Undeterred: Sanctuary Celebration and Screening. The People’s Defense Initiative and Loft Cinema are hosting a screening of Undeterred, a documentary about community resistance in the rural border town of Arivaca. Through the years, the town has battled through the impacts of NAFTA, 9/11 and the Obama and Trump administrations. The film will be followed by a Q&A with the director and community advocates. This premier will also be a fundraising effort with proceeds benefiting People Helping People in Arivaca and People’s Defense Initiative in Tucson. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 26. 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. $10. Details here.



Tucson Art Book Club: A Reading with Arthur Hittner. Join the Tucson Art Book Club for a reading with author Arthur Hittner. Hittner will read from Artist, Soldier, Lover, Muse, one of his novels inspired by a New York City artist who died during World War II. The reading runs from 3:30 to 5p.m. at Dusenburry-River Library, 5605 E. River Rd., Ste. 105. Details here.

2019 Spinach Day 5K & 10K. Did you know there's such thing as National Spinach Day? Neither did we! Well apparently National Spinach Day is March 26 and what better way to spend it than to show off and run in this 5K & 10K! 15 percent of each registration fee will be donated to Heifer International, an organization that works to end hunger and poverty and to care for the Earth. This is a virtual race that can be done from any place and any time, from March 26-31. So how does that work? You run any place any time and submit your time. Then, your receive your medal in the mail! Cost is $20. Details here.

Events compiled by Briannon Wilfong, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.

Friends of the Pima County Public Library Community Book Sale. Looking for a good book to read? Or looking for a book to add to your pile of books you’re looking forward to reading when you have more time? There’s always a good reason to buy a book, or a record, or a video, or an audiobook. All of these will be waiting for you at this sale. With 70 categories of books carefully curated and arranged, you’re sure to find something you like, and the special Best of Friends room will have collectible and gift-quality selections as well. 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, March 25. Friends of the Pima County Public Library Book Barn, 2230 N. Country Club. Free. Details here.

Adult Painting Class. Join Creative Juice Art Bar at Bianchi's Italian restaurant on Monday nights for some painting fun! This week's painting is tulips. There are happy hour specials from 3 to 6 p.m. Painting starts at 6:30 p.m. 3620 W. Tangerine Road. Details here.

Savage Streets. The Loft Cinema is showing Savage Streets. Watch Linda Blair fight back against a gang of punk rockers in a leather bodysuit equipped with a wicked crossbow. Admission is $4. 8 p.m. 3233 East Speedway Blvd. Details here.

Magda Havas, associate professor at Trent University, will attend multiple film screenings across Tucson documenting the phenomenon of electrical hypersensitivity, a purported sensitivity to electrical and electromagnetic fields, which may cause numerous negative symptoms.

The first screening, Generation Zapped, takes place at The Loft Cinema and investigates "the potential dangers of prolonged exposure to Radio Frequencies from wireless technology". A panel discussion will follow the screening, featuring a presentation by Havas, and a Q&A session. This free screening is co-sponsored by the Electromagnetic Safety Alliance and the Pima County 5G Awareness Coalition.

Screening and presentation dates:

Sunday, March 24, 2 p.m.
The Loft Cinema
3233 E. Speedway Blvd.
Screening of the film Generation Zapped, with a panel discussion to follow
Free and open to the public

Monday, March 25, 6:30 p.m.
Old Fort Lowell Neighborhood Association Town Hall
5230 E. Ft. Lowell Rd.
5th Generation Wireless: How Do Changes in Federal and State Policies Impact Our Neighborhood?
Free and open to the public

Wednesday, March 27, 4 p.m.
University of Arizona College of Public Health
Drachman Hall, Room A120, UA North Campus
Electromagnetic Hypersensitivity
Free and open to the public

Thursday, March 28, 7 p.m.
Tucson Jewish Community Center
3800 E. River Road
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly - Our Love Affair with Wireless Technology”
$5 in advance, $7 at the door, students free with student ID

Borderlands Turns 7. Borderlands Brewing Company is celebrating its seventh birthday, which I guess makes it one of the older breweries in Tucson. They’re planning a whole weekend of celebrations for the occasion, including performances by the local bands Black Cat Bones, Zero Miles to Empty and Kevin Pakulis. Participating food trucks include Blacktop Grill and Substance Coffee Diner. Festivities run from Friday, March 22, to Sunday, March 24. 119 E. Toole Ave. Details here.

Goliath: A Story Retold. So, we all know the story of David and Goliath. I say “David,” you say, “Go, underdog!” I say, “Goliath,” you say, “Booo!” But wait a minute! No one ever really heard Goliath’s side of the story, did they? In this show, choreographer Ashley Bowman has used the music of recording artist, songwriter and composer Zack Hemsey to tell that story. In this version, he’s a lonely, wandering anti-hero, just trying to find his own purpose in a world full of mythical creatures and discoveries. In David, he finds a powerful foe who provides the key to understanding. Goliath is danced by Marquez Johnson, David is danced by Jeffery Griffith, and a cast of eight dancers supports. 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 21, Friday, March 22, and Saturday, March 23. 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 24. Pre-concert talk with the choreographer begins a half hour before showtime each day. Saturday night performance will be ASL interpreted. Stevie Eller Dance Theatre, 1737 E. University Blvd. $32. Details here.

Fourth Avenue Spring Street Fair. The Fourth Ave. Street Fair is one of those events that makes you hyper-aware of how quickly time is moving… didn’t we just have the winter street fair? Oh, that was four months ago? What year is it? How old am I? It’s the perfect way to soothe your angst about the passage of time, and also the perfect way to spend a March afternoon in Tucson. It brings more than half a million people to our sweet desert town, and brings you a perfect opportunity to get some shopping done for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and all those spring weddings and birthdays coming up. 10 a.m. to dusk Friday, March 22 through Sunday, March 24. Fourth Avenue. Free. Details here.

Spring Break! Family Fun Day at the Farmer’s Market. Trail Dust Town and the Heirloom Farmers Markets are hosting a day full of fun for kids, families and anyone who enjoys food. So, everyone! Fifteen local vendors, live music, face painting and a kids’ area with hula hoops are just some of the offerings. They’ll also have $6 wristbands to provide unlimited access to the Ferris wheel, carousel and train. Many of the gift shops will be open as well, and Trail Dust Town’s newest neighbor, Millie’s Pancake Haus, will be serving breakfast and lunch. Let the games begin! 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, March 22. Trail Dust Town, 6541 E. Tanque Verde Road. Free. Details here.
The Illusionists. People on fire! People being cut in half! People making stuff disappear! People finding your card in really strange places! If you don’t think you like magic shows, maybe you just haven’t been to a really cool one yet. And The Illusionists, a direct-from-Broadway show featuring five of the world’s best illusionists, has shattered box office records all over the world with how good it is. So this would be a perfect example of a “really cool one.” Should you check it out? Abracadab-duh. 8 p.m. on Friday, March 22. 2 and 8 p.m. on Saturday, March 23. Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd. $10 off for students and $5 off for seniors and military (except for seats in the Gold Circle). $19 to $90. Details here.

BREAKDOWN/BREAKTHROUGH. The Carport Theater is putting on this community performance event they’re describing as “metaphysical vaudeville,” which, as far as we’re concerned, should be a more common type of vaudeville. Through audience participation in a series of scenarios—one in which a young girl’s life is torn apart and she’s reborn as a she-wolf, one in which a betrayal is revealed, one in which someone recognizes an urgent, unmet need—the show tackles major issues like finding meaning and happiness. One of the lines in the show, for example, is, “Does my suffering offend? It may. Suffering offends both the one who tells and the one who listens.” 7:30 p.m. Friday, March 22 and Saturday, March 23. The Carport Theater, 3614 E. Presidio Road. Free, but reservations required, and can be made at carporttheater.com. Details here.
The Secret Garden. We could all use a story about flowers and growth and redemption right about now, right? And we could especially use it in musical form. The story of little Mary Lennox’s search for the secret garden, and the life lessons, lifelong friends and life force she finds within herself along the way, is a timeless classic. Based on the 1911 novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, this Tony Award-winning musical will have you feeling happy and hopeful. 7 p.m. Friday, March 22, and March 29. 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, March 23, and March 30. 2 p.m. Sunday, March 24, and March 31. Berger Performing Arts Center, 1200 W. Speedway Blvd. $20 GA, $15 seniors/students/military, $10 kids 12 and under in advance. Prices increase $5 at the door. Details here.

Heather Hardy Band. Heather Hardy has been playing piano since she was six and violin since she was nine, and has been featured on more than 200 albums in her career. Now, the blues artist is based in Tucson, where she plays with her band (though she spends several months of the year performing in New York). The band is playing at Monterey Court in this fundraiser for TIHAN, a local network of religious, secular, corporate and nonprofit organizations that provides support for people in Tucson living with HIV. It’s some seriously good music for a seriously good cause, so come on down to support and enjoy! 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, March 22. Monterey Court Studio Galleries and Café, 505 W. Miracle Mile. $20 donation—or whatever else you’re able to give on top of that! Details here.

Vegan Brews & BBQ at Crooked Tooth. Southern Fried Vegan is bringing their signature sustainable flavors to Crooked Tooth Brewing. Their soul food menu includes fried chickun, BBQ, mac ’n’ cheeze. jambalaya, beer-cheeze battered Beyond burgers, Cajun corn, totchos and more. 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 23. 228 E. Sixth Street. Details here.

Speakeasy Party. While prohibition of alcohol was tossed out long ago, our fascination with the era is anything but. Espresso Art Café is hosting a special speakeasy party where you get to look the part, and drink the part as well! This annual party includes live music, dancing and drink specials. So you better dress up in your most dapper of attire and head on down before the Great Depression strikes! 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, March 23. 942 E. University Blvd. Details here.

WineDown with Wildlife. The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is hosting their first wine festival! At the soiree, you’ll get to sip the best local and regional wines and celebrate World Wildlife Day at the same time. Wine producers include: Page Springs Cellars, Del Rio Springs Vineyard, Deep Sky Vineyard, Elgin Winery, AZ Hops and Vines, Lightning Ridge Cellars, Sonoita Vineyards and more. Also included are local foods, stargazing, live music and photo booths. Sponsored by Tucson Foodie. 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, March 23. 2021 N. Kinney Road. General admission $40. Details here.
Illusionist Rob Lake. Rob Lake has appeared and disappeared in front of audiences all over the world. Named “The Top Illusionist in the World” by Caesars Entertainment, Lake also appeared on season 13 of America’s Got Talent, and in 2008, he became the youngest magician in the world to receive the Merlin Award, the magic community’s highest honor. So yeah, he’s a pretty big deal. And who doesn’t love watching an entire man and entire motorcycle disappear from a stage in a blaze of fiery glory, or to watch someone safely be cut into several pieces? Don’t miss the magic. Doors at 7 p.m., show at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 23. Desert Diamond Casino–Sahuarita, 110 W. Pima Mine Road, Sahuarita. $32.50 to $52.50. Details here. 

Thunder and Lightning Over Arizona. No, it’s not monsoon season yet. It’s Davis-Monthan’s free air show and open house! See aircraft like the Air Force Thunderbirds, an A-10 Thunderbolt and a 22 Raptor, and watch a demo by U.S. Customs & Border Protection. The Red Bull helicopter and skydiving team will also be around to ooh and awe over, as will a shockwave jet truck. Big names in the world of aerobatic pilots, like Kirby Chambliss, Kent Pietsch and Vicky Benzing will be soaring through the air overhead, making you wonder why you never ended up pursuing your childhood dream of becoming a pilot. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 23 to Sunday, March 24. Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, 5405 E. Granite St. Free. Details here.
The Works of Andrew Lloyd Webber & Stephen Sondheim. The phaaaaantom of the opera is theeeeeere. And so is Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street; Joseph and his amazing technicolor dreamcoat; and Rose and Louise from Gypsy. Musical theater nerds unite! The works of two of the art form’s most iconic trailblazers are coming to the stage in one night full of incredible melodies, brilliant lyrics and an audience full of people who will probably be singing along. TSO and a cast of Broadway singers will perform selections from Webber and Sondheim’s works that will have you getting ready to join a local theater troupe. 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 24. Tucson Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave. $15 to $96. Details here.

Tohono Chul Spring Plant Sale. Maybe you’re good at keeping plants alive. Maybe you’re not. But hey, the only way to get better at something is to give it another try, right? With more than 1,200 species of plants, the Tohono Chul Spring Plant Sale is bound to have something sturdy enough to thwart even the most notorious “I forgot to water them for three weeks!”ers. You can even select specific blooming vegetation to attract local cuties like butterflies and hummingbirds. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 23, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 24 Propagation Area at Tohono Chul, 7211 N. Northern Ave. Free admission during the sale. Details here.

The Urban Garden Festival + Plant Sale. Hosted by the Tucson Botanical Gardens, this event is dedicated to reconnecting people to their food while viewing (and purchasing) plants. There will be cooking demonstrations, food vendors, live music and more. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, March 24. 2150 N. Alvernon Way. $15. Details here.

Park Fest 2019. The Palo Verde Park Neighborhood Association is hosting their inaugural Park Fest event, a celebration of music, food and community connection. Park Fest 2019 features four music stages and three food trucks. The music lineup includes Chuckwalla, Paul Martin, Alégrate and more. Participating food trucks are Haus of Brats, Food Groupie Cafe and The Curry Pot. 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, March 24. 425 S. Mann Ave. Details here.

To Kill A Mockingbird. Turner Classic Movies’ Desert Hollywood chapter is screening the film adaptation of Harper Lee’s groundbreaking novel for their Big Screen Classics series. This multiple Oscar-winning legal drama features a powerful performance by Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch and a young Robert Duvall and Boo Radley. This event also includes a film discussion after the screening. 4 to 7:40 p.m. Sunday, March 24. At the AMC Loews Foothills 15. 7401 N. La Cholla Blvd. $15. Details here.


The Greatest Showman Sing-Along. The Fox Theatre is showing a special screening of this recent musical based on the life of P.T. Barnum. More than a single-along, the Fox is also hosting a circus-inspired pre-show event, including fortune-telling Zoltar, mask fun for kids, a raffle and a museum of living oddities and curiosities. 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, March 24. 17 W. Congress St. $5. Details here.

Events compiled by Briannon Wilfong, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.

Internet Sensational Grandma

“Granny gone viral” is Jeanne Robertson’s handle these days. That’s what a TV station dubbed her a decade ago when her collection of humorous, slice-of-life observations first blew up the internet. Just last Monday, her YouTube channel logged its 67 millionth view.

The stylish, 6’2” former Miss Congeniality brings her class act to the Fox Tucson Theatre at 7 p.m., Friday, March 29.

“I was in my 60s when I embraced the internet,” she says. Now 75, she says she owes her continuing success online, and in her theater show, to “clean, family appropriate stories that are humorous.”

Don’t call her a comedian. She may crack up a crowd, but until the internet found her, she had never stepped foot in a comedy venue. She’s plied her humor as a corporate guest speaker and, for a time, even presided over the National Speaker’s Association. She says that in the corporate world, the word “comedian” scares them to death.”

Her day job is not motivational training or workshops. She swoops in to break up an eight-hour drag of conference sessions with a rib shaking luncheon or dinner talk, dressed in spike heels and pearls.

Most often, she says, her stories show how humor can be an essential skill for sanity and success—“to look for the humor in everyday situations, to laugh at yourself and to influence the people around you to keep a sense of humor.”

And how does she find humor in everyday life? “I have made it a priority to look for humor every day. I get up around 5 a.m. and start looking for speech material. I believe people find pretty much what they’re looking for. There are people who never try to find the humor. Everything is negative. Maybe they just never enjoy what they do.”

But finding the humor is just a start. The homey, hilarious stories Robertson crafts around her finds are what’s propelled her to influencer status on the internet and turned a popular convention presenter into a “humorist” selling out packed houses.

Fun With Conspiracy Theories

Tin Foil Hat with Sam Tripoli comes to 191 Toole at 8 p.m., Saturday, March 29. In a world where daily headlines can’t possibly be real, conspiracy theories are almost comic relief. The Tin Foil Hat podcast gives our blown minds permission to laugh at the genuinely ludicrous. 

Goliath: A Story Retold. So, we all know the story of David and Goliath. I say “David,” you say, “Go, underdog!” I say, “Goliath,” you say, “Booo!” But wait a minute! No one ever really heard Goliath’s side of the story, did they? In this show, choreographer Ashley Bowman has used the music of recording artist, songwriter and composer Zack Hemsey to tell that story. In this version, he’s a lonely, wandering anti-hero, just trying to find his own purpose in a world full of mythical creatures and discoveries. In David, he finds a powerful foe who provides the key to understanding. Goliath is danced by Marquez Johnson, David is danced by Jeffery Griffith, and a cast of eight dancers supports. 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 21, Friday, March 22, and Saturday, March 23. 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 24. Pre-concert talk with the choreographer begins a half hour before showtime each day. Saturday night performance will be ASL interpreted. Stevie Eller Dance Theatre, 1737 E. University Blvd. $32. Details here.

Spring Moon Flute Concert. Is there anything more Zen than the shakauhuchi, a traditional Japanese bamboo flute whose sound is shaped by silence as much as by breath? Not that we know of. To celebrate the first night of spring, Paul Amiel, former music director of the Rogue Theatre, who spent a couple years living in Japan and studying this instrument, and who frequently performs with his ensemble Kyklo, will be playing a show at Yume Japanese Gardens. It’s a full moon the night before the event, so the traditional melodies will be floating through an air filled with almost-full moonbeams. 6:30 p.m. Thursday, March 21. Yume Japanese Gardens, 2130 N. Alvernon Way. $18 tickets must be bought in advance. Details here.

Wild About Flowers Hike. For the serious lover of all things flowers, take a guided hike to see what's blooming in the desert.  You'll learn about and discuss pollination, flower habits and habitats. The hike will be two hours, water and sturdy shoes for hiking are recommended. 2 p.m. Saguaro East, 3693 S. Old Spanish Trail. Details here.

Events compiled by Briannon Wilfong, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.

Have you hiked Tumamoc Hill recently and noticed a little camper parked by the gate at the middle? "Cuéntame Más" the trailer says.

As part of an interdisciplinary oral history project run by scholars from the University of Arizona, a mobile recording studio has been set up to collect stories of hikers walking by.

"It is essentially Story Corps for Tumamoc," said Ben Wilder, director of Tumamoc Hill, in a release. "We want to hear what Tumamoc Hill means to you to better understand the unique connection between people and this place."

The UA Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry and the Desert Laboratory Tumamoc Hill have collaborated on this project and the camper, which opened for storytelling on March 12.

On select days between now and April 7, the camper will be open for hikers to stop by and share their stories. The tales will be taken down on audio, and each speaker has the option of having their photo taken by National Geographic photographer Bill Hatcher.

The images and stories will be shared via Desert Lab and Confluencenter on Instagram at @confluencenteruofa and @desert.laboratory.

"Just as Humans of New York is able to give you a sense of the vibrant culture of a city and intimate stories we all have, Tales From Tumamoc will capture the remarkable stories right here in the heart of our city," said Javier Duran, director of the Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry in a release.

To find out when the camper will be open and collecting stories, and to learn more about the project, click here.

Dinner at Dragoon Brewery. This event will finally answer the question: do the hoppiest of IPAs go well with meatballs? Dragoon Brewery is teaming up with Meatball Madness food truck for one heck of a dinner. 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 20. 1859 W. Grant Road. Details here.

Tucson Roadrunners vs. Iowa Wild. It’s “Turn Back the Clock” week at the Tucson Arena, so grab your 70s garb and get down to the ice. Iowa Wild’s team mascot is an animal of unclear species named Crash who, according to their website, is “highly skilled in cowbell performance.” Ours is the ever-loveable, cuddly-yet-fierce Dusty the Roadrunner. Whose team (and mascot) will come out on top? At 70s night on Wednesday, March 20, they’ll have 7 for $70 packages. 7:05 p.m.  Wednesday, March 20. Tucson Arena, 260 S. Church Ave. $10 to $61. Details here.

Open Studios Under the Full Moon. What better way to spend a warm spring evening than outside exploring local artwork? 12 open studios will be open for you to walk and explore wood, glass, steel and bronze artwork. Food trucks and craft beer will be available. This just keeps getting better! There will even be a free concert by Cadillac Mountain in the sculpture garden! 5-8 p.m. Metal Arts Village, 3230 N. Dodge Blvd. Details here.
Events compiled by Briannon Wilfong, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.

Tucson Roadrunners vs. Iowa Wild. It’s “Turn Back the Clock” week at the Tucson Arena, which means you get your choice of which decade you want to hearken back to while you watch your favorite local ice hockey team throw down against Iowa. Iowa Wild’s team mascot is an animal of unclear species named Crash who, according to their website, is “highly skilled in cowbell performance.” Ours is the ever-loveable, cuddly-yet-fierce Dusty the Roadrunner. Whose team (and mascot) will come out on top? At ’50s night on Tuesday, March 19, they’ll have 5 for $50 ticket packages, and on ’70s night on Wednesday, March 20, they’ll have 7 for $70 packages. 7:05 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19, and Wednesday, March 20. Tucson Arena, 260 S. Church Ave. $10 to $61. Details here.

Terminator 2. This film holds several superlatives in my mind, mainly: best action film, best Schwarzenegger film and possibly even best sequel ever. It really is that good. And seeing its majesty on the big screen only makes it better. For those of you who’ve shied away from this masterpiece due to thinking it’s just another mindless shoot-’em-up, Harkins Theatre’s Tuesday Night Classics series is giving you the chance to fix your mistakes. 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 19. 5455 S. Calle Santa Cruz. Details here.

University of Arizona Baseball. What better way to enjoy the beautiful weather than at America's favorite pass time? Batter up! Watch the Wildcats and enjoy a night of baseball as they take on New Mexico State at Hi Corbett field. The game starts at 7 p.m. and tickets range from $5-$8. 700 S Randolph Way. Details here.   

Attention metal heads, rock enthusiasts, or anyone else interested in free things: The Weekly has free tickets to this year's KFMADay music festival, and they're up for grabs!

This year's KFMADay lineup is: multi-platinum hard rockers Shinedown, nu-metal legends Papa Roach, metalcore group Asking Alexandria and rap metal group Fever 333. The event will be opened up by KFMA Battle of the Bands winners Pyrotechnica, a local alternative metal band.






Winners must be able to come to the Tucson Local Media office located at 7225 N. Mona Lisa Road to collect their tickets.

KFMADay takes place from noon to 10 p.m. Saturday, March 23 at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium, 2500 E. Ajo Way. For more information, visit kfma.com/event/kfmaday-2019