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As the brilliant and bespectacled Liz Lemon once said, “Leap Day is not a thing.”
Oh, but it is. February 29 may only come but once every four years, but it's something worth celebrating. Since real life is for March, and nothing that happens on Leap Day counts (according to that aforementioned 30 Rock episode which is really our guiding light here), why not try a little something out of the ordinary on this special Monday? You know, take a leap.
Here are seven things to do in metro Phoenix this Leap Day.
Get Your Game On
From 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. The Grid: Games & Growlers, 525 South Gilbert Road in Mesa, is featuring Left Coast Hop Juice on tap ($5 10-ounce, $4 from 4 to 7 p.m., and $18 growler fills), Frogger on all-day free play for the Costanza in your group, and free birthday drinks for you lucky Leap babies.
Read & Drink
Your Goodreads account is ashamed of you. Show that website who’s boss at Changing Hands Bookstore (with locations in Phoenix and Tempe). Both stores are offering Leap Day Specials, meaning shoppers receive 25 percent off any books or gifts with “leap” or "year" in the title.
And that’s not even the best part. Pull up a stool to the First Draft Book Bar and enjoy all day happy hour prices.
Go Shopping
Bunky Boutique, 1437 North First Street Suite 103, wants you to "leap into festival season" – music festival season that is. Find new spring arrivals and festival-ready items, and even snag a few tickets to McDowell Mountain Music Festival 2016.
Get Crafty
Apparently the frog is the official mascot of Leap Day. Whatever, makes sense, so get to making some frog crafts with friends, family, or the S.O.
Fortunately for us, Leap Year does not affect operating hours at art supply and fabric stores like Arizona Art Supply in Phoenix, the Bernina Connection in Arcadia, Paper Source in Scottsdale, Jerry’s Artarama in Tempe, etc. etc. So go find some green construction paper and get to crafting.
See a Show
As usual with a city as big as ours, a couple shows are happening no matter the extra day on the calendar. Check out Rob Crow's Gloomy Place at Rebel Lounge, and Nick Carter (yeah, like Backstreet Boys Nick Carter) will be at Crescent Ballroom.
You can also check out Danserye – Dances from Around the World at 7:30 p.m. at Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 West Rio Salado Parkway. Tickets are $3 to $5 at 480-350-2822 and www.tca.ticketforce.com.
Usual Monday Stuff
You may still want to go out donning your best yellow-and-blue hella poppin’ outfit, but you don’t have to do Leap Day-related stuff.
Usual Monday stuff is still going down, including free games all night at Valley Bar, stand-up comedy at The Rock, and Karaoke Idol at the newly remodeled George & Dragon. You can also join the Phoenix Downtempo Ride – meeting in Coronado Park at 7 p.m. for a 7:30 rollout to Pomeroy's, 5551 North Seventh Street.
Stay Home
This year, Leap Day is on a Monday, so we get it if basketball shorts and Thai food are in order. But so you’re not totally missing out, embrace your case of FOGO by firing up Netflix, popping on 30 Rock Season 6, Episode 8, and relishing in that Jim Carrey cameo.