It's going to be hot this week — like, really freaking hot. But that doesn't mean you should stay home. Events in the Valley will still be going on despite the inferno-like temps, including celebrations of Juneteenth and the summer solstice, cooking classes, and much more.
Monday Night Swim
As it turns out, pool parties aren’t just a daytime thing. Granted, most swim soirees tend to happen during sunlight hours, but some local party havens around the Valley with a pool on the premises are also known to host ragers after the sun goes down. Case in point: the semi-regular Monday Night Swim over at Maya, 7333 East Indian Plaza in Scottsdale, where local party monsters extend their weekend fun an extra day and go wild out while frolicking in and around the pool as DJs drop beats and bottles pop. The latest session takes place on Monday, June 14, and features a performance by EDM duo Party Pupils. Doors open at 9 p.m. Limited free admission is available before 11 p.m. for those who RSVP through Maya’s website. VIP table service is also available. Full details can be found here. Benjamin Leatherman
In the Heights
In the Heights opened on Broadway in March 2008, going on to win four 2008 Tony Awards and a 2008 Grammy Award. In 2010, the touring production hit ASU Gammage, giving some locals their first introduction to Lin-Manuel Miranda, who went on to write the smash hit musical Hamilton. He’s having a full circle moment now, as In the Heights is transforming the big screen into a celebration of community. There’s even a book called In the Heights: Finding Home, and you can experience the virtual book launch through Changing Hands Bookstore from 5 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 15. It’ll features Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Quiara Alegría Hudes, who wrote the book for the musical In the Heights, as well as Miranda and writer Jeremy McCarter. The guest moderator will be America Ferrera. Reserve your ticket and copy of the book online for $43.24. Lynn TrimbleParis Is Burning
Five years after the deadly Pulse nightclub attack in Orlando devastated the LGBTQ community, FilmBar and Phoenix Art Museum are showing a film that celebrates ball culture in '80s Harlem. Titled Paris Is Burning, the documentary released in 1990 was filmed during the course of seven years, as director Jennie Livingston explored ways ball culture brought together African-American, Latinx, gay, and transgender communities during an era rife with homophobia, racism, and poverty. The film features several legendary vogue performers and drag queens. The 70-minute film is being screened at Phoenix Art Museum, 1625 North Central Avenue, at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 16. Tickets are $15, or $23 for the film plus general admission to the museum. Lynn Trimble
A clean canvas for this week's Plant-Based Cooking class at Sweet Basil Cooking School.
Lauren Cusimano
Plant-Based Cooking
During early pandemic isolation days, some people turned to cooking as a creative outlet, while others decided to cook more so they wouldn’t be living off to-go orders. Now that restaurants are opening back up, it’s tempting to shove those pots and pans back into those cupboards. Try striking a healthy balance instead, by supporting local eateries and taking some cooking classes to rev up your culinary skills. This week’s offerings at Sweet Basil Cooking School, 10749 North Scottsdale Road, #101, Scottsdale, include a Plant-Based Cooking class with Lisa Brisch. You’ll learn to make several plant-based dishes, including tacos and spaghetti. The 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. class happens on Thursday, June 17. The cost is $70. Lynn TrimbleCome Together Benefit 5.0
For obvious reasons, music festivals have been virtually nonexistent in the Valley for more than a year now. This weekend, the promoters of the Come Together Benefit 5.0 will try fill the void with their two-night affair on Friday, June 18, and Saturday, June 19, at Phoenix’s El Zaribah Shrine Auditorium, 552 North 40th Street. A jam fest, fundraiser, and groove session rolled together in one, the event will star local bands of the classic rock, psychedelic, and ska-punk variety. The lineup varies each evening with Grateful Dead tribute acts The Noodles and Xtra Ticket sharing the bill on the first night with The Neumonics and The Scott Hallock Band, followed the following evening with sets from Cubensis, The Alligators, Mr. Incommunicado, Cloud Ten, The Harvest. A “liquid light show” will illuminate the proceedings throughout the event. Doors open at 6 p.m. on Friday and at 2 p.m. on Saturday. General admission is $37.50 per night, $75 for both. Proceeds local charity Let’s Be Better Humans. Benjamin Leatherman
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Loaded with tongue-in-cheek salaciousness and laced with innuendo, The Rocky Horror Picture Show has always been a bit hot and bothered. Things will get even steamier during a summertime screening of the 1970 cult classic on Friday, June 18, during the “Hot Summer Nights” event at Sun Studios of Arizona, 1425 West 14th Street in Tempe. Local Rocky Horror shadowcast troupe Thinly Veiled will mimic the antics of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Magenta, Riff Raff, and the rest throughout the screening as audience members toss toilet paper and birdseed at the appropriate times. Fetish performance troupe The Agents of Lust will warm up the crowd beforehand and DJ Hexagon Honey will be on the decks throughout the evening. Cosplay is encouraged and Rocky regulars and virgins alike are welcome. The show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 for general admission, $25 for VIP access (which includes reserved seating and a swag bag). Benjamin Leatherman
Paint Punk Show
As the local music community continues to mourn the recent death of Andy Warpigs, the creatives over at Snood City, 1018 Grand Avenue, will be celebrating his life as they deliver plenty of punk vibes during a free Paint Punk gathering that gets underway at 7 p.m. and continues through 11 p.m. on Saturday, June 19. The live music lineup includes the Burnt Ink Band, Pros & Cons, Street Burrito, and Critical Mass. You’ll also find a trio of artists, including David Morgan, doing live mural panting. Lynn TrimbleJuneteenth Celebration
Although the Emancipation Proclamation went into effect in 1863, enslaved people in places under Confederate control weren’t immediately granted their freedom. Hence, the celebration of Juneteenth, a holiday that recalls Union troops arriving in Galveston Bay, Texas on June 19, 1865, to announce that the state’s enslaved Black people were being freed by executive decree. This year’s celebrations around the Valley include a free Celebration of Freedom at Folley Park, 601 East Frye Road, Chandler, from 5 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, June 19. It’ll kick off with a 4 p.m. car caravan through downtown, but also includes food trucks, vendors, live music, and other entertainment. It’s being presented by Chandler4Change and the city of Chandler. Lynn Trimble
Check out Paolo Soleri's work on the Summer Solstice Celebration on Scottsdale.
Lynn Trimble
