Editor’s Note: While we are delighted to see Tucsonans once again gathering for fun events, we are also aware that the new Delta variant is circulating and case counts in Arizona are on the rise. Please consider getting vaccinated against COVID if you haven’t yet and following CDC guidance, which includes wearing masks at crowded indoor events. Keep yourself and others safe—the pandemic isn’t over yet.
Bloomsday. This sweet, extremely Irish story at Live Theatre Workshop tells the story of Robbie and Caithleen, who fell in love many years ago during a James Joyce literary tour in Dublin (told you it was extremely Irish). When they reunite after 35 years apart, they travel back in time to relive the unlikely, unstoppable events that brought them together. This show is by Steven Dietz, one of America’s most prolific playwrights. Showing Thursdays through Sundays from Sept. 2 to Oct. 9. 7:30 p.m. evening shows and 3 p.m. Sunday matinees. Live Theatre Workshop, 3322 E. Fort Lowell Road. $20 GA, $18 military/senior/student, $15 Thursdays and previews.
Whiskey Del Bac x HUB Ice Cream Pairing Experience. In a sense, I would consider every time I eat ice cream to be a memorable experience, because I love ice cream. But this is next level. This is a CURATED, THREE COURSE ice cream and whiskey pairing. You’ve got “Sweet City Love” infused with Del Bac Classic, “Santa Cruz Yacht Breeze” infused with Del Bac Old Pueblo and “Let’s Go Camping, Sweetheart,” infused with Del Bac Dorado. You can also take a tour of the Del Bac’s distilling space and purchase a pint, if you want. I mean, talk about a Saturday! 4 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18. Whiskey Del Bac, 2106 N. Forbes Blvd., suite. $60.
The Cat Show: A Stand-Up Comedy Showcase. Get ready to get laughin’, because this weekend’s comedy show is going to tickle you like a cat’s tail. Roxy Merari and Cindell Hanson are hosting this delightful lineup featuring Jennifer St. Germaine, Jen Lamfers, Kathie Hedrick, Stephanie Lyonga and Leslie Barton. September has felt a little long and weird and lame, right? I think a night at the Surly Wench laughing your butt off is just what the doctor ordered. 7 to 9 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19. Surly Wench Pub, 424 N. Fourth Ave. $7.
Joel-Peter Witkin: Journeys of the Soul. Congratulations to the lovely Etherton Gallery for 40 years! They’re kicking off their anniversary celebration this weekend with an exhibition featuring internationally renowned photographer Joel-Peter Witkin, whose work examines tensions between heaven and hell, sexuality and death, and real bodies and conventional standards of beauty. The exhibition will be on display through Nov. 27, but this weekend is special. On Saturday, Sept. 18, the gallery is holding a reception from 7 to 10 p.m. with Witkin himself. This is at their new location on 340 S. Convent. On Sunday, Sept. 19, Witkin & Witkin is showing at the Loft Cinema (3233 E. Speedway Blvd) at 2 p.m.
Chef Chic’s 20th Anniversary. Wendy Gauthier started Chef Chic as a personal chef service back in 2001. It was an instant hit, and it’s only grown bigger and better over the years. Gauthier’s collected all sorts of recognition over the years, including a top 40 Under 40 young professional in 2007 and being the first female chef to win the title of Tucson’s Iron Chef in 2019. 2019 was also the year she opened her first restaurant. All of that sounds worth celebrating with a day of complimentary tastings, face painting and cornhole, right? 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19. Chef Chic, 1104 S. Wilmot Road.
Rhythm & Roots Concert Series: Ruthie Foster. There’s nothing like a concert on Hotel Congress’s outdoor plaza. It’s starting to cool down, right? I’m thinking if we just start acting like it’s cooled down and going to plaza concerts, the weather will catch up shortly. Anyway, Rolling Stone has described Ruthie Foster as “pure magic to watch and hear,” so what more do you even need to know? One of Austin’s most lauded musicians, she draws from influences like Mavis Staples and Aretha Franklin in her genre-defying music. 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 19. Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress St. $30 to $40.
Arizona Pomegranate Festival. This festival is held in a different part of the state every year, and this year it’s Mission Garden’s turn, here in Tucson! So, wow, maybe 2021 really is going to be an OK year, overall. Pomegranate growers and experts from around the state will be sharing COVID-safe samples and tons of knowledge about the different varieties of pomegranates (including white pomegranates!). They’ll also have speakers including Imad Rasheed, an herbalist from the University of Baghdad, and Gary Nabhan, an ethnobotanist and author. See the dozens of pomegranate trees at Mission Garden, then take some fruit, juice, or a whole dang tree (seriously, there are trees for sale) home for yourself. 8 a.m. to noon. Saturday, Sept. 18. Mission Garden, 946 W. Mission Lane.
Diaspora Showcase AFRICA –
TUCSON. Join Diaspora Showcase AFRICA for an evening of high fashion, dance performance, and music, featuring South Sudan Acholi dancers, Kora instrumentalists, and other international African artists. Award winning designers from Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia and the U.S. will be spotlighted, and food from Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Algeria will be served as well. This is a wonderful night for all five of your senses to experience something new. 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18. Savoy Opera House, 6541 E. Tanque Verde Road, Ste. 22. Tickets start at $69.