It may be hot, hot, hot outside, but there are some cool things to do this weekend in the Valley!  Check them out:

(And let me know if I’ve missed any of your favs!)

An Icy Evening at the Museum

What: Cool off from the heat by visiting our Ice Age animals, cool your heels in our territorial jail and hear the cool roars of our dinosaurs.   Special admission is $3 for under 18 years and $5 for everyone else, except members are free.  After your Night at the Museum, visit Downtown Mesa for Friday Night Out--food, fun and festivities.

Where: Arizona Museum of Natural History, 53 N. Macdonald, Mesa

When: Friday, July 11, 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM

Mesa Downtown Splashdown

What: Water-themed activities for the whole family, including a waterslide and water-balloon toss. Also dunk a council member and meet the mayor. Features a group of children who swam from Alcatraz Island to San Francisco last year.

Where: Center and Main streets, Downtown Mesa

When: Friday, July 11, 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Theater Works Summer Theater in Rep

What: Intent on upping the artistic ante, Theater Works, the veteran west-side community troupe, fills in the dog days of summer with a pair of shows in repertory - the same cast and scenery doing double duty (kind of like a reversible suit). The musical What About Luv? is a dark comedy set on the Brooklyn Bridge and involving attempts at both suicide and murder; Park Your Car in Harvard Yard is a laugh-and-cry fest about a dying high school teacher and his former student, now housekeeper (a precursor to Tuesdays With Morrie, perhaps).

Where: Peoria Center for the Performing Arts, 8355 W. Peoria Avenue, Peoria.

When: Every Thurs-Sunday through July 27 at 7:30PM

Novaballet Concert One

What: Concert One is a repertory ballet program with four individual segments, one of which will be a world-premiere presentation by award-winning choreographer and Novaballet dance artist Robert Dekkers. Each segment of Concert One was selected by the founding dance artists of the company, the end result being a challenging program which is expansive in scope and a celebration of classical and contemporary movement. Energetic and global, it promises to infuse the senses with dynamic layers of color and sound.

Where: Tempe Center for the Arts Theater, 700 W. Rio Salado Parkway

When: Friday and Saturday at 8PM; Sunday at 2PM

Winter in July

What: Enriching the lives of the animals here at the Zoo is not only fun, but very important for their well-being! Come play the animal way, during Winter in July! With tons of snow (literally), fun puzzle feeders, foraging activities, and other activities, see for yourself how the animals get to play everyday. The kids will get to play in tons of snow too, just like our animals here at the Zoo. They will also get to try out some of behavioral enrichment toys just like the animals play with! After “coolin’ off” please attend our very special Winter in July BBQ in our air conditioned Stone House Pavilion, catered by El Paso BBQ.

Where: Phoenix Zoo

When: Saturday morning, 7-11AM

West Valley Art Museum, An Evening of Fine Art and Wine

What: Art auction and wine tasting to benefit the museum.  Participants can bid on more than 50 works of museum-quality art from more than two dozen artists, with all the proceeds going to the museum. In addition, eleven local and regional artists are scheduled to attend and talk about their works, including local favorites Michael Cunningham and Red Rohall. Also, Jim Covarrubius will create a painting live during the event, to be auctioned off at the end.

Where: West Valley Art Museum, 17420 N. Avenue of the Arts, Surprise

When: Saturday night, 7-10PM