Celebrate Soul
Sat. & Sun., June 13 & 14, 2026
9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Included with paid museum admission; free for members
Schedule of Activities
Hear the powerful voices and timeless melodies that define soul music, from classic Motown to today’s neo-soul. Move your body, sing along, and join a youth-led soul train to learn why music really is the language of the soul!
Supported by Desert Soul Media and Support Life and Music (SLAM)
Programming supported in part by the City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture and Arizona Commission on the Arts
Craft: Tambourine
9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
South El Río
Make and decorate your own tambourine!
Photo Booth
9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
El Río
Have your picture taken in our hands-free photo booth! Digitally share your pictures and tag us with #MIMphx for a chance to be featured on our social media.
Curator Talk: The Sounds of Soul—Instruments and Playing Styles
10:30–11:00 a.m.
Event Room 2
Join curator for United States / Canada Rich Walter for an introduction to some of the most influential and evocative sounds heard through generations of soul and gospel.
Caribbean Soul Performance: Michael Robinson
11:30 a.m.–noon
North El Río
Get down with a soul and R&B star from St. Lucia.
Drop-In Live Radio Broadcast: KRDP
11:00 a.m.–2:30 p.m.
Event Room 3
Shake your groove thing to a live broadcast of soul music with local radio station KRDP.
Youth-Led Soul Train: Junior Museum Guides
12:15–12:45 p.m., 1:15–1:45 p.m.
Event Room 3
Join our Junior Museum Guides for a live DJ experience and dance under a disco ball in a soul train.
Youth-Led Tour: Junior Museum Guides
12:15–12:45 p.m., 1:15–1:45 p.m.
United States / Canada Gallery and Artist Gallery
Join our Junior Museum Guides for a tour about the legends of soul—including Prince, Roberta Flack, and more!
Sing-Along Performance: Felicia Penza
1:45–2:15 p.m.
North El Río
Sing along with this fun and interactive performance of soul favorites!
Community Storytelling: The Songs That Raised Us
2:30–3:00 p.m.
Event Room 2
Explore gospel, the blues, and other roots of soul music with local storyteller Muse, and reconnect with the sounds tied to family, tradition, love, and identity through music and storytelling.
Neo-Soul Performance: Hyperbella
3:15–4:00 p.m.
North El Río
Experience the Phoenix neo-soul band’s lush, atmospheric harmonies as they blend soulful vocals with dreamy, genre-bending alternative jazz.
Craft: Tambourine
9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
South El Río
Make and decorate your own tambourine!
Photo Booth
9:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.
El Río
Have your picture taken in our hands-free photo booth! Digitally share your pictures and tag us with #MIMphx for a chance to be featured on our social media.
Curator Talk: The Sounds of Soul—Instruments and Playing Styles
10:30–11:00 a.m.
Event Room 2
Join curator for United States / Canada Rich Walter for an introduction to some of the most influential and evocative sounds heard through generations of soul and gospel.
Soul and R&B Performance: Painted Soul
11:30 a.m.–noon
North El Río
Enjoy a soulful, genre-blending performance of R&B, pop, jazz, and timeless favorites from this father-daughter duo.
Youth-Led Soul Train: Junior Museum Guides
12:15–12:45 p.m., 1:15–1:45 p.m.
Event Room 3
Join our Junior Museum Guides for a live DJ experience and dance under a disco ball in a soul train.
Youth-Led Tour: Junior Museum Guides
12:15–12:45 p.m., 1:15–1:45 p.m.
United States / Canada Gallery and Artist Gallery
Join our Junior Museum Guides for a tour about the legends of soul—including Prince, Roberta Flack, and more!
Sing-Along Performance: Felicia Penza
1:45–2:15 p.m.
North El Río
Sing along with this fun and interactive performance of soul favorites!
Community Storytelling: Write Your Song
2:30–3:00 p.m.
Event Room 2
Explore how your lived experiences can be translated into story, rhythm, and voice with local storyteller Muse.
Hip Hop–Soul Performance: Coco Watson
3:15–4:00 p.m.
North El Río
Catch a hip hop–soul performance from a Phoenix singer who has opened for legends such as Lauryn Hill and Boyz II Men.
Weekend ExtrasAvailable for Purchase
Lunch at Café Allegro
Offered daily 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
Enjoy a menu of delicious global cuisine with fresh entrées, salads, soups, and grill items showcasing local produce and flavors from around the world.
Programming supported in part by
City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture
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