From gems to books; campus blossoms in spring

With the start of a new semester come several things to look forward to. From events returning to campus, like the Tucson Festival of Books, to new shows coming to Centennial Hall, the spring semester is packed with things to do for students and family members.

The Daily Wildcat outlined a few big events coming to and near campus this spring semester.

Hack Arizona

On Jan. 18-20, the UA Science-Engineering Library will be hosting Hack Arizona. This event will challenge collegiate hacking teams to work for 36 hours to win prizes. Hack Arizona is free and will also be providing free food and educational sessions, according to its website. This is the largest hackathon in the Southwest, with over 1,000 attendees, according to its site. To register or attend, visit the website at hackarizona.org.

The Tucson Gem & Mineral Show

The Tucson Gem and Mineral show will be held at the Tucson Expo Center from Jan. 31 until Feb. 11. The gem show is one of the largest annual events in the country and one of the largest jewelry events in North America. This event features vendors from all over the nation and world, as well as attractions for all ages, according to its website. Specializing in the sale of gems and minerals, this event will feature shows at the Expo Center and across Tucson.

Benefit Concert for the ASM

On Feb. 1, musicians R. Carlos Nakai and Will Clipman will be performing a benefit concert for Arizona State Museum Education Programs. Nakai and Clipman are Grammy-nominated musicians who play traditional flute and ethnic drums, according to the events page on the museum’s site. The concert will be held at the First United Methodist Church on Park Avenue and Fourth Street at 7 p.m.

Festival of Books

The Tucson Festival of Books will be returning to the UA campus the weekend of March 2 from 9:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. The festival is in its 11th year and will feature authors from all over the country and world, according to its website. This event also features contests for young authors, panels, Science City, several author spotlights and activities for students and families.

Spring Career Days

On March 19-20, Spring Career Days will be held in the Student Union Memorial Center Grand Ballroom, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Spring Career Days hosts over 150 employers and acts as an opportunity for students to network for possible careers after college. This event has recruiters looking for both interns and full-time employees, according to the event page on the UA website.

Spring Fling

The annual UA Spring Fling will be held on the UA Mall April 12-14. Spring Fling is an event put together by ASUA and will include several carnival rides, games and fair foods, according to its website. Spring Fling is the nation’s largest student-run carnival, and it’s right here on campus!

“Fiddler on the Roof” at Centennial Hall

“Fiddler on the Roof” will be showing at Centennial Hall from April 9-14. Presented by Broadway in Tucson, the performance will have a total of eight showings. Directed by Bartlett Sher, a Tony award winner, the classic play is said to have a “new vision,” according to the website.

“Cats” at Centennial Hall

Centennial Hall will also be showing the musical “Cats” from April 30 until May 5. Another play presented by Broadway in Tucson, “Cats” is “a magical night with breathtaking music,” according to the website. The show won seven Tony Awards and prices for admission can be found on Centennial Hall’s website.

School of Dance Spring Collection

On April 19-28, the UA School of Dance will have their annual Spring Collection, and this year the dancers will perform “Megalopolis,” a piece by Larry Keigwin. The Spring Collection is one of the final performances of the year by the School of Dance. This performance will highlight dance students in the program as well as their achievements.

For more events and things to do this semester, follow Daily Wildcat content and look at the university events calendar.

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