5 Things to Do in Metro Phoenix for $8 or Less, January 6 to 8

New year, new budget? We get it. January spending diets are all the rage, and — lucky for you belt tighteners out there — experiencing Phoenix on the cheap is pretty easy. In fact, here are five things to do in the Valley this weekend that will cost you no more than $8. And just in case you're ready to break your resolution already (no judgment!), the New Times' calendar's full of things to do beyond that dollar amount. Just sayin'.

"Changing Spaces"
The Five15 Arts artist collective lost its gallery space in the Flowers building at Fifth and Roosevelt streets in late August. The building that housed it was sold, and developers announced plans for a major makeover. But Five15 Arts lives on, and will hold several free exhibitions at Phoenix Center for the Arts, 1202 North Third Street, during 2017.

Five15 Arts opens “Changing Spaces” on First Friday, January 6, from 6 to 9 p.m., when most of its artists will be on hand. Founder Mary Shindell and Henry Belavia are no longer with Five15 Arts, but the collective has welcomed three new artists: Turner G. Davis, Daniel Friedman, and Katy O’Connor.

Other Five15 Arts members are Deborah Hodder, Wendy Willis, Marlys Kubicek, Joan Thompson, Michelle Terry-Helmick, Ann Howey Falvey, and Susan Risi. “Changing Spaces” features new works, including painting, drawing, printmaking, ceramics, photography, and sculpture. Visit Five 15's website for details. Lynn Trimble

Flagg Gem and Mineral Show
Forget tailgating the football game. Instead, check out the 2017 Flagg Gem and Mineral Show, a three-day event where local mineral and lapidary clubs — and enthusiastic collectors, of course — showcase their assortments of rocks and minerals for children, teachers, and rockhounds, in an informal and traditional tailgate-style atmosphere. The show is the largest fundraising event for its sponsor, the Flagg Mineral Foundation.

Leave your face paint at home for the 45th annual Flagg Gem and Mineral Show from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, January 6 (same time for Saturday and Sunday, January 7 and 8), in the West Parking Lot at Mesa Community College, 1833 West Southern Avenue. Parking and admission are free. Visit the Flagg Show website for more. Lauren Cusimano

Final Community Days
It’s always awesome to watch a neighborhood change and grow. But when that prices out the places that made it unique to begin with, that is a real bummer.

The Roosevelt Growhouse’s Final Community Days offer a chance to celebrate one of those places. Currently looking for a new location, the urban farm and clothing boutique that Kenny Barrett and Joshua Hahn founded back in 2008 brought something new and distinct to the downtown area. It boasts community gardening plots, a chicken coop, and an aquaponics system, along with its retail offerings. Say goodbye or get your hands dirty while helping with the moving process from 10 a.m. to noon on Sunday, January 8, at Roosevelt Growhouse, 902 North Sixth Street. Admission is free. Visit Roosevelt Growhouse on Facebook. Amy Young

Read on for a couple more cheap things to do this weekend.
Museum of Walking: Dog Walk Series
Sometimes the Museum of Walking, founded by artists Angela Ellsworth and Steven J. Yazzie, presents contemplative walks of the silent sort. Other times, they let the dogs out.

Writer Tania Katan, whose creative shenanigans are well known on the local arts and culture scene, is curating a Dog Walk Series for the museum, accompanied by Felix Katan, her French bulldog.
The next dog walk happens from 4:30 to 6 p.m., on Sunday, January 8, at Hance Park Dog Park, 323 West Culver Street. Naturally, it’s conversational rather than contemplative. Because, hey, barking happens.
It’s free, but Felix expects you to play nice by reviewing the Dog Park’s etiquette guide and e-mailing your RSVP to the Museum of Walking ahead of time. Visit the Museum of Walking website for details. Lynn Trimble

Elvis Birthday Celebration
For some strange reason, society tends to be really good at remembering the day their most beloved entertainers died, but rarely the day they were born. Perhaps it’s because our brightest stars so often manage to depart this life in such an untimely manner. Well, the Rhythm Room, 1019 East Indian School Road, one of Phoenix’s most reputable venues, is doing something about it. While his untimely death at just 42 still pains millions of fans worldwide, the illustrious life — and thereby birth — of Elvis Presley is indeed worthy of remembrance. So if you’re all shook up over the mysterious death of the King, perhaps an Elvis Birthday Celebration will ease your suspicious mind at 5 p.m. on Sunday, January 8. Admission to this 21-and-up event is $8. Visit Rhythm Room's website or call 602-265-4842 for details. Rob Kroehler