Friday, December 1, 2017

Weekend of Dec. 1 Things to do!

"NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE; THE WORD ITSELF SAYS, "I'M POSSIBLE"!"
-AUDREY HEPBURN
Real snow, jolly o’ St. Nick and a kids zone are just three of the elements that will be entertaining festival attendees at Peoria’s annual Old Town Holiday Festival.  Enjoy live entertainment including holiday-themed dances, the annual high school choral contest, theater acts, music and Peoria’s tree lighting ceremony

Also featured throughout downtown are children’s crafts and cookie decorating, 20 tons of snow to play in, photos with Santa, pony rides, inflatables, carnival rides and food and drink vendors. In addition, vintage, repurposed, handmade treasures and more can be found in the Shopper’s Bazaar, managed by Front Porch Pickins. Several of the area churches will also feature activities during the event. 

TEMPE FALL FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS
December 1st - 3rd
10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Mill Avenue District
As many as 400 artist booths line Mill Avenue and the surrounding streets presenting unique, and hand-made artwork that offers visitors a distinctive shopping experience. While the Tempe Festival of the Arts primarily focuses on art and the artists that create it, there are also a wide variety of other activities for guests to enjoy. Live entertainment stages provide musical entertainment for festival-goers. Performances by a number of well-known local musicians keep audiences in high spirits throughout the day. In addition to the scheduled entertainment, street performers, vendors, sponsor exhibits and entertainment booths are set up for the amusement of Festival visitors.
You can also find innovative and unconventional holiday gift ideas including buttons, cards, ceramics, children’s clothing, concrete planters, floral arrangements, hand‐made jewelry, letterpress stationary, upcycled furniture, watercolors, woodworks and more at Sixth + Mill Makers. This special artisan zone will be located at 6th Street and Mill Avenue, and will boast artisan finishing salts, cocktail mixes, a lounge and “make and take” booth.


ARIZONA ASIAN FESTIVAL
December 2nd - 3rd
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Scottsdale Civic Center Mall
The festival connects community with people and culture of Asia and allows attendees to visit educational marketplace booths depicting the life, culture and beauty of Asian communities. It is a unique extravaganza that includes artifact displays and hands-on activities such as a traditional fashion show, Asian cuisine, calligraphy, origami, performances, games and tea ceremony.
 
GILBERT FINE ART & WINE FESTIVAL
December 1st - 3rd
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Gilbert Civic Center
Thunderbird Artists, leading producer of award-winning fine art and wine festivals in the Southwest, is excited for their first ever event in the East valley – the inaugural Gilbert Fine Art & Wine Festival. The festival will take place just minutes away from rapidly growing downtown. The event will feature 100 juried fine artists, a high-end boutique area, wineries pouring samples, live music and more!
In addition to Paul Hopman, the event will host juried artists from throughout the state of Arizona, United States and abroad. There will be 2,000+ pieces of art displayed, including paintings in all mediums, batiks, copper, glass, clay, stone, metal and wood sculptures, unique jewelry, photography and more. Patrons will have the opportunity to meet and converse with the artists during all three days of the event. 

TASTE OF ARIZONA
December 2nd
11:00 AM - 5:30 PM
Mesa Riverview Park
Dig into food truck vendors and restaurants at a festival featuring a free kids zone, local celebrity chef demonstrations, musical acts and beer and wine for purchase. 
VIP tickets include alcoholic beverages, front row access, and more.
The World Bazaar & Phoenix Community Market is a free family-friendly event for all ages and a celebration of the diversity of the community members and local entrepreneurs in Phoenix. Enjoy delicious food, live music, and specialty holiday shopping with local immigrant and refugee-owned businesses featuring handcrafted jewelry, dresses, scarves, baskets, and a variety of artworks from around the globe!

Sample a diverse array of food and beverages including Ethiopian Coffee, Iraqi Bread, Middle Eastern Sweets, and much more! Pick up fresh produce at the New Roots Farmer's Market and celebrate your inner youth at the "KidsZone" with face painting, balloon twisting, and other culturally inspired activities.
 
 
 
Source: Visit Phoenix
DIY Network's licensed electrician James Young shares tips and tricks for installing outdoor Christmas lighting properly so your joy lasts the whole season.

Be Cautious When Installing Exterior Lighting

Use a good ladder when installing your lights. Secure them with insulated holders (never use tacks or nails). Don't install your lights on trees that come in contact with power lines. Before installing your Christmas lights, plug them in to make sure all of your bulbs are working. Make sure to turn your lights off when you leave or go to bed at night.

Use the Proper Outlet

For starters, safety first! Your source of power should come from a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet. This type of outlet will shut the circuit down if there is overcurrent. We want your lights to shine, not sparks to fly! If you don't have a GFCI outlet, a qualified electrician can permanently install one outdoors for holiday seasons to come. Or, you can buy a portable outdoor unit from your local home store for less than $20.

Keep Extension Cords Out of the Way

When using extension cords, make sure they are rated for outdoor use, and keep the connections above ground, snow and water. Try to avoid high-traffic areas. Tape cords across walkways, and use the correct length needed to travel to your lights. You don't want your cords to be too long so they pile up and create walking hazards.

Always Choose Waterproof Lights

There is a variety of lights to choose from. First and foremost, always use waterproof or water-resistant lights with a tag marked underwriters lab (UL). This means the lights meet national industry standards with the American National Standards Institute. Also, when you're buying Christmas lights to use outside, make sure they are rated for outdoor use (just like your extension cords). Never use indoor Christmas lights outdoors.

Using C7 or C9 Bulbs

For a more traditional holiday light, you will want to use a C7 or C9. These are the cone-shape lights you'll find most often in home improvement and convenience stores. The difference in these lights is size and wattage, with C9 being a little bigger and easier to see from a distance. Both come in frosted or clear color bulbs and are great for illuminating both your house and trees.
You can buy these in strands of 25 bulbs or larger strands of 100 bulbs. The 25-bulb strands can be connected together (daisy chained) up to a maximum of three strands; 100-bulb strands should be connected separately. Don't connect them together! The C7 and C9 strands use a standard screw-in candelabra base for easy bulb replacement. The strands are connected so if one bulb fails it only affects itself. Buying light strands with inner fuses is a great idea to prevent excess current on the strands.

Using Miniature Bulbs

Another option for outdoor lighting is the "miniature," which costs less and consumes less power than the classic outdoor light string. It can be used around the perimeter of your home, as well as in trees. In most cases, the miniature comes in strands of 50 or 100. The strings run in series, which means if one bulb or socket fails, you can lose a whole section.
The positive thing is that most miniature bulbs have a shunt inside of them to keep the entire string of lights lit if a bulb filament burns out. The key is to quickly replace the burned-out bulb. The shunt will allow the rest of the lights to remain lit, but it will increase the voltage in the rest of the bulbs, reducing their lifetime. With miniatures, you get what you pay for, so get a quality set of lights, and don't connect more than three sets of strings.

Using Animated Lighting

Animated lights are great for Nativity scenes, as well as reindeer and angel displays. Animated lights are made of wire frames outlining different shapes and scenes, and they are surrounded with mini lights in different color variations and patterns.

Using Shimmer Spheres

Shimmer spheres come in shaped and circular formations, like snowballs, or stars and striped formations. They are made up of many lights in different sizes. You can even find some that twinkle. Your house will be shining with holiday cheer for the whole block to enjoy.
Source: DIY Network
CHECK THESE OUT
FRIDAY
Cloudy
High: 79°F / 26°C
Low: 56°F / 13°C
SATURDAY
Sunny
High: 80°F / 27°C
Low: 54°F / 12°C
SUNDAY
Partly Cloudy
High: 79°F / 26°C
Low: 52°F / 11°C
ANOTHER WOLFCOP
Opens Friday
Rated R
MOVIE TIMES
DAISY WINTERS
Opens Friday
Rated PG-13
MOVIE TIMES
BROTHERHOOD OF BLADES 2: THE INFERNAL BATTLEFIELD
Opens Friday
Not Rated
MOVIE TIMES
KEPLER'S DREAM
Opens Friday
Rated PG
MOVIE TIMES

Friday, October 27, 2017

102817 Things to do this weekend! Feel free to share!

ARIZONA STATE FAIR
October 25th - 29th
Recurring weekly on Sunday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday
Arizona State Fair & Coliseum
The Arizona State Fair is the state's largest festival, attracting over 1 million guests annually to rank as the 3rd highest attended state fair in the country and in the top 15 of North American Fairs. Featuring professional midway rides and games by Ray Cammack Shows, unique Fair foods, livestock and animal attractions, national headline and local entertainment, special shopping vendors, and various contests, the Arizona State Fair has something for everyone! The Fair is a showcase of Arizona talent, community, and spirit all in one location.

AZ FIELD OF SCREAMS
October 27th - 28th
7:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Tolmachoff Farms
Do you have what it takes to enter the corn field planted over an old forgotten cemetery, where the dead now seek revenge on anyone trespassing on their grounds? Do you dare enter where your most horrifying nightmares become a reality? Don't let what happened to the others happen to you! 

STRANGE GARDEN
October 27th - 28th
5:30 PM to 8:30 PM
Desert Botanical Garden
A new Fall family experience is creeping into the Garden and you’re invited. Join the Desert Botanical Garden at Strange Garden and encounter weird sights, fun tricks and enchanting creatures. Look out for our Mad Botanists as they dazzle you with tales of fascinating and peculiar plants. Dance ‘til you drop with groovy ghouls at the spooktacular Monster Bash. 
 
The  annual Balloon Spooktacular offers a safe, fun and memorable trick-or-treat experience for the whole family. Kids of all ages will love this spectacularly spooky festival featuring nightly firework shows, live music, a pumpkin patch and a free KidsZone. More than 20 majestic hot air balloons illuminate the sky as they participate in the world's longest continuous glow at over 3 hours, as well as offering tethered balloon rides and balloon candy stations serving up more than 4,000 pounds of candy. 

APACHE JUNCTION HALLOWEEN FESTIVAL
October 28th
6:30 PM to 9:30 PM
Flatiron Community Park
 
Celebrate the spooky season at Apache Junction's Halloween Festival, featuring games, food, live music, bounce houses, a petting zoo, a costume contest, pumpkin carving contest, Howl-o-ween canine costume contest, and more.


DIA DE LOS MUERTOS FESTIVAL
October 28th - 29th
Times Vary
Mesa Arts Center
Spirits will connect at the Mesa Arts Center's annual Dìa de los Muertos Festival .The Day of The Dead festival will feature delicious foods, a colorful mercado featuring an assortment of Dìa de los Muertos merchandise, jewelry, arts and crafts. Our attendees have been treated to wonderful live entertainment every year, by noted local and regional acts such as Mariachi Corazon de Phoenix, Ballet Folklorico Amistad, Sol Gitana, Joe Granado y su Orquestra Kaliente, Noemy Esparza and Nosotrosound just to name a few.
 
 
 
Source: Visit Phoenix
Spook trick-or-treaters with a homespun web, a swarm of bats, or the Wicked Witch of the West, thanks to these DIY door decoration ideas!
Source: House Beautiful | Photo: Good Housekeeping
CHECK THESE OUT
FRIDAY
Sunny
High: 90°F / 32°C
Low: 63°F / 17°C
SATURDAY
Sunny
High: 89°F / 32°C
Low: 63°F / 17°C
SUNDAY
Sunny
High: 90°F / 32°C
Low: 61°F / 16°C
JIGSAW
Opens Friday
Rated R
MOVIE TIMES
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE
Opens Friday
Rated R
MOVIE TIMES
SUBURBICON
Opens Friday
Rated R
MOVIE TIMES
CRASH PAD
Opens Friday
Rated R
MOVIE TIMES

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Things to do this weekend. Enjoy!

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Events

Off the Wall - Exhibition and Silent Auction 
Thu. 09/14 - Sun. 09/17, times vary
Art Intersection, Gilbert
Off the Wall is a special exhibition and silent auction in which you can view and bid on works form local and national artists.
more info   map   

Toney Rocks in Concert 
Fri. 09/15, 7pm
The Listening Room, Phoenix
The Listening Room presents national touring musician, Toney Rocks for an intimate acoustic concert. $20
more info   map 

Stamp & Scrapbook Expo 
Fri. 09/15 & Sat. 09/16, times vary
Mesa Convention Center
Card makers, stampers, and scrapbook enthusiasts can find new products and designs from vendors. $8-$20
more info   map     

Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market 
Fri. 09/15 - Sun. 09/17, times vary
WestWorld of Scottsdale
This weekend event will feature over 200 of the finest vintage and handmade vendors selling all things chipped, rusty, vintage, and handmade. $50-$65
more info   map 

William Lee Martin 
Sat. 09/16, 7pm & 9:30pm
Stir Crazy Comedy Club, Glendale
Comedian William Lee Martin 
 tours to pour his heart out on stage with engaging original material of family, the frailty of life, and love. $18
more info   map 

Scottsdale Quarter Fall Concert Series
with Shallow Water
 
Sat. 09/16, 5pm-7pm
Scottsdale Quarter
Known as one of Arizona's premier party bands, Shallow Water is a high-energy dance band that mixes the best of classic hits with the popular hits of today.
more info   map 

Ride-in-Movies at the Park
Finding Dory
 
Sat. 09/16, 7pm
Harmony Park, Mesa
Families are encouraged to ride bikes or walk to the park to enjoy this family-friendly showing of Finding Dory.
more info   map 

Canvas of Clay: Hopi Pottery Masterworks 
Sat. 09/16, 9:30am
Scottsdale's Museum of the West
This exhibition by Allan and Judith Cooke features more than 65 of the finest examples of Hopi pottery, on exhibit for the first time. $0-$13
more info   map           

Momma's Organic Market 
Sat. 09/16, 9am-2pm
Park West, Peoria
Momma's Organic Market of the West Valley
Your go-to for wholesome, local, and organic products for the entire family.
more info   map 

Rockin' Taco Street Fest 
Sat. 09/16, 12pm-9pm
Dr. AJ Chandler Park & Downtown
A food, music, and cultural celebration, Rockin' Taco Street Fest will feature creative tacos from two dozen local restaurants.
more info   map 

Bark Happy Summer's End Pawty 
Sun. 09/17, 6pm-8pm
DeSoto Central Market, Phoenix
Enjoy freebies, featured food and drinks, treats, doggie musical chairs, and fabulous raffle prizes. $12-$15
more info   map  




                             More To Do
        



   
          
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Movies

 Home showtimes and ticketsIn Theaters    Rated
American Assassin        R

Because of Gracia
       
     PG-13
Brad's Status        R

New DVD Releases
 
 Rated

 Critics Say
The Mummy PG-13
Captain Underpants   PG
Beatriz at Dinner     R 

 Pro Sports

ARIZONA CARDINALS

  
@ Indianapolis Colts
09/17 
@ 10:00am
Schedule
ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
      
@ Giants
09/15 
@ 7:15pm
09/16 @ 6:05pm
09/17 @ 1:05pm
Schedule
PHOENIX RISING FC
   
vs Real Monarchs SLC 
09/16 @ 7:30pm
Schedule
2017 SPRINT CUP SERIES

 
Tales of the Turtles 400 
09/17 @ 12:00pm
Chicagoland Speedway
FOX Sports
Schedule
GOLF TOUR

    
BMW Championship 
09/14-09/17 @ times vary
Lake Forest, IL
Golf Network
Schedule
SENIOR GOLF
 
         
College Sports

ARIZONA WILDCATS 

    
Football 
@ UTEP 
09/15 @ 7:15pm
Women's Soccer 
vs Brigham Young
09/15
 @ 7:00pm
Women's Volleyball 
Wildcat Classic 
Tucson, AZ
vs William & Mary
09/15 
@ 12:30pm
vs New Mexico State

09/15 @ 7:00pm
vs Illinois State
09/16
 @ 1:00pm
ARIZONA SUN DEVILS 

 
Football 
@ Texas Tech 
09/16 @ 5:00pm
Women's Soccer 
vs Hawai'i
09/15
 @ 7:00pm
vs Weber State
09/17
 @ 1:00pm
Women's Volleyball 
UT Arlington Maverick Classic 
Arlington, TX
vs Lamar
09/15 
@ 3:00pm

vs Houston Baptist
09/16
 @ 8:00am
vs UT Arlington
09/16
 @ 4:00pm

Weather     (extended forecast)
          
        Friday
        Sunny
        98º/75º
     Saturday
       Sunny 
       99º/74º
      Sunday
        Sunny 
      100º/78º


            




Weekend things to do
Get muddy at Messy Fest, make playdough, explore a vintage market, see “Paw Patrol Live!” or celebrate National Stepfamily Day at a comedy show.
Family Campout Program teaches the art of camping
During activity-filled weekends in parks across the state, camping experts will teach kids and families how to set up tents, build a campfire and prepare food.
Car-seat safety resources
Sunday marks the start of Child Passenger Safety Week. Here’s where to find car seat safety checks, recalls and information on keeping babies and kids safe in vehicles.
Childsplay stages "The Phantom Tollbooth"
A boy named Milo is bored — until a mysterious tollbooth suddenly appears. This play “encourages us to celebrate our minds,” says Childsplay's Dwayne Hartford.
Yoga classes for 
kids and teens
Yoga can help children and teens develop self awareness, build concentration, manage stress and detach from technology. Here’s where to find classes.
RAK Giveaway
Here’s a chance to win a family four-pack of tickets to Childsplay’s “Phantom Tollboth” at Tempe Center for the Arts.