The Best Free Things to Do in Phoenix This Week

The holidays are objectively wonderful. That is, except for the effect they have on our bank accounts. Thankfully, this week you can test your knowledge of the show about nothing, unwind with some yoga, and get into the sparkly spirit of the season with more than a million holiday lights. Best part? It's all free. For more things to do, visit Phoenix New Times' calendar.

Seinfeld Trivia
If you know more about the lives of Jerry, Elaine, George, and Kramer than you do about your own family and friends, don’t beat yourself up. You’re not alone.

The monthly Seinfeld Trivia night offers a chance to compete with other know-it-alls who have the show’s scenarios and characters burned into their brains. Emily The Lewis will host, and Shane Kennedy will DJ. This is one time that knowing who the president of the Del Boca Vista condo complex was, or what personalized plate Kramer accidentally gets at the DMV, could earn you prizes.

Sign-up to compete starts at 7 p.m. and trivia begins promptly at 8 on Tuesday, November 21, at Valley Bar, 130 North Central Avenue. Admission to the 21-and-over event is free. Visit the Valley Bar website. Amy Young

Gratitude Flow
If your hectic holiday plans are making you thankful they’re almost over, you might need to start the day with an activity designed to chill you out.

Get mellow during Sutra Studio’s ninth annual Gratitude Flow, a tranquil session that will be followed by a guided meditation. Both activities are designed to rejuvenate the body and mind. Live music will provide the soundtrack, and there will be a raffle.

Be grateful for an hour of relaxation from 10 to 11 a.m. on Thursday, November 23, at Coronado Park, 1717 North 12th Street. Admission is free, but cash donations are accepted to support the Karma Sutra Initiative, an outreach program that supports neighborhood projects. Registration is required at the Sutra Studios website. Amy Young

Alternative Black Friday
Holiday shopping can be the worst. Jam-packed parking lots and pushy patrons are just a couple of the pitfalls of hitting the mall. If you’re looking for a less obnoxious experience where you can load up on unique items, Alternative Black Friday at CityScape is worth checking out.

This one-day event features more than 20 vendors hawking handmade and vintage goods. And all the sellers were curated by the owners of boutique Phoenix General. Handmade vendors include Tom Budzak Ceramics and LUA Skincare. Vintage vendors include Heidi Abrahamson Vintage Jewelry, Antique Sugar, and Redhead Sadie Vintage.

CityScape shops and restaurants will also be open. And besides cool wares, you’ll find scenic photo backdrops, live music, and festive drinks.

Grab unique goods from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on November 24 at 1 East Washington Street. Admission is free. Visit the Phoenix Ice Rink website. Amy Young

Glendale Glitters
Glendale Glitters used to boast a million lights, but now there are 1.6 million of them. Strolling beneath twinkly trees and architecture is awe-inspiring in a way that your neighbors’ lawn inflatables cannot be.

Other attractions at the 24th annual fest include horsedrawn carriages, holiday street food, and live entertainment, along with kids’ activities, shopping, and, often, an occasion to wear your winter clothes. Murphy Park will offer free Wi-Fi, so you need not leave the teenagers home to bring down the neighborhood in blood and fire.

The event commences at 5:30 p.m. Friday, November 24, with tree-lighting and special performances, and continues through Saturday, January 6, at 58th and Glendale avenues (and the surrounding 16 blocks). For info about parking, shuttles, and so forth, go to visitglendale.com, download the Visit Glendale app, or call 623-930-2299. Julie Peterson

Heard Museum’s Ornament Marketplace
You don’t have to celebrate Christmas to enjoy shopping at the Heard Museum’s Ornament Marketplace. Several trees will be decorated with hundreds of hanging baubles that make for fun home décor beyond the holiday season. Some have a clear Christmas theme, but others use more general imagery, ranging from animals to pottery. They’re made with various materials, including metal, glass, fiber, wood, and ceramics.

Visit the museum at 2301 North Central Avenue between 9:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Friday, November 24, to get the best selection in the museum shop, where you can peruse without paying museum admission. The marketplace continues through Sunday, November 26. Visit the Heard museum website. Lynn Trimble

Succulent Success Workshop
Succulents are resilient, but they need special care. During the Phoenix Public Market’s Succulent Success workshop on Saturday, November 25, you can learn more about different types of succulents and their watering and lighting needs.

Dig It Gardens owner Ryan Jerrell, an expert with nearly 20 years of experience in the plant industry, will teach the Q&A-style freeform workshop. The free event starts at 9 a.m. at 721 North Central Avenue. For more information, call 602-625-6736 or go to the Phoenix Public Market website. Laura Latzko

“Little by Little”
Sometimes, big things come in small packages. The adage rings true at Art Intersection, 207 North Gilbert Road. For an exhibition titled “Little by Little,” the Gilbert gallery is showing small work by more than 60 national artists, selected by guest juror Julie Sasse, chief curator for Tucson Museum of Art.

Several artists are well-known on the metro Phoenix arts scene, including Laura Spalding Best, Christine Cassano, Jeff Falk, Denis Gillingwater, Annie Lopez, and Mary Meyer. Every work in the show measures no more than 10-by-10 inches. And the show features a wide variety of media, such as collage, watercolor, photography, found objects, pastels, ink, acrylic, and mixed-media. Check them out from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, November 25. Visit the Art Intersection website. Lynn Trimble

Nerd Swap Meet
Did you came up empty-handed in your hunt for doorbusters at your favorite big-box store on Black Friday? Don’t fret. The Rebel Lounge is hosting the Nerd Swap Meet. You can enjoy a calm afternoon sipping drinks at the bar as pop-culture hobbyists part with prized possessions. Vendors specializing in everything from crafts to comics will be on the premises to help you complete that collection, or maybe find that unique gift for the person who seemingly has everything.

Barter away your Boba Fett action figure from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, November 26, at 2303 East Indian School Road. Admission is free. For more information, visit the Rebel Lounge website. Jason Keil