When it comes to setting goals for your professional aspirations, "Connect. Grow. Ignite!" probably sounds like your best case scenario to-do list.

Enter ignite520, a local two day summit with that very motto. The conference, put on by Tucson Young Professions, aims to "catalyze personal and professional development, shake up connections, and celebrate awesome things happening in Tucson."

The conference is returning for its third year at the end of this month. Here's what to expect:

During breakout sessions, mixers and more, young professionals are given the chance to connect with others who share a vision for a greater Tucson, and find ways to ignite their current or next endeavor.

Starting March 31st, 2017 at 5:30pm, we’re closing down Cartel Coffee on Broadway for a private mixer and kickoff ceremony! You’ll get to make new connections, start your weekend off with a great evening, and embark on our ignite520 scavenger hunt!

Beginning at 9am on Saturday, you’ll have your choice between morning Yoga or Coffee with Community Catalysts, at the conclusion of which, you’ll head over to CITY for our full-day of intensive sessions!

At lunch, you’ll dine at the newest downtown restaurant, MiAn and participate in “A Conversation on the Future of Downtown” with Downtown leaders Rio Nuevo and Downtown Tucson Partnership with the new AC Marriott and other projects slated for development as your backdrop.

More sessions and our Coffee Break will round off our afternoon. The evening concludes with our “Party for Grownups” at the Tucson Children’s Museum, an event you wont want to miss!

The event takes place all over downtown Tucson Friday, March 31 and Saturday, April 1.

Tickets range from $45 to $75, and can be purchased online. Or you can try your luck and enter below for a chance to win a pair of tickets (we'll pick winners on Friday, March 24).

Some nights all we want to do after a long, exhausting day is change into that worn-out sweatshirt, grab our favorite snacks and curl up next to our furry friends on the couch for a mindless Netflix marathon. When even Netflix runs out of binge-worthy shows for your tastes, have no fear—Casa Video is here! Here are the current top ten rentals you too can snag from Tucson's favorite video store.

Moana

These boots are made for dancing. And singing. And for delivering rip-roaring entertainment liable to leave you breathless.

Kinky Boots, winner of the 2013 Tony Award for Best Musical, has landed in Centennial Hall this week, courtesy of Broadway in Tucson, the group that makes sure Tucsonans can go about their lives humming plenty of show tunes. And if you want to laugh and cheer and have the cockles of your heart warmed and wowed, you’d better hop on this thing before it’s gone. Or sold out.

The show, which is based on a British 2005 movie, has been refashioned by Harvey Fierstein (book) and Cyndi Lauper (music and lyrics) to celebrate living out loud the person you are. Even if you are challenged  every inch of the way by small minds, find your calling, find your courage, find your soul.

It’s encouragement we all need and it’s most assuredly a show for these days.

The story is a bit complicated, but here’s the short version: A young man, Charlie (Curt Hansen), inherits his father’s factory that makes sensible shoes and he takes a huge risk, converting the factory to making footwear for drag queens: kinky boots.

The inspiration for Charlie’s decision is the most fabulous Lola (Timothy Ware.) A glorious entertainer with a group of talented lovelies, she becomes Charlie’s business partner. Along with the boots, the factory cranks out plenty of drama, as Simon, much more comfortable as Lola, must challenge not only the disdain of some of the factory workers, but the boss himself, a man unsure of what to do with his life. Lola and Charlie, different in many ways, find strength as they struggle with each other as well as with their own insecurities.

It’s hard to imagine this touring production being much better. Directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, it’s high energy, grandly staged, and gloriously costumed, all coalescing to deliver a story with a very sweet heart. The spot-on performances of the entire company lead us on a joyous journey that culminates in an irresistible finale. Yes, the storytelling sometimes feels contrived, but it still resonates because of the strength of the performers and the explosive power of music and dance.

Ware as Lola is a marvel. He was the understudy for the Broadway Lola, and he is nothing less than full of the life that makes the world go ‘round. Sensitive, cocky, sweet and powerful, Ware struts in his glorious costumes, dances his booty off and makes the most of every moment onstage. This show would fall as flat as sensible shoes without a powerhouse as Lola, and Ware finds both her humor and humility. Our hearts simply swallow his creation.

Hansen also finds a fully-fashioned man in Charlie. He can be a bit whiny and a lot angry, but his heart slowly opens to himself and the world beyond what’s comfortable and safe.

Really, all the actors bring us full-throated characters. Aaron Walpole as Don, the big lug who has no use for Lola, discovers that he’s a big lug with a big heart. Understudy Julia McLellan owned a goofy-but-charming Lauren, the factory worker who’s got the hots for Charlie. And Lola’s team of “Angels” dance with flash and freedom and irrepressible exuberance.

Here’s something. Don and Lola make a bet that the winner of a boxing match to settle their differences will do the bidding of the other. Although Don wins, he’s curious about what Lola would have him do. He reads the slip of paper he was handed: You must allow a person to be who they are. Don responds, “What does that mean?”

Really? Is that it? We don’t really understand what that means?

Kinky Boots, in its humor and heart, gives us a high-flying, high-stepping, leave-it-all-out- there Big Clue. Get a ticket to this thing. Now.

Kinky Boots
Presented by Broadway in Tucson
Various times through Sunday, March 19
Centennial Hall
102 E. University Blvd. on the University of Arizona Campus
$29-$100
Run time: 2 hours and 20 minutes
1-800-745-3000; broadwayintucson.com

Your Weekly guide to keeping busy in the Old Pueblo.

Booze

Tails & Ales. Do you love beer and dogs? Yes, of course you do! The Humane Society of Southern Arizona and the Tucson Roller Derby Girls thought so. Bring your pup for a dog wash and kick back with a brew while your best friend gets squeaky clean. Proceeds go to HSSA. 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 19. Barrio Brewing Co., 800 E. 16th St. $15 regular, $40 VIP.

Saint Paddy's Bar Crawl. Hosted by Specto Entertainment & Loud Republic, celebrate the luck of the Irish with a night full of fun at several Tucson bars including The Hut, Sky Bar, Mr. Heads, Cafe Passe, O'Malley's and IBT's. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Pima Paws for Life. Bonus: You'll look like the life of the party with included glow accessories. 7 p.m. until last call Saturday, March 18. Throughout Tucson. $12-$20.

Arts

Color Theory at Etherton Gallery. Downtown’s Etherton Gallery celebrates the arrival of spring with Color Theory, a new show featuring, as the gallery’s Daphne SS put it, “the color-conscious pop geometry of Andy Burgess, the surrealism of Gail Marcus-Orlen, and the gold-drenched and hand-colored photography of Kate Breakey.” As we all know, Etherton’s openings are among the best in town and this one will feature all the artists as well as DJ Buttafly, who will spin a spectacular set. The opening is 7 to 10 p.m. at Etherton Gallery, 135 S. Sixth Ave. Free.

Nature Appreciation

Agua Caliente Park Star Party. Realities of Earth getting you down? Take a quick trip to outer space and explore infinity and beyond at this astronomy event. Spend an evening gazing at planets and star systems through the lenses of telescopes on display for public use. It will be a night out of this world for the whole family. 7-9 p.m. Saturday, March 18. 12325 E. Roger Road. Free.

Edible & Medicinal Plants of the Sonoran Desert. The word “desert” may inspire visions of red dirt and water-starved plants, but the Sonoran desert has a lot of plant life to appreciate. While the calendar says we’re at the tail end of winter, spring has arrived in the desert and that means its high time to get outside and start exploring. Join this guided tour to learn about the plants you want to look out for should you find yourself low on recourses in the wild. Don’t forget to pack your lunch, some water, sun protection and a notebook. Preregistration is required, so email [email protected] to secure your spot. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, March 19.

No, the buzzing you hear isn't the iPhone in your pocket. It's a honey bee—and the impact it has on pollinating the crops you eat is worth its slightly obnoxious presence.

The importance of bees to our ecosystems and to the development of food we eat is no secret, but the preservation of the insects gained an increase in support recently since six species of yellow-faced bees joined the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Endangered Species List. The Southern Arizona Work Space will be hosting a class, The Basics of Beekeeping, on Saturday, March 11 from 1-3 p.m. to teach people the craft of beekeeping or what to do if they find a swarm or hive in their own backyards. Admission is $20. As a sweet incentive, there will also be a honey tasting.

Beekeeping may be becoming a lost art—and an important one too. If anyone needs more convincing of why saving honey bees is important, check out these fun facts according to RVC Outdoor Destinations:

-Their tiny wings can flap up to 200 times a second, allowing them to buzz around up to 15 mph.

- Much like a last call might look like in a downtown club, communication takes form in a frantic "dance" called a "waggle."

- Bees can recognize a human face. So yes, they can actually see your terrified expression as you run away squealing.

If you still need encouragement to push aside your fears, just look up #savethebees on Twitter and read what much funnier people have to say about the issue.

Your Weekly guide to keeping busy in the Old Pueblo.

Cinema

First Friday Shorts: If you haven't been yet, it's time. On the first Friday of each month, Red  Meat’s Max Cannon (yes, that cartoonist you love to send us letters about) hosts the biggest, baddest short film contest in town. Bring your short film (before the show starts, obviously) and the friendly staff at the Loft will play the first 15 that are submitted. Every film plays for at least 3 minutes, but after that the audience can call for respite and convince Max to ring his infamous gong. If you don’t have your own film, come to see what your fellow Tucsonans are doing. Just remember: The monthly grand prize is $200, and the yearly grand prize is $1,000—that's a lot of cheddar. 9 p.m. Friday, March 3. The Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. $6.

Martha Redbone: Martha Redbone's music is known for its unique mixture of Native American sounds with folk and blues influences. Her newest performance—billed as Martha Redbone’s Bone Hill: The Concert—is a moving musical featuring a 12-member cast who takes the audience on a journey of American exploration. The show is meant to showcase family, history and identity and the vanquishing of racial barriers. Come explore the many dimensions of Martha Redbone's music and performance and learn about the spirit of American discovery. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 2. Tucson Fox Theatre, 17 W. Congress St. $20.

The Very Big Show (Of Support): With the GOP Congress and Conman-in-Chief Donald Trump looking for ways to eliminate funding for the organization, Planned Parenthood may have never faced a more dire future. Show your support for the cause of safe and confidential sexual health care for women and men at the Very Big Show (Of Support), featuring a jamboree of fun. You’ve got circus troupes with Flam Chen and Cirque Roots. You’ve got laughs with cartoonist David Fitzsimmons and Unscrewed Theater. You’ve got music from Desert Voices chorus vocalist Katina Murphy, mariachi performer Diana Olivares and house band Michael P. and the Gullywashers. And to make the circus complete, you’ve got mimes, clowns, jugglers and much more, including an appearance by Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, who has some experience being the ringleader of a local circus. 7 p.m. Saturday, March 4. The Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. Tickets range from $25-$100. More info at rialtotheatre.com.

Arts and Culture

Yoga at the Market: Achieve your perfect Zen every Sunday from March to May before grabbing fresh fruits and vegetables at the FoodInRoot farmer's market. Led by Ashley Celeste Leal, the yoga class is sure to make you feel connected to nature and the beautiful scenery of Tucson that we call home. 9-10 a.m. Sunday, March 5. St. Philip's Plaza Farmer's Market, 4280 N. Campbell Ave. $5. Children under 12 are free.

Tucson Tattoo Expo: Here’s your chance to become an ink-stained wretch. The ninth annual Tucson Tattoo Expo will feature live tattooing, tattoo contests, a tattooed pin-up contest, a Razorz Edge fashion show, art fusion and an art gallery. Friday, March 3, 3-11 p.m.; Saturday, March 4, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; Sunday, March 5, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Hotel Tucson City Center, 475 N. Granada Ave. $10 per day or $15 for the weekend.

Rope Workshop with Cody Hayman: Ever have the dream of being a circus acrobat? Learning rope techniques with Cody Hayman is the event for you. The course will focus on C-shapes and open drops. It’s an advanced workshop for students with experience. Don't forget to bring your carabiners and climbing shoes. You need to reserve your spot before attending. 7-9 p.m. Tuesday, March 7. The Circus Academy of Tucson, 400 W. Speedway Blvd. $40.

Community

Monster Jam: The mammoth monster trucks Alien Invasion, El Toro Loco, Grave Digger and more will be rolling into the Tucson Convention Center to do what monster trucks do: Crush all cars that stand in their path in a stunning display of metallic testosterone. Friday, March 3, at 7 p.m.; Saturday, March 4, at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.; Sunday, March 5, at 2 p.m. Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave. Tickets range from $20-$45.

Fit Fest 2017: Learn to run like a cheetah and be as strong as an elephant at the Reid Park Zoo’s Fit Fest, a workout event for every age and fitness level. You’ll find a variety of certified instructors from Turbo Kick, Insanity, Zumba, yoga and more. And you can get a wellness check. It’s 4:30- 8:30 p.m. Saturday, March 4. Reid Park Zoo, 3400 E. Zoo Court. Adults $15, kids $5.
Dr. Seuss Birthday Party: Whether you love Yooks and Zooks or Thing One or Thing Two, you’ll want to get to the Valley of the Moon for the Dr. Seuss Birthday Party for lots of good fun that is funny. Gather beneath the shade of a Truffula Tree on the lawn of Tucson’s own enchanted fairyland and listen to volunteers read the good doctor’s books. And be on the lookout for the likes of the Biffer-Baum Birds, the Long-Legger Kwong and Brown Bar-ba-loots. It’s from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 4. Valley of the Moon, 2544 E. Allen Road. Free.

Food

Tucson Wing Festival: There’s just one wing to rule them all and in the sauces bind them—and this is your chance to find out which wing that is. Forty local restaurants are competing the the Lord of the Wings crown, with 30 breweries on hand to provide the suds you need to wash down those chicken parts. A panel of judges will issue their judgments, but you can be a judge yourself,  because food and beer is included in your ticket price. Two bands and a DJ will also be there to supply live music. Beer, wings and music—a perfect Saturday! Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 4. Rillito Park Race Track, 4502 N. First Ave. $40 general admission, $85 VIP admission.

Feasting for Felines: The Hermitage Cat Shelter, a non-profit, no-kill shelter for cats that have chronic health issues, is hosting a fundraiser night at Illegal Pete's. All you have to do is mention the Hermitage at checkout and Illegal Pete's will donate 50 percent of all proceeds to the shelter. Lend a helping hand to these kitty-cats and enjoy some delicious Mexican food while you're at it! 5 p.m. to midnight Wednesday, March 8. Illegal Pete's Tucson, 876 E. University Blvd. Bring money for food.

Percentage Night at La Cocina: If you love La Cocina's food, then head out to the downtown café’s percentage night in support of Clínica Amistad. Have a meal in the courtyard, listen to music, drink some booze and participate in the silent auction. Clínica Amistad is a nonprofit organization that provides healthcare for low-income communities. 5-10 p.m. Tuesday, March 7. La Cocina Restaurant & Cantina, 201 N. Court Ave. Bring money for food, booze and auction items.

Music

Alpha Mule: The faraway pedal steel guitars, the banjos and the roiling acoustics recall trains and the railroad earth, spaces between great cities and small towns, open-road longing with a slight—ever-so-slight—desperation humming beneath it all. Alpha Mule can do that in song, instrumentation and unexpected-yet-hummable phrases like “She stitched up the harness while I was looking in her eyes.” Muso types reductively label them Americana but we down here at TW say the willowy din created by this Los Angeles duo—which includes former Tucsonan Joe Forkan— is bluegrass and folk and rock ’n’ roll and country and Dave Alvin and Giant Sand and the great Sonoran Desert and … Celebrate the release of the Alpha Mule’s debut LP, Peripheral Vision on Saturday, March 4 at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress. 7 p.m. 21+. Free.

Whitney Rose: Whitney Rose doesn’t sound Canadian in sort of the same way that The Band never sounded Canadian. She sounds like she’s from somewhere below Ohio … Like Tennessee or Texas, like Bob Wills flows in her bloodstream—those waltz times ditties and fiddles and accordions. Like she was raised in a place where her first drunk experience was on Genessee beer listening to Tony Jo White while sitting on the hood of a rusty Pontiac. Truly. A song like “Analog” is pure backward gaze; indeed, she worms her way into hipster hearts singing fondly of scratched vinyl and pure sound, but the metaphor is bigger-picture stuff, about one-on-one human relations and “lazy rivers where I can cool my heels.” Really, really pretty stuff. Her new EP South Texas Suite —follow-up to 2015’s career defining, Raul Malo-helmed Heartbreaker of the Year—just dropped in January. Tuesday, March 7 at Club Congress. 7 p.m. $8-$10. 21+

Trunkweed: Goddamn do Trunkweed’s melodies stick in the skull. And they sound like super-smart film and lit buffs who bailed on their studies after discovering surf guitars and a copy of Wire’s Pink Flag in dad’s record collection. This Maryland indie-guitar combo ride the post-teen sardonic pop tip with so much necessary exuberance—like they made it up themselves. They blend irresistible riffs and sugary bass melodies with lyrical hooks like, “I don’t want to grow up too soon, locked in my room getting really high.” Also, they expertly represent a rising sect of new, young Trump-hating indie rockers, and put what little coin they earn where their mouths—they’ve actually donated profits from music sales to ACLU. Yeah! With Desert Beat on Thursday, March 9 at Sky Bar, 536 N. 4th Ave. 9 p.m. 21+. Free.

The Rumjacks: You gotta adore any band who’d share the stage with Gogol Bordello and the mighty punk’s-not-dead combo U.K. Subs. It just makes sense when you hear these guys. They’re Aussies but their hearts belong to Celtic folk and shot-and-suckerpunch punk rock, It’s not dissimilar to The Tossers, and they’d kill on a bill with Dropkick Murphys. Like Dropkick, The Rumjacks can easily transform subtle everyday yarns into major barroom dramas with shouts, foot-stomps and singsong gang choruses. Their power melodies are purely Irish, and the riffs themselves sound like they’re have their own tattoos. You can practically smell the flat tap beer and nicotine sweat when you listen to any of the three albums they’ve dropped since forming in ’08. With Fort Worth and Muskhog on Thursday, March 9 at The Surly Wench, 424 N. 4th Ave. $7. 21+.

Orange Blossom Special: Their current tour is tellingly branded “Live, Loud & in a Dive,” and that should tell you all you need to know. This Orange County power trio specializes in big, four-on-floor guitar hooks, and classic self-referential rock honesty (“How can I love you/When I don’t even love myself?”), with moments of hoary bombast (“She thinks her shit don’t stink”). It’s stuff precious few do anymore, and would easily appeal to fans of Rocket From the Crypt, even AC/DC. They’re hitting Tucson in support of their sophomore album, the rifftastic Here Goes Everything. With The Time Being, and Still Life Telescope on Saturday, March 4 at The Loudhouse, 915 W. Prince. $5. 8 p.m. 21+.

The Rhythm and Roots Concert Series is showcasing a variety of folk genres including Americana, blues, bluegrass and Celtic. The series, which gives musicians the space and resources to share their craft, is taking place this week at Hotel Congress with two free shows.

“‘Music is medicine’ is our motto,” says the series director Susan Holden. “Rhythm and Roots wants to bring—especially in this day and age—some healing with music.”

Monday night features a Mardi-Gras-themed party featuring the Carnivaleros. The band pulls from Eastern European sounds, with remnants of old western movies, as well as borrowing from genres like zydeco, waltz and swing. The event starts at 5:30 p.m., with the Carnivaleros on at 7:30.

Don Armstrong with Friends will play on Sunday from 6 to 8 p.m. A longtime, local folk musician, Armstrong spent 42 years performing with his wife Victoria Armstrong until her death in 2014. They recorded nine albums together, empathetic songs that could make you cry or want to hop in your car just to feel wind in your hair. His debut album comes out later this year on Ronstadt Records.

“When you hear his music, it kind of transports you to either where he was when he wrote it or what he was thinking,” Susan says. “He just has his own unique style, and you can hear sort of the history of folk music come through him.”

The concert series was founded in 1996 by Susan’s husband Jonathan Holden. Before his death in 2012, Jonathan brought some big-name folk and blues artists to the Southwest, including Richie Havens, Dave Van Ronk and New Riders of the Purple Sage. Holden was also known for his part in founding Tucson community-radio station KXCI.

With the GOP Congress and Conman-in-Chief looking for ways to eliminate funding for the organization, Planned Parenthood may have never faced a more dire future. Show your support for safe and confidential sexual health care for women and men at the Very Big Show (Of Suppport), featuring a jamboree of fun.

You’ve got circus troupes with Flam Chen and Cirque Roots. You’ve got laughs with cartoonist David Fitzsimmons and Unscrewed Theater. You’ve got music from Desert Voices chorus vocalist Katina Murphy, mariachi performer Diana Olivares and house band Michael P. and the Gullywashers. And to top it off, you’ve got mimes, clowns, jugglers and much more, including an appearance by Tucson Mayor Jonathan Rothschild, who has some experience being the ringleader of a local circus. 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 4. The Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. Tickets range from $25-$100. More info at rialtotheatre.com.

Getting the full disclosure out of the way: I’m a member of the Tucson Improv Movement company. I’m not performing in the TIM-hosted first Tucson Women’s Comedy Festival Feb. 23 through 25, but as a 72-year-old woman, I can attest to TIM’s commitment to diversity!

“Sometimes women … feel uncomfortable going into a situation that doesn't have diversity. They don't feel represented,” says TIM cast member and festival organizer Catherine Bartlett.

“I'm really excited about the diverse lineup we’ll have,” she says. “We’re doing high-end improv. We have an all-girl lineup of standup comedians. “We have storytellers and we are offering workshops.” There also will be an “allies” panel on Saturday, Feb. 25. Its purpose is to air issues that can make it difficult for women to thrive in the man’s world of comedy.

“I think the whole weekend will be exciting,” Bartlett says. “Tucson is just rife with really interesting, really talented, very fun ladies.” The event also has drawn guests from out of town. Torch Theater Company’s Mail Order Bride were the first all-woman improv team to form in Phoenix. “Those ladies have now weathered 10 years of each other’s lives doing improv together,” Bartlett says.

Another visiting improv team is Animàl, Hispanic twins from LA. Both out-of-town teams are featured in Saturday night’s four-show lineup benefiting Project Period, an initiative of the YWCA of Southern Arizona. Project Period provides sanitary supplies to anyone who can’t afford them.

Performing Tucsonans include TIM’s all-female team, The Riveters, Unscrewed Theatre’s The Ex-Boyfriends (formerly Betch), FST storytellers and, styling themselves as the MISSfits, stand-up comedians Kristine Levine, Brigitte Thum, Mo Urban, Roxy Merrari, Amber Frame and, from Phoenix, Sari Beliak.

TWCF ticket holders will receive one door-prize ticket for each package of sanitary pads or tampons they bring to any Saturday show. Prizes are gift certificates from sponsors including Hotel Congress, Hydra, KXCI, Floor Polish, 5 Points Market, and several other women-run businesses.

Tucson Improv Movement is at 329 W. Seventh St. TWCF Shows are at 7:30 and 9 p.m., Friday, Feb. 23; 7:30, 9 and 10 p.m., Friday, Feb. 24; and 6, 7:30, 9 and 10:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 25. Each show is $5. Complete information and advance tickets are at tucsonimprov.com/twcf. Any remaining tickets will be sold at the door.

Your Weekly guide to keeping busy in the Old Pueblo.

Rodeo: Apparently School Needs to be Cancelled for this

Rodeo Break Kids Camp: Yeehaw! Calling all cowboys and cowgirls in Tucson who love riding horses and wearing big floppy hats. This is a camp for you! Lasso into camp by learning everyone's favorite modern western dance - the Cotton Eyed Joe. Campers will be able to play western-themed games and snacks will be provided too. Space is limited so if you are interested in signing up and getting out in that warm Tucson sun, you better hurry! Ages 3-5 years who are potty trained to 12 years old. 8:30 p.m. Thursday- 3:30 p.m. Friday. Thursday, Feb. 23- Friday, Feb. 24. Heart and Soul Kids Activity Center, 8363 N. Oracle Rd. $5 Early drop off. 7:30 - 8:30 p.m./ $5 Late pick up 3:30 - 5:30 p.m./ 1 Day of camp: $65/ 2 Days: $120/ 10 percent discount on siblings.

92nd Annual Tucson Rodeo Parade: It’s that time of year again! Break out the cowboy boots and hats for our country’s largest non-motorized parade. Check out the rodeo royalty, decorated floats, performers, mariachis and marching bands. This year’s parade features approximately 2,500 people and 650 horses. The parade is free and begins at 9 a.m. but be sure to arrive early to grab a spot along the 2.5 mile route. If you want a guaranteed view of the parade, grandstand seating is available for purchase. It includes pre-parade entertainment from the Pinnacle Peak Pistoleros, Sons of Orpheus Men’s Chorus and Mariachi Aztlan de Pueblo High School. Grandstands open at 7 a.m. and the entertainment starts at 8 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 23. Parade is free. Grandstand seating is $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under.

2nd Annual Buffalo Bill Cody Days: Bring the whole family to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the death of this Old West legend. The weekend will be filled with presentations, entertainment, movies, book talks and a treasure hunt for children. You might even strike it rich after entering the free jewelry drawing for silver and gold mined from right here in the Santa Catalina Mountains. 1 - 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25.- Sunday, Feb. 26. Oracle Inn Steakhouse, 305 E. American, Oracle, AZ. Free.

Community

Bride to Bride Flea Market: So, you're getting married. Congratulations! A lot of men and women have a vision of their picture-perfect wedding day. But those table settings, chalk boards and decorations price tags can really add up. Enter the Bride to Bride Flea Market, an Omaha-based group on a mission to help women ditch their unwanted wedding left overs and help brides deck out their upcoming celebrations for a fraction of the cost. Have some wedding swag you don't need any more? Message the group's Facebook page and see if you can offer up some matrimonial goodies and help make another bride-to-be's wedding more special. 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25. Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave. $5.

Black Lives Matter: Rebels, Radicals and Revolutionaries: Celebrate Black History Month and revel in stories of past rebellion and resistance. Local artists Lando Chill and M.C. Salvador will be entertaining with live music as well. 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26. La Cocina Restaurant and Cocina, 201 N. Court Ave. $5- $10 donation at the door.

Willcox Wine Country Tour: Grapes, alcohol and the vineyard – doesn't get better than that. Grab your best pals and head out to the farm side of the desert to a fun day of wine tasting. Discover the many wines and types of grapes there are that you might not have even heard of. So join Sonoran Tasting Tours and visit the many tasting rooms in downtown Willcox. The tour will include transportation, glasses, tasting fees and a lunch with snacks! This is the perfect event to get away for the weekend and spend it with great friends and for those of you who think Las Vegas is overrated for turning 21, check this out as a fun alternative! 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25. Sonoran Tasting Tours, Casas Adobes. $99 per person.


AIDS/LifeCycle DJ Dance Cardio Fundraiser: Join BreakOut Studios in a DJ Dance Cardio fundraiser for a chance to get up and move while also giving back for a good cause. Todd Wilson will be teaching volunteers some fun dance moves and donations will be accepted to help four riders reach their goal and cycle in California this upcoming June. AIDS/LifeCycle is a 7-day bike ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles to raise money and awareness in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Each year, people come together for this life changing experience and the best part is that you don't need to be on the same fitness level as most cyclists are. Here's your chance to do an act of heroism, go sight-seeing and stay fit! 5 - 8 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 26. BreakOut Studios, 4340 N. Campbell Ave. Bring money for donations.

Cinema

Tucson Women's Comedy Festival Improv Movement for storytelling, improv comedy and standup comedy featuring some Tucson's funniest gals. If you are interested in laughing until you cry, tickets are available at https://www.tucsonimprov.com/twcf. 9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23. Tucson Improv Movement, 329 E. 7th St. $5.

Oscar Nominated Animated Short Films 2017: For all you movie nerds and Oscar junkies, this is an event for you. As we all know the 89th Annual Academy Awards is around the corner and by preparing to see your favorite films win awards, you can visit The Loft to watch nominated short films before the big event. The best part is you can eat Girl Scout cookies and drink beer, what a combo! Bring a pen and paper so you can predict winners for the awards while also a chance to win free passes to The Loft. Don't forget to vote for your favorite nominees such as La La Land or Manchester by the Sea! 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23. The Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. General Admission: $10/ Loft Members: $8.

Marvel Trivia Night: Calling all comic book nerds and superhero film fans – have you REALLY memorized every detail about Spider-Man and the Avengers? Form a team and put your knowledge to the test in this Marvel Cinematic Universe trivia competition. The night will celebrate the DVD and Blu-Ray release of Marvel’s Doctor Strange. The top three teams will win a prize. Also enjoy a draught beer or Sonoran hotdog from the You Sly Dog food truck.
7 - 10 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 28. Casa Video Film Bar, 2905 E. Speedway Blvd. Free. Food and beer available for purchase.

Arts and Culture

The Healing Power of Music: Ever wonder what all the fuss is about over the health advantages of listening to music? Find out at this three-day event featuring the Grammy-nominated R. Carlos Nakai Quartet, Gabriel Ayala Quintet, Tiamo De Vettori and over 30 other performers. Come listen to Dr. Melinda Connor explain how music affects the brain and body, and former NASA consultant Mark Romero describe how songs reduce stress, improve physical energy and provide other health benefits. Fri. 7-9 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. -9:30 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24. - Sunday, Feb. 26. Edward B. Berger Performing Arts Center, 1200 W. Speedway Blvd. $25-$150.

Frida al Fresco Friday: If you really like plants, art and poetry, you will love the Frida Kahlo: Art, Garden, Life exhibit that Tucson is having the honor of hosting all the way from New York's botanical gardens. The exhibit is a recreation of the gardens that Kahlo maintained in her home in Mexico City called La Casa Azul. The tour will take you on a representation of the Mexican culture that would have been a part of Frida Kahlo’s surroundings in Central Mexico. There will be a puppet theater for children and at night, a farmers market will be present with food, drinks, live music, look-alike contests, flower crowns and much more, creating an exciting cultural celebration every month. Reservations not required. Tickets available at the door. 5-8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 24. Tucson Botanical Gardens, 2150 N. Alvernon Way. Bring money for tickets, food and drinks.

Country Roads- A John Denver Tribute: Tribute artist Ted Vigil takes the stage to perform some of John Denver’s most popular songs. Vigil is a recipient of the Rising Legend Award by the National Traditional Country Music Association. If you love Denver’s music, you simply cannot miss this event! Purchase tickets online. 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25. The Gaslight Music Hall, 13005 N. Oracle Road. Adults: $25, Children: $13, Student/Senior/Military discounts available.

Paint Night at Rincon Market: Ever thought you are the next Picasso? Well show off your skills at the next paint night event and bring all your friends! As Bob Ross would say, “all you need to paint is a few tools, a little instruction, and a vision in your mind.” On the last Monday of every month, you and a bunch of your closest friends can sit around and learn how to paint the same picture. The instructor will provide all the painting tools so all you need to bring is money for booze! The class will be held Monday, February 27 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Price is $35 a person and includes a glass of wine, beer, or non-alcoholic beverage of your choice. Call (520) 327-6653 to R.S.V.P.

Music

Priests: All hail Washington D.C.’s Priests for being one of the few bands unafraid now to take asshole-ian behavior to task—to write stinging protest songs—and not go on bended knee for corporate choad. (Listen to “Pink White House.” It’s 2017’s first great anti-“cash-grab” anthem, complete with a challenging sense of asexual sexuality). Their melody-driven slams—bursting with tortured surf and art-damaged skronk—have caught fire with legions of kids across this on-fire nation, and it’s no wonder. Priests are blessed with one of those punk-rock X-factors, a preternatural allure that makes you want to know more, hear more, see more, and singer Katie Alice Greer commands like she slipped from the womb already a frontwoman. Together since 2011, this multi-gender quintet, whose album collections must be stocked with old Banshees, X-Ray Spex and Sleater-Kinney, already deserve to be uttered in the same hot breath of D.C. legends like Bikini Kill, Fugazi, and the Dismemberment Plan. With Olivia Neutron-John on Friday, Feb. 24 at 191 Toole. $12-13. 8 p.m. All ages.

New Years Day: This band on first sight is just so Warped Tour—they’re white and pretty, they formed in Anaheim, and their songs are crammed with stadium riffs, tommy-gun kick-drum fills, goth tones, and soaring choruses that hit just on this side of pop. They sport dyed manes that fall over faces at angles, wear big shoes and have slender hips. You’d see them when the sun was still out, not headlining, but not at 1 p.m. either. What makes them great, and why they do good tour and song business, is singer Ash Costello, who founded the band back in ’05. She’s a peculiar mix of pouty suburban strip-bar sexuality and best-friend next door. It’s a heady blend, and she’s smart, backs up the sass and innocence with true songcraft and a voice that offers a real range of emotions, from tender to hard ass. This isn’t some one-note Warped band. They should be bigger. With Attila and Before I Die, Bad Omens, Cane Hill on Saturday, Feb. 26 at The Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress. $19-$28. 7 p.m. All ages.

Mobina Galore: Not since The Distillers and The Muffs have we heard a punk-rock singer who actually had us worried about the condition of her vocal cords. But man can this Mobina Galore singer/guitarist Jenna shout with the gutsy aplomb of any punk screamo we’ve ever heard, male or female. What’s more, her singing ain’t in vain, and it ain’t a pose. The voice befits the songs, which rise and fall on glorious crunch-pop riffs and kickass sloganeering choruses. More impressive: this all-female Canadian combo is, shockingly, a duo, and they rock harder, with bigger hooks and more balls, than pretty much any all-teste combo out there. Their latest LP, Feeling Disconnected (New Damage Records), is out this week. See them with Against Me! on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at The Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress. $20-$22. 7 p.m. All ages.

Nano: Be forewarned that the ambient, sort of languid shoegaze and electronic pop and blips created by Lano can lull you into a kind of pseudo-opiatic trance, even if you have narcotics in your system. See, Lano’s songs—as heard on her home-recorded (and aptly titled) 2016 album Subtle—give gentle goosebumps while sweetly upholding the kind of voice you’d want whispering to you late at night when you’ve either ingested too much molly or are pretty close to 5k on the sheep-count meter. She’s the flipside to amped up. It’s graceful, full of beauty. See her in the flesh at The Flycatcher, 340 E. 6th St., on Monday, Feb. 27, with Herbert Walker, The Gayboys, and Miss Abysmal. 9 p.m. 21+. Free.

The Staves: The Staves do everything right. For starters, this trio worked with godhead father-son producers Ethan and Glyn Johns (who collectively produced the best bands on earth), toured with Bon Iver and even backed Tom Jones (Tom Jones, yup). And they pull from a long tradition of British and Yankee folk, from Fairport Convention to Judee Sill to Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, while their effortless roundelay harmonies recall Simon & Garfunkel, and they’ve learned lessons from the Paul Simon book of songcraft. More, their show-stopping cover of The Boss’s “I’m On Fire” is worth the price of admission, any admission. These three women are that good, and their songwriting—aching confessionals by not-yet-world-weary twentysomethings—uphold plenty of tender mercies. More than one-million monthly spins (and rising) on Spotify can’t be wrong. With honey-voiced indie darling Mikaela Davis on Saturday, Feb. 25 at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress. 7 p.m. $15. All ages.

Jonny Rosch and Friends Featuring Steve Cropper: American R&B and rock ’n’ roll would’ve sounded a lot different had these folks never existed. That’s not hyperbole. Dig it: Steve Cropper pretty defined the sound of the guitar of the American south by virtue of being a Stax house band (um, that would be Booker T. & the M.G’s, yo) and his appearances on the greatest sides in American music (Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett and, well, pretty much anything Stax put out). His guitar skill overshadowed his songwriting brilliance (he co-wrote “In the Midnight Hour” and “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay,” for example) and role as producer (from John Prine to Harry Nilsson!). He of course played himself in the Blues Brothers movie, and John Lennon ripped him off. The others: Singer Jonny Rosch was a studious session cat and also a Blues Brother. Drummer Jimmy Fox founded The James Gang while Jeff Pevar backed Ray Charles, Crosby Stills & Nash and Rickie Lee Jones, and bassist Sue Williams played with Clapton, Sheryl Crow, and so on … This is a rare opportunity to see folks who created the din that upheld legends, but who are now mostly unsung legends themselves. On Friday, Feb. 24 at Club Congress, 311 E. Congress. $25-$32. 7 p.m. 21+.