Happy Friday, Gilbert. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let Gilbert Brief serve up everything you need to know for the weekend ahead.
📰 In the news
Local happenings: East Valley Powerball winning ticket doubles to two million, shelter pets from kittens to seniors await adoption, and Tempe tea shop marks five years — catch up here.
State-level stories: Arizona is backing tribal healing and a Navajo dialysis center, TSMC is fast-tracking Apple chip plants, and flood-evacuated pups are thriving in Flagstaff — see what else is brewing.
National headlines: 24/7 social security access, dogs detect Parkinson’s, and a new method or reclaiming 98 percent of battery metals — peruse the best of the rest.
Highlights this week
- Experience Japanese Taiko drums and culture
- Observe meteors, asteroids and comets tonight
- Dive into free swim and safety demos
- Join Monday morning women’s yoga class
- Learn practical home and travel preparedness
- iTustCapital offers $0/mo crypto IRA accounts
🫶 We got your back
Food: Farmers markets are the perfect spot if you’re craving crisp heirloom tomatoes and artisanal honey straight from the source. You can stock up on seasonal produce, homemade goodies, and friendly faces. See when and where to catch the next one.
Money: Looking to ditch big banks? Credit unions are known for offering more personalized service, better rates, and easy access to neighborly humans ready to help with whatever you need. Here are some of our favorites.
Music: Spotify playlists are fine for folding laundry, but if you’re after something a little rowdier than your earbuds can deliver, these live music venues bring the kind of energy that makes you remember why you used to stay out past 10 pm.
Family: Trying to keep the littles entertained without a screen? This guide covers some of the coolest summer outdoor toys and activities for on-the-go kiddos.
👀 Why just read it when you could be in it?
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📆 Around town this weekend
All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirey outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.
Today
🎭 Mainstage Improv Comedy Show @ The Bridge Improv Theater | Friday (7/18) at 7:00pm – Feel like your weekend needs a plot twist? Six razor-sharp locals will whip up unpredictable scenes on the fly at Mesa Riverview, right across from Rito’s, so you’ll be smiling at your own punchlines. Script-free comedy never felt so clever.
🎶 Jaded Jukebox Last Show Ever @ On The Green Sports Grill | Friday (7/18) at 8:00pm – Think you’ve danced to every dive, swayed to every cover, and memorized every lyric in this town? Here’s your final shot to toast Kat and Paull’s Jaded Jukebox send-off at OTG before they trade sagebrush for snowbanks. Expect sing-alongs, sweaty high-fives, and a few tears.
This weekend
🎅 Christmas in July Pop-Up@ Sip & Shop | Saturday (7/19) at 10:00am – Nothing says peak summer like Santa in shades and frostless eggnog. Stop by Sip & Shop’s Christmas in July pop-up for ornament making, cold Christmas cocktails and mocktails, pop-up vendors, festive treats, and even permanent jewelry, tattoos, or piercings to commemorate the heat wave.
📿 DIY Charm Necklace Workshop @ The Art House Gilbert | Saturday (7/19) at 6:30 pm – Grab your best gals for a crafty night of charm hunting and chain linking. Your class fee covers all supplies and shared tools so you can focus on picking 6–8 enamel charms and fastening them to a 14k gold or silver plated paperclip chain (hypoallergenic and chic—no breakouts here!). Got your own chain? Bring it and let’s deck it out.
👑 Miss Arab USA Pageant @ Chandler Center for the Arts | Saturday (7/19) at 8:00pm – Whether you’re a pageant fanatic or just curious, Miss Arab USA Pageant serves up sequins, culture, community spirit, and more confidence than your neighbor’s dog. Sip something bubbly and witness your future goodwill ambassador strut her stuff in style.
🍦 National Ice Cream Day with Elsa & Anna@ Mrs. Potts Tea Party | Sunday (7/20) at 10:00am – Celebrate National Ice Cream Day with a pint-sized royal shindig starring Elsa, Anna, plus enough crafts to outshine Arendelle, unlimited tea sandwiches, and a DIY sundae bar that’ll have Olaf melting with joy. Seats vanish faster than snow here in July, so snag yours.
🎺 Streetlight Manifesto @ Marquee Theatre | Sunday (7/20) at 7:30pm – If you still remember how to heel-toe, get ready for a no-frills ska blast with standing-room-only vibes, balcony seats for when you tire out, and a $10 cash-only parking fee to remind you this isn’t amateur hour. No refunds unless the band ghosts us.
Next week
🎞️ Adult Cinema Club @ Queen Creek Branch Library | Monday (7/21) at 6:00pm – Adult Cinema Club is convening over Grand Budapest Hotel in the library’s cosy conference room, where cinephiles swap opinions over Wes Anderson’s pastel whimsy. Expect witty banter, fresh insights, and possibly someone rewriting their bucket list after one too many pastry jokes.
🔭 Explore the Night Sky @ Southeast Regional Library | Monday (7/21) at 7:00pm – If you’ve ever tried to spot a shooting star and ended up chasing your neighbor’s porch light, join us in the Shakespeare Room for a quick crash course on meteors, asteroids, and comets, then wander out to the observatory for stargazing. Don’t forget to register.
🚨 Disaster Readiness @ 5.11 Tactical | Tuesday (7/22) at 6:00pm – Nothing says fun like learning how to survive floods, fires, or a rogue protest on Main Street. This free ABR Academy crash course covers easy home-security fixes, travel-ready packing lists, and real-world tips to keep you chill, collected, and ready for whatever curveball life throws.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
🎶 Live music & entertainment
- 7/18 Rock and Roll Over @ Casino Arizona – 7:30 pm
- 7/18 Kool & the Gang @ Wild Horse Pass Resort & Casino – 8 pm
- 7/19 Salt River Music Fest Vol. 1 @ Salt River Community Building – 6 pm
- 7/19 Nekromantix @ Marquee Theatre – 6:30 pm
- 7/19 Kings @ Tap Dragon – 7 pm
- 7/19 Two Friends @ Wild Horse Pass Resort & Casino – 7 pm
- 7/20 CP @ Tempe Improv – 6 pm
- 7/22 Moulin Rouge! The Musical @ ASU Gammage – 7:30 pm
- 7/22 Cancerslug and more @ Yucca Tap Room – 8 pm
Price is right – Gilbert edition
How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).
*This 👇 could be your listing. Hit us up if you’ve got a home (or 12) to sell.
Listed by: Trisha Willard (Treasured Real Estate, LLC)
Sunset views and serious curb appeal set the stage in Graystone’s gated enclave, where this six-bedroom stunner brings the fun. The backyard is primed for epic pool parties and friendly smackdowns on the basketball or pickleball court. Inside, the kitchen’s island could double as a buffet for a crowd, and the marble backsplash is pure eye candy.
Each bedroom scores its own walk-in closet and bath, including clever jack-and-jill setups and a downstairs suite with bonus room. The master wing feels like a private spa, with a walk-through closet to the laundry, double shower heads, and a soaking tub for maximum unwinding.
Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →
