Happy new year! I’ve grouped this season’s Happenings into ones you can participate in from anywhere, ones with lots of locations across the U.S., and ones that are in-person in Arizona – where it’s great weather for being outdoors right now!
Happenings List
The Happenings List is my handpicked selection of events I think you artsy-crafty wanderers would be into! No one is paying for inclusion on the List. It’s simply my way to help support small businesses and artists and point you toward some neat things to take part in.
Virtually Anywhere
Yume Japanese Gardens of Tucson Online
- Virtual Sogetsu Ikebana Classes (ongoing): Learn traditional Japanese flower arranging via Zoom. $30 per class.
- Yume @ Home Virtual Membership (ongoing): Includes online garden visits, a member’s newsletter, and exclusive offerings with insight into the arts, customs and traditions of Japan. $35.
Tucson International Jewish Virtual Film Festival
January 6 – February 20 / Online / Individual screenings $12 per household. Full season pass $120.
Film festival celebrating Jewish history and values. This year’s online-only lineup includes 12 full length films, a mini-series, 6 shorts, and several post-film talks and Q+As.
A few of the upcoming screenings…
- Jan. 12-15: On Broadway, a musical documentary on Broadway theater.
- Jan. 21-24: Here We Are, a drama about the interdependence between a father and his adult son with autism.
- Feb. 11-17: Labyrinth of Peace, a miniseries based on the true stories of displaced Jewish children in a small Swiss village post-WWII.
SN: The Tucson Jewish Community Center that hosts this annual festival is near a couple of parks where we like to take Quijote, so I always see signs about upcoming events there when we drive by. There’s also a sculpture garden (open to the public), which I’d like to check out sometime.
Annual Arizona MLK Celebration
January 14 / Online (YouTube) / Free
Virtual event recognizing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his quest for equality for all people. You can watch it on the City of Phoenix’s Youtube channel.
February 1-28 / Online (Instagram) / Free
Local Art Loves is our annual online celebration of art and artists from different corners of the globe. During the month of February, use the hashtag #LocalArtLoves to share art you love wherever you are!
Across the U.S.
Martin Luther King Day of Service
January 17 / Sites across the U.S. / Free
The Martin Luther King Jr. holiday is designated as a national day of service to encourage Americans to volunteer in their communities, because working towards a more equitable world brings us closer to creating the Beloved Community of Dr. King’s Dream.
- To find a project to get involved in, go to the AmeriCorps Volunteer Search page.
- Check the MLK Day box or search by keyword #MLK.
- To volunteer at an animal shelter, park, food bank etc. near you, enter your ZIP code.
- Some Phoenix-based volunteering ideas to get you started.
- For ways to help without being there in person, check the “virtual opportunities” box.
National Park Service Free Admission Days
January 17, April 16, August 4, September 24, November 11 / All U.S. National Parks / Free admission.
This year, there are five dates when you can visit any U.S. National Park without having to pay an entrance fee!
- The entrance fee waiver does not apply to camping, boating, special tours, or other activity fees.
- There is at least one National Park in every state. Search for a Park that piques your interest at FindYourPark.com.
- If you can’t go on one of those dates, keep in mind that only 110 out of over 400 National Parks even charge admission. The rest are entrance fee-free year round!
Arizona
Now – January 16 / Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix
Exhibition featuring the work of Colombian artist Oscar Muñoz, especially his self portraits and the unusual methods he uses to create his art.
- Located in the Katz Wing for Modern Art.
- Free days and discounts at the Museum.
- SN: I was able to take some time to learn about and contemplate several of his pieces during a virtual Slow Art session.
Arizona Highways: The Art of Our Photography
Now – January 16 / Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West, Scottsdale / Included with admission.
Works by 10 artists who each chose a photo from the Arizona Highways magazine archive to interpret as a painting.
- At least half the price of each painting sold will go to a charity of the artist’s choice.
- H/T Best Things Arizona.
Through the Lens of Navajo Photographer Priscilla Tacheney
Now – March 31 / Amerind Museum, Dragoon / Included with admission.
Fine art photography by Priscilla Tacheney, who is inspired by the beauty of southwestern landscapes and her Diné (Navajo) culture.
In-person Ikenobo Ikebana Classes
January 11, 18, 25 / Yume Japanese Gardens, Tucson / $105 for a package of 3 classes
Outdoor classes in Ikebana, the art of traditional Japanese flower arranging. Learn to make the type of striking displays you see in the Garden’s Ikebana exhibitions yourself.
- All classes require prior registration and payment in advance.
- H/T Southern Arizona Japanese Cultural Coalition.
January 14-23 / Multiple venues in Downtown Tucson / Ticket prices vary by event.
10-day destination festival with world-class musicians. It was created to influence the discovery and celebration of live jazz performance and music education.
- January 15: Jazz Jam at Hotel Congress. An afternoon of jazz improv on 3 stages. Tickets $35.
- January 17 (MLK Day): Downtown Jazz Fiesta at Hotel Congress. Annual day of free performances.
Radical Happiness: Lex Gjurasic
January 15 – April 9 / Chandler Center for the Arts, Chandler / Free.
Exhibition of the Flower Mound series that Tucson-based artist Lex Gjurasic started making at the onset of the pandemic. Her art helps her combat anxiety, and she hopes it brings others joy, as well.
Tucson Desert Song Festival: Women of Song
January 19 – March 16 / Multiple venues throughout Tucson
A series of concerts, a full opera, and a musical play centered on the nuances of the female voice in both jazz and classical music.
- Several of the events are free.
- Ticket prices for paid events range from $17-83.
February 5-6 / Mesa Historical Museum, Mesa / Free admission to the sale.
Used book (and DVD / CD) sale outdoors on Museum grounds with thousands of bargain-priced items starting at $1.
- Includes rare and unusual books.
- Most of the remaining books will be half off on the final day, Feb. 6.
- SN: If you head east on Lehi Road past the Museum this time of year, you may find small roadside citrus stands where people sell extra oranges, lemons, and grapefruit from their backyard trees for about $3-5 a bag.
Tucson Chinese New Year Festivities
February 5-12 / Tucson Chinese Cultural Center (TCCC), Tucson
- Feb. 5: Chinese New Year Celebration for the community with a gift shop, Chinese cuisine, and performances.
- Feb. 12: Limited-seating Year of the Tiger Gala with a traditional 8-course Chinese menu, performances, and a silent auction.
- Proceeds of both events benefit TCCC.
Tucson Gem and Mineral Show®
February 10-13 / Tucson Convention Center, Tucson / Single-day admission $13, 2-day admission $22.
The world’s oldest and largest gem and mineral show. The 2022 “Show That Glows” will include a Fluorescent Mineral Pavilion with over 80 exhibits.
- Tickets will be available starting January 16.
- PDF coupon for $3 off single-day admission.
- Children 14 and under are free with a paying adult.
- There actually are dozens of shows under the umbrella of the Tucson Gem, Mineral + Fossil Showcase from January 18 to February 13!
La Fiesta de los Vaqueros: Tucson Rodeo
February 19-27 / Tucson / Weekend rodeo tickets start at $18.
A tucson tradition since 1925, the nine-day Fiesta celebrates real-life ranch skills and cowpoke culture. Events include bull and bronco riding, barrel racing, roping competitions, junior rodeo events, and a big parade.
- Full event schedule at tucsonrodeo.com.
- Parking at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds is $7 per vehicle.
- The Parade is free to watch from the curbside. Grandstand tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children (ages 3-12).
February 24-26 / Yuma / Registration fee $190.
Series of presentations by both internationally recognized and emerging artists across a variety of disciplines.
- Feb. 24-26: Online auction.
- Feb. 25: Presenter exhibition at the Yuma Art Center Galleries. Open to the public.
- Symposium attendee registration is now open. Due to the pandemic, registration fees will be fully refundable or transferable to the following year.
- Early registration discount: $10 off if you register by Feb. 6.
Texas Canyon Mountain Bike Fun Ride
March 5 / Amerind Museum, Dragoon / Entry fee $20 adults, $15 youth (ages 8-14)
Bike ride through beautiful Texas Canyon. The scenic 7.8 mile loop is normally closed to the public.
- Rolling start between 8 and 9am.
- Funds raised help the Amerind Museum’s mission of fostering and promoting knowledge and understanding of the Native Peoples of the Americas.
- Ride registration includes free entry into the Amerind Museum and Art Gallery.
