Arizona State Fair
The event planners for the Arizona State Fair are a literal-minded bunch. A screening of the 1962 Rodgers and Hammerstein film musical State Fair will show on October 12 at the celebration of the best the 48th state has to offer.
If watching Pat Boone show livestock and find love among blue ribbons and Ferris wheels isn’t your thing, there’s gotta be something else that tickles your fancy. Choose among mini bumper cars, the dance stylings of America’s Got Talent semifinalist Snap Boogie, and an agricultural center featuring llamas, rabbits, and sheep. Oh, and there’s a slew of concerts held in the Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum, where Halestorm, Marilyn Manson, and other performers take the stage during the month of festivities.
Get your share of the fair at 1826 West McDowell Road. Hours are noon to 9 p.m. on Thursday, and State Fair screens at 7 p.m. The fair runs through Sunday, October 29. General admission tickets are $7. Find more info at the Arizona State Fair website. Jason Keil
Hear Voices of the Desert perform during the 2017 Mayor’s Arts Awards ceremony at Hance Park.
Photo courtesy of Phoenix Center for the Arts
Celebrate the winners of the 2017 Mayor’s Arts Awards during Art in the Park, an event that benefits local military veterans and their families. It’s happening at Hance Park Urban Plaza, 1202 North Third Street, on Thursday, October 12. The evening includes dinner and award presentations in six categories, as well as live painting by Lalo Cota and performances from Jerry Lawson, Primavera Folklorico Dance Company, and Voices of the Desert.
Award nominees include Julie Akerly, Angel Castro, Brian Eisenberg, Shyla Ganesan, Jenita Landrum, Annie Lopez, Mark Richardson, Swarma Sitaraman, Scotty Spenner, Lisa Starry, and Kristin Wesley. Tickets are $75. Visit the Phoenix Center for the Arts website. Lynn Trimble
Arizona Coyotes v. Detroit Red Wings
Despite an abundance of fresh faces and a new, fan-centric marketing campaign, it will be difficult for hockey fans to overlook the absence of Arizona Coyotes legend Shane Doan — who hung up his skates for good last season — each time the puck drops this season at Glendale’s Gila River Arena, 9400 West Maryland Avenue.
Yotes fans are hoping that such additions as new head coach Rick Tocchet and several players, including veteran center Derek Stepan, will help fill the sizable void left by Doan’s retirement. A home win against the always formidable Detroit Red Wings on Thursday, October 12, would certainly be a step in the right direction. The game starts at 7 p.m., and tickets are $15 and up. Visit the Coyotes website or call 623-772-3800 for details. Rob Kroehler
Old MacDonald’s Pumpkin Patch
You might not remember your first Halloween, but many popular components can be scary to a little kid: Strangers. Darkness. Disguises. Candy corn, which tastes like neither candy nor corn. That said, we’ve encountered more frightened adults in our neighborhood, while the tots take to the festivities like ducks to water.
Speaking of ducks, you could do worse than introduce the weirdness of Halloween to your 2- through 8-year-olds in a gentle, snuggly way at Old MacDonald’s Pumpkin Patch, continuing at Great Arizona Puppet Theater through Sunday, October 29. The animals need costumes. You get to sing along. Showtime on Thursday, October 12, is 10 a.m. at 302 West Latham Street.
Tickets are $7 to $10; call 602-262-2050 for reservations. Visit the AZ Puppet website for more information. Julie Peterson
Front Porch Pickins Vintage & Handmade Market
If being a mall dweller isn’t your thing and you have a passion for rifling through other people’s old or handmade stuff, we’re about to send you on a shopping spree.
The Front Porch Pickins Vintage & Handmade Market is the place to peruse booths loaded with vintage, shabby chic, and retro goods. A DJ keeps things lively, and food trucks are on-site to feed hungry shoppers. This event launches the Pickins Pub, where cold adult beverages will help you forget how much you spent.
Find treasures from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, October 13, at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, 20000 South Maricopa Road in Chandler. Admission is $10; free for kids 12 and younger. Visit the Front Porch Pickins website. Amy Young
Chris Tucker
Although Ice Cube snagged top billing on the poster for Friday, the 1995 cult film wouldn’t have been a hit without Chris Tucker’s turn as the perpetually stoned Smokey. Despite pulling huge paychecks for his headlining roles in the Rush Hour sequels, the Def Comedy Jam star ran into some trouble with the Internal Revenue Service. The settlement of his tax bill allegedly prompted his return to stand-up and a Netflix special, in which the hyperactive star tells stories about his childhood and hanging out with Michael Jackson.
Tucker performs at 8 p.m. on Friday, October 13, at the Celebrity Theatre, 440 North 32nd Street. Tickets are $36 to $122. For more information, visit the Celebrity Theatre website. Jason Keil
Stuart A. Weiner, Soleri sketching at his desk, Cosanti, ca. 1960. Gelatin-silver print, 10 x 8 inches. Collection of the Costanti Foundation. Copyright: The Weiner Estate.
Courtesy of Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art
It’s retrospective time at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, 7374 East Second Street, where you can be one of the first people to explore a new exhibition of works by renowned artist and architect Paolo Soleri during the museum’s fall opening celebration on Friday, October 13. “The City Is Nature,” the first major retrospective of Soleri’s work since his death in 2013, officially opens the next day.
It’s one of two exhibitions you can view that night, along with “Marking the Infinite: Contemporary Women Artists of Aboriginal Australia.” Both reflect the deep influence of nature on human creativity and imagination.
Sara Cochran, director and chief curator for the museum, will lead a tour through the exhibitions; it’s a rare opportunity to hear her insights on these works. And it’s a chance to mingle with local artists, curators, and collectors attending the free event, which runs from 7 to 9 p.m. Visit the SMoCA website. Lynn Trimble
Uhh Yeah Dude
Do you sit around chatting about the news with your BFF in a manner so amusing you should start a podcast so everyone can bask in the glow of your witty words?
That’s how Uhh Yeah Dude was born, back in 2006. Pals Seth Romatelli and Jonathan Laroquette would blab regularly, via phone, bullshitting about current events and situations in their personal lives until one of them suggested they record the chats and make a podcast out of the situation.
Now you have a chance to be part of a live recording of the popular podcast. Generally, the show takes place in Romatelli’s Hollywood apartment, but this time, you can put faces and expressions to the words. Be a part of the chatter starting at 8 p.m. on Saturday, October 14, at Crescent Ballroom, 308 North Second Avenue. Tickets are $28 to $30. Call 602-716-2222 or visit the Crescent Ballroom website. Amy Young
During the Arcosanti Bluegrass Festival, Jarabe Mexico, a group out of San Diego, will bring a different variety of acoustic music.
Courtesy of Jarabe Mexico
During the annual Arcosanti Bluegrass Festival, you can see local bluegrass favorites perform at the modern, utopian desert community designed by architect Paolo Soleri.
Held on Saturday and Sunday, October 14 and 15, in the Colly Soleri Amphitheater, the festival highlights traditional and modern bluegrass bands, including youth from the Jam Pak Blues ‘N’ Grass Neighborhood Band, national groups such as Run Boy Run and James Reams & the Barnstormers, and San-Diego-based group Jarabe Mexicano.
From noon to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Arizona acoustic musicians and bands can take part in an open mic session. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to noon on Sunday at 13555 South Cross L Road. Tickets are $12 for adults and free for age 16 and younger. For more information, call 928-632-7135 or go to the Arcosanti website. Laura Latzko
Best of Phoenix A’fare
Wanna celebrate our Best of Phoenix issue? Samesies. Mark your calendar for the Best of Phoenix A’fare, which will feature food from 40 Valley restaurants, along with beer, wine, and cocktails at the Arizona Biltmore, 2400 East Missouri Avenue. Expect an evening filled with libations, entertainment, and palm-reading from 8 to 11 p.m. on Saturday, October 14. Guests should wear cocktail attire. Admission for this 21-and-older event is $45 for general and $65 for VIP. For more information, visit the Best of Phoenix A’fare website. Lindsay Roberts
Arizona State University v. University of Washington
While “trusting the process” might work in other sports arenas, it’s a luxury that college football programs —with their transient personnel — simply cannot afford. Sure, “win or go home” is a ubiquitous eye-roller of a cliche throughout the wide world of sports, but it’s particularly true on the collegiate level, which puts ASU football head coach Todd Graham’s job in peril.
Staring down a third straight losing season, Graham will have to wrestle a very large rabbit from a hat by defeating a superior University of Washington team on Saturday, October 14, should he hope to remain employed through the fall. The Huskies bring their potent offense, led by junior quarterback Jake Browning, to Tempe’s Sun Devil Stadium, 500 East Veterans Way, on Saturday, October 14, to take on the Sun Devils. Game time is 7:45 p.m. Tickets are $35 and up for non-students. Visit the Sun Devil website or call 480-727-0000 for details. Rob Kroehler
Native American Connections Parade
When you want to spread information and celebrate, your best bet is taking it to the streets.
The annual Native American Connections Parade is an example of an organization doing just that. The local org’s mission is to improve the lives of individuals and families through Native American, culturally appropriate services, ranging from behavioral health to housing.
The spirited parade will be filled with dancers, artists, and musicians showcasing the value of this important mission. Get a spot on the route to take it all in from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, October 14. The parade starts at Third and Oak streets and ends at Steele Indian School Park, 4520 North Central Avenue. Call 602-254-3247 or visit the Native Connections website. Amy Young
Murderess
When our suitcase is overweight at the airport, we shuffle some items into our carryon. So it wasn’t crazy for Winnie Ruth Judd to do the same with parts of her victims. But maybe the rest of it was kind of insane.
Since the release of Scott Coblio’s 2007 film Murderess, Trunk Space has screened the movie every year right around October 16, the anniversary of Phoenix’s scandalous 1931 double murder that forever changed the way we look at rice pudding and ironing boards. The actors in Murderess are marionettes, but worse actors have won Oscars.
This year, Trunk Space and FilmBar team up to present the fan favorite at 1:30 p.m. Sunday, October 15, at 815 North Second Street. Admission is $7. See the FilmBar website. Julie Peterson
Carolyn Lavender’s Predator – Prey for “Tikkun Olam II” (while it was a work in progress).
Carolyn Lavender
Paradise Valley artist Beth Ames Swartz is on a mission. Last year, she launched a series of “Tikkun Olam: Repairing the World” exhibitions, whose title references a Jewish concept centered on healing the world through acts of kindness.
Swartz has been making art for more than five decades, and she’s beloved by many for the time she spends mentoring and supporting other artists. This year’s “Tikkun Olam II” exhibition features works by four women artists working in diverse media: Janet de Berge Lange, Carolyn Lavender, Ann Morton, and Lauren Strohacker.
Be the first to see it during the free opening reception from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday, October 15, at the Cutler-Plotkin Jewish Heritage Center, 122 East Culver Street. Visit the Arizona Jewish Historical Society website. Lynn Trimble
Puente Human Rights Movement 10th Anniversary
Fighting for justice and human rights is more important than ever given our current political climate. It’s a great time to do that — and to applaud those who have given their time and energy to fight the good fight.
Local grassroots humanitarian organization Puente Human Rights Movement invites you to celebrate its 10th anniversary. The nonprofit started in 2007 to build a political home for migrant communities in Arizona. It’s gone on to build a base of leaders and members who have rallied to fight against anti-immigrant movements and laws.
Get involved while you enjoy music and festivities from 6 to 11 p.m. on Sunday, October 15, at 1602 East Roosevelt Street. Tickets range from $22.09 to $528.49. Call 602-252-1283 or visit the Puente website. Amy Young
Jun Kaneko
Sculptor Jun Kaneko makes large-scale, hand-built sculptures that include the dumpling-shaped dangos you might have seen at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport or ASU Art Museum’s Ceramics Research Center. But he also creates tall Tanuki sculptures, inspired by real animals that get shape-shifting abilities in Japanese folklore.
Kaneko uses his ceramic forms as canvases for creating colorful designs with repeated dots and lines. You can see nearly 20 of his glazed ceramic and bronze forms in a new solo exhibition at Desert Botanical Garden, 1201 North Galvin Parkway, where they dot the landscape along winding garden pathways.
Check it out between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. on Monday, October 16. The exhibition is free with garden admission, which is $24.95 for adults. Visit the Desert Botanical Garden website. Lynn Trimble
Thomas Moore
Pop psychologist and self-help guru Thomas Moore dominated the bestseller lists in the 1990s with his treatises on the soul, including Care for the Soul and Soul Mates. Heck, he’s probably inadvertently responsible for all those Chicken Soup for the Soul books as well.
But he’s still devoted to spiritual well-being, hosting seminars, lectures, and retreats worldwide. And at 7 p.m. Tuesday, October 17, you can get a sample of his wisdom at Changing Hands Bookstore, 6428 South McClintock Drive in Tempe.
Moore will be sharing his thoughts on aging and signing copies of his latest work, Ageless Soul. Books are $26.99 and include a ticket that admits two for the signing. For more information, call 480-730-0205 or visit the Changing Hands website. Michael Senft
Astronaut Terry Virts will speak at the Mesa Arts Center as part of the National Geographic Live! series.
Courtesy of Terry Virts
Scientists, photographers, filmmakers, and explorers featured in National Geographic have helped shape what we know about the world — and how we see it. During Mesa Art Center’s five-show National Geographic Live! series, you can hear about these explorers’ adventures.
The series opens on Wednesday, October 18, with a behind-the-scenes talk by Terry Virts, an astronaut who, while stationed on the International Space Station, installed and worked on the Cupola module, a dome-shaped tower that allowed him to capture panoramic photographs of Earth. His work is featured in the book View From Above: An Astronaut Photographs the World and the documentary A Beautiful Planet.
The event starts at 7:30 p.m. at 1 East Main Street, and tickets range from $26 to $40. The series will continue with various lectures through March 28. For more information, call 480-644-6500 or go to the Mesa Arts Center website. Laura Latzko
Jose Damasceno, Nota sobre uma cena acesa ou os dez mil lapiz (Note on a Lit Scene or the Ten Thousand Pencils), 2000. 10,000 pencils on wood panel. Museum of Modern Art, Sao Paulo Collection, MAM Sao Paulo Contemporary Nucleus Acquisition.
Romulo Fialdini
Can’t quite figure out how to pay for ramen, textbooks, and highbrow art experiences on a student budget? The folks at Phoenix Art Museum get it. That’s why they’re hosting College Night on Wednesday, October 18. Visit 1625 North Central Avenue for a night filled with art-making with Bill Dambrova, food-truck fare, and DJ Miguel Ivery spinning Brazilian music from 6 until 9 p.m.
This event is free for all higher education students with school ID. Students will also receive discounted $2 ticket to the special “Past/Future/Present” exhibition. Visit the Facebook event page. Lindsay Roberts
Editor's note: This post has been updated from its original version.
