good character Ronald McDonald: The burger-chain spokesjester clowns around with his public on Thursday, July 11, at Ocotillo Branch Library, 102 West Southern (call 262-6694); on Monday, July 15, at Glendale City Council Chambers, 5850 West Glendale Avenue (930-3437); and on Tuesday, July 16, at Yucca Branch Library, 5648 North…

loud and proud Children’s Patriotic Parade: Uncle Sam will be on hand, as will the Toy Soldier Band, at this sixth annual troop through Christown Mall, 19th Avenue and Bethany Home. It starts at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 4, in Center Court; costumes are encouraged, as are appropriately decorated wagons…

thursday july 4 Fabulous Phoenix Fourth featuring the Mavericks, and Junior Brown: Two healthy doses of fine, neotraditionalist country–Raul Malo’s Florida-based Mavs and Texas’ bodacious Brown–are on tap at this 11th annual blowout on the grounds of the Arizona State Capitol, 17th Avenue and Washington. Mandy Barnett shares the main…

thursday june 27 Lysistrata: Mike Fenlason’s Mercury Theater, dedicated to producing classic works with a contemporary spin, takes a vaudevillian approach to one of the all-time classics, Aristophanes’ wonderful antiwar comedy. Written more than two millenniums ago, and rarely matched for pure wit in the ensuing span, Lysistrata is about…

among the animals Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus: See Wednesday in Pic Hits. Summer Days and Nights at Phoenix Zoo: The menagerie, 455 North Galvin Parkway, in Papago Park, hosts its final “Sunset Safari” adventure from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 28. The event features train rides,…

thursday june 20 Grand Canyon State Games: The fourth annual Olympics-style competition for recreational athletes of all ages and ability levels kicks off with opening ceremonies at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 20, at America West Arena, First Street and Jefferson. The event includes a keynote address by Phoenix Sun Danny…

dino might Robosaurus: The auto-munching, true-life Transformer puts in an appearance at Phoenix Boys & Girls Herbert Kieckhefer Club, 548 West Southern, from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, June 21, as a prelude to its “performance” on Saturday, June 22, at the Ford Motor Company Jets Versus Funny Cars Extravaganza…

thursday june 13 Shakespeare for My Father: British actress Lynn Redgrave stars in this Arizona Theatre Company-sponsored touring production of the one-woman Broadway show, an autobiographical tribute to her late father, Sir Michael Redgrave. Billed as “a daughter’s search for her father’s heart,” the play includes a number of scenes…

hot dog Bill Watters and Air Major: Watters may drive the van and pay the bills, but the real star of this famous team is hardworking, disk-snagging pup Air Major. The duo does its thing at 10 a.m. Wednesday, June 19, on the north lawn at Mesa Public Library, 64…

thursday june 6 Les Miserables: As overworked and overplayed as it is (the press kit brags that there have been “27 productions . . . in 14 languages, in 22 countries”), Les Miz still has the power to shame the best Lloyd Webber has to offer. The show’s main claim…

among the animals Sleepover at Wildlife World Zoo: The fourth annual chaperoned summer series kicks off this week. WWZ staff members escort kids in grades four through eight on a night hike through the zoo and teach them how to paint their own tee shirts. The fun starts at 7…

neckties that bind Ugly Tie Contest and Celebrity Tie Silent Auction: Beginning Saturday, June 1, the Pointe in Tyme restaurant at Pointe Hilton at Tapatio Cliffs, 11111 North Seventh Street, will display customers’ worst nightmares in neckwear as part of this third annual benefit for Valley Big Brothers/Big Sisters. The…

thursday may 30 Private Eyes: Like the movie The Usual Suspects, with which this play by Steven Dietz shared a title until being changed recently, Private Eyes is a complex whodunit. Unlike Suspects, Dietz’s work is a comedy. Arizona Theatre Company presents the world premiere of the play about a…

catch a wave Memorial Day at the Wave Pool: The cool pool and its companion water slide at Kiwanis Park Recreation Center, 6111 South All-America Way in Tempe, will be open from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Monday, May 27. Admission is $4, $2 for children. Raft and tube rentals…

thursday may 23 Six Women With Brain Death or Expiring Minds Want to Know: Theater League presents a special tenth-anniversary revival of the oft-revived all-woman musical inspired by soap operas, supermarket tabloids and other unfortunate by-products of pop culture’s ascension. Bob Sorenson directed this Six Women reincarnation, which stars Debby…

thursday may 16 Evita: Theater League hosts the touring production of the Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice musical about the late Argentinean strongwoman Maria Eva Duarte de Peron. Final performances are at 8 p.m. Thursday, May 16; 8 p.m. Friday, May 17; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, May 18; and 2…

rock ‘n’ roll call Youthapalooza: Eight bands featuring Scottsdale high school students–Square Meal, Blonder Tongue, Stamens, Ray-Gun Assassin, We Drink Rain, Might Spawn a Blizzard in Connecticut, Regret, and Big Caddie Conversion–team up for this Scottsdale Mayor’s Youth Council-sponsored outdoor concert and antidrug and -alcohol festival on Saturday, May 18…

strings attached “Musical Marionettes”: Clotilde Otranto conducts Phoenix Symphony in this meshing of orchestral works and puppetry, the final entry in the ensemble’s Family Concert Series. Puppeteers Bob and Judy Brown put string beings through their paces in sequences titled “Clown Alley,” “Petting Zoo,” “Fright Night” and “Future Tense,” which…

thursday may 9 Phoenix Symphony: Outgoing maestro James Sedares takes his final bows with the orchestra on Thursday, May 9; Friday, May 10; and Saturday, May 11, at Symphony Hall, 225 East Adams. At 7:30 p.m. Thursday and 8 p.m. Friday, guest violinist Corey Cerovsek joins the ensemble for a…

thursday may 2 Saguaro Film Festival 3: Arizona Film Society’s annual showcase of independent works opens with a reception for the filmmakers at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 2, at Planet Hollywood, located at Biltmore Fashion Park, 24th Street and Camelback. A screening of director Carmen Santa Maria’s farce I Crave…

at the fair Kid Stuff at Maricopa County Fair: The fair continues through Sunday, May 5, and includes daily fun like midway rides and games, livestock and agriculture competitions and exhibitions, farm tours featuring a “maternity ward” of animal newborns, and vegetable-bowling and pickle-eating contests. For general information, see Pic…

at the fair Kid Stuff at Maricopa County Fair: On Monday, April 29; Tuesday, April 30; and Wednesday, May 1, kids can buy magic tickets to this year’s fair, which starts Thursday, April 25, and continues through Sunday, May 5. Called “Pay-One-Price” passes and priced at $19.95, they’re good for…