Hey downtown people, I’m back! It’s T.J. Triolo, your guide to events downtown. I somehow managed to get sick this past week with a cold in the middle of summer. I found out that for some reason Arizona’s got more flu activity going on than most states. So be sure to stay healthy for these events coming up this week!
Manifesto ¬– Contemporary Forum Film Festival; the Art of Satire
Wednesday, July 18
Starts at 6:30 p.m.
Phoenix Art Museum
1625 N. Central Ave.
Okay, so this is a clever project. Visual artist Julian Rosefeldt has created a movie that features Cate Blanchett portraying 13 different characters delivering manifestos on politics and art. I don’t know about you, but portraying 13 different characters over the course of a movie lasting a little more than two hours sounds pretty difficult to me. I used to act in plays in which I would be one or two characters in the entire program, not 13! Tickets to this screening cost $5 for those who don’t hold museum memberships.
Planting a Garden and Making Paper Pots
Friday, July 20
Starts at 2 p.m.
Burton Barr Central Library
1221 N. Central Ave.
This event will teach you about gardening in Arizona’s … unique conditions, putting it nicely. My mom has failed multiple times at using Arizona’s soil for a garden; her plants died. The soil and harsh climate will kill your plants if you don’t know what you’re doing. So come to this event to learn how to adapt to Arizona’s conditions and become a desert gardening master! You also get to take home a paper pot that you make, add soil and a sunflower seed so you can have a beautiful sunflower for free, plus a handout on gardening.
Science with a Twist – Harry Potter Birthday Bash
Friday, July 20
Starts at 6 p.m.
Arizona Science Center
600 E. Washington St.
I forgot it’s almost Harry Potter’s birthday. A year or two ago I went to a British tearoom where they did a birthday celebration for Harry, and the food and tea was great, complete with chocolate frogs. This event is a little different; Polyjuice Potion is the drink of choice, but it’s alcoholic. There’s a piñata shaped like a Dementor, so if you’ve ever watched one of the movies and just wanted to beat the crap out of them, now’s your chance. To top it all off, there’s even a Triwizard Tournament that somehow involves all four floors of the Science Center. This is one event definitely worth checking out! Entry costs $12.
Wurst Festival Ever
Saturday, July 21
Starts at 5 p.m.
Short Leash Hot Dogs
110 E. Roosevelt St.
July 21 is National Hot Dog Day, so of course a great hot dog restaurant whose food I love would celebrate with a festival. According to the event description, the festival will feature hot dogs, beer and local comedians. Wait, there’s another part. A pun competition. PUNS!!! It’s one of my favorite things, and in a competition for the best ones no less! I absolutely love making stupid puns, but for some reason most of the time my friends and family don’t seem to find them as funny as I do. Maybe I just have a more enlightened sense of humor. The event costs $10.
Opera and Gelato Film Festival: Rossini’s Cinderella
Sunday, July 22
Starts at 2 p.m.
Arizona Opera Center
1636 N. Central Ave.
Gelato, wine and opera are all staples of Italian culture, so why not combine them into one event and bring the kids while you’re at it? This is a kid-friendly opera film of Rossini’s “Cinderella.” It’s only an hour long, so if your kids have a short attention span like most do (I know I did!), this shouldn’t be too long for them and a great way to give them an introduction to opera. There’s also gelato involved and who doesn’t love that? The screening itself is free with registration, but refreshments are available for purchase.
Contact the reporter at Thomas.Triolo@asu.edu
Downtown Devil's community section editor. I also write the Downtown Digest, a weekly column with things to do, with experience writing news articles and creating news videos as well. Graduating from ASU in May 2020.
