The Best Live and Virtual Things to Do in Metro Phoenix This Week

This week you can explore a drive-thru museum, sip cocktails while you talk about saving the planet, offer ideas for a new creative space, or watch a Greek tragedy play out in modern life. Here’s a look at the best things to do in metro Phoenix, including a couple that won’t cost you a thing. (All require masks and social distancing, by the way.)

A Sip of Science

It’ll be happy hour meets science from 6 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 6, as ASU presents a virtual gathering to explore sustainability over drinks. Settle in as a local mixologist or chef joins the discussion headed by Tim Long, director for a new biodesign center focused on sustainability at the macromolecular level. Basically, he’ll be talking about plastic, and ways to move beyond merely recycling as a way to keep both people and the planet safe. The event is free, but online registration is required.

Art Park Brainstorming

Arizona Burners affiliated with the larger Burning Man movement brought a compelling mix of fire, performance, visual arts, and community to an outdoor arts space called the Green Art Park recently, just a few months after Mayor Kate Gallego recognized the official opening for the venture launched by a Garfield neighborhood creative space called Alwun House. Head to the free 6 p.m. open house at the park on Wednesday, April 7, if you want to share ideas about what you’d like to see happen in the new park moving forward.

Greek Tragedy Redux

You might have slept through most of those high school lectures on Greek mythology, but plenty of creative people have found ways to transform iconic myths into intriguing fare that’s a lot more fun to explore. Consider the heartbreaking case of Orpheus and Eurydice, a couple beset by the tragic consequences of doubt. It’s the theme for the musical Hadestown coming to ASU Gammage next year, and the film Black Orpheus, which is being screened in the Phoenix Art Museum courtyard at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 8. Tickets are $15, and available online.

David + Lisa

Most people wouldn’t want their love life played out on the big screen, but few object to seeing fictional accounts of the ways personal idiosyncrasies complicate romantic relationships. Choreographer Lisa Starry took inspiration in a 1960s stage play and film that explored the “unlikely attachment” of two people who meet in a treatment center, and turned it into a full-length dance production that features original music by Kristofer Hill and Ryan Breen. The three-day run at the outdoor Herberger Pavilion starts with a 7:30 p.m. performance by Scorpius Dance Theatre on Thursday, April 8. Tickets are available online for $25.

Sonoran Sippin’

Desert Botanical Garden is mixing cool drinks, music, and outdoor time with its latest Sonoran Sippin’ shindig, taking place from 6 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, April 8, when you can get off the couch and reconnect with your inner nature nerd. The all-ages event includes garden admission, a floral-inspired welcome drink, and live music by singer/songwriter James Gilmore — plus bossa nova by the Al Albado Duo and DJ stylings by Dario Miranda. It’s casual, but there’s no reason you can’t rock your favorite floral fashion. Tickets are $29.95 for adults, and are available online.

Design Departure

The pandemic prompted creators to find new ways to make and share their work, resulting in a mix of art, design, and sound that’s coming to the Packard Drive parking structure at ASU for a three-week run. It’s a collaboration of dozens of industry professionals and students who transformed the garage into a mile-long drive-thru museum filled with light-infused installations. Participating artists include HYBYCOZO and Lightswitch. Your first chance to see their work for designspace is Friday, April 9, when three hourly shows start at 7 p.m. Tickets are $32.50 per vehicle, and you can get them online.

Coronado Art Crawl

It’s all good and fine to visit local museums and galleries, but now and then you get the chance to meet artists where they live — including the Coronado neighborhood of Phoenix, where one of the best known art spaces is a mural-filled alley located off Oak and 14th streets. Take a look on Saturday, when you can also enjoy the Coronado Neighborhood Art Crawl featuring dozens of area artists showing and selling their work. Neighborhood artists include Maggie Keane, who created the iconic Prince mural on Grand Avenue. The free event kicks off at 8 a.m.

Baseball Is Back

It’s been a big week for baseball news with the MLB pulling its All-Star Game from Georgia in response to restrictive voting laws recently passed by the state legislature. As pundits watch for similar legislation in Arizona, fans are heading to games and celebrating the return of live (albeit socially distanced) audiences. If you can snag a ticket, check out the Diamondbacks playing the Cincinnati Reds at Chase Field at 1:10 p.m. on Sunday, April 11. Ticket prices vary based on demand, but we found some starting at $29 last time we checked.