Downtown Tucsonan - December 2008 - (Page 4)

D ow n tow nLow d ow n by Lee Allen JINGLE BELL ROCK “December in downtown will be a busy one,” according to Kimberly Schmitz of the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau, starting with the annual Mexican Christmas market, Feria Navidena, on December 1. Look for visits from Pancho Claus, the Las Posadas reenactment of the Christmas story, some unique Mexican Christmas traditions and, of course, food. Call 629-9536 for details. Missing this year in the downtown El Presidio district is El Nacimieto , the Mexican nativity scene displayed at Tucson Museum of Art’s historic La Casa Cordova. Because of renovations at the structure housing the display, the three-decade-long tradition will not be seen this holiday season. The annual nativity story, A Tucson Pastorela, is planned for December 11-21 at the Leo Rich Theatre. This will be the 13th holiday season that Borderlands Theatre has combined shepherds, sheep, and other characters on a journey to Bethlehem. Holiday music in Spanish and English and the kids get to break piñatas too. Contact www.borderlandstheater.org for show times. On Saturday, December 13, the Downtown Tucson Partnership will kick off its holiday season in grand style with the 14th annual Downtown Parade of Lights. Expect music, performing groups and floats decked out in holiday regalia with appropriate lighting. The free, all-ages event, begins at 6pm. See www.downtowntucson.com for a parade route map. Brandi Haga (Brandi@downtowntucson.org or 547-3338, x-1) has further information. While you’re downtown, check out the bigger-than-life bronze sculptures on display at the Main Library Jacome Plaza through December 31. Sculptor Curt Brill says “great public art brings a sense of intimacy into public settings” despite the large size of his creations, a joint exhibition of City of Tucson Parks and Recreation and The Gallery at 6th and 6th. Contact Lauren Rabb at The Gallery, 903-0650, for additional details. And lest we forget an invite to join the estimated 350,000 hawkers and gawkers at the Fourth Avenue Winter Street Fair, December 12-14. While there is plenty of street and lot parking in the area, try something different this year by biking to the event or hoofing it to the festivities. Then, to round out the holiday and the year, the Downtown Tucson Partnership is premiering FIRST NIGHT TUCSON, an alcohol-free family arts festival to take place on New Year’s Eve, 4pm ‘till the confetti goes in the air at midnight. Free programming (jugglers, mimes, strolling musicians) is available at La Placita and the TCC Leo Rich Theater plaza with paid programming venues ($12 adult, $6 children ages 6-12, no charge for those under age 5) set up at the Tucson Children’s Museum, Beowulf Alley Theatre, the Scottish Rite Temple, The Fox Theatre and Leo Rich Theater. Midnight will be marked in a fun way with a combination of music, sound, and light. See page 18 for a complete schedule of activities or log on to www.downtowntucson.com. and the Museum of Fine Arts, displays by the Miniature Club and the Garden Train Club, a Toys For Tots charity promotion, as well as choirs, carolers, and mariachi bands. [Proving they can be hip as well as historic, Santa and Mrs. Claus will arrive at the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum this year via a shiny Harley-Davidson motorcycle at 10:30am on the 13th]. A complete schedule of events appears on pages 25 & 26 of this issue. MORE HOLIDAY HAPPENINGS Amidst a myriad of yuletide festivities, the Arts Incubator Gallery, 108 E. Congress, is offering a new exhibit through December 31st, Rooted in Place: Photojournalism Interprets Place Making. It’s a break from seasonal holiday themes with the note that “Sense of Place inspires people to live, work, play, and imagine a better world.” Now that’s the holiday spirit. FIRST ANNUAL BAZAAR Look under the Big Top (the huge canvas tent next to the construction site of the 14,000 square foot Mercado San Agustin, 100 S. Avenida del Convento at West Congress) for the first annual Mercado Holiday Bazaar, December 12-24. What you’ll find is a Tucson Boys Chorus Christmas tree lot, visits from Santa (with photo ops), face-painting, a procession for Las Posadas, and a celebration for La Virgen de Guadalupe all of which take place between nightly live music, representation by charitable organizations, and lots of art and food vendors from all over town. According to Mercado owners, The Gadsden Company, the event is a prelude in line with the intent of Tucson’s first public market to “foster small business growth within an open-air marketplace in Tucson’s expanding city center.” Beginning with a Trajes Tipicos children’s procession and altar dedication at 6pm on December 12, the bazaar will be open 2-8pm on weekdays and 11am-9pm on weekends. Log on to www.mercadoholidaybazaar.wordpress.com for updated event scheduling. STRUMMING AND DRUMMING Not necessarily coinciding with yuletide events, but definitely happening during the season, is the 17th Street Market’s 17th anniversary celebration, December 6, 10am3pm. In addition to food tasting and special price tags, there will be music by Tom Walbank, Darryl Roles, and Harvey Brooks. Music, it seems, has become a bigger portion of the market as owner Tom Kusian (formerly of the Chicago Music Store downtown) decided to split his time between playing guitar and selling food. To do so he has taken down a store wall and increased the size of the music department allowing more room for free drumming circles and guitar lessons (your drum/guitar or theirs). “We gave the music area its own expanded space,” says media director Bonnie Brooks. “And then we filled the expanded space with more stuff!” GETTING’ A GROOVE ON All of downtown’s merchants will be showing the spirit of the season via something called DecemberFest, according to coordinator Chris Early of Chris’ Café. “We’ll be marketing all downtown events under one umbrella, trying to generate some buzz for downtown and creating interest in the general public to visit, not just on the night of the Downtown Parade of Lights, but throughout the month to enjoy the happenings and maybe even purchase some Christmas gifts,” she says. In addition to the various events noted above, Early says there will be a Santa Village beginning the weekend of December 13th, events at the Historic Depot Train Museum THE FLATS FUTURE Developer Ross Rulney is hoping Christmas comes early and Santa brings plat approval and an OK from the city for his sub-division report, necessary ingredients to move ahead with condo sales at The Flats at Julian Drew Block on East Broadway. Refreshingly, he views the current depressed economy as an opportunity. “Because of the current slump, the economy lends itself to our product. We have a distinct advantage because of our pricing structure and the fact that people are wanting to live a more urban lifestyle, closer to the core of the city,” he says. 4 downtown tucsonan.december.08 http://www.downtowntucson.com http://www.borderlandstheater.org http://www.downtowntucson.com http://www.mercadoholidaybazaar.wordpress.com

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Downtown Tucsonan - December 2008 Contents Downtown Lowdown Arts Galleries Performing Arts Downtown Live Events Museums Billboard Classifieds

Downtown Tucsonan - December 2008

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