5 Free Things to Do This Week in Metro Phoenix

Looking for something to do this week without spending some of your hard-earned money? We can help. Free is one of our favorite four-letter words, and this week we found five no-cost events in the Valley this week that are sure to pique your interest. Wether you're looking for something for the whole family or for a more adult evening, we've got you covered.

Pop Up Park in the Arizona Center
Do you find yourself falling asleep at your desk? Do you need a distraction from your latest assignment or a break from that freezing cold office? If so, the Arizona Center will be holding a Pop Up Park on Tuesday, August 18. From 11 a.m. to to 1:30 p.m., you can head to the main square and forget how mean your boss is with oversized Jenga, cornhole, and a live DJ. You can check the Arizona Center's Facebook page for updates and more information.

Coffee and Code
If you're working on a coding project and feeling stuck, bring it to the experts at HeatSync Labs in Mesa on Wednesday, August 19. The self-proclaimed hackerspace is hosting Coffee and Code from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. when attendees can bring projects and questions to the table and crowdsource ideas or solutions. Sometimes an extra set of eyes is all you need, and we can all agree that coffee often helps get the creative juices going in these types of situations. For more information, see HeatSyncLabs.org.

Lady Lila LA Vamp
The burlesque scene in Phoenix has been steadily on the rise, and The Lost Leaf in downtown Phoenix is getting in on the trend with their weekly show, Lady Lila LA Vamp. At 9 p.m. on Wednesday, you can get up close and personal in one of downtown's most intimate venues. A nod to the vaudeville style of dance, Lady Lila's show will feature tongue-in-cheek comedy as well as dance. There's no cover charge, but you must be 21 or older to attend. 

Get Your PHX: The Dressing Room and Be: Coffee + Food + Stuff
This year, Kyu Utsunomiya and Troy Watkins opened the popular microrestaurant The Dressing Room in the Roosevelt District. Shortly after, they purchased Songbird's old building and opened Be: Coffee + Food + Stuff right next door. Local networking group Get Your PHX is hosting a meetup at one of Roosevelt Row's newest establishments on Thursday, August 20, between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., when attendees can explore the new restaurants that, according to Utsunomiya and Watkins, will soon be merged to serve as a local hangout for networking and eating. There will be snacks and a raffle. Reserve your tickets here. 

Cool Summer Nights
Find your chill at CityScape with free shaved ice — if you’re among the first 300 guests — and a showing of Grease this Thursday, August 20. If shaved ice still isn’t doing the trick, there will also be four tons of real snow and a snow slide for the kids. Festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. and last until 9:30 p.m. Costumes are encouraged, so be on the lookout for Sandys and Danys dancing around the park. For more information, see CityScape's website.