We attended a performance of the Phoenix Gay Men's Chorus at this location. It was our first time…read moreat this venue and we found it to be very comfortable and clean. The parking was easy as there is a garage nearby and the staff at Tempe Center for the Arts were happy to validate the parking voucher to waive the fee. The sound was great and we thought the seats were very comfortable. We would definitely return to Tempe Center for the Arts for future performances or events.

As the self-appointed king of events in Phoenix, I've been to pretty much every major event venue…read morein Phoenix and surrounding areas over the past 10 months. And it's safe to say that Tempe Center for the Arts is one of my favorites. First off, you can either park in the parking garage a few minutes away from the venue by foot or you can park in the gravel lot that is a minute or two farther away. If you park in the garage, they will validate your ticket. Guaranteed parking is always a big win in my book. I've been to the Tempe Center for the Arts (TCFTA) twice. Once for a concert and once for a play put on by the Arizona Theater Company. Both have been A+ experiences. First off, the venue is located right by Tempe Towne Lake which makes for a picturesque location. The venue itself is just as beautiful with stunning architecture, both inside and out. It's clean. It's comfortable. The ushers are friendly. There is plenty of seating to hang out outside before the show, during intermission, or after. You can also hang out on the patio where there's a fire pit and seating. On a certain day of the week that's escaping me, they do an open mic night out there. I haven't tried any of the concessions, but they have a bar and some snacks. There's complimentary water. The theater is pretty intimate which makes for a better experience. It's designed well. There are even often some art installations you can check out. Overall, you can't ask for much better than this when it comes to an event experience! I've become a season ticket holder of the Arizona Theater Company, so I can't wait to be back!

"The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple…read morepies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff." ― Carl Sagan, American astronomer and astrophysicist Come view the stars. The Gilbert Rotary Centennial Observatory is open on Fridays and Saturdays, from sunset - 9:30PM, weather permitting. The cost is free but there is a suggested donation of $5/family or $3/adult. Donations are gratefully accepted for the maintenance of the equipment. See the moon, planets, double stars, open clusters, and other wonders of the night sky. Join them on the second Friday of each month for their Public Star Party. An astronomy talk is presented in the adjoining public library at 7:30PM and is hosted by the East Valley Astronomy Club (www.evaconline.org). Visit their website (www.grcoonline.org) for special events, solar viewing, and to book private group bookings.

Although they have public viewing sessions, we reserved a private session for $40 for our family of…read morefive. It was over an hour looking at the sky, learning about astronomy, and getting a crazy view of the moon and several stars. I never realized how awesome the stars were going to look thru a powerful telescope. Claude and Gordon led our session and their passion for astronomy really came through. Our kids 8-18 yrs were all engaged and thought it was really wonderful.

The kids and I had such a fun time at The Great Arizona Puppet Theater. The play was silly and the…read morepuppets were very well made. The lobby area is more like a puppet museum!! Definitely worth stopping by

The magic is in the effort that the puppet makers and the puppeteers put into this place. They put…read moreall they have into it and the kids love it. The magic shows up in the kids faces and the delight they get from the weird looking puppets dancing across the stage. The shows are tacky and corny, but only last 40ish minutes and the children's faces light up. Adults get a kick out of the joy it brings to the kids, but if it were just us we wouldn't attend the show ourselves. The theater is a lovely well kept historic building amidst the downtown hustle and bustle. Prices are not cheap for the experience, but once again the kids love it and it'll be a core memory,

I had the most wonderful opportunity ever to work this seasonal job here. I love the group of…read morepeople that I work with here at Imaginarium Mesa AZ. It's been an amazing experience the lights are absolutely beautiful perfect for those special memories to be made with your family and friends. They have a huge ball pit for the kids, thrill show and a circus act three shows a night to be exact. The four legged family is also invited as long as he / she is in a stroller or carrying bag and isn't roaming around freely. There's plenty of snacks to buy and hot coco to keep you warm on these cold Arizona nights you won't be disappointed.

A fun pop up in the Valley featuring amazing lights, performances, photo booths, and something for…read moreeveryone. So much to explore at Imaginarium - a great way to spend time with family and friends before the holidays! This pop up is in the Ross parking lot at Superstition Springs Mall in Mesa open through Presidents' Day 2025 and featuring Santa now till 12/24. Bring your camera and be prepared for jaw dropping moments from the performers and the best photo ops throughout. Tons of bubblly "snow" to play in for the kids too!

Cute event in theory and advertised as quite extravagant and magical but not great execution in…read morereality. Nothing looked "Oz" to me and everything was super random. The rooms were decorated with really cheap props and everything was pretty dirty. The entertainment while we were there was two motorcyclists in a big cage driving in circles around each other and a juggler. Kind of felt like I was at a sad circus. There were a lot of families with small children who were mesmerized but as an adult I was pretty underwhelmed.

Beautiful! prebought tickets online during the weekday to get the 2 people for one deal. my…read moreboyfriend and i loved it.

We visited with our kids and were blown away by how much we enjoyed this place. The trains are…read moreincredibly well preserved and beautifully restored--you can tell a lot of care and pride goes into maintaining them. It was way better than we expected. This is a fantastic winter activity, especially for families. There's plenty to see, lots of opportunities to walk through the trains, and it kept our kids engaged the whole time.

You are never too old, (or too young) to check out a Railroad Museum. This one has real moving…read morestock, from many different lines. The Pullman display is a walk through history of the way Train travel "use to be." There are (5?) cars coupled together in fully restored shape. . . several historically famous For Locomotive fans there is a cab you can climb into and learn what all the valves and levers do, plus "Ring the Bell!". Larger Kid groups might want to rent the "Party Caboose". Rental $ also covers the cost of admission. There will be knowledgable Docents to answer any ??'s, plus a gift shop. If you are lucky you might run into Steve, and get the 5 Star tour. The only down side, is that they are only open on Saturdays, and Sundays.

Five glowing stars…read more My late father was a Decorated WW2 Veteran for HM AF and I always enjoy visiting airplane museums. This facility is entirely staffed by volunteers including Korean War Veterans! They offer rides in vintage planes including vintage bombers, cargo planes, etc. Very expensive so we passed on that. It would have been a lot of fun. There is so much to see here. The hangar is full and they have a few restored beauties outside. I so appreciate the folks who Remember ALL Veterans of the Alliance.

We quickly became members of this museum because our 2 year old loved everything about it. Close up…read moreof airplanes, military jeeps and some of the most incredibly well kept WW2 planes. You can even fly in some of the old ones, although we never did. It's a unique spot and now that we moved, one of our most missed places in the area. Oh and every volunteer was incredible. Super helpful, very kind and always accommodating. Best of the best.

I didn't know what to expect at my first time to the Paranormal Cirque but it left an impression!…read more There were no special effects, no fancy camera work or post production-just humans showcasing their natural talents. The lighting and music was professional which escalated this show without using artificial intelligence! In 2012, Cirque Italia was founded and has been traveling the world with a variety of shows. I really enjoyed this haunted sinister themed adult circus event. Guests are encouraged to arrive early to walk through the free indoor haunted house, complete with live actors inside. The two hour performance does have a 10 mins intermission to buy snacks or use the outdoor temporary restrooms if needed. This horror themed production included classic acts with a dark theme. Disappearing people, impressive juggling, hair swinging acrobatics , twisted clowns delivering adult humor, audience participation and a man in the Cyr wheel. (One of my favorites!) If allowed, I would have taken more photos but it was strongly discouraged for the sake of the performers-which I respect. Tip:No beverages including water are allowed inside. Parking was free at the Premium Outlet Mall for this event. Ticket prices range from $20 - $65 for VIP seating. If possible, I recommend buying seats within the front two rows. It made it an intimate experience for us, not just a show.

We saw the Saturday 1/3 show at 9:30pm. Wear comfy clothes and shoes since you will need to walk…read morefrom the parking lot to a dirt pathway (not super long but still an unpaved pathway) until you reach the red tent. It was a quick process to enter once your tickets are scanned. They have ushers that helped us find our seats. You need to know your section and they will lead you. Highly recommend you get there early and to purchase seats in level 1 or front row for level 2. We purchased level 2 premium in row H 21/22 and we were not able to have a clear view of the stage or the performers due to people's head being in the way. The seats are super close and hard to pass through without causing disruption. They do provide a 15 minute break half way through the show to purchase snacks, use bathroom (port-a potty) or purchase merchandise. They have people walking around selling snacks as well. Overall it was an enjoyable experience and I really enjoyed the different acts and seeing the different performers, the interaction with the audience and the performers coming off the stage to perform.