Go and Do in Mesa

Joe Perry performance

Guitarist of the famed rock band Aerosmith, Joe Perry takes the stage with his side effort, The Joe Perry Project, at the Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St. The show is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday and will feature a variety of songs from the group’s catalog as well as hits from Aerosmith.

Tickets are $40.

For more information, (480) 644-6500 or www.mesaartscenter.com.

'All About Rattlesnakes’ lecture

Learn about these poisonous snakes at this educational discussion. How do rattlesnakes live in the desert? How dangerous are they to humans? What should you do if you encounter one? Learn the answers to all of these questions and more from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday at Usery Mountain Regional Park, 3939 N. Usery Pass Road.

Afterward, there will be a nighttime nature walk at 7 p.m. along the park’s Merkle Trail. Learn about the nocturnal animals of the desert from a park ranger on this one-mile hike.

The programs are free, but there is a $6 park entry fee per vehicle.

Contact the park at (480) 984-0032 or www.maricopa.gov/parks/usery for more information.

Improv comedy

Laugh off some of those excess calories from Thanksgiving dinner. The National Comedy Theatre, 1111 S. Longmore Road, will host an improv comedy event, “Pilgrimpalooza!” at 7:30 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

This evening of family-friendly laughs will offer spontaneous comedy driven through audience interaction.

Tickets are $10 to $12.

For more information, call (602) 374-5638 or visit www.nctphoenix.com.

Toy train swap meet

The Train Collectors Association will hold this event from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Nov. 29 at the Mesa Convention Center, 263 N. Center St. There will be more than 200 tables full of trains on display and for sale. The swap meet will also have clinics on operating and setting up model train displays.

Tickets are $6.

For more information, visit www.tcadd.org.

'Rent’

The Mesa Encore Theatre will stage this presentation of one of the longest running musicals in Broadway history. The play follows the struggles of a group of friends living in New York City.

The performance will be 2 p.m. today at the Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St.

Tickets are $18 to $48.

For more information, call (480) 644-6500 or visit www.mesaartscenter.com.

'Discovering Desert Edibles Walk’

Learn how people have been able to survive in the desert for thousands of years. Find out the secrets of desert plants, including which ones are edible, when and how they can be eaten, and much more. This ranger-guided hike will follow the Merkle Trail 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at Usery Mountain Regional Park, 3939 N. Usery Pass Road.

The program is free, but there is a $6 per vehicle park entry fee.

For more information, call (480) 984-0032 or visit www.maricopa.gov/parks/usery.

Arts festival

The Mesa Arts and Culture Festival is a free, weekly event that features works by local artists, live music, food and activities for the whole family.

The MAC Fest continues its fall season on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in downtown Mesa at Main Street and Macdonald.

For more information, call (480) 644-6500 or visit www.macfestmesa.com.

Go and Do events are compiled by Tribune writer Chris Adams. If you have an event that you would like to see listed, send the details via e-mail to getout@evtrib.com.