▼ Culture Nerdier Things Five things for geeks to do this July in metro Phoenix. BY BENJAMIN LEATHERMAN H ot geek summer is in full swing and there are plenty of nerdy events to do around the Valley during the month of July. Locals can interact with other cold- blooded creatures at ReptiCon Phoenix or All Puppet Players’ staging of a Jurassic Park parody. Or if you’d prefer to look forward, not back, in time, you can build your very own robot or geek out on another airing of Blade Runner. The Stranger Things Night at the Van Buren has come and gone, but read on for all the details about each of these events, as well as other nerdy happenings around metro Phoenix this month. All Puppet Players’ Jurassic Puppets Now Through Saturday, July 16 Playhouse on the Park at Central Arts Plaza, 1850 North Central Avenue If you were one of the folks who saw Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and walked away in disgust, consider attending the All Puppet Players’ satirization of the block- buster franchise. The local troupe spent an estimated “tens of dollars” to create this ribald send-up of the original Jurassic Park where “puppet-paleontologists fighting terrifyingly hilarious dinosaurs.” Performances are held every Thursday through Sunday at 7:30 p.m. through July 16. General admission is $40 and VIP tickets are $57 and feature priority seating within the front two rows and deals on drinks. Cocktail table seating for two is also available and includes a complimentary bottle of wine and happy-hour prices. Attendance is limited to those 17 and older. Ganbatte Minicon Saturday, July 16 Sun Studios of Arizona, 1425 West 14th Street, Tempe Local anime fans looking for a fix to tide them over until Saboten Con in September might consider attending this one-day pop-up event in mid-July. More than 50 vendors will be on hand for the convention, which will offer such activities as a scav- enger hunt, raffles, a cosplay contest and art fashion show, K-pop dance perfor- mances, a “swap weeb” (or weeb swap meet), and more. Hours are from noon to 9 p.m. General admission is $15 and VIP tickets are $30. ReptiCon Phoenix Saturday, July 16, to Sunday, July 17 Mesa Convention Center, 263 North Center Street, Mesa For those who don’t suffer from herpeto- phobia (or the fear of reptiles), the latest edition of ReptiCon Phoenix happens in mid-July in downtown Mesa. The two-day event will feature vendors, breeders, and All Puppet Players experts, as well as the chance to handle a scaly creature or two. According to the con’s website, reptiles like geckos, snakes, and maybe even an alligator will make an appearance. (Attendees are also allowed to bring two of their own reptiles, but only if they’re non-venomous.) Hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, July 16, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 17. Ticket prices vary per day. Check out the ReptiCon website for full details. Blade Runner Saturday, July 23 Orpheum Theatre, 230 West Adams Street Ridley Scott’s 1982 bravura cinematic Felt finds a way. adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? turned 40 last month and has aged pretty well (dated references to Atari aside). The futuristic neo-noir flick, set in the rain- drenched and neon-filled dystopia of L.A., its still as thought-provoking and visionary as ever. Blade Runner will be screened at the Orpheum Theatre at 6:30 p.m. on July 23 as a part of the venue’s summer film series. Tickets are $16 for adults and $11 for kids 12 and under. Have a full-scale encounter with reptiles at ReptiCon. ReptiCon Build-A-Bot Saturday, July 23 HeatSync Labs, 108 West Main Street, Mesa Ever wanted to build your own ’bot? This DIY maker event at Mesa’s HeatSync Labs is your chance to make like Dr. Light from Mega Man. Participants will be given materials to create their own customized automaton, including LED eyes, and shown how to use a laptop to design it. The staff will then use a laser cutter and other tools to build the robot. The workshop is open to all ages (though adult supervision is required for kids) and runs from 1 to 5 p.m. It costs $25 to participate or $45 if you’d like to build a mirrored acrylic robot. 23 phoenixnewtimes.com | CONTENTS | FEEDBACK | OPINION | NEWS | FEATURE | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | FILM | CAFE | MUSIC | PHOENIX NEW TIMES JULY 14TH–JULY 20TH, 2022
