learn to Line Dance
Cash Inn Country is kicking up its cowboy boots at 8:30 p.m. every Tuesday night with free line dancing lessons. Whether you're gay, straight, or simply into country music, make your way to the Cash Inn for a complimentary cowboy-style workout. Visit www.cashinncountry.net for more information.
Get Crafty in Chandler
At 6 p.m. on the second Monday of each month, Gangplank gets the creative community together for an evening of arts and crafts. Bring your knitting needles, glitter, glue, and other DIY material and get ready to mix and mingle with other crafters as you work your handmade magic. For details, visit CraftHackEV on Facebook.
Get to Know Your Local Hangouts
Support new and local businesses, meet your fellow Phoenix residents over food and drinks, and enter to win raffle prizes with the monthly event, Get Your PHX. Past Get Your PHX gatherings have visited Milk Bar, Rollover Donuts, The Newton, and the Lisa Sette Gallery. To stay in the loop with Get Your PHX, visit www.getyourphx.com.
Joke Around in Scottsdale
Stand Up, Scottsdale gives up-and-coming comics a chance to test our their new material with its weekly open mic night. The unexpected (or uncomfortable) laughs begin at 8 p.m. every Tuesday and run until everyone has had their chance to wow the crowd. For more information, visit standupscottsdale.com.
Brain Food
Every Wednesday CO+HOOTS invites the public to partake in Lunch & Learn, a free series that features lunchtime lecturers from experts in their field. Food trucks will set up in the parking lot so guests can get their midday fuel while learning new ways to better their career. For a look at who's lined up to speak, visit cohoots.com.
Find Your Philosophical Side
Practical Art invites fellow philosophers and deep thinkers to discuss the big picture with its ongoing event, Socrates Cafe. The reflective rendezvous happens from 3 to 5 p.m. every first and third Sunday of the month. For details, visit www.practical-art.com or check out the Practical Art Facebook page.
Mix and Mingle with Phoenix's Movers and Shakers
Looking to network? Radiate PHX has you covered. The monthly series gives guests a chance to learn about the latest developments in downtown Phoenix as well as make connections with who's who behind the city's fast-paced growth. Radiate PHX's dates and locations vary by month. To stay updated, visit www.facebook.com/downtownphoenix.
Vanquish Your Enemies in Vanguard
Once a week, anime enthusiasts can leave planet Earth and escape to Planet Cray as one of Phoenix's favorite comic shops converts into a local Card Capitol. Cardfight!! Vanguard Night happens every Thursday at Samurai Comics. Gaming goes from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information, visit www.samuraicomics.com or call 602-265-8868.
Get Your Game On
Every third Sunday of the month, Firehouse Gallery is putting out the Pick-Up-Sticks, Scrabble, and whatever else it can find, for Game Day. The free affair runs from 2 to 5 p.m. Guests are encouraged to BYOB and BYO-games. For details and to see who's coming, visit Firehouse Gallery on Facebook.
Enjoy Some Bird Watching and Brew Drinking
Birds of a feather drink together. That's why the Rio Solado Audubon Society hosts its weekly series Birds 'N' Beer. The free event runs from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month. Each Birds 'N' Beer event will feature a different topic. To know which topic will be discussed next, visit Audubon AZ on Facebook or check out riosalado.audubon.org/birds-n-beer.
Strike a Pose
The clothes may not be cheap, but the community yoga classes are. Every Sunday, the Lululemon stores in Phoenix and Chandler host complimentary yoga classes. These free classes can be held in or outside the store depending on the weather. Guests should bring their own mats and water. The Biltmore Fashion Park class starts at 10:30 a.m. and the Chandler Fashion Center class begins at 10 a.m. For details, visit shop.lululemon.com.
See our latest list of the best free things to do any time in 2016.
Copy, Cut, Paste at Heatsync Labs
Every other Monday, Mesa become a hotbed of hot glue guns and sequins thanks to Heatysnc labs ongoing event, Craftagious. The community craft event kicks off at 7 p.m. every other Monday. Get ideas, inspiration, and tips as you take you DIY projects to new levels. Visit www.heatsynclabs.org.
Take in a Flamenco Performance
Angelina Ramirez, Carlos Montufar, and Olivia Rojas bring Spanish are heating things up with Spanish style music and dance. Flamenco Por La Vida happens from 7 to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays at Otro Cafe and from 6 to 8 p.m. on Saturdays at Crescent Ballroom. For details, visit flamencoporlavida.com.
Fridays in the Park
From 6 to 10 p.m. on the second and forth Friday of the month, the city of Phoenix cranks up the entertainment at Civic Space Park. Fridays in the Park alternates between a variety of free activities including concerts, pop-up movie screenings, vendors and exhibitions, and games presented by the Downtown Partnership. To find out what's on the agenda for the next Fridays in the Park, visit www.facebook.com/civicspace.
Make It a Movie Night at the Library
Every Wednesday night, the Phoenix Public Library invites movie-goers of all ages to heal their hump day blues with a free film screening at Burton Barr Central Library's Pulliam Auditorium. Film screenings start at 6 p.m. For the full schedule, visit phoenixpubliclibrary.evanced.info.
Trivia Night
Think you're trivia knowledge is up to snuff? If so, it's worth checking out Crescent Ballroom for Trivia Night, happening at 6 p.m. every Sunday. The weekly quiz event covers everything from pop culture to music and offers drink specials and prizes such as movie tickets, gift cards, and bacon. For details, visit www.crescentphx.com.
Take a Ride with State Bicycle Co. and PHX Bike
The State Bicycle Co. and PHX Bike folks invite cycling enthusiasts to join them every Monday for LOOPS PHX, a weekly bike ride departing from Civic Space Park. The ride runs between 10 and 20 miles and makes between one and three stops. For details, visit www.statebicycle.com.
Make Some Monday Night Magic
At 7 p.m. every Monday night, Samurai Comics brings creatures and spell-casters to the table for an hour-long game of Magic the Gathering. Whether you're a novice or a nuanced expert in the tradable card game, the Phoenix comic bookstore invites you pull up a chair show other what you've got. For details, visit www.samuraicomics.com or call 602-265-8886.
Walk or Run with Meet Me Downtown
Meet Me Downtown is motivating locals to move and mingle with weekly fun runs, walks, and prizes. Check starts at 5:15 p.m. at The Corner at CityScape every Monday night. A closing ceremony with awards happens at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.meetmedowntownphx.com.
Learn a Little at the Arizona Science Center
Fun fact: the Arizona Science Center isn't just for kids on field trips. In fact, every first Friday of the month, the downtown venue opens its doors to the 18-and-over crowd for a free evening of drinks, lectures, and kid-free exploration. For details on the next Adult's Night Out, visit azscience.org/who_are_you/adults_night_out_event.
Put Your Poetry Where Your Mouth Is
Every third Thursday of the month, Lo-Fi Coffee in Mesa becomes a makeshift performance venue for up and coming poets looking to air their literary works on the open mic. The free event kicks off at 6 p.m. Coffee will be sold, but all-black outfits and Parisian berets will not be provided. For more information, visit www.loficoffee.com.
Take a Hike
With so many free and accessible mountain trails available in metro Phoenix, it seems downright silly to pay for a gym membership. And if you're not sure where to start, we recommend checking out our list of 5 Easy Hikes for Beginners in Metro Phoenix.
Soak Up Some Showtunes at Kobalt
Kobalt kicks the karaoke up a notch with its weekly event, Saturday Showtunes. Stop by at 6 p.m. to hear local talent belt out their favorite Broadway musical numbers on stages. Who knows, maybe with enough liquid courage, you might find yourself doing the same. For details, visit www.kobaltbarphoenix.com.
