11 Best Things to Do in Metro Phoenix This Weekend

New Times picks the best things to do in metro Phoenix from April 22 through 24. For more arts, culture, food, and music events in the Valley, see our curated online calendar. 

Beer Olympics
New Times and Tempe Marketplace have joined forces once again for the third annual Beer Olympics, where drinkers sip on Bud Light, Goose Island, and Montejo beer and compete for the glory that comes with being crowned beer-pong champion.

The marathon of games also includes flip cup-style relay races, a classic corn hole toss, and drunken Jenga. Participants will collect stamps to compete in various awards for ability and stamina, like the Triathlon and Decathlon placements, and the unrelated Best Team Costume prize.

Play begins at 8 p.m. (and ends at 11) on Friday, April 22, at The District, 2000 East Rio Salado Parkway. Players and attendees must be 21 or older. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $17.50 for group registration. Designated drivers get in for $10. Details are at www.newtimesbeerolympics.com. Janessa Hilliard

The Absent House
Happy Earth Day! The 1970 original was accompanied by dire predictions — basically, more climate change, famine, extinction, pollution, and mass death than we’ve actually wound up experiencing. While we’re glad these disasters haven’t come to pass so far, our planet still needs loving care.

A low-key way to get your Earth on is with No Festival Required’s screening of Rubén Abruña’s 2014 documentary The Absent House at the David & Gladys Wright House, 5225 East Camelback Road, on Friday, April 22. Plunking down on the lawn of this classic piece of architecture for a film about Puerto Rican ecological architect Fernando Abruña Charneco is so synergistic we could plotz.

The event’s free, but parking is finite, so it’s necessary to reserve a parking pass at www.nofestivalrequired.com. Doors open at 7 p.m. for refreshments and mingling, and the film begins at 7:30. For more information about the venue only, visit www.davidwrighthouse.org or call 602-689-6140. Julie Peterson

Promcoming
Attention, denizens of Lumpy Space: it’s once again time to celebrate Promcoming. So find the nearest frog, tell him how many beans you’ve eaten in the past year, and follow the secret portal inside his mouth to Endgame, Mill Avenue’s second-story video game bar. With live music from bands and DJs, Candy Kingdom-quality desserts courtesy of Miss Anita’s Pies, the midnight crowning of the Promcoming King and Queen, and all-night happy hour pricing for anyone dressed in full Adventure Time gear, it’s sure to be the totes-lumpiest party you’ve ever seen. Oh, and smoothies are also welcome.

Get your lumps to 699 West Mill Avenue, Suite 201 in Tempe, from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, April 22. Visit www.facebook.com/endgamebar for more.  Zach Fowle

Deon Cole
If you’re a fan of Conan O’Brien, guess what. You’re also a fan of Deon Cole. You probably already knew that, though, since the comedian has written jokes for Conan since 2009 and appears on the show regularly. On one of his regular segments, Deon Breaks It Down, he’s covered topics from the 24-hour news cycle ranging from the ubiquity of underboob pictures in Thailand to Jeb Bush’s ability to kill baby Hitler. He’s also been nominated for a couple Emmys, along with the other Conan writers, and is one of the leads on the TBS show Angie Tribeca. But you probably already knew all that, too. All right, smart guy, how about this?

Deon Cole will be performing stand-up comedy at 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday, April 22, at Stand Up Live, 50 West Jefferson Street. Tickets are $20. Call 480-719-6100 or visit www.standuplive.com for more. Zach Fowle

Beer N' Bones
With Tempe and Scottsdale nextdoor, booze-savvy Valley residents aren’t likely to associate Mesa with progressive, beer-themed shenanigans. But the Arizona Museum of Natural History, located in the heart of downtown Mesa at 53 North MacDonald, is doing its part to rectify that. On Friday, April 22, the Museum is hosting Beer N’ Bones, an event celebrating two very historic things. And while bones aren’t on the menu, per se, bugs certainly are. Yup, bug tasting. Along with devouring crunchy critters, the event boasts the opportunity to “speed date a scientist,” which incidentally would be a great name for a lousy pop-punk band. For a more enticing look at Beer N’ Bones’ quirky offerings, visit www.azmnh.org or call 480-644-2230. The 21-and-over event kicks off at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Rob Kroehler


A Chicano in the Sun
They say long-term goals are a key to success. Sometimes, though, you just need to endure one more shift of work. That’s the challenge faced in ASU senior Adam Mendez Jr.’s capstone performance, A Chicano in the Sun, presented by Teatro Bravo! through Sunday, April 24.

The one-man show explores not merely discouragement and uncertainty but also the paths we take toward happiness. It’s the first offering in Teatro Bravo!’s initiative to sponsor works by up-and-coming Chicano artists who seek a stage on which to share their vision.

Showtime on Friday, April 22, is 7:30 p.m. in room 202 on the north side of Phoenix Center for the Arts, 1202 North Third Street. Tickets are $7 to $10 at www.teatrobravo.org. Call 602-402-9954 for more information. Julie Peterson

Jurassic Puppets
Apparently, we love genetically-engineered dinosaur movies so much, we’ve (more or less) enjoyed four of them at this point. It’s a little easier to genetically engineer a puppet. Thusly, All Puppet Players — the troupe that brought us Fifty Shades of Felt — can present Jurassic Puppets with all the epic spectacle and cheeseball drama you’ve come to expect from the franchise. The puppeteers have spared every expense and were so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn't stop to think if they should. Oh, we’ve been there.

Plan to attend a performance (continuing through Saturday, May 7) before the comet hits, at Playhouse on the Park, 1850 North Central Avenue. Then slide into a bathtub full of tree sap, and maybe you’ll be recreated from the resulting amber.

Saturday, April 23’s show starts at 8 p.m. For tickets, $18 to $50, call 602-254-2151 or visit www.tickets.phoenixtheatre.com.  Julie Peterson

TEDxASU
What were you doing at 26? Probably not organizing world-famous discussions on “ideas worth spreading.” Well, the 26-year-old annual conference series called TED (technology, entertainment, design – known for its TEDTalks) is coming to Arizona State University.

The inaugural TEDxASU, titled “Outliers: Embracing Your Vision” is set for Saturday, April 23, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The public discussion will take place at Marston Exploration Theatre, 781 East Terrace Road at ASU Tempe. Speakers include Dr. Maulik Parikh, Dr. Mari Koerner, and ASU’s own Dr. Bertram Jacobs – with more to be announced.

The objective is to “spark (no pun intended) revolutionary ideas and encourage innovation in different disciplines around the world.” Apparently the “x” in TEDx means an “independently organized TED event,” which makes sense, as TEDxASU is student organized and hosted by the ASU Origins Project Club.
Tickets will be available soon, but more information is available now at www.tedxasu.com. Lauren Cusimano

Pat's Run
Pat Tillman, the beloved late Sun Devil and Arizona Cardinals safety, not only wreaked havoc on the field beyond expectations for his size, he also was an avid reader with a thirst for learning. Pat’s Run is the 4.2-mile run/walk that honors the memory of Tillman, who died while serving in Afghanistan with the 75th Rangers Regiment in 2004. The 12th annual event benefits the Pat Tillman Foundation, carrying on #42’s passion for education by providing scholarships for military veterans and their spouses.

Pat’s Run is Saturday, April 23, at ASU Sun Devil Stadium, 500 East Veterans Way in Tempe, and starts at 7 a.m. Registration is $50. The kids run starts at 9:45 a.m., and registration is $10. For more information, visit www.pattillmanfoundation.org. Jose Gonzalez

"How to Train the Dragon"
Thanks to a wide variety of desert drinking holes, the Valley is no stranger to Spike TV’s Bar Rescue crew and its no-nonsense host Jon Taffer. Long-standing British pub George & Dragon earned a Rescue renovation back in January, and footage finally airs on April 24.

“How to Train the Dragon” documents the makeover, from a brighter blue-and-brown color scheme to added high-top tables and a menu change. There’s always two sides to every story, though — especially on a “reality” show designed for ratings — and owner David Wimberley will offer his take with a running commentary about what was left on the cutting room floor.

The free screening starts at 9 p.m., but come early to snag a seat on Sunday at George & Dragon, 4240 North Central Avenue. Visit www.georgeanddragonpub.net. Janessa Hilliard

"Still Tickin'"
Some people go to flea markets or second-hand stores in search of cute vintage clothes or housewares. Artist Betye Saar goes looking for objects that give her ideas and inspiration.

From the civil rights era to today’s black lives matter movement, she’s tackled racism using art created with found objects from clocks to cages. Her “Still Tickin’” exhibition at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art couldn’t be better timed, given the racist rhetoric rife in modern politics. And viewers have a chance to participate beyond being viewers: They’re encouraged to leave an object on her altar-like piece. It might become part of a future work.

Catch the exhibition from noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday, April 24, and through May 1 at 7374 East Second Street. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for students, and free for the 15 and under crowd. Visit www.smoca.org. Lynn Trimble