PHOENIX — Get ready for a fun August filled with Valley events and new entertainment venues - we’re helping you plan some family fun!
Watch the ABC15 Things To Do monthly special, sponsored by Visit Sonora, on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 8 p.m. on your favorite streaming devices, abc15.com, and the ABC15 mobile app!
Check out the awesome lineup below:
‘THE ROUNDHOUSE’ IN SCOTTSDALE
Scottsdale’s McCormick-Stillman Railroad Park has completed a multi-million-dollar renovation, featuring a new 10,000-square-foot building called “The Roundhouse” with a three-level indoor train-shaped play structure!'
A ribbon-cutting ceremony is scheduled for August 1st.
Additional updates include an amphitheater, splash pad play area, and a new state-of-the-art playground.
- Address: 7301 E Indian Bend Rd in Scottsdale
Plex, Brobee, Foofa, Muno, Toodee, and Kammy Kam are coming to Arizona as part of the ‘Yo Gabba Gabba! LIVE!’ tour!
Kamryn Smith, who portrays 'Kammy Kam,' the host of the Apple TV+ series "Yo Gabba GabbaLand," will be the emcee for the tour.
“It means so much to me, because I feel like when I perform in my hometown, it's so different than performing out in different places,” said Smith. “I like to just, like, show all my friends and family what I've been doing for the past month, and I like to show them that, like, this is me. This is who I truly am. And I'm just so excited for like, my brother and dad to come watch and, like, my best friends. I’m so excited.”
- Event venue: Orpheum Theatre Phoenix [203 W Adams St]
- Date: August 30 from 6 p.m.
- Event venue: The Linda Ronstadt Music Hall [260 S Church Ave] in Tucson
- Event date: Friday, August 29.
With costumes, traditional dances, and a live orchestra, ‘The Colors of Perú’ will offer an immersive celebration of Peruvian culture at the Tempe Center for the Arts this month.
- August 30 from 6 p.m.- 8 p.m.
- Event venue: Tempe Center for the Arts [700 W Rio Salado Pkwy]
Get ready! The Annual Free Summer Concert Series is back at the Chandler Center for the Arts. Five concerts are lined up for the series and are FREE, indoors, and open to the public!
The summer concerts are held on Friday nights at 7:30 p.m. from July 25 through August 29. Take a look at the concert dates and a little bit more on the performers:
- RINO
- Date: Friday, July 25
- Painted Soul
- Date: Friday, August 1
- Christie Huff
- Date: Friday, August 8
- Jácome Flamenco ¡Baile!
- Date: Friday, August 22
- AJ Odneal
- Date: Friday, August 29
- Date: Friday, August 29
Get ready to dance into some fun at the ‘11th Hour’ concert in Tempe, featuring a mix of diverse dances and local talent!
- August 16 at 7:30 p.m.
- Event venue: Tempe Center for the Arts [700 W Rio Salado Pkwy]
JUNIE B.'S ESSENTIAL SURVIVAL GUIDE TO SURVIVING SCHOOL
From the pages to the stage! Valley Youth Theater presents its musical ‘Junie B.'s Essential Survival Guide to Surviving School," offering essential back-to-school tips for the kiddos!
- August 8 -31
- Address: 525 N 1st St in Phoenix
Let's play ball! Taroko Sports, a flagship brand of Taroko USA and a subsidiary of Taiwan’s TRK Corporation, will open a brand-new location this month.
The Mesa location, located inside Mesa Riverview, will be the company's first in Arizona and second in the U.S.
“Our goal is to make baseball fun and accessible—not just for athletes, but for everyone,” said Gordon Hsieh, founder and CEO of TRK Corporation. “Taroko Sports is about creating a space where families, friends, and coworkers can come together to play, compete, and connect.”
Watch the video below as the General Manager gives ABC15’s Nicole Gutierrez a tour.
Pecan Lake Entertainment has a new surfing experience this summer that was built from the ground up!
“We’re super excited about it. We've been working on it for a really long time. We feel like it's fun. We can do everything from boogie boarding to wake surfing,” said Jason Check, co-owner of Pecan Lake Entertainment, in an interview with ABC15.
According to Check, no experience is needed to get on the new surf riding attraction, but there is a minimum height requirement of 42 inches.
The Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix is offering these programs on Sunday mornings that merge Tai Chi, a traditional Chinese martial art, with the ‘energy-balancing’ practice of Qigong, which is based on Taoist philosophy.
“The great thing about this workshop is that you can really do it from any experience level. It's not really about being the best or the most perfect. It's actually a very internal process of just learning mindfulness and being aware of your emotions,” Emily Doig, marketing and outreach coordinator for the Japanese Friendship Garden of Phoenix. “It's really more focusing on learning the movements Ping Wei [the instructor] guides you through several of the movements, and then it's really up to the participant to just focus on themselves and really guide themselves through those movements."
Interested attendees are encouraged to book tickets online in advance, as sessions fill up quickly due to their popularity at the garden.
The Boyce Thompson Arboretum is introducing an immersive outdoor sculpture exhibit!
- ‘Glass in Flight’ debuts August 15
Upcoming: ‘Glass in Flight’ at Night
- September: Friday, Saturday, Sunday from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- October-January: Friday, Saturday, Sunday from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
VOLUNTEER AND SEE A FREE SHOW
With the high cost of concert tickets, have you ever wondered if you could volunteer at a concert and see a free show?
The ABC15 Smart Shopper team is highlighting a few of the organizations and programs where that's possible, while also helping out a cause you’re passionate about.
More information can be found here.
VISIT SONORA: Visit Sonora is an ABC15 Arizona sponsor.
Looking to get out of the Valley for some adventure? Here's a short list of what the state of Sonora in Mexico has to offer:
- Aconchi and its thermal waters.
- Tour: Alamos Magical Town
- Tour: Cheese Route in Cajeme, Mexico
- Tour: Magdalena de Kino
- Tour: “Rocky Point at its best”
- For more tours and experiences in Sonora, Mexico, click here.
