City Week: Weekly Picks

Cinco de Mayo at Hotel Congress

Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers is a Sonoran Desert band and happy to be. Fans in Arizona and Mexico flock to their shows, which often sell out, to revel in their distinctive blend of desert folk and pop rock, layered with road dust, shimmering hot sand and the light of starry nights. They perform on the plaza at 6 p.m. Friday, May 5, and will play a completely different set on Saturday, May 6. Meanwhile, in Club Congress, Santa Pachita and Salvador Duran perform at 7 p.m. Friday, and XIXA plays at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Various times, Friday, May 5, and Saturday, May 6, Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress Street, hotelcongress.com, various prices

Mark Guerrero Sings the Songs of Lalo Guerrero

If you find yourself overwhelmed by all the fiesta-making, or if you are just a fan of classical Mexican pop music, or most ideally, if you miss the incomparable voice, phrasing and emotional range of the legendary Lalo Guerrero, this night out is made for you. Mark Guerrero sings from his father’s memorable repertoire in the intimacy, and great acoustics, of the Century Room. Mark’s music career began at age 13. Living in Los Angeles, he’s been a band leader, songwriter, recording artist and producer ever since.
7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Friday, May 5, The Century Room, Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress Street, hotelcongress.com, tickets start at $20

Steel Beans with DJ Carl Hanni

If Flam Chen had created Athens, Georgia’s Elephant Six collective, they might look something like North Everett, Washington’s Steel Beans, a community of up to 50 artists mashing up ’60s rock with punk and adding video projections, outlandish costumes and other visual arts. Without a whiff of pretension. Jeremy DeBardi is the leader of that pack, but he’s lately won acclaim for his solo act, playing drums and a rhythm guitar as he sings. SPANK and Disc Jockey Carl Hanni are special guests for this show, produced by Flam Chen.
6 p.m. Friday, May 5, MSA Annex, 267 S. Avenida del Convento, flamchen.com, tickets start at $15

Senior Pride Queeraoke

Splinter Collective has your jam for karaoke. Belt out those ABBA songs or anything by KC and the Sunshine Band or the BeeGees. You can lead your own singalong to disco hits of the ’60s and ’70s and move right on down the dial to country music hits by Dolly Parton, Randy Travis, Barbara Mandrell and Clint Black. This is a karaoke night in the morning just for you.
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 6, Splinter Collective, 901 N. 13th Avenue, soazseniorpride.org, free

Free Pueblo del Maiz Fiesta

On the heels of the agave fest, we celebrate the people who cultivated the ancient agricultural miracle that is Sonoran corn. There will be tours, storytelling, a chef’s dinner, a bocadito showcase (small bites), ancient corn processing demonstrations, a mariachi concert and more. If you can do just one thing, though, take the family to the Maiz Fiesta. All ages love dancing to the irresistible waila beats of Los Hermanos Cuatro, Gertie & the T.O. Boyz and Los Apson. Live art installations and chefs’ demonstrations add to the fun.
4 to 10 p.m. Saturday, May 6, Kennedy Park, 3700 S. Mission Road, pueblosdelmaiz.com, free

Kentucky Derby Watch Party

The Rillito Park Foundation invites us to celebrate the Kentucky Derby almost as if we’re right there at Churchill Downs. There will be live betting and mint juleps plus food, beverages, a raffle, prizes and a souvenir for the first 100 guests. Attendees are encouraged to “dress to impress.” Churchill Downs may be more famous, but Rillito Park is known as “The birthplace of modern quarter horse racing.”
Noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 6, Rillito Park Racetrack, 4502 N. First Avenue, rillitoracetrack.com, free

Sugar Skulls First Home Game

Tucson’s Sugar Skulls fans hope for their season’s first win at Tucson Arena after the team’s double-overtime loss to the San Diego Strike Force in their first home game. The Sugar Skulls came into that contest with a franchise-best 3-0 record. This week, they’ll face the Northern Arizona Wranglers, who defeated San Diego in April, then lost to the Panthers the following week. The Panthers had previously fallen to the Sugar Skulls.
6:05 p.m. Saturday, May 6, Tucson Arena, 260 S. Church Avenue, tucsonsugarskulls.com, tickets start at $14

Kuumba In Afrikan Arts

For more than a decade, Barbea Williams Performing Company has offered this five-week camp experience for children ages 7 to 15. The program covers West African Dance, African diaspora culture and art, drumming, healthy cooking and beauty. For the first time this year, the program also includes STEM programming in professional development workshops.
Register via bwpcarizona.com, class starts at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 13, email bwpc2020@gmail.com for details, $1,200, discounts and scholarships available.

Rogue Theatre: “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”

Who doesn’t love this theatrical confection, a playful farce in a fantasmic fairytale forest with ladies darting around in a game of hide and seek, wearing yards of Athenian dresses? Lightheartedness is the star of this Shakespearean classic, and it’s refreshing as a breeze. This is the closing weekend for the Rogue Theatre’s production.
Various times through Sunday, May 14, The Rogue Theatre, 300 E. University Boulevard, Suite 150, theroguetheatre.org/2022-2023-season, tickets start at $32

Arizona Zipline Adventures

It’s not getting any cooler, so now might be a good time to take advantage of the new Zipline Ecotour. Professional adventure guides lead a tour across five zipline rides to explore Sonoran Desert plant and wildlife, the foothills landscape and unique climate patterns. Reservations are required. Guests have the option to wrap up their day at the Peppersauce Kitchen restaurant onsite.
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, Arizona Zipline Adventures, 35406 S. Mount Lemmon Road, Oracle, ziparizona.com, $94

This article appears in May 4-10, 2023.