City Week

Events to fill out your week.

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Itzhak Perlman. Itzhak Perlman has won 16 Grammys, four Emmys and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He has performed for the Queen of England, at Barack Obama's Presidential Inauguration and all over the world. For the last SIX DECADES, he's been wowing audiences with his blend of stunning virtuosity and pure joy in his work. He wanted to start playing the violin when he was 3, but he was too small, so he taught himself on a toy fiddle until he was big enough. By 13, he was at Juilliard, and the rest is history. Don't miss your chance to see him in Tucson! 6:30 p.m. Sunday, March 1 at Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd. $45 to $175+.


Cactus Flower Comedy Festival. Thank goodness for comedy fests like this one, which feature some of the funniest women and gender non-conforming performers in town, and from out of town too! Acts include Female Storytellers, The Charles Darwin Experience, #PurseWine and a Beginners and Veterans Stand Up Comedy Show. PLUS, they've got workshops, so that you, too, can become funny! Shannon Stott and Jill Bernard are hosting two workshops apiece throughout the weekend. Come on down for some laughs and some learning! Thursday, Feb. 27 to Saturday, Feb. 29. Shows and workshops at various times. Tucson Improv Movement, 414 E. Ninth St. Shows are $5 to $7, or $40 for an all-access pass. Workshops are $40.

Type-in Tuesday.If you have guests in town this week and want to give them a taste of the Old Pueblo's quirky culture, this event is certainly a good fit. Head over to a Public Brewhouse, a brewery off of Fourth Avenue with exposed brick walls and plenty of board games, and spend the evening typing on an old school typewriter. Friends of the brewery are bringing them in by the dozen, so you can get your creative juices flowing, analog-style. Write a poem, write a short story, write a love letter, write your shopping list! It's all going to be way more fun at this event. 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 3. Public Brewhouse, 209 N. Hoff Ave. Free.


Learn Something New

Southern Arizona Transportation Museum Lecture Series. Time to learn more about trains! This week, Richard Dick is talking about Clifton/Morenci and the Copper Mines and Railroads. Freeport McMoRan is the biggest employer of Morenci and Clifton to this day, and the Morenci Mine is one of the largest copper mines in the world. So it goes without saying that mining plays a big role in the history of these places. And hey, where there's copper, there's gotta be a way to transport the copper, right? Come on down to this lecture to hear more of the specifics from Dick. 3 p.m. Sunday, March 1. Southern Arizona Transportation Museum, 414 N. Toole Ave. Free.

Collage: A Creativity Workshop. There's something about using the creative part of your brain that can just leave you feeling refreshed and renewed. If you don't think of yourself as a creative person, the great thing about collages is that you're using existing material to make something new and beautiful. Artists Saraiya Kanning and Abby Dockter are hosting this workshop for people with all levels of experience to learn about making collages of words, images shapes and textures. All materials, plus a healthy snack, are provided. 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29. Raebird Creations Studio (email raebirdcreationsart@gmail.com for location details). Non-refundable $20 deposit required.

Unseen Documents with Ariel Goldberg. Have you heard of the New York Photo League? It was a predominantly Jewish school, social group and center for debate on social documentary photography from 1936 to 1951. In this talk, Ariel Goldberg, author of several books, including The Estrangement Principle and The Photographer, will be talking about the group's lesbian, queer and trans undercurrents. They'll also be discussing the cross-sections of Jewish assimilation of immigrant Jewish League photographers with closeted queer life in the mid-20th century. Come learn more about this slice of Jewish history at this enlightening talk. 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 3. Jewish History Museum, 564 S. Stone Ave. Free.

Indigenous Inspiration

Native Nations Day at the Presidio Museum.
Tucsonans like to talk about who was born here, who grew up here and who's a transplant. But, when you consider the Tucson valley has been inhabited for over 10,000 years, you remember that we're all kind of transplants. Head to the Presidio Museum this weekend to celebrate Native American culture though crafts, food and lectures. Local artists, including potters, carvers and basket weavers, will be doing demonstrations, and you can enjoy some food tastings from the San Xavier Co-op Farm. AND there will be fry bread for sale. A wonderful way to spend a Saturday. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29. Presidio San Agustin del Tucson Museum, 196 N. Court Ave. Free with $5 GA, or $1 for kids 6 to 14 and free for kids 5 and under.

Music & Performances

Winter Chamber Music Festival. This week of music put on by the Arizona Friends of Chamber Music is unique in that it features both well-known pieces and unexplored compositions. From Mozart and Schubert to Philip Glass and Jeffery Cotton, it truly runs the gamut. For example, Australian composer Ross Edwards is premiering a new commission that includes instrumentation for the pipa, a four-stringed Chinese instrument. Russian-born composer, pianist and poet Lera Auerbach is also premiering a musical interpretation of winter, as part of a Four Seasons series. There's so much to see, and none of it should be missed! Sunday, March 1, to Sunday, March 8. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. every day except Sundays, when they are at 3 p.m. Leo Rich Theater, 260 S. Church Ave. On Saturday, March 7, a gala is taking place at 6 p.m. at the Arizona Inn, 2200 E. Elm St., instead of a standard concert. $30 per day or $10 for students, or $120 for five shows. Gala is $180.

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Birds and Arrows

Casa Maria Benefit Show: Tribute to the Music of Linda Ronstadt. If you live in Tucson, then you probably already know that it's the law here that everyone loves the music of Linda Ronstadt. So, since you undoubtedly love the music of Linda Ronstadt, come watch a whole bunch of performers pay tribute to her in this show at Hotel Congress. The lineup includes Miss Olivia and the Interlopers, Katie Haverly, Birds & Arrows, P.D. Ronstadt and Danny Kreiger. And all proceeds benefit the Casa Maria soup kitchen! Please bring canned goods to donate as well. 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesday, March 4. Hotel Congress, 311 Congress St. $5.

Art

Southwest Rising: Contemporary Art and the Legacy of Elaine Horwitch. Elaine Horwitch was an art dealer who played a major role in the contemporary art world if the Southwest from the 1970s through to her death in 1991. Her galleries in Scottsdale, Santa Fe, Sedona and Palm Springs launched the careers of hundreds of artists and fostered the style now known as "Southwest pop" or "new Western art." This exhibit at the Tucson Museum of Art features the work of some of her galleries' most popular artists, including Tom Palmore, Lynn Taber, Billy Schenck and Louise Nevelson. A companion book by Julie Sasse all about Horwitch will also be on sale at the museum. Opens Saturday, Feb. 29 and on display through June 21 at the Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block, 140 N. Main Ave. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. $12 adults, $10 seniors, $7 college students, youth 13-17, free for kids 12 and under/veterans/active military/members.

Ansel Adams Birthday Celebration. This year, the UA Center for Creative Photography is celebrating Ansel Adams' birthday just the way he would have liked us to: by spending some time outside. Staff and volunteers from Parks in Focus, a program that works to connect Tucson youth to nature though photography, will be leading a guided photography tour across the UA campus, where they'll be offering plenty of tips and tricks. Also, CCP Chief Curator Rebecca Senf will be discussing and signing her new book, Making a Photographer: The Early Work of Ansel Adams. Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29. Center for Creative Photography, 1030 N. Olive Road. Free.

25th Annual High School Art Invitational. More than 100 high school art and photography teachers were invited to submit their students' work to this exhibit at the Joel D. Valdez Main Library, and now you get to see the results on display throughout March. A jury of artists and representatives from arts organizations judged the work in six categories: best drawing, best painting, best mixed media, best sculpture, best photography and special recognition. But there's something special about each of these pieces by up-and-coming young artist. On display from Tuesday, March 3, to Tuesday, March 31. Joel D. Valdez Main Library, 101 N. Stone Ave. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, 10 am. To 5 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. Free.

Meme Art Show! Maybe you don’t think of memes as an art form, but is there really any valid argument against the idea that memes are an art form? They’re expressions of skill and imagination and humor that reflect our worldviews, ideas about pop culture and the way we feel about ourselves. They bring us together and divide us and challenge us to try new things, like kombucha, or storming Area 51. Come check out work and celebrate all things meme with local artists including Sophie McTear, Ben Ervin, Tania Verdugo, Jazzy, and Cynthia McManus. DJ Pike Romero will be on site as well. 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 7. & Gallery, 419 N. Fourth Ave. Free.

Celebrations

Party of the Century: A Black and White Masked Ball Celebrating 100 Years of Rialto. Always a pleasure celebrating an anniversary for one of our beloved local establishments. This month, the Rialto is celebrating a whole century of being one of the best places in town to rock! This is also their eighth annual fundraising gala, so you get to show your support while you're having fun. Future Syndicate is spinning dance hits, Cirque Roots is providing live entertainment, Tucson restaurants are supplying food and, yes, there's plenty of beer and liquor to sample. Plus live and silent auctions, raffles and games. Black and white attire is encouraged! Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29. Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. $100 (includes two drink tickets; food; and beer, wine and liquor tastings).

History On Tap. In contrast to celebrating 100 years of the Rialto being around, this event is celebrating the 100th anniversary of Prohibition, something which did not last nearly as long. The Arizona History Museum is turning into a speakeasy for the evening, with offerings from local breweries and distilleries. Put on your favorite 1920s-era costume that you wore to a 2020 New Year's Eve party or to Dillinger days and head on over. The UA Fred Fox School of Music is providing live music as well! 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29. Arizona History Museum, 949 E. Second St. $40 GA, $30 students and museum members, $20 designated drivers.

Fun in General

Seri Art Show. The Seri are a group of indigenous people from the Mexican state of Sonora, along the Sea of Cortez. And they have a tradition of weaving beautiful baskets, or hataal, woven out of limberbrush. At this art show, you'll see work by special guests Raquel Hoeffer and Martha Monroy, who are both known for their basketry and ironwood carvings. Baskets, carvings and necklaces will all be on sale to the public, so you can treat yourself to some gorgeous works to decorate your home or yourself. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Frida, Feb. 28. Native Seeds/SEARCH, 3061 N. Campbell Ave.

Dive Bar Bus Tour. Who doesn't love a good Tucson dive bar? And who doesn't love the idea of us all piling into a school bus to tour them all together? This event starts at 2 p.m., so buckle up and get ready to start diving into dive bars early. The best part is that the tour benefits The Sanctuary Project, which takes care of rescue dogs. So, pile into the bus and do some day drinking! Do it for the animals! Do it because you are noble! Do it for the greater good! 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 29. Start at Trident Grill II, 2910 N. Swan Road. $60.

Wednesday Night Yoga. Oh, Wednesdays. They're the point in the week where you can just start to see next weekend on the horizon, but by which time last weekend is already a distant, quickly fading memory. To get you through this troubled time, Summit Hut has this evening yoga class, where you can come in and downward dog your troubles away. And it's totally free! Why not stop by on the way home from work and treat yourself to some midweek stretching and relaxation? 6 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 4. Summit Hutt, 5251 E. Speedway Blvd. Free.

Tea Ceremony. Even if your preferred method of making tea is to drop a teabag in hot water, or to stop by Starbucks on the way to work to pick up an iced tea, there always seems to be something a bit ceremonial about tea drinking. It's the kind of drink where you can't help but appreciate the taste, the smell and the temperature. But this tea ceremony at Yume Japanese Gardens has the whole kit and kaboodle, performed by a kimono-wearing master of "The Way of Tea." It's peaceful, delicious and edifying. 10 to 11 a.m. Sunday, March 1. Yume Japanese Gardens, 2130 N. Alvernon Way. $25 per person, or $15 for members, includes Gardens admission