26 Feb. 7th–Feb. 13th, 2019 phoenixnewtimes.com phoenix new Times | mUsIC | CAFe | FILm | CULtURe | NighT+DAy | FeAtURe | neWs | oPInIon | FeeDBACK | Contents | Margaret T. Hance Park, 1134 North Cen- tral Avenue, with 20-plus teams participat- ing, including some inspired by Bird Box, David Bowie, and GLOW. Check-in is at 11 a.m. and the race kicks off at noon. It’s $50 per team to participate or free to spectate. See azcacophony.org/idiotarod to sign up or for more info. BENJAMIN LEATHERMAN ▼ OUTDOORS GREEN SCREEN People have mixed feelings about green, especially when it comes to kale, shower tiles, and ugly Christmas sweaters. But nearly everyone appreciates the chance to get outdoors to experience the calming ef- fect of nature. Head to the Gateway Trail- head at the Sonoran Mountain Preserve to see for yourself at a 90-minute Nature as Therapy walk is happening from 1:45 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, February 9. You’ll cover about 1.5 miles, surrounded by fellow nature lovers who’ve also decided to forgo screen time for sunshine. The free walk starts at 18333 North Thompson Peak Parkway in Scottsdale. Visit mcdowell- sonoran.org. LYNN TRIMBLE ▼ BASEBALL D-BACKS TO THE FUTURE It hasn’t been easy being an Arizona Dia- mondbacks fan lately. The team finished last season at 82-80. Paul Goldschmidt and A.J. Pollock are both gone. And, for all in- tents and purposes, it looks like the D- backs are headed into a rebuilding period. All that said, there’s reason to be excited about this year. Players like Zach Greinke, Eduardo Escobar, and David Peralta are all coming back, so there’s always the possibil- ity the team could have a great year. The D-backs faithful can get hyped for the upcoming season on Saturday, Febru- ary 9, at Salt River Fields, 7555 North Pima Road in Scottsdale, during this year’s D- backs Fan Fest. The afternoon-long event, which runs from noon to 4 p.m., will offer the chance to hobknob with players, coaches, and team personnel, as well as get autographs and photos with them. Baseball activities, batting cages, face painting, and an Arizona Diamondbacks Foundation yard sale are also planned. Admission to the event is free. Call 602- 462-3378 or see dbacks.com/fanfest for more details. BENJAMIN LEATHERMAN ▼ LITERARY BOOK ’EM Did you know that over 7,300 boxes of books, albums, magazines, maps, and DVDs are unloaded one week before the VNSA Annual Used Book Sale? Now in its 63rd year, it takes a legion of volunteers a week to unpack and organize the massive inventory of the biggest secondhand sale in the Southwest. This means you will easily find what you are looking for, whether it is a used copy of your favorite Michael Crich- ton novel or the season of Frasier that is missing from your collection, with books starting at $1. The sale runs from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, February 9, and from 8.a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, February 10, at Arizona State Fairgrounds’ Ag Center, 1826 West McDowell Road. This is a free event, but there is a cash-only fee to park. For more in- formation, visit vnsabooksale.org. JASON KEIL ▼ BREWERIES BREW CREW For fans of malt and hops concoctions, it’s one the most wonderful times of the year. The annual Arizona Beer Week is on tap from February 7 to 16, offering local brew- lovers the chance to wet their whistle at a large variety of events across the Valley. The centerpiece of the week is the Ari- zona Strong Beer Festival 2019, on Saturday, February 9, at Steele Indian School Park, 300 East Indian School Road. More than 130 breweries will serve a multitude of mi- crobrewed and craft beers, all of which will offer stronger flavors and a serious kick, in- cluding several created just for the event. Live music, food vendors, and other beer- themed activities will take place. Tops will pop from 1 to 5 p.m. General admission is $60 and includes 40 tasting tickets; VIP admission is $80 and features early-bird entry at 11:30 a.m., 40 tasting tickets, access to a private area, a food voucher, and swag. Designated drivers can get in for $10. See arizonabeerweek.com for complete details. BENJAMIN LEATHERMAN SUN 2/10 ▼ DO GOOD GET INVOLVED Despite living in the sunniest state, the shorter days can cause seasonal affective disorder in Arizonans, symptoms of which include fatigue and depression. To those feeling the gloomy effects, doctors recom- mend getting lost in charitable work. The Phoenix Volunteer Fair is one way to get matched up with the local causes you care about. Over 100 nonprofit organizations will be there, including the American Hu- mane Society, Phoenix Center for the Arts, and the American Red Cross. You can find your next charitable op- portunity from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sunday, February 10, at The Van Buren, 401 West Van Buren Street. This is a free event. For more information, visit dtphx.org. JASON KEIL ▼ FOOD AnD DRInk SO MANY SAUSAGES If you’ve been to Arcadia lately, you know The Porch, with its casual mix of comfort food, games, and cocktails, is the perfect ad- dition to one of Phoenix’s most posh neigh- borhoods. The restaurant is partnering up with its neighbor Arcadia Meat Market and Huss Brewing Company for their first Sau- sage Fest. Pours of Orange Blossom and Koffee Kolsch will be paired with various cased meats for a delicious afternoon pre- pared by Executive Chef Paul Lindsay. Grind out some fun from noon to 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 10, at 4017 East Indian School Road. Tickets are $10. For more in- formation, visit dtphx.org. JASON KEIL ▼ CULTURE WILLO THE WISP Saunter your charming self over to the Willo neighborhood on Sunday, February 10, if you want to check out a dozen charm- ing homes during the Willo Historic District Home Tour and Street Fair happening from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. You can get advance tick- ets online, or buy a ticket at Third Avenue and Monte Vista Road on tour day. Ad- vance tickets are $18 a person or $50 for two (that last option also gets you four drink tickets). The tour also includes a his- toric firehouse, and more than 100 vendors are expected to share the local love that day. Bring cash for lunch, because 20 food trucks are showing up at lunchtime. Visit willophx.com. LYNN TRIMBLE ▼ DAnCE HOOP DREAMS Most of us struggle with keeping a hula hoop from falling to our feet. Imagine the agility and athleticism it must take to per- form complex hoop dances with up to 50 hoops arranged in intricate patterns. Some of the finest American Indian and Cana- dian First Nation hoop dancers, whose performances reflect unique variations in tribal cultures, are taking part in the Heard Museum’s two-day World Championship Hoop Dance Competition. Grab your lawn chair or blanket and head over to the mu- seum, 2301 North Central Avenue, on Sun- day, February 10, when competition hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dancers will be judged on showmanship, creativity, speed, and more. Single-day tickets are $18, which in- cludes museum admission. Visit heard.org. LYNN TRIMBLE ▼ FESTIVAL GETTING MEDIEVAL The Arizona Renaissance Festival has under- gone a lot of changes over the past 30 years. What started out in 1989 as a quaint event in the far reaches of the East Valley in 1989 has become an annual attraction that’s both massively popular and just plain mas- sive. The festival, which re-creates a 16th- century Tudor village, now spans more than 30 acres and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. And its mix Lynn Trimble Get hooped at the Heard.
