Desert Pulse Kickoff Weekend

DATE: Oct. 11-12
TIME: 8 a.m.-2 p.m.
PRICE: Included with membership or Garden admission

Join us for the Desert Pulse Kickoff Weekend featuring hands-on art activities, exciting giveaways, interactive photo stations and the chance to meet the artists behind the exhibition. Celebrate creativity in the desert landscape with family-friendly fun and unique experiences for all ages. Don’t miss this vibrant start to our new season!

Special Opening Weekend Schedule of Events

• Meet the Artists –  Saturday, Oct. 11, 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Hear from the innovative team behind Desert Pulse to learn about the artistic ambition and creative process that brought Desert Pulse to life.
• AZ(LAND) Community Mural – Add your voice to a living artwork. Contribute to a collaborative mural that reflects your experiences of the day and the themes of a desert that is fragile, resilient and alive.
• Photography Zones with Rick White-Pickett and Ryan Parra – Step behind the lens of Desert Pulse and hear from photographer Rick White-Pickett, who spent months taking daily scans for the exhibit. You can also get expert tips and learn to photograph the desert’s ever-changing beauty on your smart phone or camera.
• Nature Journaling with Dakota Drake – Pick up a Desert Pulse nature journal and learn to capture your own thoughts and reflections. Use your journal throughout the day, and take it with you to continue reflecting on the world around you.
• Creature Features – Get up close with native Arizona reptiles throughout the day with Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary; special presentations at 9:30 and 10:30 am. Join Liberty Wildlife and Southwest Audubon Society to learn more about the fascinating array of birds that call the desert home.
• Desert Pollinators and Butterflies – Dive into the world of pollinators and learn about the research we do to protect monarch butterflies. Discover why pollinators are essential and meet some of the Sonoran Desert’s key pollinator species. You can also visit our Butterfly Pavilion and surround yourself with thousands of butterflies who call the Sonoran Desert home.

See full weekend program