Things to Do in Surprise

Challenger Space Center Arizona is on a mission: to excite and educate its visitors about science and the vast wonders of outer space. That excitement starts as soon as guests walk onto the entrance's elevated gantry bridge to see a four-story, space-themed mural painted by Robert McCall. Then it's on to the museum, where the center's affiliation with the Smithsonian Institution enables it to offer top-notch exhibits, which range from a model of an Iridium satellite to three separate meteorite exhibits. Beneath the planetarium’s night sky, stargazers can learn about the stars or test their wishes out on different constellations. Regular Family Star Nights encourage families to bond over stargazing presentations, a simulated shuttle launch, and other activities.

To immerse themselves in the space experience, groups can also sign up for two-hour simulated space missions that unfold in three spaces: a mission control room designed after the Johnson Space Center; the Spacecraft, which simulates a room onboard the International Space Station; and the Earth Space Transit Module, which helps crew members dock there.

Stocked with mud, obstacles, and more mud, the inaugural Kiwi Dash 5K sprawls across more than 100 acres to test racers with an arsenal of mental and physical challenges. Huffs, puffs, and fist bumps sweep through the course as individuals and teams attempt to conquer 15 hurdles, which remain a mystery until race day. As an alternative to stuffing their pockets with bulky grandfather clocks, dash participants will be equipped with electronic chip timers to determine the three fastest male and female racers, who, along the person wearing the best costume, will receive an award. The Blues, Bruise and BBQ after party serves up a fully charged celebration of the day's collective accomplishments with live music, a motorcycle show, beer, and 65 barbecue vendors vying to transform muddy fingers into saucy fingers.

Since 1986, Theater Works Peoria's mission has been to shower northwest suburban Phoenix with engaging entertainment, produced by members of their own community. Directors mount productions of Broadway plays and musicals, holiday classics, and adaptations from film, literature, and Bazooka bubblegum wrappers. A bevy of youth programs line up a parallel season of plays, workshops, and camps.

Powered by 270cc Honda engines, the SODI go-karts at Speed Street Indoor Race Track generate 9 horsepower while rocketing around the 1/3-mile track at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. Fit for drivers of all skill levels, aged 7 and older, the karts and their pilots whiz through the track as tire walls, helmets, and the ghost of Henry Ford protect them at all times. Races mimic the action of big-league sprints, and onlookers can watch the action on the track or on TV screens around the complex. Speed Street Indoor Race Track welcomes birthday parties and corporate events, outfitting its media rooms with A/V equipment and full-service catering. It also organizes league racing, giving drivers the opportunity to compete for a spot in Speed Street's elite hall of fame.

Armed with equal parts passion, dedication to the practice, and wisdom gained through teaching certifications, Blissful Yoga Studio's instructors help students achieve lithe, flexible bodies with classes catering to all activity levels. Introductory classes help beginners pay special attention to their alignment and breathing, and hot Vinyasa-flow classes challenge the mind as well as the muscles with a continuous series of empowering postures performed in a room that's heated up to 97 degrees. Instructors also incorporate the studio's specially outfitted wall, using its system of straps to sink students into deeper supported postures during yoga wall stretch sessions, which help them better impersonate the lowercase letter q. In addition to classes, the studio hosts workshops for seniors and those recovering from injuries that cover the basics of the yoga sutras.

Local thespians Matt McAuley and Richard Vines banded together with the Dysart Community Education Department to conceptualize Ghostlight Theatre on the tenets of entertaining and educating the community with the dramatic arts. The theatre's live productions give members of the community an opportunity to flex their theatrical muscles through acting, designing costumes, and pursuing careers as prop trees. Meanwhile, Ghostlight Theatre’s summer camps prepare budding thespians aged 10–18 for their moments in the spotlight.