Downtown Digest: Doughnuts, ice cream, dancing and scooters

Hello downtown Phoenix readers! It’s your favorite downtown guide, T.J. Triolo, back with another events guide for you. Heads up: E-scooters are coming here, and they’re replacing the bike-share bikes! So if you’ve been looking forward to riding a Bird scooter, here’s your chance starting Monday.

E-Scooter Launch & Learn
Monday Sept. 16
11 a.m.–1 p.m.
Adams Street between Central and First Avenues
Have you been wanting to ride the cool E-scooters Tempe’s had for a while now? Well, they’re finally coming here! Downtown is getting a pilot program for the scooters, and the launch is on Monday. This launch features free Kona shaved ice, an overview of the scooter program rules and safety tips, as well as riding demonstrations. I’d like to give these a try at some point myself, but I have to say I’ll be sad to see the bikes go. I found them pretty useful freshman year! This event is free.

RuPaul’s Drag Race: Werq the World 2019
Monday Sept. 16
8–10:30 p.m.
Orpheum Theatre
203 W. Adams St.
If you don’t at least know what RuPaul’s Drag Race is by now, I’m sorry. I haven’t watched it myself (I know, I know), but I’ve heard it sounds like a fun show with some interesting drag queens, who are now going to be performing for you live! I’ve got a lot of respect for people who can pull that type of stuff off; I don’t think I could walk in heels. At the very least, I’d probably end up rolling my ankle for the fourth time in a year. Tickets cost $52–$162.

Victorian Secrets: the Unmentionable Tour
Friday Sept. 20
Starts at 5 p.m.
Rosson House Museum
113 N. Sixth St.
Scandalous things from an era that’s considered very proper … This sounds like it’s just my style! I have a fairly inappropriate sense of humor. Okay, that might even be an understatement. I have a VERY inappropriate sense of humor. As such, finding out what kinds of dirty, inappropriate secrets people of the Victorian era were hiding sounds like a fun time to me. Tickets cost $25 and include food and drink at The Bungalow nearby.

Third Friday Ceili
Friday Sept. 20
Starts at 7:30 p.m.
Irish Cultural Center
1106 N. Central Ave.
If you haven’t heard of a ceili, it’s a traditional family-oriented Irish social dance. I’ve listened to plenty of Irish music thanks to one of my friends’ obsession with it, and I could easily see it being fun to dance to! These dances are held on Third Fridays, so you can only experience them once a month. Take the opportunity and go Friday night dancing! Admission is $6 per person.

Arizona Donut & Ice Cream Festival
Sunday Sept. 22
12–4 p.m.
The Pressroom
441 W. Madison St.
Doughnuts and ice cream just seem to naturally go together. They’re both sweet, sugary and essential for my life. This festival will bring together more than 15 local doughnut and ice cream vendors, so you can experience the best of both worlds, along with other food, games, local art for sale and drinks. Tickets cost $4–$13 per person with food sales not included.

Contact the reporter at tjtriolo@asu.edu.