Family play time, Bubble Planet immersive experience, Raúl Yañez latin jazz featuring Dennis Rowland, and more. 
Happy Tuesday, Phoenix. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let Phoenix Brief serve up everything you need to know for the week ahead.
📰 In the news
Local happenings: Extreme summer heat sending kids to hospital, first time buyers tapping five million dollars in down payment aid, and coyotes weaving through city streets — catch up here.
State-level stories: Arizona’s top resorts, a threatened jaguar’s migration path could be cut off by a new wall, and standout women executives will be celebrated — see what else is brewing.
National headlines: New SSA tech offers more reliable service, national recalls, and a housing market update — peruse the best of the rest.
Highlights this week
- Get back-to-school health checks and resources
- Meet AAPI talent at community resource fair
- Craft free custom pens and keychains
- Explore Mesa and Arizona water challenges
- Get $400 off Windows with Renewal By Andersen
🫶 We got your back
Yoga: From steamy hot sessions and chill candlelit flows to inverting in a hammock, Phoenix’s best yoga studios have the perfect vibe for every mood.
Golf: Book your top tee times on saguaro-lined fairways with mountain backdrops and turn each round into a bucket-list trip your buddies will beg to join.
Cleaning: Cleaning the whole house can feel like climbing Everest in flip-flops… who has time for that? This cleaning checklist breaks the job into manageable bites so you can crush it room by room.
Furniture: Need décor with a backstory deeper than your latest streaming binge? Camelback Antiques is the gallery that’ll turn your living room into a time capsule… just bring a sharp eye and an appreciation for pieces that only improve with every chapter of history.
Finance: Ready to break up with debt for good? National can help you cut ties, pay up to 30% less than you owe, and finally get some peace. This isn’t your average debt relief advice… it’s a financial fresh start, complete with a happy cry or two when your balance hits zero.
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📆 Around town this week
All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.
This week
📊 Youth Assessments @ Phoenix | Tuesday (8/12) at 10:00am – Time to put those pencils to work (metaphorically). These assessments give eligible youth a clear snapshot of where they stand in reading and math—plus, the Interest Profiler adds a little career matchmaking magic to the mix. A few hours of testing could set the course for your future hustle.
👨👩👧👦 Family Play Time | Tuesday (8/12) at 5:00pm – If you’ve been on the hunt for a cozy indoor spot to unleash your little one’s energy, this free drop-in play zone has mini tables, sensory bins, and enough toys to keep tots busy and your sanity intact. No reservation required, show up and mingle.
🌸 Wildflower Mind @ The Rebel Lounge | Wednesday (8/13) at 7:00pm – If you’ve been craving a night that isn’t another predictably overpriced cover band, Wildflower Mind and friends are commandeering the Rebel Lounge. Expect earworm melodies, nostalgic photobooth shenanigans, and support from Same Time Tomorrow and Pepper’s Monster. Cheap tickets, zero attitude.
🪐 Bubble Planet @ Arizona Mills | Friday (8/15) at 10:00am – Bubble Planet is popping up in Arizona Mills with ten themed rooms of supersized bubbles, VR illusions, and sensory surprises that feel like a bubble bath gone rogue. It’s a 15-minute drive from Phoenix and the kind of weekend story you’ll unironically tell grandkids.
🏀 Phoenix Mercury vs. Las Vegas Aces @ PHX Arena | Friday (8/15) at 7:00pm – If you’ve been craving a live hoops fix, swing by PHX Arena to watch Mercury battle the Aces, where your Visa, Mastercard, AmEx, or Discover reign supreme, and mobile tickets keep the lines moving. Bonus: light rail’s on us for the whole evening.
This weekend
🥍 Free Beginners Lax Clinic @ Tempe | Saturday (8/16) at 8:00am – Got a kiddo curious about lacrosse? Desert Stix is hosting a no-cost crash course where girls K–12 can hit the field and give the sport a whirl—no gear or experience required. Just show up, bring the hype, and let the sticks do the rest.
🎤 Thai Rivera Live @ Nugget | Saturday (8/16) at 7:00pm – Think you’ve heard it all on TikTok and at family dinners? Thai Rivera, lauded as the absolute best LGBTQ comedian in the world, lands in Phoenix with 20 years of razor-sharp stand up, social media savagery, and unapologetic self-deprecation.
🎷 Raúl Yañez Latin Jazz featuring Dennis Rowland @ The Nash | Saturday (8/16) at 7:00pm – Ditch the Netflix queue and head to our cozy jazz hideout for a Latin-infused set where Dennis Rowland’s vocals glide over Raúl Yañez’s piano grooves. It’s a sophisticated, foot-tapping affair with bass, drums, and congas that’ll have you bragging about your jazz cred.
💃 Thank U, Next Ariana Grande Night @ The Van Buren | Saturday (8/16) at 8:30pm – Weekend plans: hit up Club 90’s for an Ariana throwback, where bubblegum-pop hits meet neon lights. It’s 18+, with clear-bag checks at the door and no backpacks allowed. Expect enough high notes to drown out your coworker’s off-key shower concerts.
💃 2025 Dancing for One·n·Ten @ Tempe Center for the Arts | Sunday (8/17) at 12:00pm – Your calendar just upgraded from endless brunches: the 16th Annual Dancing for one·n·ten gathers locals, LGBTQ+ friends, and that co-worker who calls “participation trophies” overrated, all to fund vital youth programs. Expect jaw-dropping routines, warm conversations, and zero pretension.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
🎶 Live music & entertainment
- 8/13 Wildflower Mind @ The Rebel Lounge – 7 pm
- 8/13 Keb’Mo’ and more @ Celebrity Theatre – 7:30 pm
- 8/14 Simple Plan @ Arizona Financial Theatre – 6:30 pm
- 8/14 Lainey Wilson @ Phx Arena – 7 pm
- 8/14 Hickoids @ Last Exit Live – 7:30 pm
- 8/14 DJ Goth @ The Rebel Lounge – 7:30 pm
- 8/14 Flatland Cavalry @ The Van Buren – 8 pm
- 8/14 Slightly Stoopid @ Talking Stick Resort Amphitheatre – 6 pm
🏠️ This house is wild
Listed by: Oleg Bortman (The Brokery)
Rebuilt from the ground up in 2018, this 4-bed, 3-bath Biltmore Greens stunner leans hard into modern design. The kitchen is a showpiece with its waterfall peninsula and stainless appliances, while the split floor plan keeps things feeling spacious and just a little bit fancy. The primary suite is all about calm vibes, featuring a spa-worthy ensuite and closets that actually fit your stuff.
Out front, a courtyard sets the stage for sunset cocktails or impromptu cornhole tournaments. Out back, there’s plenty of room to soak up the Arizona sun. Golf, hiking, and some of Phoenix’s best eats are just minutes away.
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