Happenings List: Fall 2018 (September/October)

mural at mesa arts center

Fall leaves at arboretum

While they don’t get the fanfare that comes with summer or the holiday season, a lot of good stuff goes on in September and October!

A few notable dates…

 

Museum in Pine-Strawberry Arizona

The Happenings List is my hand-selected, seasonal roundup of notable goings-on around the world. While it’s heavy on Arizona events (hey, I live here!), you can also find out about festivals, workshops, art exhibitions, etc. in other states (California, Colorado, Georgia, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Massachusetts, New York, Washington) and countries (Australia, France, Italy, Japan, Ireland, Netherlands, New Zealand, the UK).

So read on, venture out, and let me know how it goes!

The Happenings List

Mesa Arts Center mural

+Arizona

Scorched: a celebration of heat!

Now – Sep 21
First Studio, Phoenix
Art on the theme of heat or made with heat, including metal, ceramic, wood-burning (pyrography), fused-glass, encaustic, and paintings.

  • Gallery open for a Self-Guided Tours: Mon – Fri, 9-5pm
  • Sep 7, 6-10pm: Artists’ Reception
  • Sep 21, 6-9pm: Closing Artists’ Reception

Ida y Vuelta: There and Back

Aug 30 – Oct 6
Chandler Center for the Arts Gallery
An exhibition featuring the work of printmaker and performance artist Diana Calderon alongside the paintings and photographs of Oliverio Balcells. Both artists create imagery inspired by Mexican history, heritage, nature, and culture and personal migration.

 

The Loft Cinema Film Fest on the Road: Rumble

Sep 1, 4pm (screening at 7pm)
The Amerind Museum*, Dragoon
Outdoor showing of the documentary film Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World by the Loft Cinema Film Fest on the Road. Before the screening, there will be food available for purchase from the Wicked Burgers food truck, free museum admission, and a performance by The Ohitika Souls. Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World begins at 7pm. Bring a chair. Free.

[I watched Rumble recently, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it! It’s this fascinating look at the roots of American music that you don’t always hear about. If you can’t make a screening, it’s available on Amazon/Prime, Google Play, and iTunes. -S]

 

6 Airbnb Getaways in the Western US

 

Intro to Cookie Decorating Workshops

Smith-O-Lator Cookie Shop, Mesa
Instructor-led sugar cookie decorating class. You will decorate 6 cookies, using a variety of royal icing techniques. Classes last about 60 to 90 minutes. No experience necessary. Ages 18+. Advance ticket purchase required. $35

  • Sep 6, 5:30pm
  • Sep 7, 10am
  • Sep 11, 5:30pm
  • Sep 13, 5:30pm
  • Sep 15, 1pm
  • Sep 18, 5:30pm
  • Sep 22, 1:30pm

 

Astronomy Nights

Sep 7, Oct 5, Nov 2, + Dec 7, every 30 minutes from 6-10pm
Mesa Community College, Mesa

Monthly planetarium shows open to the public the first Friday of the month during the Fall semester. There is also telescope viewing (if the skies are clear) and hands-on activities. Free planetarium show tickets at the door (first come, first served, starting at 5:30pm). Advance tickets available online for $3 each.

  • You can line up for seating 15 minutes before the show starts. No late entry.
  • The planetarium is wheelchair accessible.
  • Free parking in the lots south of the planetarium, except in spaces marked “EMPLOYEES,” which are reserved until 6pm.

Local Art Loves

Ballet Under the Stars

7pm. Outdoor performances by Ballet Arizona. Free.

  • Sep 12. Tempe Sports Complex, Tempe.
  • Sep 13. Fountain Park, Fountain Hills.
  • Sep 14. Estrella Lakeside Amphitheater, Goodyear.
  • Sep 15. Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix.

Ballet Under the Stars and the beauty of free culture

2018 Furry Friends Fine Arts Festival

Sep 15, 8am–2pm
Shemer Art Center*, Phoenix
Animal-themed arts festival with paw readings, pet adoptions, animal-themed art, live music, vendors, and entertainment, as well as food and beverages from Black Cat Coffee and Short Leash Hot Dogs! Admission $5 individual / $10 family.

Guerilla Film making: An evening with Tony Topaz

Sep 20, 7pm
Tempe History Museum*, Tempe
To launch the Independent Filmmakers Tour, filmmakers Tony Topaz and Steve Wargo will share how they partnered up to complete Tony Topaz’s first film. This is part of the museum’s Third Thursday series, which offers monthly hour-and-half shows, each planned by a different local host to be interactive, entertaining and thought-provoking. Intermission features small batch artisan coffee and dessert.

Mighty Monarchs and the Plant Protectors

Sep 29 – Nov 18
Desert Botanical Garden*, Phoenix
Fall Butterfly Exhibit with Monarch butterflies and other beneficial insects. Included with admission.

Museum Day in the Garden

American Craft Week Show

Oct 4-26
Fountain Hills Community Center, Fountain Hills
Showcase of artwork by Fountain Hills Artists’ Gallery artists and workshop participants to celebrate American Craft Week.

  • Oct 4, 5-7pm: Opening reception

The (Fountain) Hills

Dia de los Muertos Festival (Mesa)

Oct 27, 10am-5pm + Oct 28, 12-5pm
Mesa Arts Center, Mesa
Art and craft market, live entertainment, and artist demonstrations and altars. Free.

All Souls Procession

Nov 2-4
Downtown Tucson
Two-mile long procession to both celebrate and mourn of the lives of our loved ones and ancestors. Leading up to the procession are art exhibits, performances, and other Dia de los Muertos events. Free. (Donations accepted.)

 

DIY Día de los Muertos

Pineapple Triangle

Nov 3, 10am-4pm
DeSoto Central Market, Phoenix
Event with Arizona-based artisans, food trucks, and live music. ​20% of event proceeds benefit local non-profits. Admission: $10 /adults, free for kids (12 + under).

Shemer Arizona Arts Festival

Shemer Art Center*, Phoenix
Nov 3-4, 10am–4pm
Two-day holiday shopping event to benefit the non-profit Shemer Art Center.  one-of-a-kind works and demonstrations from 40 Arizona artists. Plus, live music, food and beverage vendors, a silent auction, and opportunities to create your own glass, blacksmith, or ceramic gifts! Free festival admission, $5 Kids Zone.

Camelback Studio Tour and Art Sale

Nov 2-4
Scottsdale
Visit artists’ studios, see artists at work, and purchase art. Free admission.

Tucson Comic-Con

Nov 2-4
Tucson Convention Center, Downtown Tucson
Community-based pop culture convention with a mission statement of “Pop Culture For All!” Full weekend passes $35 through Sep 29 (early bird pricing).

Hidden In The Hills Studio Tour and Sale

Nov 16-18, 23-25
Cave Creek, Arizona

Self-guided tour of open artist studios in the Cave Creek and Scottsdale area with demonstrations and art for sale. Free admission.

Hidden in the Hills Art Show Returns

10th Annual Grand Avenue Festival

Nov 10, 11am – 8pm
Historic Grand Avenue
Art-centric, non-traditional walking Festival that highlights arts, small businesses, adaptive re-use, recycling, and the unique history of Grand Avenue. It includes local music, outdoor art installations, free historic building tours, mural projects, pop-up galleries, kid’s activities, artist-designed “selfie stands,” wandering performers (stilt walkers, poets, dancers, balloon twisters, clowns, face painters), arts/craft vendors and food trucks. hands-on, make-and-take arts and crafts booths this year, headed up by art teachers, artists, and makers.

  • 3-4pm: Trashy Hat Promenade and Untrashed Recycled Fashion Show – Participants Make and model clothing from recycled materials. Make your own trashy hat at the festival for free (supplies provided).
  • 8-10pm: After Hours

Phoenix Pizza Festival

Nov 17, 11am-5pm
Margaret T. Hance Park, Phoenix

Festival of top pizza makers, featuring live music, lawn games, local vendors, and craft beer and wine bars. Food and beverages (including $2-4 slices) available for purchase. Proceeds benefit Downtown Phoenix Inc. Tickets: $10 advance / $12 at the gate / free for kids under 5.

Phoenix Pizza Festival

 

Museum of Man, San Diego

+California

PostSecret

Now – 2020
Museum of Man, San Diego
A collection of the handmade postcards submitted to the PostSecret community art project from millions of people from all over the world anonymously sharing their secrets. You can submit a postcard of your own or share you secret by leaving a voicemail at 619-269-3894. Included with admission ($13).

  • Open late on Labor Day (Monday, September 3) – until 7pm.

 

Museum of Latin American Art Exhibits

Long Beach

  • Now – Jan 21: Ink. Photography exhibit exploring the histories of Long Beach, the US Navy, and LA Chicano culture through tattoo art and the personal stories of 6 community members. Ink looks at the importance of the tattoo art form in Southern California and throughout the world.
  • Sep 26 – Nov 12: DÍa de los Muertos Altar Display and Art Exhibition. Juried display of art and altars by Southern California artists.

 

Bedford Gallery Exhibits

Walnut Creek
Gallery dedicated to allowing the public access to learn about the visual arts, including the work of historic, modern, and contemporary artists. Admission $5.

  • Now – Sep 16: The World of Frida weaves juried and invitational shows that reference the artist with a national, traveling photography exhibit titled Frida Kahlo: Through the Lens of Nickolas Muray.
  • Sep 15, Oct 20, Nov 17 at 11am: Public Art Walking Tour. One-hour docent-led walking tour of Walnut Creek’s downtown public art collection. $5 fee includes Bedford Gallery admission.

 

Sculpture Is: 2018 “In the Garden”

Now – Oct 31
Sierra Azul Nursery and Gardens, Watsonville

Annual Pajaro Valley Arts sculpture exhibition of over 80 works in the two-acre Sierra Azul Nursery demonstration gardens. Free.

  • Picnicking is allowed!

 

SF Needlework Events

San Francisco School of Needlework and Design, San Francisco

  • Sep 5, 8, 12, 19, 26 + Oct 3 at 11am: Free Stitch-Ins. Bring your knitting, embroidery, or other projects to work on in the company of fellow enthusiasts.
  • Sep 18, 12pm: Lunch + Learn. Carol Ziogas presents on the origins and future of Japanese Sashiko. 19th + 20th century pieces will be on display. Tickets $10.
  • Oct 17, 12pm: Lunch + Learn. Artist Mary Teetor present on tessellation with shadow stitch. Tickets $10.

 

Brass in the Park

Veterans Museum at Balboa Park, San Diego
Interactive concert series by professional ensemble Westwind Brass.

  • Sep 13, 7pm: The Music of the Californias. Works include pieces from the mission era, the gold rush, and the golden age of Hollywood.
  • Dec 10, 7pm: Holiday Lights.

 

Roadworks Steamroller Printing Festival

Sep 23, 11am-4pm
San Francisco Center for the Book, San Francisco
Public printmaking and book arts extravaganza that includes free hands-on printmaking and book arts activities, demonstrations, 50 arts and crafts vendors, and art gallery and studio tours. Free admission.

Steamrolled Art

 

Denver

+Colorado

Broken Bone Bathtub

Sep 6-23
Secret location in The Lakewood Glens, Denver
Interactive one-woman show staged in bathrooms in homes around the world. Siobhan O’Laughlin uses the ritual of bathing to tell her story of a bike accident, a broken arm, and borrowed bathtubs. Tickets $36.

 

Pastels on 5th

Sep 8, 10am-5pm
Downtown Loveland

Sidewalk chalk art festival and fundraiser for Alternatives to Violence (ATV) victim services.

Sneffels Fiber Arts Festival

Sep 29-30
Ridgway, Colorado
Fundraising event for Weehawken Creative Arts, a non-profit arts education center in Ouray County. The festival features fiber vendors, food, workshops, classes, and demonstrations.

 

Moxie Craft Fest

+Georgia

SCAD FASH Exhibitions

Museum of Fashion + Film (Savannah College of Art and Design), Atlanta
Exhibitions are included with admission ($10 adults/free for kids under 14).

Moxie Craft Fest

Brunswick
Nov 10, 10am-5pm

Handmade Holiday Market by a group of eclectic makers. Applications will open in September.

 

House of Seven Gables in Salem

+Massachusetts

Fiber Arts Weekend

Sep 1-2
The House of the Seven Gables, Salem

Hands-on event exploring the historical methods of wool production, hand-sewing, rug-hooking, and card weaving. Included with admission.

Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park

  • Rock the Fort at Georges Island: Sep 1, 1-3pm. Free concert.
  • Jazz on Spectacle Island: Sep 2, 1-4pm. Free outdoor jazz concert.
  • Kayaking on Spectacle Island: Sep 3. Ranger-led kayak tours for those who want to try sea kayaking. Hour-long trial also includes park history and information. Ages 12+. Free.
  • Free Ferry Day: Oct 7. (2-for-1 passes are also available for library cardholders at participating Boston-area libraries.)

Exploring Salem: Day Two

 

2018 BIG E FAIR

Sep 14-30
Eastern States Exposition, West Springfield
Annual autumn extravaganza of entertainment, exhibits and the agriculture of New England. There are demonstrations of farming techniques and New England traditions (like pulling contests and cow milking); horse shows; livestock shows with more than 25 breeds of cattle, sheep, goats and hogs; a circus; band concerts; rides; a petting zoo; and a nightly parade. Tickets: $15 adults, $10 children ages 6-12, free for children 5 and under.

  • Avenue of the States: Buildings for the six New England states that demonstrate each one’s architectural style and traditional foods and products.
  • Storrowton Village: recreation of an American village of the 1700s and 1800s.  Traditional Early American crafts and chores are demonstrated within the historic buildings that comprise the Village.
  • Craft Common: Exhibits of work by craftspeople and artisans.
  • Magic Midway: the world’s largest traveling midway – featuring the 115 foot high Giant Wheel, the Drop of Fear, and other rides, as well as games and other attractions.

The Berklee Beantown Jazz Festival

Sep 29, 12-6pm
Columbus Avenue, Boston (west of Massachusetts Avenue to Burke Street)
Annual, outdoor public concert on three stages with jazz, Latin, blues, funk, and groove performances, along with KidsJam, an instrument petting zoo, arts and crafts, and food vendors. Free.

 

Concept Art, Queen Amidala Senate Gown. Star Wars™: The Phantom Menace.

+Michigan

Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) Exhibits

Detroit

  • Now – Sep 30: “Star Wars™ and the Power of Costume.” Exhibition focusing on the creative process behind the costume design for the first seven films of the Star Wars saga. Includes more than 60 original costumes, as well as a multimedia tour that draws connections between the films’ costumes and works of art in the DIA’s collection. Advance ticket purchase recommended. Tickets $19 adults / $7 youth + museum admission. Free museum admission + $14 exhibition tickets for residents of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.
  • Now – Feb 17, 2019: Lost + Found. Exhibition showcasing the “accidental” art form of vernacular photography, featuring salvaged snapshots by amateur photographers, including over 500 of 1970s Detroit.

 

Bellagio, Las Vegas

+Nevada

Primal Water: An Exhibition of Japanese Contemporary Art

Now – Oct 21
Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art (in the Promenade Shops), Las Vegas
Exhibition of post-war Japanese art curated by Midori Nishizawa, who uses water as a motif to present a survey of Japanese Contemporary art history. Featured artists approach water by documenting its absence, capturing its abundance, decontextualizing its existence, or exploring its relationship with humanity. Nishizawa finds a meaningful connection between Las Vegas as an oasis in the desert and this very universal theme. General Admission: $14

 

Searching for the Fountains of Bellagio

 

New York airport

+New York

Beekeeper Tours

Storm King Art Center, Cornwall 
Now – October, Saturdays at 1pm + 2pm
A beekeeper leads tours of Peter Coffin’s Untitled (Bees Making Honey) (2012), at the apiary at the far edge of Storm King’s property.

Judson Dance Theater: The Work Is Never Done

Sep 16 – Feb 3, 2019
The Museum of Modern Art, Floor 2, Marron Atrium

Gallery exhibition, print publication, and performance program that celebrates the Judson Dance Theater, a group of choreographers, visual artists, composers, and filmmakers in the 1960s who would go on to profoundly shape all fields of art in the second half of the 20th century and expand dance in ways that reconsidered its place in the world.

 

Independence Hall, Philadelphia

+Pennsylvania

Festival O18

Sep 20-30
Philadelphia
This civic experiment, comprised of eleven days of opera and citywide events, transforms Philadelphia into an urban stage where diverse audiences gather to share an experience and amplify human connectedness.

  • Sep 20, 8pm:Sky on Swings” World Premiere at Perelman Theater

Apple Butter Frolic

Oct 6, 9:30am-4pm
Mennonite Heritage Center, Harleysville

Autumn festival with Mennonite folk craft and farming demonstrations, wagon rides, and Pennsylvania Dutch (German) food – like scrapple, ground cherry pie, and a large caldron of apple butter! Proceeds help support the Mennonite Heritage Center. Admission $8 adults / $2 children age 6-12 / free for children under 6

  • 7:30-10am: Pancake + Apple Sausage Breakfast
  • Parking with shuttle at Indian Valley Middle School.

Seattle

+Washington

Seattle Art Museum*

His and Hers: Paintings and Quilts Exhibit

Cascade Park Community Library, Vancouver
Sep 1 – Oct 31
Art by married couple Ned McConnell, a painter, and Joan McConnell, a quilter/quilt-designer. Free.

Knitting with Booze

Sep 4 + Oct 2, 6pm
Blue Star Cafe + Pub, Seattle
A self-described “welcoming group” that meets for “booze, fiber and inappropriate conversation.”

Wooden Boat Festival

Sep 7-9
NW Maritime Center, Port Townsend
Festival featuring more than 300 wooden boats that both honors traditions and invites energetic debate. Experts and enthusiasts give presentations and demonstrations on the latest innovations in boatbuilding, equipment, and skills.

Columbia Springs Guided Walks

Sep 12 + Oct 10, 5:30pm
Columbia Springs Visitor’s Center, Vancouver
Easy walking tour to learn more about Columbia Springs, the Vancouver Hatchery, and native plants and animals. Lead by volunteer guides, walks typically last 30 minutes to one hour and include trails that have uneven surfaces and steps. Register by emailing volunteering@columbiasprings.org. All ages are welcome. Free ($5 donation suggested).

Friday Harbor Film Festival

October 26-28
San Juan Island
Documentary film festival in the historic seaside community of Friday Harbor on San Juan Island.

 

art at NMWA

+Washington D.C.

No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man

Now – Jan 21, 2019
Renwick Gallery

Large-scale, participatory artwork from Burning Man will take over the entire Renwick Gallery building, as well as extending into the surrounding neighborhood. The in-gallery exhibiton will include immersive room-sized installations, costumes, jewelry, and ephemera, along with photographs and archival materials from the Nevada Museum of Art. Free.

 

Women in the Arts and a Pop-up Makerspace

National Museum of Women in the Arts*

These exhibitions and events are included with admission ($10).

  • Bound to Amaze: Inside a Book-Collecting Career – Now – Nov 25: Exhibition celebrating curator emerita Krystyna Wasserman, who assembled NMWA’s collection of more than 1,000 artists’ books over a thirty-year period.
  • Full Bleed: A Decade of Photobooks and Photo Zines by WomenNow – Nov 30: selection of photobooks and photo zines, created by an international group of women artists in the last ten years. These deliberate, ordered, and sometimes narrative arrangement of photographic images bound in a book with little or no text encompass photographs of American locations, digital photos snapped through a car window, and prints resulting from experiments with expired photo paper.
  • MakeHER MartSep 23, 10am-4pm: Pop-up artisan market, promoting local women artists and designers who create handcrafted art and merchandise, including jewelry, fine art, home accents, and personal accessories.

 

 

Roman Forum ruins

INTERNATIONAL

+Australia

Festival of Nature

Sep 5-9, 9am-4pm
Yankalilla, Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia
6-day celebration of all things sustainable with guided walks, open homes and gardens, classes on health and longevity, panel discussions, guided Yoga and Wayapa Wuurrk sessions, pop-up workshops, and international visiting chefs.

  • Sep 9, 10am-4pm: Sustainable Living Expo.  Hands-on workshops, market stalls, guest presenters, Nature Playground, live music, and local food, wine and beer. Free.
  • Workshops on DIY topics: Home cheesemaking 101, make-and-take essential oils, Ingalalla tree planting, beeswax wraps.

 

+France

Parcours des Mondes 2018

Sep 11-16
Galerie FLAK, Paris
AfriCubism is an exhibition exploring the intersection of Ancient African Art and Cubism. It includes Senufo, Lwalwa, Dogon, Songye, Kota, and Tsogho masks and figures, along with drawings and paintings by Picasso, Léger, Braque, Gleizes, and Lipchitz.

  • Sep 11, 3-9pm: Opening Preview

 

+India

Bandishana – Indian Classical Music

Sep 15, 8:30pm
Harkat Studios, Versova, Mumbai
Evening of melodic compositions in various moods and time signatures with Indian classical vocalist Ronkini Gupta and musicians Adinath Patkar and Rupak Dhamankar. ₹350

 

cheese at FOTE

+Ireland

Aniar Boutique Cookery School

Galway City, Ireland
Classes are led by chef patron JP McMahon and include demonstration and hands-on activities for students to learn how to cook and engage with current trends. Each includes a light lunch with a tasting of the day’s produce and a glass of wine at the end of the day. Bring a container/lunch box to take home samples.

  • Sep 3 – Oct 8: Understanding food. 6-week course looking at the origin and traceability of basic food elements, as well as the seasonality of food, wild foods, and foraging in one’s own local environment. Course: €450
  • Sep 9, 10am-5pm: Vegetables, Wild Food + Seaweed. One-day workshop exploring modern approaches to vegetarian cooking, with a particular focus on Irish ingredients, such as local seaweed, wild mushrooms, autumnal fruits, and wild herbs. Class:  €195 / Class + Cava Bodega Tapas Cookbook: €215
  • Oct 14, 10am-5pm: Gastropub Classics. One-day workshop on the often over-looked classics of pub food, including steak, fish and chips, ham hock terrines, potted crab, and handmade burgers. Students will learn new cooking and culinary techniques with an emphasis on food provenance and sourcing from local suppliers. Class:  €195 / Class + Cava Bodega Tapas Cookbook: €215

Food On The Edge: The Future of Food

Oct 22-23
National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG), Galway City
Not-for-profit conference seeking to make good food accessible for everyone. Approximately 50 chefs speak over the two day symposium. €350

 

Venice

+Italy

Regata Storica 2018

Aug 30 + Sep 2
Canal Grande, Venice
Centuries-old parade of gondolas and other traditional boats, as well as the most important races of Venice’s rowing season.

  • Aug 30: Presentation of the teams and blessing of the gondolini.
  • Sep 2, 4pm: Historic boat parade on the Grand Canal, followed by races.

 

Mushroom Festival: Festa Del Fungo

Sep 29 – Oct 7
Montefeltro, Sasso Simone e Simoncello Nature Park, San Sisto di Piandimeleto

Week of mushroom-focused conferences, tasting events, mushroom picking competition, market of local products, and excursions within the Sasso Simone and Simoncello Park.

Japan

+Japan

Type Camp Japan 2018

Nov 5-11
Makabe, Ibaraki, Japan
Retreat focused on typographic concepts applied to traditional Japanese arts and crafts, including brush calligraphy, Shibori indigo dying, historic letterform carving, and sake labels. There will be daily trips from the camp in the countryside to workshops and activities, such as a Shibori dying studio and Shinto Temple. Registration $3650 (by 15 Oct).

 

+Netherlands

Zundert Flower Parade

Sep 2-3
Markt Street, Zundert
Corso Zundert is the world’s biggest flower parade and a tradition since 1936. You can see the floats on exhibition the following day. Parade: €9 advance / €10 at the gate

Dutch Design Week

Oct 20-28
Eindhoven
2500 designers – both established and newcomers – present solutions in the fields of product design, spatial design, textile + fashion, design management + trends and graphic design at more than 100 locations scattered across the city.

 

native new zealand parrot

+New Zealand

Ngāi Tipu Taketake – Indigenous Flora

Wellington Botanic Garden, Wellington
Now – Sep 9
Exhibition of over 40 works by contemporary botanical artists, showcasing New Zealand flora as part of the Botanical Art Worldwide Exhibition 2018. Artwork, prints, and cards will be available for purchase. Free admission.

PechaKucha Night Christchurch

Sep  19, 7:30pm (Doors at 6:30pm, with Ilex café open for drinks and snacks)
Christchurch Botanic Garden’s Visitor Centre
Short talks by local female scientists, writers, and entrepreneurs on the theme of “Women, Science and Conservation,” in honor of the 125th anniversary of Women’s Suffrage and Conservation Week. Tickets $18.

 

On an Uphill Track: Funiculars

Otari-Wilton’s Bush Open Day and Plant Sale

Sep 22, 10am-4pm
Otari-Wilton’s Bush, Wellington
Annual Spring Festival with guided walks, kids’ activities, and plants, food and handmade gifts for sale. Free.

 

 

Double decker bus London

+UK

Independents Biennial

Now – Oct 28
Williamson Art Gallery, Liverpool City 
Festival celebrating grassroots and emerging artists with a largely free program offering a fresh perspective on how we see, make and use art in the region.

Native Spirit Festival

Oct 11-21
Bloomsbury, London
Native Spirit Film Festival presents Indigenous Film, Native Media and Artists, with some focus on languages in the run-up to UNESCO 2019 Year of Indigenous Languages.

Northlight Studio Workshops

Autumn Term Workshops offer the chance to work with practicing artists. Basic materials are included in the price. Day workshops run from 10:30am – 4:30pm.

  • Oct 20: Making Books: Coptic Binding. £60
  • Oct 21: Mosaic on Slate. £60
  • Nov 11: Clay Sculpture from the Life model. £75
  • Nov 18: 3D Textiles – Insect Sculpture. £60
  • Nov 24: Winter Watercolor workshop. £60
  • Dec 8: Printmaking Card workshop.
  • Dec 15: Leather Belt Workshop. £75

Being Human

Nov 15-24
Universities of Dundee, Exeter, Newcastle, Queen Mary London, and Swanse
Festival of the humanities, which aims to make research in the humanities accessible to non-specialist audiences. The 2018 theme is ‘Origins and Endings’.

 

 




*Participating in the Smithsonian’s Museum Day.


Georgia image via Moxie Craft Fest.

Massachusetts photo by Jess Tennant.

Michigan photo via DIA. Concept Art, Queen Amidala Senate Gown. Star Wars™: The Phantom Menace. © & ™ 2018 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. Used under authorization.

Ireland image via Food on the Edge.

Japan image via TypeCamp.

New Zealand image via WellingtonNZ.com.

Happenings List: Summer 2018 (June/July/August)

andes mountains in peru

The seasons are shifting.

Like desert creatures, Arizonans start to be more active in mornings and evenings to avoid the heat this time of year. There will be moonlight hikes, nighttime ballet performances, and stargazing parties at the Grand Canyon – all of which you can read about below.

Happenings in cooler climates tend to embrace the summer days. You can enjoy the outdoors at Canadian campground concerts, a solstice parade in Seattle, or Summerfest in Evergreen, Colorado. Or perhaps you’d prefer to party in a Paris fire station or see a play inside a San Francisco bathroom.

Siobhan O'laughlin

Also on our list are a couple of Southern Hemisphere spots, where it’s the winter solstice that’s approaching. You can still see traditions like the Māori New Year (Matariki) in New Zealand and Incan harvest ceremonies (Inti Raymi) in Peru performed.

Read on, because there are truly beautiful things going on all over the world!

desert botanical garden phoenix

+Arizona

Eroica – An Evening at The Garden

Now – June 2 (Tuesdays through Saturdays), 8pm
Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix
World premiere ballet by Ballet Arizona’s Ib Andersen, performed to Beethoven’s Third Symphony with a desert garden backdrop.

 

Museum Day in the Garden

Entertainment at Reid Park

Gene C. Reid Park and Reid Park Zoo, Tucson

Tucson Pops Orchestra’s Spring Music Under the Stars series concerts are Sundays through June 10 at DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center. Please bring folding chairs or a blanket.

Summer Safari Friday Nights at Reid Park Zoo are Fridays through August 3. They include live music, wildlife activities and encounters, and theme nights. Tickets $10.50 adults / $6.50 kids

Highlights:

  • ​June 3, 7pm: Tribute to Leonard Bernstein with special guest Sophia Righter (Tucson Pops Orchestra’s Music Under the Stars series).
  • June 8, 6pm: Go Blue – World Ocean’s Day Celebration at Reid Park Zoo (Summer Safari Nights). Learn about the importance of water conservation. Entertainment: Shrimp Chaperone. Rubio’s food available for purchase. Tickets $10.50 adults / $6.50 kids
  • June 10, 7pm: 1812 Overture (Tucson Pops Orchestra’s Music Under the Stars series).
  • June 16, 6:30pm: Brew at the Zoo 2018 at Reid Park Zoo. Sample craft brews in your own eco-friendly cup, try glass painting, play games, hear live music. Pub food available for purchase. Funds raised will support the Zoo Project Fund. Ages 21+. Tickets $45 advance / $55 at the door / $20 designated drivers.
  • July 6th, 6pm: Explore Your Wild Side at Reid Park Zoo (Summer Safari Nights). Watch zoo animals play including goats, owl, snake, bearded dragon, giraffe, rhino, otter, tortoise, ferret. Entertainment: The Just Intervals Tickets $10.50 adults / $6.50 kids
  • August 3, 6pm: Care and Training at Reid Park Zoo (Summer Safari Nights). Learn how the zoo cares for its animals. Entertainment: Michael P. & the Gully Washers

 

Moonlight Hike at Red Rock State Park

May 29, 6:15pm + June 27, 6:30pm
Red Rock State Park, Sedona 
2-mile interpretive hike led by a  naturalist. Watch the sunset from an overlook and hike back by moonlight. Arrive at least 30 minutes early with water and a flashlight. $5 fee + park admission ($7/adult). Reserve your spot at least one day in advance by calling Red Rock State Park at (928) 282-6907.

 

October 2017 Photo: Sedona

“Craft For A Cause”

Jun 1, 4:30-7pm
Craft Nights (10832 N. 32nd St.), Phoenix
String art make-and-take benefiting the Paradise Valley Emergency Food Bank. Templates and materials provided. All ages. Fee: 5 non-perishable food items for donation or $25.

 

Wooden Bow Tie Make-and-Take

Jun 9, 1:30pm
Rockler Woodworking and Hardware, Phoenix
Make a wooden bow tie by choosing a type of wood, using a bandsaw or scroll saw to cut out your design, adding strips of inlay, sanding and finishing your piece, and attaching an elastic band. No experience required. Free.

 

2018 Grand Canyon Star Party

Jun 9-16, 8pm
South Rim: Grand Canyon Visitor Center
North Rim: Grand Canyon Lodge

Nightly astronomy programs, slide shows, constellation tours, and telescope viewing. Free.

 

Payson Pie and Strawberry Llamas

 

Pine-Strawberry Summer Fest

Jun 16, 9am-5pm + Jun 17, 9am-4pm
Pine-Strawberry Community Center and Ramada, Pine
Summer festival with flats of strawberries and strawberry treats available for purchase, as well as arts, crafts, and food vendors.

 

Navajo Festival of the Arts & Culture​

Aug 4-5
Museum of Northern Arizona, Flagstaff
Artist demonstrations, traditional and contemporary art and food vendors, musical performances, and hoop and social dances. Weekend Pass (last year): $18 adult

 

 

+California

Bedford Gallery Exhibits

Walnut Creek
Gallery dedicated to allowing the public access to learn about the visual arts, including the work of historic, modern, and contemporary artists. Admission $5.

  • Now – Jun 24: Personal to Political: Celebrating the African American Artists of Paulson Fontaine Press.
  • July 8 – Sep 16: The World of Frida weaves juried and invitational shows that reference the artist with a national, traveling photography exhibit titled Frida Kahlo: Through the Lens of Nickolas Muray.
  • Jun 16, Jul 21, Aug 18 at 11am: Public Art Walking Tour. One-hour docent-led walking tour of Walnut Creek’s downtown public art collection. $5 fee includes Bedford Gallery admission.

 

What Nourishes Us

May 30 – Jul 15 (open Wednesday through Sunday, 11am – 4pm)
Pajaro Valley Arts Gallery, Watsonville
Group exhibition in honor of Watsonville’s 150th birthday. Members of Pajaro Valley Arts use a variety of media to explore ways the Santa Cruz County community nourishes them (bodies, souls, imaginations, arts). Free.

 

Mainly Mozart Festival

Jun 1-24
Balboa Theater, San Diego
30th anniversary of a festival with a mission to enrich the lives of music lovers by connecting them to Mozart and the Masters, to world-class musicians and music-making, and to each other.

 

Sculpture Is: 2018 “In the Garden”

Jun 1 – Oct 31
Sierra Azul Nursery and Gardens, Watsonville

Annual Pajaro Valley Arts sculpture exhibition of over 80 works in the two-acre Sierra Azul Nursery demonstration gardens. Free.

  • Picnicking allowed.
  • June 14, 5-7pm: Opening reception.

 

Taste of Gaslamp

Jun 16, 1-4pm
Gaslamp Square, San Diego

Self-guided culinary tour showcasing dining options available in Gaslamp Quarter. Tastings from 24 restaurants and beers from the Karl Strauss brewery. Tickets $35 (advance) / $45 (day of)

 

Lunch + Learn Series

San Francisco School of Needlework and Design, San Francisco
Interactive presentations and workshops with a community speaker or small project monthly on the third Wednesday (January to October) at noon. Tickets $10

  • Jun 20: Stephanie Vinces presents on Kinetic embroidery, which combines laser cutting, wire work, needlework, textiles, mosaic, and sculpture.
  • Jul 18: Sarah Pedlow of ThreadWritten presents embroidered textiles from her artist’s residencies in Hungary, Romania, Holland, and Ukraine.
  • Aug 15: Molly McClaughlin presents Crazy Quilt construction and embellishment.
  • Sep 18: Carol Ziogas presents on the origins and future of Japanese Sashiko. 19th + 20th century pieces will be on display.

 

Broken Bone Bathtub: Bay Area

July 6-24
Secret locations throughout the Bay Area
Interactive one-woman show staged in bathrooms in homes around the world. Siobhan O’Laughlin uses the ritual of bathing to tell her story of a bike accident, a broken arm, and borrowed bathtubs.

 

 

 

 

ridgway colorado

+Colorado

Michael McCullough’s 6th Annual Amateur Sculpting Contest

June 2, 1pm
Ridgway Community Center, Ridgway

Amateur sculptors sculpt three to five pounds of clay into a complete work in just two hours. A panel of professional artists determines the winners and award cash prizes. Adult registration: advance $35 / drop-in $30. Youth registration: advance $15 / drop-in $20.

6 Airbnb Getaways in the Western US

 

2018 Ridgway Concert Series

July 5, 12, 19, 26
Hartwell Park, Ridgway
Thursday night concert series with dancing and mountain views. Free. All ages.

  • Children’s activities area.
  • You can bring chairs, blankets, and a picnic – but no outside alcohol.
  • Food and beverages (including local beer) will be available for purchase. Beer sales benefit a local not-for-profit.

Enjoy anywhere: Stream concert series live at kvnf.org or tune in to KVNF Community Radio (90.9, 89.1 FM).

 

Summerfest

July 21, 10am-6pm + July 22, 10am-5pm
Buchanan Park athletic fields, Evergreen
Festival of art, crafts, music, and beer. Over 120 artists and craftspeople with work for sale in ceramics, digital art, fiber, glass, jewelry, metal, mixed media, painting, photography, sculpture, and wood. Admission $5 for adults / free for children.

  • Proceeds benefit Center for the Arts Evergreen.
  • July 21, 11am-5pm: Palette of Brews. Beer tasting event of Colorado microbrews. Includes unlimited tastes. Ages 21+.  Tickets $25 + festival admission. Beer, wine, and margaritas will also be available for purchase.

 

+Georgia

SCAD FASH Exhibitions

Museum of Fashion + Film (Savannah College of Art and Design), Atlanta
Exhibitions are included with admission ($10 adults/free for kids under 14).

 

 

+Indiana

Vintage Indiana Wine + Food Festival

June 2, 12-6pm
Military Park, Indianapolis
Samples available of over 200 wines from Indiana wineries, food and wine sessions with chefs and winemakers, live music, food and artisan vendors. Ages 21+. Tickets $30 advance / $40 at the gate / $10 designated driver

 

Boston harbor island

+Massachusetts

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Exhibitions

  • Now – Sep 3. Mark Rothko: Reflection: Exhibition of 11 Rothko pieces on loan from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. that show the continuity of the artist’s work within western artistic tradition.
  • Now – Jun 3. Black and White Japanese Modern Art: Display of a newly acquired, large-scale calligraphy by Inoue Yūichi, along with a selection of other monochrome avant-garde works from postwar Japan.

 

Exploring Salem: Day One

 

Boston Harbor Islands National and State Park

  • Free Ferry Days: Aug 10, Oct 7. (2-for-1 passes are also available for library cardholders at participating Boston-area libraries.)
  • Rock the Fort at Georges Island: Jul 1 – Sep 3, 1-3pm on Saturdays. Free concerts featuring a variety of music.
  • Jazz on Spectacle Island: Jul 3 – Sep 4, 1-4pm on Sundays. Free outdoor jazz concert series.
  • Kayaking on Spectacle Island: Jul 6 – Sep 7 on Mondays. Ranger-led kayak tours for those who want to try sea kayaking. Hour-long trial also includes park history and information. Ages 12+. Free.

 

Concept Art, Queen Amidala Senate Gown. Star Wars™: The Phantom Menace.

+Michigan

Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA)

Detroit

  • Now – Sep 30: “Star Wars™ and the Power of Costume.” Exhibition focusing on the creative process behind the costume design for the first seven films of the Star Wars saga. Includes more than 60 original costumes, as well as a multimedia tour that draws connections between the films’ costumes and works of art in the DIA’s collection. Advance ticket purchase recommended. Tickets $19 adults / $7 youth + museum admission. Free museum admission + $14 exhibition tickets for residents of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties.
  • Aug 25 – Feb 17, 2019: Lost + Found. Exhibition showcasing the “accidental” art form of vernacular photography, featuring salvaged snapshots by amateur photographers, including over 500 of 1970s Detroit.

 

Hollywood Costume: The art of film costuming

 

road to Albuquerque

+New Mexico

Festival Flamenco 31

June 9-16
Albuquerque
Visiting artists, performances, and daily workshops for all experience levels. All Access Workshop Package (unlimited workshops) $1,050

 

Silver City CLAY Festival

Silver City
July 16-21
Hands-on pottery and sculpting workshops, exhibitions, tours, lectures, market, and youth activities. Lectures $10, workshops $30-300

  • Entrepreneurship for Creatives series $225
  • July 21, 11am: Entrepreneurship for Young Artists $30
  • July 21: Juried Market

 

New York airport

+New York

Marc Camille Chaimowicz: Your Place or Mine…

Now – Aug 5
The Jewish Museum, New York
Exhibition of cross-disciplinary work (painting, drawing, collage, sculpture, installation, furniture, lighting, ceramics, textiles, and wallpaper) from an artist with cross-cultural perspective.

  • Thursdays 5-8pm are Pay-What-You-Wish admission. Saturdays are free (but audio guides, shop, and children’s exhibition are not available).
  • July 15, 1pm: Pattern Power in Floor 4 Studio. Adult Studio Workshop taught by contemporary artist Timothy Hull. Create your own unique patterns and learn block printing techniques to apply them to fabric. All materials included. Fee: $80
  • July 21, 5:30pm: Exhibition tour in ASL. Pre-tour reception meets at Russ & Daughters. Advance registration required. Free.

 

+Virginia

Spring Farm to Table

Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant, Mount Vernon
June 15, 7pm
Dinner featuring products cultivated and produced on George Washington’s estate. $99/guest or $178/couple.

 

Robot cross stitch By LaRu

+Washington

Seattle Art Museum

 

Robot Cross Stitch Class

June 1, 6:30pm
Robot vs Sloth, Pike Place Market, Seattle
Learn (or refresh your memory) how to cross stitch with Lauren Rudeck (La Ru) and an adorable robot! Tickets: $35, plus ticket fees.

  • Includes La Ru Robot Cross Stitch Kit (fabric, hoop, needle, thread, and robot pattern), personalized instructions from Lauren Rudeck, snacks and beverages.
  • 20% discount on any Robot vs Sloth purchases made during class.
  • A percentage of each ticket sale goes to a bunny rescue.

 

Fremont public art

 

Fremont Fair

June 16-17
Seattle

Neighborhood street festival to celebrate the beginning of summer. The weekend features the 30th Fremont Solstice Parade, art car show, live music, impromptu street performances, and 300+ artists, craft vendors, and food booths. Free.
Saturday, June 16:

  • Craft Market 10am – 8pm
  • Corona Light Main Stage and Beer Garden 11am – 8pm
  • Casa Noble Center Stage and Beer Garden 11am – 8pm
  • Solstice Parade 1pm

Sunday, June 17:

  • Craft Market 11am – 6pm
  • Corona Light Main Stage and Beer Garden 11am – 5:30pm
  • Casa Noble Center Stage and Beer Garden 11am – 5:30pm
  • Dog Parade 2:30pm (Participant registration at the COLA tent on 34th Avenue, 11am-1:30pm. $20 registration fee benefits Citizens for Off Leash Areas.)

 

Washington monument

+Washington D.C.

Hung Liu In Print

Now – Jul 8
National Museum of Women in the Arts
Best known as a painter whose work explores themes such as movement and migration, artist Hung Liu also creates pieces using an array of printing and collage techniques. She describes printmaking as “poetry,” layering images with highly textured surfaces and screens of drip marks. Museum admission $10.

 

Make a Plan to See Smithsonian Museums in D.C.

 

No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man

Now – Jan 21, 2019
Renwick Gallery

Large-scale, participatory artwork from Burning Man will take over the entire Renwick Gallery building, as well as extending into the surrounding neighborhood. The in-gallery exhibiton will include immersive room-sized installations, costumes, jewelry, and ephemera, along with photographs and archival materials from the Nevada Museum of Art. Free.

 

IMG_2597

INTERNATIONAL

+Canada

Cook Shack Sessions

Family-friendly arts and music by Yukon Women in Music members in campgrounds. Free.

 

On an Uphill Track: Funiculars

 

The Works Art & Design Festival

June 21 – Jul 3
Federal Building Plaza (Capital Plaza on the Alberta Legislature Grounds), Edmonton
Festival of visual art, design, and entertainment with tours, receptions, demonstrations, and interactive experiences. Free.

  • 50 exhibits at 30 different venues.
  • The Works Street Stage: Daily live performances 12-9:30pm.

 

La Cloche Art Show

Jun 30 – Jul 8, 11am-5pm daily
Whitefish Falls Community Center, Whitefish Falls, Ontario
Juried show and sale with work in oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel, mixed media, photography, and sculpture by local and international artists. Free admission.

 

+France

Les Bals des Pompiers (Fire Brigade Balls)

Jul 13-14, 9pm to 4am
Paris
Bastille Day parties hosted at a dozen fire stations throughout Paris as fundraisers.

 

+Germany

Bookbinding Workshop: Stab Stitch to Coptic

June 30, 11am
Volta Press, Berlin

Learn several classic binding techniques, including stab stitch/block binding, saddle stitch, and coptic binding. Then create three of your own handmade blank books. All materials are included. Fee 161 €

 

 

Isola di cinema- Rome

+Italy

Il Terzo Giorno

Now – July 1
Palazzo del Governatore, Parma
Photos, installations, and paintings offering a poetic look at the topic of sustainability. Curated by Didi Bozzini, the exhibition is designed to take visitors through a cathartic journey starting from the creation of plants on the Third Day of Genesis and continuing through destruction, overcoming, nihilism, and a return to nature.

 

Getting a Taxi in Rome

 

L’Isola del Cinema

Jun 7 – Sep 2
Isola Tiberina, Rome
Film and cultural festival with art, music, and food on an island in the Tiber River.

Winter Celebrations of Light

+New Zealand

Matariki Festival

30 June – 22 July
Auckland
Celebration of the Māori New Year with events regionwide, including ceremonial chanting (karakia) at dawn, traditional dance performances and singing, kite-flying, and street food.

 

andes mountains in peru

+Peru

Inti Raymi (Festival of the Sun)

Jun 24, 9am
Sacsayhuaman, Cusco
Incan winter solstice and harvest ceremony followed by music and the dance of the four sides of the Tawantinsuyo (nations). Tickets $59-259.

Steamrolled Art

+UK

Bainbridge Print Studios workshops

Elephant and Castle studio, London

  • June 3, 10am. Etching one-day workshop. £85 fee
  • July 1, 10am. Cyanotype one-day workshop. £85 fee
  • July 14 + 15, 10am. Collagraph one-day or weekend workshop. £85/160 fee

 

 




This is my handpicked list of events that sound interesting to me. However, I can’t go to all of them. If you’re able to make it to any, let me know how it goes!

Also, if you notice any information that’s incorrect, let me know that too. I do try to get it right, but it’s possible there are errors or changes. 


Photo of Siobhan O’Laughlin via Broken Bone Bathtub.

Massachusetts photo via Boston Harbor Islands.

Michigan photo via DIA. Concept Art, Queen Amidala Senate Gown. Star Wars™: The Phantom Menace. © & ™ 2018 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. Used under authorization.

Washington photo via LaRu.

Canada photo (Pine Lake Campground in the Yukon) by Peter Waterman. CCL.

Germany photo via Volta Press.

Happenings List: Spring 2018 (Mar/Apr/May)

London Craft Week ceramics

Did you know that March is Hong Kong Art Month? May 9-13 is London Craft Week. In New Zealand, where March is autumn, there’s a street festival called “CupaDupa” in Wellington’s Cuban Quarter. (Did you know Wellington had a Cuban Quarter?!)

In Washington D.C., they’re currently installing this amazing-sounding Burning Man exhibition (“No Spectators”) that’s set to open at the end of March. It will take up the entire Renwick Gallery and spill out into the surrounding neighborhood. (Also, the Renwick is a Smithsonian museum, so admission is free.)

Pompeii AZ exhibition

If you’re in Phoenix, you have until May 28 to catch the Pompeii exhibition at Arizona Science Center. I highly recommend it. They brought all this 2000-year old stuff over from the museum that houses Pompeii’s artifacts in Southern Italy. (Can you imagine being in charge of that packing job?? Yikes.)

The last weekend in April, the Arizona International Film Festival and Agave Heritage Festival – both in Tucson – overlap, so you could catch a couple films in between agave roasts and tequila tastings.

There’s lots to explore and enjoy this season. Read on to find out more!

+Arizona

Gems from the Burton Barr Library Art Collection

Now – May 25, 2018
The Gallery @ City Hall (ground floor), Phoenix
Artwork from the Burton Barr Central Library Art Collection by artists including Ed Mell, Joan Miró, and Fritz Scholder.

  • Free and open to the public from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
  • Light rail: Washington/Central
  • Parking: Street parking (metered) or 305 parking garage at 305 W. Washington St. ($4/hour)

 

Irish Cultural Events

Downtown Phoenix

 

Spring Out to Lunch Concert Series

Now – Mar 22, Thursdays at 12:30pm.
Wells Fargo Garden performance area at Mesa Arts Center
Free outdoor concerts at lunchtime. Pack a picnic or purchase food on-site.

 

Raptor Free Flight!

Now – Apr 15
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson
Watch hawks, falcons, and owls fly completely untethered in the open desert, while a narrator explains the characteristics of each species. Included with admission.

 

Autumn into Spring Art Show

Now – May 11
Cornerstone Hospital, Tucson

Art on display (and for sale) by 25 local artists throughout the facility. Sponsorsed by Southern Arizona Arts Guild.

Pompeii: The Exhibition

Now — May 28
Arizona Science Center, Phoenix
Exhibition of artifacts from the ancient city of Pompeii, destroyed by the 79 A.D. eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Over 200 items are on loan from the Naples National Archaeological Museum in Italy, including wall-sized frescoes, mosaics, marble and bronze sculptures, jewelry, statues, Roman coins, and body casts of the volcano victims. Timed-entry ticket required. Tickets $12 (adults) / $10 (ages 3-17) + science center admission.

 

24th Annual Sedona International Film Festival

February 24 – March 4, 2018
Sedona

Festival with over 160 independent films from around the world, including features, shorts, documentaries, animation, foreign films, and student films. 10-ticket pack $130.

 

Field to Feast Tour

March 1, 7
Visitor Information Center, Yuma
(201 N. 4th Ave.)
Half-day farm tour. Hands-on harvesting instruction from a local grower followed by lunch made from the produce you picked. Includes transportation, some veggies to take home, and the field-fresh lunch. Tickets $55.

 

Phoenix Scottish Games

Mar 3-4
Steele Indian School Park, Phoenix
Games and entertainment presented by The Caledonian Society of Arizona, including competitive highland dancing, pipe bands, heavy athletics, country dancing, and historical re-enactments. Tickets $20/adults, $5/kids (6-12).

 

Savor Yuma

Mar 7
Old City Hall, Yuma

Progressive dining experience with a tour bus that takes you to sample food at several Yuma eateries. Tickets $55.

 

Art Detour 30

Mar 15-20
Downtown Phoenix

  • March 15. Art D’Core Gala.
  • March 16, 6-10pm. Pre-Detour Third Friday.
  • March 17-18. Art Detour! Studio and art space tours.

 

18th Annual Spring Heritage Pecan & Wine Festival

Mar 17-18
Community Field, Camp Verde
Wine tasting and all-ages festival with live music, an archaelogy fair, canoe and kayak racing, 40 vendors, and activities for kids.

Red Mountain in Mesa

El Tour de Mesa

Apr 7, 9am-2pm
Downtown Mesa
Rides from 5 to 61 miles, starting in Downtown Mesa and going as far as Red Mountain. Entry fee varies and goes to local charities.

  • CycloMesa: Unchained Bicycle Festival has a view of the El Tour start/finish line and Grand Cycling Awards Ceremony, as well as activities (zip line, rock walls, bungee trampolines, inflatables, etc.), BMX stunt shows, food trucks, and live music. Free.

 

Garden Project

Apr 8, 7pm
Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix
Pianist-composer Michael Brown, clarinetist Alexander Fiterstein, violinist Elena Urioste, and cellist Nicholas Canellakis perform a new work inspired by Desert Botanical Garden, Wave Hill in New York and Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania. Tickets $40.

 

Museum Day in the Garden

27th Arizona International Film Festival

April 18-29
Exhibition venues throughout Tucson
Film festival with a focus on independent cinema and diverse cultures.

 

ARTbeat 11

Apr 22, 4-9pm
Historic Downtown Yuma
Award-winning juried fine arts festival with local and regional artists and live music.

  • Application Deadline: March 2, 2018

 

The Opening Of The Fire Pit

 

Agave Heritage Festival

Apr 27 – May 6
Downtown Tucson
A weeklong celebration of the agave plant that includes culinary events, art, music, garden tours, and seminars.

 

Cottonwood

 

Verde Valley Birding + Nature Festival

Apr 26-29
Cottonwood
4-day event with guided walks (and canoeing!), workshops, vendors, and exhibitors focused on the Verde Valley habitat. Register online by April 18 or on-site starting April 25. Registration fee $15/person or $30/family. Additional fee for some events, including field trips and seminars.

  • Apr 26, 5pm: Welcome Social at Main Tent – River Day Use Area (Owl Rd) of Dead Horse Ranch State Park. Mixer with snacks and wine. Exhibitor booths will be open.
  • Apr 27, 6:30pm: Keynote Reception with Decadent Desserts at Cottonwood Rec Center, featuring Peterson Field Guide to Bird Sounds of Eastern North America author Nathan Pieplow, who will share audio and stories from over a decade of recording birds in the field.
  • 2018 Featured Artist Gary Binder.
  • Camping available at Dead Horse Ranch State Park.

 

Eroica – An Evening at The Garden

May 15 – June 2 (Tuesdays through Saturdays), 8pm
Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix
World premiere ballet by Ballet Arizona’s Ib Andersen, performed to Beethoven’s Third Symphony with a desert garden backdrop.

 

Phoenix Comic Fest (Comicon)

May 24-27
Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix
Pop culture convention (formerly Phoenix Comicon) featuring actors, comic book writers and artists, programming, and vendors. Full event passes $100+.

 

The Golden Gate Bridge over the San Francisco Bay

 

+California

Found in Translation: Design in California and Mexico, 1915–1985

Now – Apr 1
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles

Exhibition about how four design movements — Spanish Colonial Inspiration, Pre-Hispanic Revivals, Folk Art and Craft Traditions, and Modernism — defined California and Mexico throughout the twentieth century.

 

Handcraft Studio School Spring Workshops

El Cerrito

San Francisco is for makers

 

Spring at San Francisco Botanical Garden

Golden Gate Park, San Francisco

  • Mar 3, Apr 1, May 6 at 8amBirding at the Garden. The first Sunday of each month, beginning birders are welcome to join this docent-led slow-paced walk. Meet at Main Gate. Free (donations accepted).
  • Mar 25, 10am: Painting from the Garden: An introduction to botanical watercolors. $95
  • Apr 21, 12pm: The Secrets of the Cosmos: Paper Flower Making Workshop. $95

 

Jewish Meditation

Mar 20 at 2pm
Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles
Instruction and exercises on meditation techniques that draw from Jewish contemplative practice, texts, and traditions. Lead by meditation teacher Alison Laichter, founder of the Jewish Meditation Center in New York City. Free.

 

+Colorado

Quilt, Craft + Sewing Festival

Mar 22-24
Denver Mart, Denver
Expo with sewing, quilting, needlework, and craft supply vendors (both local and national), as well as workshops and presentations. Admission $10. Free parking.

3 Denver sites not to overlook

 

+Georgia

Surprise! Art Journaling

​Apr 7, 10am
Sacred Space Studio, Statesboro
Learn how to add pop-ups, hidden pockets, and sneaky details to your journal! Materials provided. Fee $25. ​​

 

+Massachusetts

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Exhibitions

  • Now – Sep 3. Mark Rothko: Reflection: Exhibition of 11 Rothko pieces on loan from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. that show the continuity of the artist’s work within western artistic tradition.
  • Now – Jun 3. Black and White Japanese Modern Art: Display of a newly acquired, large-scale calligraphy by Inoue Yūichi, along with a selection of other monochrome avant-garde works from postwar Japan.

 

Embroidery Workshop

Mar 17, 6pm
Jamaica Plain
4-hour hands-on contemporary embroidery workshop with Sarah K. Benning. Learn to prep your hoop and fabric, transfer a design from paper to cloth, and embrace freestyle stitching and non-traditional embroidery techniques. Materials included. Fee $140.

New York airport

+New York

World Amigurumi Exhibition vol. 4: Dolls for Daily Life!

Now – Mar 31
RESOBOX LIC, Long Island City
Exhibition of innovative uses of the Japanese crochet art amigurumi. Free.

 

+Oregon

SE Area ARTWalk

Mar 3-4, 10am-5pm
Southeast Portland
Self-guided walking tour of artist studios, home workspaces, galleries, and businesses within the boundaries of SE 9th Ave, SE 41st, SE Powell and SE Hawthorne Blvd. Free.

 

Annamieka Artist Retreats

  • May 4-6: Painting in the Ancient Forest: Opal Creek. Stay in a cabin in Jawbone Flats and learn about painting with acrylics in the Opal Creek Wilderness. Food, lodging, and art supplies provided. Fee $455.
  • Jun 29 – Jul 1: Painting on the Oregon Coast: Sitka Center for Art + Ecology. Annual “Layers of the Forest” mixed media painting workshop at the confluence of the Pacific Ocean, the Salmon River, and the Cascade Head Nature preserve. Ages 16+. Lodging is not provided. Tuition + materials $310.

 

+Washington

Seattle Art Museum

 

Washington monument

+Washington D.C.

Hung Liu In Print

Now – Jul 8
National Museum of Women in the Arts
Best known as a painter whose work explores themes such as movement and migration, artist Hung Liu also creates pieces using an array of printing and collage techniques. She describes printmaking as “poetry,” layering images with highly textured surfaces and  screens of drip marks. Museum admission $10.

 

Women in the Arts and a Pop-up Makerspace

 

National Cherry Blossom Festival

Mar 20 – Apr 15

  • Mar 24, 5pm: Opening Ceremony at Warner Theatre. Advance tickets required. $5 fee.
  • Mar 24 – Apr 8, 12-6pm: ANA Performance Stage. Free.
  • Mar 31, 10am-4:30pm: Blossom Kite Festival at Washington Monument Grounds. Kite competitions and demonstrations, public field for flying your own kite, kids’ kite-making activity station, and kite vendors. Free.
  • Apr 14, 10am-12pm: Parade along Constitution Avenue with floats, giant helium balloons, marching bands, and entertainment. Standing along the route is free, Grandstand Seating $20.

 

No Spectators: The Art of Burning Man

Mar 30 – Jan 21, 2019
Renwick Gallery

Large-scale, participatory artwork from Burning Man will take over the entire Renwick Gallery building, as well as extending into the surrounding neighborhood. The in-gallery exhibiton will include immersive room-sized installations, costumes, jewelry, and ephemera, along with photographs and archival materials from the Nevada Museum of Art. Free.

 

Shenson Chamber Music Concerts

May 2, 9, 23 at 7:30pm
National Museum of Women in the Arts
Annual concert series of women musicians. Free, subject to availability. Registration required.

INTERNATIONAL

+France

Expo Orchidées de Colombie (Colombian Orchid Expo)

Now – March 5
Galerie de Botanique, Jardin des Plantes, MNHN, Paris

Project to highlight the historical collections at the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, as well as the biodiversity of Colombian flora. There will also be light and sound installations by Claudia Isabel Navas.

 

Chinese new year in hong kong

+Hong Kong

Hong Kong Arts Month

Mar 1-31

  • Feb 23 – Mar 24: 46th Hong Kong Arts Festival. Traditional and contemporary music, opera, drama and dance performances.
  • Mar 29-31: Art Basel at Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Work by Emerging and established artists from 32 countries and territories, especially the Asia/Asia-Pacific region. 3-day tickets HKD 750 in advance or HKD 850 on-site.

 

Spring Lantern Festival

Mar 2
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
The last day of Chinese New Year (a.k.a. “Chinese Valentine’s Day”) is focused on couples with colorful lanterns hung in parks, flower markets, and restaurants.

 

+Italy

Carnival of Venice

Now – Mar 13
St. Mark’s Square, Venice
Pre-Lenten celebrations with revelers in elaborate masks and costumes.

Teatro La Fenice in Venezia (Venice)

 

+Mexico

Contemporary Embroidery with Sarah K. Benning

1. Hibiscus in San Miguel de Allende

Hands-on Contemporary Embroidery workshop at Hibiscus creative retreat in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Learn about free-style working methods, embroidery stitches, tools and materials. Supplies and lunch included. Fee $125.

  • Apr 10, 10am-2pm
  • Apr 12, 10am-2pm

2. Mexico City Workshop

  • Apr 14

3-hour hands-on contemporary embroidery workshop. Learn to prep your hoop and fabric, transfer a design from paper to cloth, and embrace freestyle stitching and non-traditional embroidery techniques. Pre-registration required. Materials included. Fee $100.

 

Cuba Dupa festival

+NEW ZEALAND

CubaDupa

Mar 24-25
Cuba Quarter, Wellington
Festival with a wide range of street performances, including theater, bands, and opera, as well as a parade and interactive art installations. Free.

 

Petersham Nurseries

+UK

London Craft Week

May 9-13
Across London
Curated program showcasing international creativity and craftsmanship.

  • May 12, 10:30am: Stenciling with Nature at Petersham Nurseries. Learn about natural dying techniques including silk screen-printing, hand-painting and stencil printing to create unique soft furnishings for the home. £70

 




So much great stuff, right?!!

I kind of wish I could do it all. Obviously, I can’t. But if you go anywhere I mentioned, let me know how it goes!

Finally, while I do handpick events that seem rad, I’m not in charge of them and don’t always know the organizers. So consider this your informational starting point and know that there could be errors, changes, etc.

Hopefully, though, everything will be fabulous, and you’ll enjoy yourself immensely!

 


Top photo via London Craft Week.

Hong Kong photo via Discover Hong Kong.

Massachusetts photo via Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Paris photo via Orchidées de Colombie. 

New Zealand photo via Amandala Photography.

UK photo via Petersham Nurseries.

 

Happenings List: Winter 2018 (Jan/Feb)

Date palms in Yuma

Happy New Year! Here’s our handpicked list of goings on! Scroll down to find maker/artist/explorer events in Italy, France, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Tahiti, and the U.S. (Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New York, and Washington).

 

Date palms in Yuma

+Arizona

Raptor Free Flight!

Now – March 2018
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson
Watch hawks, falcons, and owls fly completely untethered in the open desert, while a narrator explains the characteristics of each species. Two presentations daily (at 10am and 2pm) with different birds of prey native to the Sonoran Desert region each time. Included with admission.

 

Autumn into Spring Art Show

Now – May 11
Cornerstone Hospital, Tucson

Art on display (and for sale) by 25 local artists throughout the facility. Sponsorsed by Southern Arizona Arts Guild.

 

Pompeii: The Exhibition

Now — May 28
Arizona Science Center, Phoenix
Exhibition of artifacts from the ancient city of Pompeii, destroyed by the 79 A.D. eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Over 200 items are on loan from the Naples National Archaeological Museum in Italy, including wall-sized frescoes, mosaics, marble and bronze sculptures, jewelry, statues, Roman coins, and body casts of the volcano victims. Timed-entry ticket required. Tickets $12 (adults) / $10 (ages 3-17) + science center admission.

 

Basic Printmaking

Jan 4-25, Thursdays at 2pm
Prescott Valley Public Library
(Glassford Hill Room), Prescott Valley
4-week course on basic printmaking skills. Use hand printing methods and a small flatbed printing press to make a series of personalized, handmade cards. Ages 21+. Registration required. Free.

 

Make + Take Art Classes

Practical Art, Phoenix

Every Saturday Practical Art offers two-hour classes with local artists. Learn a new craft and make something to take home with you.

 

Prescott Origami Fanatics: Envelopes and Letterfolds

Jan 7, 1:30-4:30pm
Prescott Public Library (Founders Suite B), Prescott
Easy-to-medium-level paper folding class for adults and teens. Paper is provided.

 

Savor Yuma

Jan 10, Feb 21, Mar 7
Old City Hall, Yuma

Progressive dining experience with a tour bus that takes you to sample food at several Yuma eateries. Tickets $55.

 

The (Fountain) Hills

Fountain Hills Artists’ Gallery Workshops

Fountain Hills Artists’ Gallery, Fountain Hills
Artist-led workshops at a cooperatively-owned fine art gallery. To reserve a spot in a workshop, you must pre-register and pay the workshop fee.

  • Jan 11, 5pm + Jan 25, 5pm: Paint Your Pet. Acrylic artist Kelly Bowman will sketch your pet onto a canvas that you can paint when you arrive. Maximum 6 participants. No experience necessary, and all supplies are included. $56 fee.
  • Jan 21, 4pm: Red Flower 3-D Wool Painting. Rita Chester will show you how to use needle felting and wet felting to create an 11″ x 14″ painting. No experience necessary, and all supplies are included. $75 fee.
  • Jan 22, 5pm: Soul Script with Colleen Brown. Mixed media workshop using acrylic paints, a variety of art papers, and a 10″ x 10″ birchwood canvas to make a unique collage centered on a word of your choice. Maximum 8 participants. No experience necessary, and all supplies are included. $55 fee.

 

Field to Feast Tour

Jan 11, 17, 18, 24, 25, 27, 31
Feb 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 28
March 1, 7
Visitor Information Center, Yuma
(201 N. 4th Ave.)
Half-day farm tour. Hands-on harvesting instruction from a local grower followed by lunch made from the produce you picked. Includes transportation, some veggies to take home, and the field-fresh lunch. Tickets $55.

Yuma Favorites: Part 2

Date Night Dinners

Jan 12, Feb 2 + 16, Mar 9
Imperial Date Gardens (near Yuma)
Gourmet dinner served outdoors in a date grove with dates in every course. Presented by Yuma Visitors Bureau in cooperation with the Bard Valley Date Growers Association. Tickets $75.

  • 5:30pm: On-site walking tour.
  • 6pm: Dinner.

 

Art in the Park

Jan 13, 12-5pm
Gateway Park, Yuma

Fine arts festival alongside the banks of the Colorado River, a la A Sunday on La Grande Jatte. Wander through art displays with a glass of wine or a mimosa. Free admission.

 

Spring Out to Lunch Concert Series

Jan 18 – Mar 22, Thursdays at 12:30pm.
Wells Fargo Garden performance area at Mesa Arts Center
Free outdoor concerts at lunchtime. Pack a picnic or purchase food on-site.

Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festival Wrap Up

Quilt, Craft + Sewing Festival

Jan 25-27
Arizona Fairgrounds
Expo with sewing, quilting, needlework, and craft supply vendors (both local and national), as well as workshops and presentations. Admission $10. $1 off with online coupon (printable PDF).

 

Heard Museum

Harp Guitar Virtuoso Muriel Anderson in Concert

Feb 2, 8pm
Firecreek Coffee Company, Flagstaff
Performance by Muriel Anderson, one of the world’s foremost fingerstyle guitarists and harp-guitarists. Tickets $25.

 

Arizona Game Fair

Feb 9-11
Mesa Convention Center

Tabletop gaming convention. Open gaming (with a library of board and card games available), vendors, events, and game industry guests. Full event badge $40+.

 

33rd Annual Historic Florence Home Tour

Feb 10, 10am – 4pm
Downtown Florence
Tour of 20 homes and historical structures. Tickets $10 advance/$15 day of.

 

World Championship Hoop Dance Contest

Feb 10-11
Heard Museum, Phoenix

2-day competition of intricate dances with up to 50 hoops, based on traditional intertribal hoop dance. Tickets $18 (includes museum admission).

 

Southwest Maker Fest

Feb 17, 10am – 4pm
Downtown Mesa

Collaborative, one-day festival of makers seeking to achieve the vision of a connected community, empowered by creativity. Free admission.

Open to creativity

 

Arizona Cocktail Weekend

Feb 17-22
Downtown Phoenix
Celebration of the craft of the cocktail, including parties, spirit tastings, educational seminars, cocktail competitions, and drink specials. Passes TBA. Last year: $25-550.

 

Cartoon Tunes

Feb 18, 3pm
Yavapai College Performing Arts Center, Prescott

Prescott Pops Symphony presents a concert of classical music from cartoons. Tickets $25.

 

24th Annual Sedona International Film Festival

February 24 – March 4, 2018
Sedona

Festival with over 160 independent films from around the world, including features, shorts, documentaries, animation, foreign films, and student films. 10-ticket pack $130.

October 2017 Photo: Sedona

 

Art Detour 30

Mar 15-20
Downtown Phoenix

  • March 15. Art D’Core Gala.
  • March 16, 6-10pm. Pre-Detour Third Friday.
  • March 17-18. Art Detour! Studio and art space tours.

 

27th Arizona International Film Festival

April 18-29
Exhibition venues throughout Tucson
Film festival with a focus on independent cinema and diverse cultures.

  • Submissions of features (narrative and documentary) and shorts (documentary, dramatic, comedy, experimental, and animation) accepted through January 31, 2018.

 

ARTbeat 11

Apr 22, 4-9pm
Historic Downtown Yuma
Award-winning juried fine arts festival with local and regional artists and live music.

  • Application Deadline: March 2, 2018

 

5 Telltale Signs You Went to Phoenix Comicon 2016

Phoenix Comicon

May 24-27
Phoenix Convention Center, Phoenix 
Pop culture convention featuring actors, top comic book writers and artists, programming, and vendors. Full event passes $65 through April 30.

 

 

+California

Found in Translation: Design in California and Mexico, 1915–1985

Now – Apr 1, 2018
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles

Exhibition about how four design movements — Spanish Colonial Inspiration, Pre-Hispanic Revivals, Folk Art and Craft Traditions, and Modernism — defined California and Mexico throughout the twentieth century.

 

Book Show (Store + Event Space)

Highland Park, Los Angeles

  • Jan 2, 7pm. Collage + Cry: Monthly community collage art night. Materials and light snacks provided. Crying optional. $5 donation.
  • Jan 5 + Feb 2, 8pm. EAT ART Open Mic: Monthly storytelling open mic. 5-minute performances of poetry, short stories, spoken word, songs.

 

SPAWN Creek Walk

Jan 6, 13, + 20
Samuel P. Taylor State Park, Lagunitas
The Salmon Protection and Watershed Network (SPAWN) leads a leisurely guided tour through multiple creek sites in the Lagunitas Watershed to look for endangered coho salmon that have returned to spawn. Open to all ages and abilities. Pre-registration required. $15 donation requested.

 

Pacific Standard Time Festival: Live Art LA/LA

Jan 11-21
Los Angeles
International celebration of art and performance at indoor and outdoor locations throughout greater Los Angeles. Latin American and Latino artists from more than a dozen countries will perform in parks, plazas, galleries, and theaters.

  • Jan 11 + 12, 8pm: Tijuana. Multimedia solo show written and performed by Gabino Rodríguez about the actor’s move to Tijuana to become a minimum-wage factory worker for six months. In Spanish with English supertitles. Tickets $15.
  • Jan 16-18, 8:30pmTeatro Línea de Sombra: Durango 66. Installation/performance using construction vehicles, tons of soil, and giant projections in an underground urban space. In Spanish and English with English surtitles. Tickets $15.
  • Jan 21, 3pm“cumbre: look as far as you can see in every direction—north and south, east and west.” Rafa Esparza’s three-part performance about familial histories of immigration into the United States and the deeply complex history of downtown Los Angeles. The final segment includes a collaboration with artist Sebastian Hernandez.

 

An Evening of Lights: Astronomy and Bioluminescence

Jan 12, 8pm
Drakes Beach, Marin County

Learn about identifying stars, nebulae, and constellations. If it is cloudy, the focus will turn to bioluminescence and nocturnal wildlife sounds. Ages 12+. Fee $50.

 

Jewish Meditation

Jan 16, Feb 20, + Mar 20 at 2pm
Skirball Cultural Center, Los Angeles
Instruction and exercises on meditation techniques that draw from Jewish contemplative practice, texts, and traditions. Lead by meditation teacher Alison Laichter, founder of the Jewish Meditation Center in New York City. Free.

 

San Francisco is for makers

 

Pacific Coast Pop-up

A Little Lodge, San Francisco
Jan 17-31
Outdoor themed pop-up shop featuring clothes from the new Blood and Bolts collection.

  • Jan 17, 4-9pm: Opening party. Music, free drinks, photography, and shopping.

 

Museums Free-for-All

Southern California
Jan 28
Free general admission at museums throughout Los Angeles and Southern California.

 

Craftcation: Business + Makers Conference

Apr 4-8
Ventura Beach Marriott, Ventura
Four days of creative business classes and craft workshops. $450 registration through Feb 1. Then $470.

 

+Colorado

Hung Liu: Transformation

Now – Feb 18
Loveland Museum/Gallery, Loveland
Exhibition featuring 15 large-scale paintings and a room-size installation by artist Hung Liu, whose work explores movement and migration, as well as the complex interactions between individual memory and history. $5 exhibit admission.

  • Jan 12 + Feb 9, 5-9pm: Night on the Town. Museum stays open late with free admission and activities.
  • Jan 23: Free day. Donations accepted.

 

Colorado Environmental Film Festival (CEFF)

Feb 22-24
The American Mountaineering Center (AMC), Golden
Screenings of 48 films that aim to motivate audiences to awareness and action on environmental issues.

 

+Massachusetts

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Exhibitions

  • Now – Feb 25, 2018. The Andes Inverted: Immersive installation by Daniela Rivera with materials, images, and sounds gathered from Chile’s Chuquicamata copper mine.
  • Now – Sep 3, 2018. Mark Rothko: Reflection: Exhibition of 11 Rothko pieces on loan from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. that show the continuity of the artist’s work within western artistic tradition.
  • Now – Jun 3, 2018. Black and White Japanese Modern Art: Display of a newly acquired, large-scale calligraphy by Inoue Yūichi, along with a selection of other monochrome avant-garde works from postwar Japan.
  • Jan 3 + 21. Canaletto and the Art of Venice: On-screen tour of the Canaletto and the Art of Venice exhibition at Buckingham Palace. The film also explores the life of Giovanni Antonio Canal (“Canaletto”) and Venice places he painted, such as Rialto Bridge, Piazza San Marco, Palazzo Ducale, and the Church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo. (Screening at the Clark Art Institute, Williamstown on Jan 6.)

 

New York airport

+New York

World Amigurumi Exhibition vol. 4: Dolls for Daily Life!

Now – Mar 31
RESOBOX LIC, Long Island City
Exhibition of innovative uses of the Japanese crochet art amigurumi. Free.

 

Canaletto and the Art of Venice

On-screen tour of the Canaletto and the Art of Venice exhibition at Buckingham Palace. The film also explores the life of Giovanni Antonio Canal (“Canaletto”) and Venice places he painted, such as Rialto Bridge, Piazza San Marco, Palazzo Ducale, and the Church of Santi Giovanni e Paolo.

A Glimpse of Venice

 

Embroidery for Beginners!

Jan 14, 12-2pm
QED, Astoria
Learn the fundamentals of hand embroidery, basic stitches, and how to transfer patterns. Start embroidering an apple pattern on a tea towel during class and then take it home with you to finish. Materials – including an embroidery hoop, floss, and a needle – will be provided. Advance registration required, as space is limited. Fee $25.

 

Rick Prelinger Presents: Lost Landscapes of New York

Feb 10 + 11, 2pm
Museum of the Moving Image – Redstone Theater, Astoria

Screening of a film that combines home movies by New Yorkers, tourists, and semi-professional cinematographers, outtakes from feature films, and other footage – most of which had never been seen before the film – of New York’s cityscape to show how the city has changed over time. Tickets $20.

 

IndieCade East 2018

Feb 16–18
Museum of the Moving Image, Astoria

Celebration of independent video games, independent game makers and players with panels and workshops plus dozens of new and unreleased games. Early Bird Full Festival Pass $100 through January 1, 2018.

 

 

+Washington

Seattle Art Museum

 

Chalk Robots

 

Grand opening for Robot vs Sloth

Feb 10, 2-8pm
Pike Place Market, 1535 1st Ave (corner of 1st and Pine), Seattle
Artist Lauren Rudeck (“LaRu”) is moving from the shop we found by following her chalk robots (Ugly Baby and La Ru). She’s opening up her own shop called Robot vs Sloth on the other side of Pike Place Market, right on the corner of 1st and Pine.

 

National Museum of Women in the Arts

+Washington D.C.

Narwhal: Revealing an Arctic Legend

Now – 2019
Natural History Museum

Understanding this unique tusked whale through traditional Inuit knowledge and scientific research. Free.

 

Women in the Arts and a Pop-up Makerspace

 

Hung Liu In Print

Jan 19–Jul 8
National Museum of Women in the Arts
Best known as a painter whose work explores themes such as movement and migration, artist Hung Liu also creates pieces using an array of printing and collage techniques. She describes printmaking as “poetry,” layering images with highly textured surfaces and  screens of drip marks. Museum admission $10.

  • Jan 7 + Feb 4, 1pm: Tour: Fierce Women. Fast-paced, drop-in tour highlighting the work of women who blazed trails as artists, activists, and innovators. No advance registration – sign up at the Information Desk upon arrival to reserve your spot. Free (as part of the monthly Community Day).
  • Feb 21, 12pm: Gallery Talk: Hung Liu In Print.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL

+France

Expo Orchidées de Colombie (Colombian Orchid Expo)

Now – March
Galerie de Botanique, Jardin des Plantes, MNHN, Paris

Project to highlight the historical collections at the Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, as well as the biodiversity of Colombian flora. There will also be light and sound installations by Claudia Isabel Navas.

Make a Euro-Inspired Mini Lamp Garland

Paris Déco Off

Jan 18-22
Paris
Home decor companies open up their Paris showrooms to the public and interior designers to debut new collections. There are also displays, such as the Linen Lux lamps. Free.

 

Chinese new year in hong kong

+Hong Kong

Chinese New Year Celebrations

Feb 16-18
Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon
The city’s biggest festival includes a parade, food and flower markets, performances, and a fireworks show over the harbor.

  • Feb 16, 6-9:45pm: International Chinese New Year Night Parade. A variety of street performances followed by floats and entertainment by local and international performers. Free street viewing. Spectator stand tickets HK$300-480.
  • Mar 2: Spring Lantern Festival. The last day of Chinese New Year (a.k.a. “Chinese Valentine’s Day”) is focused on couples with colorful lanterns hung in parks, flower markets, and restaurants.

 

+Italy

The Cinquecento

Now – Jan 21, 2018
Palazzo Strozzi, Florence
Exhibition of 16th century art in Florence with works of art by such artists as Michelangelo, Bronzino, Giorgio Vasari, Rosso Fiorentino, Pontormo, Santi di Tito, Giambologna and Bartolomeo Ammannati. Combo ticket to the exhibition, Baptistery of St. John, and Opera del Duomo Museum: €8.

 

Italy: a 30,000-Foot View

Carnival of Venice

Jan 27 – Mar 13
St. Mark’s Square, Venice
Pre-Lenten celebrations with revelers in elaborate masks and costumes.

 

Cuba Dupa festival

+NEW ZEALAND

Gardens Magic

Jan 9-28
Wellington Botanic Garden – Soundshell stage, Wellington
Nightly outdoor concerts and lighting installation at the Botanic Gardens. Picnic while you watch local Wellington musicians perform. Free.

 

CubaDupa

Mar 24-25
Cuba Quarter, Wellington
Festival with a wide range of street performances, including theater, bands, and opera, as well as a parade and interactive art installations. Free.

 

+TAHITI

Festival International du Film documentaire Océanien de Tahiti (FIFO)

Feb 3-11
Maison de la Culture, Pape’ete
Festival of documentaries about the culture, history, and issues of Oceania.

Art Inspires Expeditions in “Headhunt Revisited” Documentary

 




As always, if you go to anything on the list, let me know how it goes!

FYI, I try to make sure all this information is correct, but there could be errors or changes. Also, I don’t necessarily endorse (or know) every single thing about each event, the venue, or organizations connected with it. 


Top and Hong Kong photo via Discover Hong Kong.

Massachusetts photo via Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.

Paris photo via European Flax.

New Zealand photo via  Amandala Photography.

Tahiti video via Headhunt Revisited: With Brush, Canvas and Camera.

Happenings List: Holiday 2017 (Nov/Dec)

There are people making great things in every corner of the world.

Here’s some of the good November/December-ish stuff from Italy, France, the U.K., and the U.S. (Arizona, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, New York, and Washington) that’s come up on my radar recently.

+Arizona

Phoenix Art Museum

  • Now – Dec 17: Past/Future/Present: Contemporary Brazilian Art from the São Paulo Museum of Modern Art

 

Raptor Free Flight!

Now – March 2018
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson
Watch hawks, falcons, and owls fly completely untethered in the open desert, while a narrator explains the characteristics of each species. Two presentations daily (at 10am and 2pm) with different birds of prey native to the Sonoran Desert region each time. Included with admission.

 

All Souls Procession

Now – Nov 5
Tucson

Pre-event workshops (Sep/Oct):

  • Oct 28, 9am-1pm + Oct 29, 1-6pm at 1011 E Miles Street: Mask & Papier-Mâché Craftshop. Free.
  • Oct 29, 11am-2pm: Flower Crown Workshop. Please bring at least one object with meaning for you to include in your crown. $25 contribution includes materials.
  • Oct 29, 3-5pm: Personal Altar Workshop. Create a personal altar to carry with you in the Procession! Craft supplies provided. Please bring any photos, flowers, lights, or other objects that you would like to incorporate into a small, hand-held altar. Free. Reservations encouraged.

Procession Weekend:

**Maynards Market + Kitchen

 

Día de los Muertos Celebration (DBG)

Oct 27 – Nov 7
Desert Botanical Gardens, Phoenix
Día de los Muertos festivities with music, dance, and storytelling. Included with admission.

  • Oct 27 – Nov 7. Ofrenda Exhibition: Original pieces created by local artists in the style of traditional Mexican altars.
  • Nov 4-5. Live entertainment, including mariachis and ballet folklorico.

 

Día de los Muertos Festival (Mesa)

Oct 28-29
Mesa Arts Center, Mesa
Food, market, live entertainment, and handmade altar contest. Free admission.

**Día de los Muertos

 

Stitching by the Books

Oct 30, Nov 6, Nov 13 at 6pm
East Flagstaff Community Library, Flagstaff

Drop-in for help with your fiber arts projects. Knitting supplies available.
All skill levels welcome. Ages 9+. Free.

 

Return: Marshall Maude in Asia

Oct 31 – Dec 1
NAU Art Museum (2nd floor, NAU Old Main building), Flagstaff

Exhibition of ceramic work by Marshall Maude that explores both traditional methods and new technologies. Free. (Parking info.)

 

Astronomy Nights

Nov 3 + Dec 1 every 30 minutes from 6-10pm
Mesa Community College, Mesa

Monthly Planetarium shows open to the public the first Friday of the month during the Fall semester. Free admission (first come, first served).

 

NU (Native + You)

Heard Museum, Phoenix
Monthly (First Friday) events at the museum with free general admission to the museum’s galleries. Food and beverages available for purchase. Heard Museum Shops open until 8 p.m.

  • Nov 3, 6-10pm. First Friday: Stamp It! Make and take stamped-metal jewelry. See the new exhibition Awa Tsireh: Pueblo Painter and Metalsmith.
  • Dec 1, 6-10pm. First Friday: Light It Up! Make an ornament, enjoy hot cocoa and holiday lights, and shop the Ornament Market at the Heard Museum Shops.

 

Camelback Studio Tour and Art Sale

Nov 3-5
Scottsdale
Visit artists’ studios, see artists at work, and purchase art. Free admission.

 

Tucson Comic-Con 2017

Nov 3-5
Tucson Convention Center
Community-based pop culture convention with a mission statement of “Pop Culture For All!” Full weekend passes $30.

 

Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festival

Nov 9-11
Tucson Expo Center
Expo with sewing, quilting, needlework, and craft supply vendors (both local and national), as well as workshops and presentations. Admission $10 or free with online coupon (printable PDF).
**The Festival in Phoenix.

 

Hidden In The Hills Studio Tour and Sale

Nov 17-19, 24-26
Cave Creek, Arizona

Self-guided tour of open artist studios in the Cave Creek and Scottsdale area with demonstrations and art for sale. Free admission.

 

Phoenix Pizza Festival

Nov 18, 11am-5pm
Margaret T. Hance Park, Phoenix

Festival of top pizza makers, benefitting Downtown Phoenix Inc. Advance tickets $10.
**Phoenix Pizza Festival 2016

 

Holiday Arts + Crafts Fair

Nov 18-19
Du Bois Center (at Northern Arizona University), Flagstaff
Juried show of handmade arts and crafts benefiting the United Way of Northern Arizona. Admission $2 at the door.

  • Live music
  • Raffle
  • Free parking

 

Las Noches de las Luminarias

Nov 24 – Dec 30
Desert Botanical Garden
Garden lit by 8,000 candles inside luminaria bags. There is also stargazing, hot cocoa and apple cider, sculptures by artist Jun Kaneko on display throughout the garden, and a variety of musical performances. Tickets $30.

 

Mesa Christmas Market

Nov 24 – Dec 23
Downtown Mesa

Over 90 vendors with food and hand-crafted gifts surrounding the Merry Main Street 35-foot Christmas tree.

 

Succulent Success

Nov 25, 9am
Phoenix Public Market

Learn how to care for succulents and the best varieties to grow both indoor and outdoors. Pop-up truck will have succulents, containers, and soil available for purchase.

 

12th Annual Crafeteria Indie Craft Fair

Dec 1, 6-10pm
Medlock Plaza parking lot (Frances/Stinkweeds/Golden Rule Tattoo), Phoenix

Annual arts and crafts festival with local handmade original work, (jewelry, toys, knitwear, beauty products, holiday decor, etc.), as well as live music and food trucks. Free.

 

Fall Tempe Festival of the Arts

Dec 1-3
Downtown Tempe
Juried art show with 350 artist booths lining Mill Avenue and the surrounding streets. Handmade ceramics, wearable art, jewelry, woodwork and photography for sale, as well as food vendors, wine and beer gardens, and live entertainment. Free admission.

 

ARTrageous Benefit Ansel Adams: America

Dec 2, 8:30pm
Virginia G. Piper Theater, Scottsdale
Gala to Benefit Scottsdale Arts Education + Outreach featuring Ansel Adams photography set to music. A full orchestra will perform a commissioned symphonic work by Dave Brubeck and his son Chris Brubeck. Concert + after-party tickets $75.

 

Mesa Arts Festival

Dec 9-10, 10am
Mesa Arts Center
Annual festival with original works of art for sale, live entertainment and artist demonstrations, and kids’ activity area. Free.
**NEARBY: Community Garden.

 

Phoestivus

Dec 14 + 21, 5-10pm
Phoenix Public Market

Holiday celebration with a Phoestivus Pole, Pheats of Strength, and Airing of Grievances, as well as a market featuring locally grown and hand-crafted gifts from more than 130 local vendors. Free admission and free parking near Roosevelt/Central Light Rail Station.

 

+California

Play!

Now – Dec 30
Palo Alto Art Center, Palo Alto
Group exhibition of artists who believe in the importance of play and make it part of their work.

 

Found in Translation: Design in California and Mexico, 1915–1985

Now – Apr 1, 2018
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles

Exhibition about how four design movements — Spanish Colonial Inspiration, Pre-Hispanic Revivals, Folk Art and Craft Traditions, and Modernism — defined California and Mexico throughout the twentieth century.

 

Día de los Muertos Family Festival

Oct 29, 10am-5pm
Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach

Celebration with art and craft workshops, craft activities, live music, dance performances, gallery tours, face painting, sculpture garden, food and craft vendors and Community Ofrenda and Art Exhibition. Free.

 

Freeway Lace Guild’s Annual Lace Day

Nov 4, 10am-3pm
Pasadena Christian Church, Pasadena

Lace displays, classes, vendors. Pre-register to receive a goodie bag. Admission $5 (free for ages 25 and under).

  • Pre-register to receive a goodie bag, as well as the option to order lunch ($8) and/or a commemorative bobbin ($15).
  • 1pm: presentation on Renaissance Lace by William McConnell.
  • Mini classes by experienced lacemakers.

 

Eternal I Endure

November 4, 6pm
Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena
Movement theater piece inspired by the work of Rodin, in honor of the hundredth anniversary of the artist’s death. The performance will include images, text, fragments of Rodin’s life story, and music. Included with admission.

  • Reserve a spot by going to the Main Entrance gallery and getting a sticker up to an hour before the performance.
  • General admission seating begins at 5:45pm.

 

Meet Me in the Woods

Nov 4 – Dec (date TBD)
A Little Lodge, San Francisco
Kanako Abe’s solo show of intricate hand-cut paper artworks inspired by wildlife.

  • Opening reception Nov 4, 6pm.

 

The Art of Paper Flowers and Décor: Woodland Egg Ornaments

Nov 11, 9:30am
Filoli Center, Woodside
Workshop on making a metallic or white crepe paper acorn ornament using a real, blown-out chicken’s egg. $90 fee includes materials.

 

Jackalope Indie Artisan Fair: Fall Fair

Nov 18-19, 10am – 4pm
Central Park, Pasadena
Shop handcrafted goods from over 200 local artisans. Free admission.

  • Grab Bag of vendor swag for the first 25 people to check in at the information booth BOTH Saturday and Sunday.
  • RSVP “Going” on the Facebook Event for a chance to win a $20 gift card.
  • Dogs allowed.

 

The Fab Faux: Sgt. Pepper In Its Entirety

Nov 18, 8:00pm
The Wiltern, Los Angeles
Performance of Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band in its entirety to celebrate the album’s 50th Anniversary. The Fab Faux with The Hogshead Horns, The Creme Tangerine Strings, and Erin Hill. Ages 5+. Tickets $40-65. To skip service charges, buy tickets in person at the Hollywood Palladium box office Saturdays from 10am-2pm, except holiday weekends.

 

Sacred Families in Hindu Art

Dec 2, 1pm
Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena 
Tour to explore museum pieces that depict divine Hindu families (Vishnu and Lakshmi, Shiva and Parvati etc.) Included with admission.

 

A Pastel Drawing Workshop: Degas’s Tactility in Two and Three Dimensions

Dec 2, 11am
Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena
Workshop on pastel drawing based on Degas’s painting and sculpture. $35 fee includes museum admission and materials.
**Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena

 

 

+Colorado

Jackalope Indie Artisan Fair: Winter Fair

Dec 9-10, 10am – 5pm
McNichols Building, Denver
Shop handcrafted goods by over 150 local artisans. Free admission. (Optional donation to Golden Retriever Rescue of the Rockies.)

  • Grab Bag of vendor swag for the first 25 people to check in at the information booth BOTH Saturday and Sunday.
  • RSVP “Going” on the Facebook Event for a chance to win a $20 gift card.

**3 Denver Sites Not to Miss

 

+Massachusetts

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Exhibitions

  • Now – Feb 25, 2018. The Andes Inverted: Immersive installation by Daniela Rivera with materials, images, and sounds gathered from Chile’s Chuquicamata copper mine.
  • Now – Sep 3, 2018. Mark Rothko: Reflection: Exhibition of 11 Rothko pieces on loan from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. that show the continuity of the artist’s work within western artistic tradition.
  • Now – Jun 3, 2018. Black and White Japanese Modern Art: Display of a newly acquired, large-scale calligraphy by Inoue Yūichi, along with a selection of other monochrome avant-garde works from postwar Japan.

 

+New York

9th Annual Latke Festival

Dec 18, 6-9pm
Brooklyn Museum
Potato pancake tasting event to benefit The Sylvia Center, a nonprofit dedicated to teaching healthy eating habits to children and their families. $70 general admission ticket includes unlimited latke tastings, beer, wine, and nonalcoholic beverages.

 

Día de los Muertos/Day of the Dead

Oct 28, 12-5pm
American Indian Museum Heye Center

Day of the Dead celebration with traditional dances performed by Cetiliztli Nauhcampa and craft activities like decorating skeleton puppets and making paper flowers. Free admission.

 

+Washington

Seattle Art Museum

**A short visit to Seattle.

 

Stinging Nettle Gather + Cordage-Making with Stephanie Wood

Nov 4-5, 10am-4pm
White Salmon Studio, White Salmon

Gather stinging nettles near Gifford Pinchot National Forest, while learning sustainable harvesting techniques. Then process the nettles into cordage or yarn. Tuition + materials $225.

+Washington D.C.

Narwhal: Revealing an Arctic Legend

Now – 2019
Natural History Museum

Understanding this unique tusked whale through traditional Inuit knowledge and scientific research.

 

A Concert for Tomorrow’s Ancestors

Nov 4, 3pm
Potomac Atrium (American Indian Museum)
Musical collaboration to bring together the Day of the Dead with Native American Heritage Month. Performance by Sones de México Ensemble of Mexican folk genres, including huapango, gustos, chilenas, and son jarocho. Free.

 

Workshop Wednesdays

First + third Wednesdays, 1:30pm
National Museum of African Art
Drop-in workshops highlighting different artistic processes. All skill levels and ages welcome. Free.

  • Nov 15. Looking for Contours: Countour lines in the Museum’s collection inspire your own work of art.

**Navigating the National Mall in Washington D.C.

 

National Christmas Tree: America Celebrates Display

Dec 1-31
President’s Park (White House)
The National Christmas Tree is decorated and surrounded by the “Pathway of Peace” and smaller trees with handmade ornaments for each U.S. state and territory. Free.

  • The National Christmas Tree lights are on nightly from approximately 4:30-10pm.
  • The Pathway of Peace is open 10am-10pm.
  • Tickets for the November 30 National Christmas Tree Lighting are no longer available, but the event will be broadcast on the Hallmark Channel on December 4.

**The National Christmas Tree.

 

 

INTERNATIONAL

+France

L’Orchestre de Paris fête ses 50 ans

Nov 1 + 2
Philharmonie de Paris, Paris

2 free public concerts to celebrate the 50th anniversary of l’Orchestre de Paris. The orchestra will perform works by Stravinsky, Debussy, and Berio, as well as a newer piece by Jörg Widmann.

 

Christkindelmärik (Christmas market)

Nov 24 – Dec 24
Strasbourg city center

Traditional holiday market started in 1570 with 300 stalls with vendors of handcrafted items, regional produce, and typical Alsatian Christmas decorations.

  • Demonstrations by craftspeople.
  • Local baked goods, beer, and wine, including mulled Alsace white wine for sale.
  • Sharing Village of charities and humanitarian organisations.
  • OFF market focused on responsible consumption.

+Italy

Venice Biennale

Now – Nov 26
Giardini and Arsenale, Venice
“Viva Arte Viva” – International exhibition of visual art, theater, architecture, music, dance, and film. Full regular tickets €25.

  • Now – Nov 26. PROPAGATION: Bees + Seeds, glassworks by artist Judi Harvest (part of the Beauty and the Beast exhibition) in Palazzo Tiepolo Passi. Free.

 

The Cinquecento

Now – Jan 21, 2018
Palazzo Strozzi, Florence
Exhibition of 16th century art in Florence with works of art by such artists as Michelangelo, Bronzino, Giorgio Vasari, Rosso Fiorentino, Pontormo, Santi di Tito, Giambologna and Bartolomeo Ammannati. Combo ticket to the exhibition, Baptistery of St. John, and Opera del Duomo Museum: €8.

 

Artissima Fair 

Nov 3-5
The Oval, Torino
International Fair of Contemporary Art with emerging as well as established contemporary artists from nearly two hundred international galleries.

+UK

The Big Barbican Adventure

Now – Dec 31
Barbican Centre, London

Clue solving, drawing and games for families along the Barbican do-it-yourself adventure trail. Pick up a free trail kit for The Big Barbican Adventure from the Barbican Centre Information Desk on Level G. Allow at least one hour to complete the trail. Ages 6+. Free.




As always, if you go to anything on the list, let me know how it goes!

FYI, I try to make sure all this information is correct, but there could be errors or changes. Also, I don’t necessarily endorse (or know) every single thing about each event, the venue, or organizations connected with it. 

**Asterisks point to related Travelcraft Journal posts.


Massachusetts photo via Jessica Tennant.