Hey downtown people! It’s T.J. Triolo, your guide to downtown Phoenix events. It’s going to be a new month, which means it’s time for new things to do. Go have a new adventure and expand your horizons; do a bunch of new things! It should be fun. Or sit in your home, crank up the air conditioning and watch a bunch of movies.
Fabric Painting and Dyeing Master Class
Monday April 29
Starts at 9 a.m.
Arizona Opera Center
1636 N. Central Ave.
If your clothes aren’t a plain white color, then they’ve probably been dyed. Costumes need to be colored too, which makes a class held by people involved with making opera costumes a perfect fit. Dying clothes crazy colors would be fun! I like bright colors, preferably involving blue. Blue just looks good on almost everything. This event is split into intro and advanced classes; the intro class costs $10, and the advanced class costs $20.
Jane’s Walk Phoenix
Wednesday May 1
5–7 p.m.
Portland Street and Second Avenue
Take a stroll down the streets of downtown and talk with community people about walkability and urbanism in honor of Jane Jacobs, who encouraged urbanism in America. I don’t know about you, but it’s nice to be able to walk places. As much as I love driving and cars, I prefer to have fun with them; driving on congested freeways to get to a generic strip mall to buy things is NOT fun. The walk ends at Hidden Track Bottle Shop, where they sell special wine and beer beyond what you can find in grocery stores. This event is free.
GET LIT: Talk Writing in the Reading Room
Thursday May 2
Starts at 7 p.m.
Valley Bar
130 N. Central Ave.
Remember the Enlightenment a few hundred years ago? You know, the historical movement that was heavily intertwined with the founding of our country? This event takes inspiration from the kind of meetings that were instrumental in the Enlightenment during the 17th century in France, where people would swap philosophical and literary ideas with each other. The theme is literary and includes special guest, local poet Jake Friedman. This event involves alcohol thrown into the mix, which probably will make things more interesting. This event is free.
Sci-Fi Puppet Slam
Friday May 3 and Saturday May 4
Starts at 8 p.m. each night
Great Arizona Puppet Theater
302 W. Latham St.
Science fiction and puppets are apparently coming together here. It’s basically a variety show with puppets; there are going to be random sci-fi-themed puppet skits on different topics. The theater recommends buying tickets in advance, although they are available at the door. Tickets cost $12 in advance, $15 the day of the show.
Urban Nocturnes Spring Concert
Sunday May 5
4–6 p.m.
Trinity Cathedral
100 W. Roosevelt St.
Six professional musicians. One concert. Classical music. Boom. I’ve just summed up the Urban Nocturnes Spring Concert. There will also be a reception after the performance at the Olney Gallery featuring a bunch of acrylic and mixed media art. In addition to the group’s usual members, Leah Latorraca, the Phoenix Symphony’s newest violinist, will be a special guest. Tickets cost $15.
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.
