13 Best Things to Do in Metro Phoenix, October 10 to 16

Looking for the best things to do in metro Phoenix from Monday, October 10, through Sunday, October 16? The Valley's offerings include a celebration of our newfound Indigenous Peoples Day, an opportunity for True Blood fans to freak out (just a little bit), the return of Phoenix Fashion Week. For more, see the New Times curated events calendar.

Indigenous Peoples Day
At this point in our collective understanding of the actual history of the “discovery” of the Americas, we should all agree that Christopher Columbus isn’t the sort of person who should be immortalized with his own holiday. In Oklahoma City, the city council has yet again struck down initiatives to change Columbus Day to Indigenous Peoples Day, but such efforts have succeeded here in Phoenix through such organizations as IPD PHX, Indigenous Vision, and Valley Natives.

On Monday, October 10, you can join a new conversation on your day off — one that acknowledges the oppression and genocide that colonialism inflicted and continues to inflict on Native populations in the U.S. The Indigenous Peoples Day celebration at Puente Human Rights Movement will offer a swath of artists and guest speakers, as well as a dinner to cap off the event. It is free and open to the public, though organizers recommend you bring your own plates, cups, and cutlery if you intend on eating. The celebration kicks off at 1 p.m. and runs until 9 p.m. For details, call 480-749-9408 or e-mail [email protected]. Heather Hoch

Charlaine Harris
After years of vampires, werewolves, and fairies, Charlaine Harris has left the supernatural critters in the backwoods of Louisiana and returned to the mystery series that started her best-selling career in 1990.

When Harris visits the Poisoned Pen, 4014 North Goldwater Boulevard in Scottsdale, at 7 p.m. on Monday, October 10, she’ll be promoting All the Little Liars, her first Aurora Teagarden novel since 2003. The series, about a crime-solving librarian, recently gained a new audience thanks to a sequence of miniseries on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries.

Admission to the reading is free, but purchase is required for a spot in the signing line. All the Little Liars is available in hardcover for $25.99. For more information, call 480-947-2974 or visit poisonedpen.com. Michael Senft

"Experimental Chinese Painting"
See works that combine traditional Chinese painting techniques with Western art sensibilities on Tuesday during the free “Experimental Chinese Painting” exhibition in the Scottsdale Community College Art Building, 9000 East Chaparral Road. Traditional Chinese painting features non-centered compositions created with different layers of light and thick ink applied to rice paper using various-size brushes.

Many of these paintings, most created by advanced students studying under Beijing-trained artist and SCC professor Robert You, also feature Chinese calligraphy and the artist’s signature imprinted with a block called a “chop.” While some works reflect traditional Chinese art, others blend Western art with Chinese mark-making.

See the exhibition between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. on October 11. It continues through Thursday, October 27. Visit www.scottsdalecc.edu. Lynn Trimble

Speed Killed My Cousin Panel
Knoxville, Tennessee’s Carpetbag Theatre, Inc. visits with their hard-hitting play, Speed Killed My Cousin. It’s a story about an African-American woman’s life and challenges after serving in the Iraq war. The troupe is also hosting additional programs in the cities they visit to examine issues explored in the play. This panel discussion that shares the play’s name looks at both the history of African-Americans in the military and women in combat. Join the talk from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, October 12, at Burton Barr Central Library, 1221 North Central Avenue. Admission is free. Visit asu.humanities.edu. Amy Young

Mayor's Arts Awards
There’s nothing quite like seeing artists from diverse fields converge on a single spot. It’s precisely what will happen as Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton and Phoenix Center for the Arts kick off the third annual Mayor’s Arts Awards at 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 13, at the Margaret T. Hance Park Urban Plaza, 1134 North Central Avenue.

They will present awards in several categories including visual art, theater, music, dance, and creative writing. And innovators in the arts will also get the spotlight that night. More than 30 nominees are up for awards this year, including visual artist Tato Caraveo, playwright Marcelino Quinonez, and choreographer Nicole Olson.

Tickets are $75, and this year’s proceeds will help fund free art workshops for military veterans and their families provided by Phoenix Center for the Arts in partnership with the ASU Pat Tillman Veteran Center and Office for Veteran and Military Academic Engagement. Visit www.phoenixcenterforthearts.org. Lynn Trimble

Phoenix Fashion Week
Better have a few on-trend outfits at the ready, because Phoenix Fashion Week returns on October 13 for three nights of runway shows and shopping at Talking Stick Resort, 9800 East Indian Bend Road in Scottsdale.

Community night kicks things off on Thursday by spotlighting local labels such as State Forty Eight, students from the Art Institute of Phoenix, and a handful of the emerging designers competing for the distinction (and prize package) that comes with being named designer of the year. Each evening features eight runway presentations centered on a different aesthetic. Friday showcases contemporary fashions, while Saturday focuses on luxury and couture brands.

Fashion Week closes on October 15 with off-the-wall looks from avant-garde Filipino designer Rocky Gathercole, who has brought the festivities to a sparkly, show-stopping close for the past two years. Tickets are $50 and up per night. The style villa marketplace opens at 5 p.m. nightly, and runway shows start at 8. For details and seating options, see phoenixfashionweek.com.  Becky Bartkowski

Keep reading for more events this week.

La Bayadère
Think Romeo and Juliet cornered the market on doomed love affairs? Not even close, as evidenced by a dance of forbidden romance called La Bayadère, a lavish ballet set in India that explores the tragic tale of a temple dancer and young warrior.

Before Ballet Arizona opens its 2016 production of La Bayadère at Symphony Hall on October 27, it’s giving people a chance to go behind the scenes during a Studio Spotlight event happening at 7 p.m. on Friday, October 14.

Inside the intimate 298-seat Dorrance Theatre at Ballet Arizona, 2835 East Washington Street, viewers can spend an hour watching rehearsals for La Bayadère and getting perspectives from Ballet Arizona’s artistic staff. There’s even Q&A time. Tickets cost $30. Visit www.balletaz.org. Lynn Trimble

Otsukimi Moonviewing Festival
In Western traditions, the moon makes people go crazy – but in Japan, this celestial orb brings serenity. Celebrate the moon’s peaceful side at the Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix, 1125 North Third Avenue, during the annual Otsukimi Moonvewing Festival. During this special event, the garden is lit with candles and luminaries. There will also be live musicians and traditional food. You can also take place in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony for an additional cost.

Pay your respects to the cosmos at the Otsukimi Moonviewing Festival at the Japanese Friendship Garden from 6:30 to 9 p.m. on Friday, October 14 and Saturday, October 15. General admission at the gate is $30. Cost is $5 for ages 3 to 12 and kids younger than 4 get in free. For more information, call 602-274-8700 or visit japanesefriendshipgarden.org. Katrina Montgomery

Trevor Noah
When funnyman-turned-news anchor of the people Jon Stewart announced his departure from Comedy Central’s The Daily Show last year, he left some pretty big shoes to fill. The task fell to Trevor Noah, who has done his best to measure up while covering a crazier-than-fiction election cycle, too absurd for even seasoned showrunners to dream up for the small screen. Fans of Noah’s hot takes on news of the day won’t want to miss his new show, Lost in Translation, when it comes to Comerica Theatre on Friday, tackling everything from police brutality (and how not to get shot a as black man) to the Ebola outbreak.
The comedian comes out from behind the desk for a night of stand-up starting at 8 p.m. on October 14 at 400 West Washington Street. Tickets, available through Live Nation, range from $35 to $55. To get yours, call 602-379-2888 or click www.comericatheatre.com. Janessa Hilliard

San Fermin de Tempe
For centuries now, Pamplona, Spain, has hosted the Running of the Bulls, a festival in which six “toro bravos” are transported through town to the bullring where they will die at the hands of the matador that very night. In acts of brazen machismo, individuals throw themselves in front of the bulls in an effort to keep them on the move. Well, lucky for you, the bulls are coming to Tempe — sorta. Instead of bloodthirsty bulls, think roller derby women in bull costumes. Instead of acts of bravado, think playful masochism. The Running of the Bulls: San Fermin de Tempe invades downtown Tempe on Saturday, October 15, with festivities starting around 10 a.m. at 730 South Mill Avenue. There’s a $30 registration fee for runners. For a complete “rundown” of all the offerings this Pamplona-meets-Mardi-Gras style festival includes, visit azbulls.com. Rob Kroehler

Bernadette Peters
There’s diva bad, like lousy singers who can’t stop doing karaoke night at the local pub. And there’s diva good, like Broadway icons that belt out your favorite show tunes. Think: Bernadette Peters.

During a career spanning several decades, Peters has earned accolades ranging from Tony Awards to a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Today, she stars in the Amazon Prime television series Mozart in the Jungle.

Peters is performing classic songs from some of her favorite musicals with the Phoenix Symphony at Mesa Arts Center, One East Main Street, at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, October 15. Expect selections from Gypsy, South Pacific, and Saturday Night Fever, as well as tunes from the classic American songbook. Tickets are $60 and up. Visit www.mesaartscenter.com. Lynn Trimble

LibraryCon
Dust off your Deadpool costume as the Maricopa County Southeast Regional Library hosts LibraryCon from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, October 15.

Enjoy all your favorite comics convention activities, from games and panels to anime screenings. Local comic creators Terri Rosov and Sarah Arrowsmith, the minds behind Goblins of Razard, and YA authors Ryan Dalton and Shona Slayton will host panels for young creators, while the Society for Creative Anachronism and East Valley Krav Maga demonstrate martial skills.

And of course there will be cosplay, including a panel on costume creation and a costume contest for all ages. The library is located at 775 North Greenfield Road in Gilbert. Admission is free. Call 602-652-3000 or visit mcldaz.org/custom/branches/southeast.aspx for more information. Michael Senft

Craft Classic
Sometimes finding the motivation to get up and get running can be a challenge, but Road Runner Sports has come up with a way to reward runners at the end of a race. On Sunday, October 16, at 6:30 a.m., the Craft Classic Half Marathon and 5K will give away beer to its 21-and-over participants, serving up Huss Brewing Co. craft drafts at the finish line. Though Road Runner has held Craft Classic races in San Diego and Atlanta in the past, this is the first of their events in the Valley, which will span 13.1 miles in Fountain Hills and will finish at 16705 East Avenue of the Fountains. Apart from a beer, participators will also get a shirt, pint glass, and finishing medal included in the $55 registration fee. You can sign up at craftclassic.com/phoenix. Heather Hoch