Downtown’s 02 Modern Fitness will host O2 Summer Tri-Camp from August 1-5. This Summer Triathlon Camp for kids (ages 10 to 15) will feature swimming, stretching, yoga, spin, boot-camp, rides, runs, lectures and more!
Flor de Muertos Fiesta Weekend
The locally filmed and produced documentary Flor de Muertos, featuring Tucson’s All Souls Procession and the music of Calexico, is shown at the historic Rialto Theatre at 8 p.m. this Friday and Saturday, July 22 and 23, and at 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 23 and 24. There will be concerts following the evening screenings, and food is available for purchase from Martin’s Comida Chingona. All proceeds benefit the Rialto Theatre, Many Mouths One Stomach and the Loft Cinema. Visit flordemuertos.com for more information about the film. Evening screening adult tickets are $10, and children younger than 12 are $6. Matinee tickets are $6 for adults, and $3 for children. Call 520-740-1000 or visit rialtotheatre.com for tickets or more information.
Monkey Burger ranked one of the best burgers in America
The food and entertainment guide Metromix.com has ranked Tucson’s Monkey Burger as one of the top 22 hamburgers in the U.S.
Washington D.C.’s Five Guys Burgers and Fries also made the list, along with great burger joints like the Shake Shack in New York City, the Boogie Burger in Indianapolis, Foster’s Grille in Ft. Myers, Denver’s The Cherry Cricket, the Burger Bar in Chicago, Nashville’s Burger Up and others.
Monkey Burger recently opened a downtown location at 47 North 6th Avenue, and their original restaurant is at the Williams Center. Monkey Burger is the youngest of the top burgers on Metromix’s list, and is recognized for its unique recipes, fried pickles and chef driven menu created by Chef Mathew Stricker. Not to mention the funky monkey art decorating their walls.
Handmade soaps at 2nd Saturdays
Downtown Tucson’s 2nd Saturdays hosts many vendors selling unique items, one of which is From the Girls – Nancy Abens’ hand-made soaps.
Nancy learned the trade from her niece, who started making her own soap when she was 17 years old. Nancy loved the process and the results. Today she makes natural products out of her home. Nancy’s first customers were her family and friends. She then started selling to the public at 2nd Saturdays when it began last May. The exposure she has gained has increased From the Girls’ popularity.
Nancy enjoys the diverse group of people who come out every month and the excitement of the event. She loves that 2nd Saturdays has brought her downtown, which she now visits often.
Part of Nancy’s success is due to today’s consumers becoming much more aware of the products they buy and what their labels say. From the Girls’ soaps are natural and additive-free. Nancy has used homemade soap for many years, as she thinks of store-bought cleansers as detergents rather than soaps. Hers do not contain chemicals and are naturally moisturizing. Nancy loves that people are renewing their appreciation of hand-made goods, and not thinking of them as inferior to machine-made items. People appreciate the personal care that is put into what they buy.
Vegans especially like her soaps since she uses vegetable oils and no animal by-products. She also makes lip balms and bath products – whatever she personally enjoys. You can purchase from her directly at nancy@fromthegirls.com, or visit her soon-to-be-updated website: FromTheGirls.com. Catch her at this weekend’s 2nd Saturdays downtown.
Arizona Between Nosotros this Friday at MOCA
This Friday, July 1st from 7 to 10 p.m. the Tucson Museum of Contemporary Art (or MOCA) will feature “Arizona Between Nosotros: Artists from Mexico Respond in Video and Performance.” The exhibit features works by twelve emerging Mexican artists, some new to the U.S. and others internationally recognized. Their art is expressed in live performances and short video works pertaining to current events in Arizona, and bring positive dialogue regarding legal and cultural issues. The artists utilize cutting edge art practices and represent diverse regions throughout Mexico. Admission is $10 or $8 for MOCA members.
The event is followed by a free panel discussion and workshops lead by the artists on Saturday, July 2nd at 11 a.m. It is hosted by the YWCA Racial Justice Program at 252 N. Bonita Ave.
Art After Dark this Friday at the Tucson Museum of Art
Art After Dark in February was a huge success, and it’s happening again this Friday, June 24th at 8 p.m. at 140 North Main Avenue. Gary Setzer starts offf with “Supralingual/Sublingual: The Tongue is the Terrain.” The Discos will perform at 9:00 followed by Pork Torta at 10:00.
This Friday come enjoy “art-o-matic” art stations where an old t-shirt you bring from home can get a makeover, get “queened” by Powhaus Productions before having your photo taken in the old fashioned photo booth.
Tickets are $10 or free for museum members. Call 520-624-2333 for more information or visit tucsonmuseumofart.org.
Photo by David Olsen
Adstravaganza: Summer Soiree
AD2 Tucson, an advertising and marketing organization for young professionals in Tucson, will be hosting Adstravaganza: Summer Soiree this Friday, June 17 from 8-11 p.m. on the Rialto Art and Antiquities patio. The networking event will be full of art and music, and there will also be a screen printing station and a photo booth. Admission includes a private viewing of the King Tut exhibit from 7-8 p.m., with more than 130 spectacular commissioned reproductions of the Egyptian Pharaoh’s treasure tomb. AD2 will also be raffling off a free nights stay for two at JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa. The event is open to the public and is $20 at the door.
For questions, email Ad2Tucson@gmail.com
RefugeeFEST downtown celebrates World Refugee Day
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tucson Celebrates WORLD REFUGEE DAY with International Soccer and Festival.
Tucson community members will come together to hold the 3rd Annual Tucson World RefugeeFEST 2011, a free two-day family event in celebration of World Refugee Day, The event begins with an International Soccer Tournament in Udall Park featuring 12 refugee led teams on Friday and Saturday mornings, June 17th and 18th from 8a.m. to 12 noon, followed by a city-wide Festival at the Downtown Main Library Plaza on June 18th from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The Saturday evening festival will feature a Soccer Tournament award ceremony, live performances and art from refugees around the world as well as educational booths, ethnic food, and interactive multi-lingual children’s activities. These activities provide our community an opportunity to have fun and share their cultural heritage while engaging Tucsonans in both local and global humanitarian issues. In addition, a group of Tucson refugees will become US citizens at the Festival.
This year organizers hope to create even greater excitement around soccer. The inaugural tournament organizers are Levi Kahn and Stephen Zleh, leaders in Tucson’s Liberian community.
“It’s great to see so many Tucsonans – refugees and non-refugees – working together and learning about each other. It’s important our community takes the time to honor our new American neighbors for their courage to overcome all odds and start life over,” says Ken Briggs, Director of the International Rescue Committee and a RefugeeFEST sponsor.
More information can be found online at: www.tucsonrefugeefest.com
About World Refugee Day
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in 2001, designated June 20th as World Refugee Day to acknowledge the resilience and strength of refugees. Tucson has become a safe haven for more than 11,000 refugees who have started new lives free from persecution. World Refugee Day honors their remarkable courage and amazing spirit. Last year the events attracted about 2,000 attendees
Harry and the Potters playing free show for 2nd Saturdays
Harry and the Potters, the rock band that sings songs about Harry Potter and other books, will be playing a free show this Saturday, June 11 at Club Congress from 5-9 p.m. The Tucson Public Library and Bookmans are sponsoring the free all-ages event, and will be there with Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s Toys with books, crafts, games and toys. The concert and Potter-themed party are part of the June 2nd Saturdays Downtown. There will be activities for Harry Potter lovers, including a life-size chess board, a huge screen for playing the Quidditch computer game, and photos with the characters. The festivities continue at Tucson Public Library branches, visit their website for more information.
Tucson’s June 2nd Saturday to Get “Weird”
Tucson, AZ- May 25, 2011–Weird Al Yankovic headlines the Fox Theatre in Tucson on June 11 for a paid performance for the family-friendly street festival, 2nd Saturdays. Weird Al is the undisputed king of pop culture comedy, selling more comedy recordings than any comedy artist in history. The show starts at 8pm.
Also a big part of 2nd Saturdays will be our newly added Soul Celebration music venue, a celebration of jazz, soul and R&B at the Rialto Art & Antiquities Patio located at the corner of 5th and Congress Streets.
The Cricket Kids’ Area will come alive with the movie “The Sound of Music” at 7:30pm and the very popular Cricket Jumping castle will also be on hand.
The Scott Ave Stage will feature Deceptively Innocent (Alternative/Pop Punk/Rock). These teenagers, known for their big old rock & roll souls, will perform from 5:45 to 6:30pm. Odaiko Sonora (High Energy Japanese Taiko drumming) will perform from 6:45 to 7:30pm; The Clam Tostada (Rock/Alternative /Folk Rock/Funk) hits the stage at 7:45 to 9:00pm. Closing out the Scott Stage will be Roll Acosta (Alternative/Pop/Rock) from 9:15 to 10:30pm celebrating the release of their new EP “The Dark.” All performances are free.
Along Congress Street, activities will include street performers, music, stilt walkers, living statues and vendors.
A world of magic and mystery will await within the free Wizard’s Marketplace at the Hotel Congress sponsored by the local merchants of Dragon Alley in support of wizards and witches. From 5 to 9 pm vendors will sell butterbeer, books and shirts while Mrs. Tiggy Winkles Toys will sell magical hats, wands, candy and more. In the midst of the magic, a concert by Harry and the Potters will take place from 6 to 7pm. Local tea house Seven Cups will do tea leaf readings and there will be Quidditch video game matches by Katana Games. Attendees can have their picture taken with costumed characters in front of the Bookman’s photo booth. The pictures will be given out in magnet frames at no cost. Don’t forget to learn Wizard’s Chess from non-profit educational organization, 9 Queens.
The Rialto Theatre will feature a paid performance of The Portal (theatre). Doors open at 8pm with show time at 9 pm.
2nd Saturdays Downtown runs from 5:30 to 10:30 pm. Sponsors include Click Automotive Team, Cox Communications, Cricket, Carondelet Health Network, KOLD TV Channel 13, KXCI 91.3FM Community Radio, MEB Property Management, Hollis Graphics, Well Fargo Bank and Providence Service Corp. For a full schedule and parking information visit www.2ndsaturdays.com.
For images and information on performers, contact: Program Director, Jamie Manser
250.225.9019
jamie@zocalotucson.com