Metro Phoenix’s Things to Do This Week: Guaranteed Rate Bowl, Ghost Poetry, and More

If you’ve recovered from the holidays and are looking for something to do, this week offers you the chance to catch college football teams in action, witness metro Phoenix’s best slam poets performing, or experience Native American art and culture at the Heard Museum.

Read on for more details or click over to Phoenix New Times’ events calendar for even more things to do in the Valley from Monday, December 26, to Thursday, December 29.

Ghost Poetry Show

Looking for the Valley’s best poets and spoken word artists? They’ll be haunting The Rebel Lounge, 2303 East Indian School Road, during the latest edition of the Ghost Poetry Show at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 27. More than a dozen local wordsmiths will compete for cash prizes during the bimonthly poetry slam, which is judged by five randomly selected audience members. You might not hear much in the way of traditional stanzas, couplets, and rhymes, but you’ll likely be impressed by their talents. Admission for the all-ages event is $10 in advance and $12 at the door.

Guaranteed Rate Bowl

While it may not be as esteemed or highly ranked as the Fiesta Bowl, the annual Guaranteed Rate Bowl has been an Arizona tradition since its debut in 1989. The event, which has been branded by a half-dozen different sponsors over the past three decades, features some of the nation’s best college football teams battling for bowl season glory at Chase Field, 401 East Jefferson Street. This year’s game is on Tuesday, December 27, and will pit the Wisconsin Badgers (6-6) against the Oklahoma State Cowboys (7-5). It’s the first-ever meeting between the two teams and college football pundits are calling it one of the best non-playoff bowl games to watch this year. Kickoff is at 8:15 p.m. and tickets start at $79.39.

Holidays at the Heard

Think the holidays begin and end with Christmas? The folks at the Heard Museum, 2301 North Central Avenue, would respectfully disagree, as they’ll be celebrating the season through the end of the year. Festivities will include daily appearances by Native American artists, live entertainment, and crafting sessions. To wit: stop by from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, December 28, to enjoy music from traditional flute player Randy Kemp in the Piper Courtyard, performances by world champion hoop dancer Tony Duncan, and an appearance by Hopi/Assiniboine Sioux metalsmith Steve LaRance and Hopi/Ohkay Owingeh jewelry artist Marian Denipah in the gift shop. It’s free to attend the events, you'll need to pay  normal admission prices ($22.50 for adults, $19 for seniors, and $9 for students and children 6-17) to explore the museum. Click here for a full schedule.

Anjelah Johnson-Reyes

Comedian and actress Anjelah Johnson-Reyes might be best known for Bon Qui Qui, the mouthy fast food and rap star she portrayed on multiple episodes of MADtv, but it's not her only claim to fame. The former NFL cheerleader turned stand-up comic has also starred in her own Comedy Central and Netflix specials, voiced characters in films like Marmaduke and The Book of Life, and racked up 22 million-plus views on YouTube for her bit on Vietnamese nail salon employees. This week, Johnson-Reyes will kick off a three-night stint at downtown Phoenix comedy club Stand Up Live, 50 West Jefferson Street, starting at 7 p.m. on Thursday, December 29. Tickets are $40 per person for general admission plus a two-drink minimum.

Ladies of Wax

Ska’s various heydays may have occurred decades ago, but that shouldn’t lessen your appreciation of the influential genre and its groundbreaking artists. The local DJs making up the Ladies of Wax certainly don’t, as they celebrate ska’s roots during their nights at The Lost Leaf, 914 North Fifth Street. Every month, the trio of DJ Flaquita, Little Miss Sol, and Sonic Moronic drop the needle on a variety of old-school ska records, as well as platters of the punk, garage, northern soul, and reggae variety. Guest DJs also regularly step behind the record decks during the spin sessions, the latest of which happens at 9 p.m. on Thursday, December 29. Admission is free.