Sweat and Celebrate
Purim Costume Run. It's time to head back to the Tucson J for their second annual Holiday Fun Run Series! Do a 10K, a 5K or even a 1K, and feel free to either run or walk. The 10K and 5Ks are timed, while the 1K event is just for fun. Bring the family! If you have kids between 2 and 8 with you (the 5K is free for kids 6 and under with a registered parent, by the way), you might want to stay after for Science Sunday, where childhood experts teach kids about space and earth science, physics and more. Registration available until 7:30 a.m. on race day, with the 10K starting at 7:45 a.m., 5K at 8 a.m. and 1K at 8:45 a.m. Sunday, March 31. Science Sunday is 9:30 a.m. to noon. Tucson J, 3800 E. River Road. 10K: $40 advance/$45 race day. 5K: $25 advance, $30 race day. 1K: $10. Science Sunday is free.
Music and Theater
Freedom Song. If you think musicals are usually trite, concerned only with oversimplified narratives about falling in love and overcoming wildly minor obstacles, you would only be right about SOME musicals. And you certainly wouldn't be right about this musical, which is designed to foster an open, honest discussion about addiction, while reducing substance abuse and increasing positive social behavior. The cast isn't composed of actors, but of addicts in recovery who are using song, dance, tears and laughter to work through and reflect on their issues. The Tucson J is hosting this in preparation for the Passover holiday, allowing us all to reflect on the question, "What are you slave to?" 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 2. Tucson J. 3800 E. River Road, $15 advance, $20 at the door.
Animalia. Members of the Tucson Girls Chorus' Bumblebee chorus (for kindergarten and first-grade girls) and the Mariposa singers (typically sixth- through eighth-grade girls) will be singing their hearts out in this edition of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra's "Just for Kids" series. It's interactive, it's animal-themed, and has a bunch of little girls who love to sing. What more could you ask for? One of the best ways to support the arts is to encourage young people who are just starting out, after all. 10 and 11:15 a.m. Saturday, March 30. Tucson Symphony Center, 2175 N. Sixth Ave. Free.
Mozart Requiem. You know when you're really sad and feeling sorry for yourself, so you listen to sad music and just kind of soak in sadness? That's sort of what Mozart did when he wrote the Requiem at the end of his life. But instead of being pathetic or mopey about it, he made something that expresses grief in a beautiful, unforgettable way. In contrast, this night also features five-time Grammy winner Morten Lauridsen's Lux Aeterna (Eternal Light). Though it was written in response to his mother's death, it's full of light. Lauridsen will be in residence with True Concord Choir, Orchestra and Soloists. the week of these performances. 7 p.m. on Friday, March 29 at Valley Presbyterian Church in Green Valley, 2800 Camino Del Sol. 3 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 30 at Catalina Foothills High School, 4300 E. Sunrise Drive. 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 31 at Catalina United Methodist Church, 2700 E. Speedway Blvd. $20 GA, $40 premium.
Art
"The Experimental Show." Watercolor is kind of inherently experimental, isn't it? You never know at exactly what point you're going to completely muck up whatever you were trying to do by using too much water and causing the whole damn picture to run. But at this event, the Southern Arizona Watercolor Guild and its members who actually know what they're doing with this medium are showcasing some of their work. Show is on display from Tuesday, April 2, to Sunday, April 28. Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. Opening reception is 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 11, SAWG Gallery, 5420 E. Broadway, #240. Free.
Things To Do at the U. This tour, which shows people around some of our local university's living laboratories, cultural attractions and world-class fine art, is ideal for if you have any out-of-towners visiting, especially non-students. But, if we're being honest, it probably wouldn't hurt for you to check it out either. There's so much more going on at the UA than any one Tucsonan could ever keep track of, so why not take this chance to learn a little bit about some of it? Plus, next time you have guests, you can tell them all about the cool stuff the UA has to offer and pretend it's stuff you knew about all along. 10 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday April 3. Begins at the UA Visitor Center, 811 N. Euclid Ave. Free, but registration at visitorcenter.arizona.edu required.
Recognize This? You ever go to an art gallery and feel totally unsure of what you're looking at? At this month's Wilde Meyer Gallery exhibit, you don't have to feel bad, because the whole point of this exhibit is that the art is abstract, with art of everything from people to animals to scenes from nature pushed to the limits of what's recognizable. Take a stroll through the gallery and see if you recognize the scenes. And if you don't, what a perfect opportunity to appreciate some art just for its colors and composition. Don't miss the opening reception Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Wilde Meyer Gallery, 2890 E. Skyline Drive. Free.
Festivals and Galas
Second Annual Tucson Time Traveler's Masquerade. You ever feel like you don't get enough opportunities to explore your fantastical side? You ever feel like you don't spend enough Saturday nights watching fairies dance with aliens, or chatting up steampunk airship captains and Medieval women? Boy, does Riddlemetrue Leathercraft have an event for you. Spend your evening doing all of the above, among local and regional vendors and plenty of other fantastical souls. There will also be entertainment by groups like the Whisky Bards, the Circus Academy of Tucson; folk, courtly and waltz dance classes; and tours of the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple with a Mason. 3 to 11 p.m. Saturday, March 30. Scottish Rite Cathedral, 160 S. Scott Ave. $25 in advance or $30 at the door.
Fiesta Sahuarita. The town of Sahuarita is 25 this year, making it the same age as pop stars like Ariana Grande and Justin Bieber. Or the same age Joseph Smith, Jr. was when he published the Book of Mormon. It's a significant age to be, sometimes for different reasons. Sahuarita is celebrating with a water park, a foam pit and plenty of live entertainment. You like free T-shirts? They got 'em? How about food trucks and other vendors? Yup. A Ferris wheel and a gyro spin? Oh yeah. A mascot parade might just be the day's highlight. Noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 30. Animal Park, 17501 S. Camino de las Quintas (shuttles from some locations are provided by the Sahuarita Unified School District. See sahuaritaaz.gov for more info).
Spring Festival of the Arts. The Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance is back at it again with their biannual festival that has become one of Southern Arizona's largest regional art events. With more than 100 artists and exhibitors, a fantastic mix of food choices and plenty of live music, it's a practically perfect way to spend a weekend. Treat yourself to something new, support local artists, and get out there to enjoy this lovely spring weather. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 30, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 31. Oro Valley Marketplace, 12155 N. Oracle Road. Free.
Sonoran Spring Gala. Spring is a lovely time in the desert! And it's always a lovely time at Tohono Chul. So celebrating a springtime at Tohono Chul is a beautiful way to spend a day, and to support your local gardens. Domingo DeGrazia and his Spanish Guitar Band are providing the live music, the Garden Bistro is providing the delicious food, Tohono Chul is providing the nature and it's up to you and your fellow Tucsonans to provide the good company. This year's grand raffle prizes are a two-night stay for two at Silver City, New Mexico's Bear Mountain Lodge AND a two-night stay for two at the Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa and a two-hour Vortex Jeep Tour for two in Sedona. 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday, March 31. Tohono Chul, 7366 Paseo del Norte. $130, and raffle tickets are $10.
Learn Something New
Agave University: An Immersive Exploration of All Things Agave. Oh yeah, agave! That's the stuff you drink, right? Well, there's a lot more to it, actually. In this three-hour cultural immersion class, Gary Paul Nabhan will teach you all about the genetic diversity, ethnobotany and cultural history of agave cultivation here in the Southwest—from the Hohokam using it thousands of years ago to us using it today. But don't worry: Doug Smith and Bill Steen will also be talking about mezcal production, and a tasting of agave spirits, including some lesser-known alternatives to tequila, will cap the event off. 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 31. The Drawing Room, upstairs at Maynard's Kitchen, 400 N. Toole Ave. $55.
Poetry Circle. Head to the library for this monthly poetry discussion with docents from the UA Poetry Center. This week, the group is focusing on Naomi Nye, who gives voice to her experience as an Arab-American with her works. She explores topics like greed ("Trees take up the sky. It's my light, why share it?"), fame ("The tear is famous, briefly, to the cheek"), and the childhood ("Grown-ups keep their feet on the ground when they swing. I hate that") with beautifully simple phrasing that will have you buying up her award-winning works. 1 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, March 28. Oro Valley Public Library, 1305 W. Naranja Drive. Free.
Container Gardening. You may have noticed that the soil you find in Tucson isn't the most arable in the world. In fact, it's more sand than soil, isn't it? So, container gardening is a pretty good option if you're looking to start a garden. Southwest Victory Gardens is presenting this discussion about the special growing requirements that come with container gardening—including how to grow vegetables! Vegetables taste a hell of a lot better when you grew them yourself, we promise. So why not learn more about how to do it? 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, March 30. Dunbar African American Culture Center, 325 W. Second St. Free.
Fun in General
Prom-o-Rama. In Cinderella, the fairy godmother floats in at the last minute and makes sure our heroine has all the stuff she needs to look good at the ball. Cinderella's Closet, a nonprofit founded in 2009, provides new or nearly new dresses, shoes and accessories for local high schoolers to wear to prom. At this year's event—the 10th annual iteration—more than 1500 gowns will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. It's good for the environment, because the dresses are getting recycled! It's good for high schoolers, because they get to go to prom. It's good all around. So if you're not picking up a dress, you can donate a clean prom dress or make a tax-deductible donation. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 30. Tucson JCC, 3800 E. River Road. Free.
Sam Hughes Neighborhood Home Tour. Are you ready for live music, lovely art and 21 beautiful venues in the one-square-mile by the UA that makes up the Sam Hughes Neighborhood we all know and love? This year, 11 of the venues will be private homes, and you'll be able to sample refreshments from some of the neighborhood's new restaurants and businesses. Take a self-guided stroll, check out the plans for three new developments they have in the works and try not to get too green with envy if you don't live in Sam Hughes yourself. Noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 31. Sam Hughes Neighborhood (street parking is plentiful). $30, or $20 for current Sam Hughes Neighborhood Association members.
Tucson Sugar Skulls vs. San Diego Strike Force. Tucson's favorite indoor football league team, the Sugar Skulls, are facing off against their San Diego counterparts this Sunday. They're coming off their first-ever loss earlier this month, so don't let the sweetness of their craniums fool ya—the Sugar Skulls are ready for a win. So come enjoy a game of good, old fashioned indoor football, which is different than regular football in that the arena is smaller and it's indoors, but is not actually all that different. 3 p.m. Sunday, March 31. Tucson Arena, 260 S. Church Ave. $17 to $99+.
Maynards to the Moon. By now, you're probably familiar with Meet Me at Maynards, the free walk/run that happens at Maynards Market every Monday and is designed to get families more active. This year, in honor of the 50th anniversary of Neil Armstrong's walk on the moon, the Meet Me at Maynards and Tucson community are trying to walk a collective 238,000 miles... the distance between the Earth and the moon. The idea was to arrive by July 22, but we're way ahead of schedule, so jump in and help your fellow Tucson's meet this goal this week! Miles walked from Tuesday to Sunday count, but the party is set for Monday, April 1. Check in is from 5:15 to 7 p.m. Maynards Market, 400 E. Toole Ave.
