Listen up cheapos, there's much to do and so little coin to spend. This week, you can test your smarts at Trivia and Taps, celebrate Indigenous Peoples Day, or attend the Fall Opening Celebration at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. It's all free. For more things to do, visit Phoenix New Times' curated calendar.
Indigenous Peoples Day
Time to party like it’s Indigenous Peoples Day. On Monday, October 9, the Heard Museum’s activities and entertainment run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and include scavenger hunts, the Wellness Warriors obstacle course, printmaking, live music, and way more things involving tepary beans than you ever imagined doing in front of other people.
Keynote speaker Arlene Joyce Hughes will talk about language retention and make you realize you do care about it, and you’ll get to play Never Alone (Kisima Ingitchuna), the first video game co-created by Alaska’s Iñupiat, on a big screen. At 7 p.m., short film 7th Voice (Sakowin Ho) focuses on indigenous youth protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline. Event admission is free (exhibitions still require regular admission) at 2301 North Central Avenue. Visit the Heard website or call 602-252-8840. Julie Peterson
Trivia and Taps
Drinkers and thinkers, Tuesdays are about to get a little better.
On October 10, DeSoto Central Market hosts Trivia and Taps. Front Row Trivia Live presents the Q&A session, which also features $5 pitchers of Blue Moon and prizes, at 915 North Central Avenue.
Get ready for a battle of smarts or just stop by to get your drink on starting at 7 p.m.
There is no cover for this all-ages event. For more information, visit the Facebook page. Lindsay Roberts
Annual Plant Sale
The right plant can make all the difference, whether you’re landscaping or sprucing up interior decor. During the Center for Native and Urban Wildlife’s annual plant sale on Wednesday and Thursday, October 11 and 12, you can browse different types of cactuses, shrubs, succulents, custom arrangements, and potted house plants — and get advice on plant care from experts.
The plants available are desert-adapted and help to provide food, nectar, and nesting spots for animals. Proceeds from the biannual sale go to the center, a nonprofit organization that’s part of Scottsdale Community College’s Life Sciences Department. The sale runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day at the SCC Greenhouse, 9000 East Chaparral Road. Plant costs range from $3 to $25, and the center only accepts cash and checks. For more information, see the Scottsdale Community College website. Laura Latzko
Fall Opening Celebration
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
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 is filled with dancers, artists, and musicians who showcase the value of this important mission.
Get a spot on the route to take it all in from 9 to 11a.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
“Tikkun Olam: Repairing the World”
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” 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 Jewish Heritage Center website. Lynn Trimble