Editor’s Note: While we are delighted to see Tucsonans once again gathering for fun events, we are also aware that variants are in widespread circulation. Please consider getting vaccinated against COVID if you haven’t yet.
La Encantada Fine Art Market. If you know and love any artists, you probably know they’ve been hard hit by the pandemic. And if music, books, TV shows, or new creative outlets have helped get you through the pandemic, then you know how important art is to humans and their wellbeing. Throw in a chance to take a nice weekend stroll, and you’ve already got a list of reasons why to attend this open-air market in the garden walkways of La Encantada. From paintings and photography to woodwork and papier mache, from jewelry and pottery to metalwork and sculpture, this market is a feast for the eyes. 10 a.m. to 5 pm. Saturday, Jan. 29. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 30. La Encantada Shopping Center, 2905 E. Skyline Drive. Free entry.
Cat Yoga. Here at the Tucson Weekly, we believe every community should offer at LEAST two cat yoga opportunities per week, so thank goodness for our local cat lounge. At 10 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 29, there’s a class held on the first floor specifically designed for wheelchair users or others who need to or prefer to remain seated. It features modified movement forms and only has six slots available. The next day (10 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 30), they’ll offer a class on the second floor with more traditional movements. El Jefe Cat Lounge, 3025 N. Campbell Ave., Ste. 141. Reservations required. $18.
Winter Tucson Gem Shows at Casino Del Sol. The Gem Show is back, baby! Over at Casino del Sol, that means eight days of shopping, workshops and fun for professionals and hobbyists alike. At Colors of the Stone, tradespeople and designers can purchase gemstones, metals, leather, cords, wire, clay and other jewelry making and bead making supplies wholesale. Artisans in residence will also be teaching workshops in skills like metal work, hand knotting, crystal setting and mixed media. And To Bead True Blue is also part of the lineup, featuring 1,000 artisan exhibits, galleries and workshops. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 29 to Feb. 5. Casino Del Sol, 5655 W. Valencia Road. Free entry.
Rushmore. If I were to tell you they’re showing Wes Anderson movies every week this week at the Loft, would you say “O.R. they?” If you recognized this joke, you’ve probably already seen Rushmore, and if you didn’t, you should go see it, so you can hear this joke said out loud by Jason Schwartzman, the way the good Lord intended. This coming-of-age story features several of Anderson’s go-to cast members (Bill Murray, the Wilson brothers), an unrequited love triangle, a fun and funny look at high school, and an off-the-hook soundtrack. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 2. The Loft, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. $10 GA, $8 teachers/students/military, $7 children/seniors.
reFRESH. Ballet Tucson is partnering with the Tucson Desert Song festival for a celebration of women in song and dance, featuring Broadway Legend Ann Hampton Callaway and a fantastic triple billing. They open (yes, OPEN) with probably the most famous classical ballet scene of all time: Swan Lake Act II, featuring prima ballerina Jenna Johnson as Odette. Then, the premiere of “Unraveling Seams” an original work by on-the-rise choreographer Amanda Morgan of Pacific Northwest Ballet. A piece composed and sung by Callaway and choreographed by Chieko Imada brings us home: “Ballet the Callo-way.” 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28 and 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 29 and Sunday, Jan. 30. Leo Rich Theater, 260 S. Church Ave. $50 GA, $45 seniors/students/military, $40 groups.
An Evening with Kristin Chenoweth. Whether you know her from Pushing Daisies, Wicked, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown or Glee, you’ve probably been impressed by this woman’s talent—and impressed by how much vocal power can fit into a person who stands at 4’11”. This is a chance to see the Emmy and Tony Award winning actress and singer perform live and in person. If you don’t already have tickets, you’re going to want to snatch some up! 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 30. The Fox Theatre. $82.50 to $117.50.
Tucson International Jewish Film
Festival. Over a month long in full, this local film fest continues this week with six short films, which you can purchase as part of a single digital screening window and watch in any order you want. Masel Tov Cocktail, a film about a Russian Jewish teenager living in Germany, who gets in a fight and pokes fun at a hypocritically tolerant society, is followed by a post film program via Zoom at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 30. And Space Torah, about how NASA astronaut Jeff Hoffman brought a small Torah scroll on board Space Shuttle Columbia in 1996, will have a post-film program at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 1. Screenings available from Friday, Jan. 28 to Wednesday, Feb. 2. Visit eventive.org/tucsonfilm for tickets. $12.
Charlas con Café: Indigenous Voices and U.S. Policy in Central America. The Center for Latin American Studies at the University of Arizona is hosting this digital weekly lecture series on Friday afternoons throughout the spring. They’re a great way to hear from a variety of experts on topics relevant to Latin America. This week’s speaker, Jadob Omar Jerónimo, is the is co-founder of the Central de Organizaciones Indígenas y Campesinas Maya Ch’orti’; the Upejkna’r e Ja’ Institute for Ch’orti’ Maya Science and Technology, and the Ch’orti’ Maya Pluriversity, all located in the Ch’orti’ territory in eastern Guatemala. He’ll be speaking about the Biden administration’s policy to “address the root causes” of Central American migration. In Spanish, with simultaneous translation in English. 1 to 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28. Visit news.arizona.edu/calendar to register for Zoom talk.
Tucson Online Speed Dating. I mean, if you’re single and looking, why not? Maybe you’re sick of swiping and trying to sum yourself up in online dating profiles, or maybe you just want to try something new. Either way, this allows you to meet people virtual face to virtual face for three-minute speed dates from the comfort of your home. It’s hosted by the dating app Ever, but is free and especially for people in Tucson, so you can connect with people nearby. Download the Ever App, set up your profile and RSVP for the “Tucson Date Night Meetup” event and—bada bing, bada Zoom—you’re in. Maybe you’ll meet your soulmate, or maybe you’ll meet someone totally weird and have a good story for later. 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 28. Virtual. Free.
