Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show at WestWorld of Scottsdale You'd be hard pressed to find many people who don't like horses. Little girls beg to own a pony, and some adult men get into the equestrian spirit with the whole brony thing. For horse lovers who just won't quit, the 59th annual Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show the perfect opportunity to ooh and ahh over the galloping animals they wish they had (or were).
Appreciate the beauty of Arabian horses in the breeder finals, or watch cowboys and cowgirls test their mettle in endurance rides and hikes. The event is hands-on, as guests are encouraged to meet and interact with the horses and tour barns before each competition. Enjoy some additional fun as dogs parade in costumes and race each other at the end of the day.
See also: Georgia O'Keeffe Exhibition Fails to Connect with Native American Culture at Phoenix's Heard Museum
Horse around at the Scottsdale Arabian Horse show at Westworld, 16601 North Pima Road in Scottsdale on Monday, February 17. General admission is $10; all ages are welcome. Call 480-515-1500 or visit www.scottsdaleshow.com. -- Melissa Fossum
Har-Lem-Ren at Herberger Theater Center In the late 1920s, Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes collaborated on a script for a play, hoping to strike a balance between frothy musicals and drama with a Big Message -- a tale celebrating the language and humor of genuine black America.
The two friends encountered obstacles of logistics and personality, and Mule Bone (despite that catchy title) was never completed to its authors' satisfaction. But within that failure lies a true story of conflicts and triumph set during the Harlem Renaissance cultural movement. Local playwright Larissa Brewington and composer Paul Kolecki bring it to life in a one-act musical, Grey Matters Productions' Har-Lem-Ren, a Herberger Lunch Time Theater presentation at 12:10 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays, February 18 through 27, in the Kax Stage on the Van Buren Street side of 222 East Monroe Street. Admission is $6. For details, including advance tickets and lunch information, visit www.herbergertheater.org/lunch_time_theater or call 602-252-8497. -- Julie Peterson
Spring Artist Studio Tours at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art For art lovers who yearn for deeper knowledge about what's on the walls, Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art has the perfect outside-the-box tour.
Artist Studio Tours are a monthly look at the behind-the-scenes of artists who call the Valley home. On this week's three-stop tour, check out the studio of vibrant painter Wahid Nahle, whose freely abstract takes on nature offer a break from realist interpretation. Tour-goers will also explore the studio of painter and sculptor Scott McNeill, whose multi-dimensional perspective is reminiscent of the complexities of cubism. The final stop on the four-hour tour is a visit to Chandler's Vision Gallery, currently featuring "The Chandler Portraits" series by Arizona artist Tad Smith.
The tour takes off at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, February 19, at 7374 East Second Street. Tickets are $67 but do not include a lunch, so brown-bagging it is recommended. Visit www.smoca.org or call 480-874-4666. -- Janessa Hilliard
Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival If, in a guessing game, you were to wager that Phoenix's longest running film festival was the, ahem, Phoenix Film Festival, you'd be dead wrong. The Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival would be the correct answer - and it's got the ID to prove it.
In its 18th year, the festival focuses on Jewish indie cinema with 12 films and two shorts spanning three Valley theaters in Peoria, Chandler, and Scottsdale.
Thursday, February 20's screening is The Jewish Cardinal. The short film Woody Before Allen closes out the festival with Paris-Manhattan, a rom-com centered on a Woody Allen-obsessed pharmacist, on Sunday, Feburary 23, at Harkins Arrowhead 18, 16046 North Arrowhead Fountains Drive in Peoria. So best prepare yourself in advance for that debate.
Tickets to single screenings are $11. Call 602-753-9366 or visit www.gpjff.org for more information and a complete schedule. -- Becky Bartkowski
"A River in a Time of Dryness" at Eye Lounge Does it seem right that in the middle of a desert exists the fifth largest metropolis in the United States? What of those golf courses and unnaturally green lawns? Ever notice the Salt River trickles by the time it passes the airport? Water usage is a contentious issue in the Valley. It's also the focus of "A River In a Time of Dryness," a new installation at Eye Lounge that's curated by Nic Wiesinger. Works "explore the complex issues of place, water, drought, and the future of water management in the Valley," according to a press release, which also notes that these pieces may applaud or question outcomes and benefits -- along with the policies -- of desert water usage.
Where do local artists stand? Stop by the opening reception at 6 p.m., Friday, February 21, and take a gander. Eye Lounge is located at 419 East Roosevelt Street. Visit www.eyelounge.com or call 602-430-1490. -- Glenn BurnSilver
