Mexico’s Fourth of July is September 16, commemorating the day in 1810 when Miguel Hidalgo incited the revolutionary war against Spain. Hidalgo was executed a year later, but his cry of “Mexicanos, Viva Mexico” still sounds at Fiestas Patrias celebrations. Revelry typically includes music, dancing, food, and an El Grito…

Sun 9/7 This weekend, make tracks and make a difference. In recognition of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Build-A-Bear Workshop, the interactive stuffed animal store, is inviting kids in 10 cities to join in the Nikki’s Bear Walk-A-Thon for Children’s Cancer. Valley families step up to the plate Sunday, September 7,…

9/8-9/14 A new hobby can be like a mail-order bride — before you know you like ’em, you’re committed. The prospect of pricey lessons and equipment, not to mention a whole new sports trousseau, can keep you from an activity you just might love. Problem solved at Come Out and…

Sat 8/30 Impact Zone Wrestling, the state’s only full-service training school for professional wrestlers, celebrates its first anniversary at 7:30 p.m. this Saturday, August 30, with a full card of local wrestlers at its Phoenix facility. For $8, fans can check out the next generation of pro wrestling heroes, who…

ONGOING Anyone who writes haikus to cola is a soda aficionada, and we admit to it. Imagine our delight in discovering Pop the Soda Shop, a south Scottsdale beverage boutique at 2015 North Scottsdale Road. Pop caters to everyone’s tastes with 450 varieties of alcohol-free beverages, including juice, tea, soda…

8/27-9/19 On Wednesday, August 27, the planet Mars will be closer to the Earth — 56 million kilometers — than it has been in some 60,000 years; Neanderthals were the last to observe Mars in such proximity, according to NASA. It’s obviously an appropriate date for the opening of “See…

Sun 8/24 This weekend is World Wrestling Entertainment’s latest installment of the SummerSlam pay-per-view event. One of WWE’s biggest annual mega-bouts, it features wrestlers from both RAW and SmackDown!. But for around the price of a pay-per-view purchase, you can roll on down to America West Arena and experience it…

8/23-4/2004 Not all actors are blessed with natural ability — some talents need to be nurtured. With a little encouragement and instruction, your budding Keanu and Madonna could blossom into Bogey and Bacall. Enter Valley Youth Theatre’s Fall Workshops, which offer a “comprehensive education in the performing arts” while building…

Fri 8/15 Sometimes we humans become so fixated on what’s happening in our own area code that we forget about all the cool destinations that make up the cosmos above us. And while astronomy can be a solitary endeavor, it can be all the more rewarding when pursued with a…

8/14-8/16 We moved to Arizona for the cowboy cachet, but the dusty trail has been paved over by cities’ mean streets. Cowboys still live and work in the West, though. Listen to their poems borne of solitude and the open range at Prescott’s Cowboy Poets Gathering, Thursday, August 14, through…

Sundays It’s been “trial by fire,” but so far Mad Props Variety Show, the latest addition to the Valley comedy scene, is a success, says organizer Ryan McKee. “There really wasn’t a place for comedians to go and perform for free,” explains McKee, who says some venues charge people to…

Sat 8/9 If ever there was a group of athletes putting it all on the line for the love of the game, it would be the ladies of the Women’s Professional Football League. Even though money, fame and glory on the gridiron seem reserved for the testosterone set, these mothers,…

Sat 8/2 At the very least, they deserve to be commended for their commitment to car-pooling. Rawhide Wild West Town celebrates National Clown Week on Saturday, August 2, when 100-some clowns from across Arizona swarm in for the theme park’s 10th Annual Clown Day. From 5 to 10 p.m., the…

Tue 8/5 It’s an odd match-up at best, a pairing of two of the greatest control freaks in guitar history: B.B. King, who measures his solos with the precision of a diamond cutter, and Jeff Beck, who is as much a sound sculptor as he is a musician. King is…

7/25-7/27 Can’t make South Dakota this year? Cheer up: Motorcycle rights organization A.B.A.T.E. (American Brotherhood Aimed Towards Education) presents Plan B — “Too Broke for Sturgis,” a weekend of motorcycle fun, Friday, July 25, through Sunday, July 27, at Mormon Lake. Motor up on your own, or ride with the…

7/24-8/21 A small request for rock-climbing aficionados in the Phoenix area: It’s July, and if you’re dead-set on showing up the rest of us with your exploits in verticality, the least you could do is join us in the comfort of the great indoors. Besides, something tells me the competition’s…

Mon 7/21 “I hadn’t really thought about doing thrillers for adults,” says best-selling children’s author R.L. Stine. He’s speaking of his new book, The Sitter, a creepy summer read aimed at the twentysomething set that grew up reading Stine’s Goosebumps series. “I thought maybe I’d try to grow with my…

ONGOING Women, if the thought of shooting a gun triggers anxiety, consider this: In her act with the Wild West Show, Annie Oakley used to shoot cigarettes out of her husband’s mouth. That’s just one possible benefit of learning to handle a firearm at the free Annie Oakley Sure Shots…

Sat 6/28 In any civilization, art and science gleam as facets of the same jewel — the people’s progress. In our civilization, families can shine at ASU Art Museum’s Family Fun Day, where creativity and technology combine in a free day of activities and exhibits. Held in the museum’s cool…

Sat 6/28 Ever dreamed of getting up close and personal with a Laker Girl? Or perhaps soothing that freaky mascot obsession in the company of such high-flying characters as the NBA’s Hugo the Hornet and Turbo the Rocket — all the while basking in the glow of sports celebrities past…

6/20-6/21 Veteran Valley dancers Liz Casebolt and Carley Conder combine their talents to present Falling & Flying, their choreographic debut, this weekend. The collaboration is a mix of modern dance and performance art comprising three pieces set to a diverse score that includes music from G. Love & Special Sauce,…

Sat 6/14 Whether your dad is an astronaut or an actuary, he’s a cowboy at heart. This Saturday, June 14, treat him to an evening in the Old West at the Arizona Gunfighters Father’s Day Show at Rockin’ R Ranch, 6136 East Baseline in Mesa. Dinner starts at 6 p.m.,…