http://www.2ndsaturdaysdowntown.com/

If you haven’t been downtown on E.Congress Street on the 2nd Saturdays Downtown, you have been missing a lot. Check out the link above for a complete listings of events.

On the Scott Avenue Stage (between Congress & Broadway):
5:15pm: My Town Music (student showcase)
6:15pm: Frisky Frolic Stilt Dance Party
6:30: Desert Melodies (holiday tunes)
8pm: Dance for A Cause (dance & Choir)
8:45pm: Fire Performance by Poi-Zen
9pm: Diane Van Deurzen & Lisa Otey (jazz, blues)

“A Christmas Story” the 1983 movie will be showing at 6 p.m., at Cinema La Placita’s venue at the large gravel lot on Congress between Scott and Stone Avenues. “Ralphie has to convince his parents, teachers, and Santa that a Red Ryder BB gun really is the perfect gift for the 1940′s”. The movie stars are Peter Billingsley, Darren McGavin and Melinda Dillon. Just in time for the holidays.

Be there on December 10 for 2nd Saturdays Downtown, 5:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. (or later….)

No horrible holiday sweater contest this year? I went to Rockin’ Queen Inc. boutique last December just to see some, but the Grinch must have stolen them as I didn’t see any. Last year’s blog (click here).

And the next 2nd Sat. is coming up on January 7, 2012, a year since that tragic mass shooting on January 8, 2011 which cancelled that scheduled 2nd Saturday Downtown event.

Happy Holidays!

Please help with the relief efforts on behalf of all the victims & survivors of the large 9.0 earthquake & tsunami that devastated northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011. Here’s how to help by attending:

JAPAN DISASTER RELIEF CONCERT

Saturday, March 26, 2011 – 4PM

Rincon Congregational United Church of Christ
122 North Craycroft Road (north of Broadway)
www.rinconucc.org

free concert – collecting donations

Organized by Toru & Laura Tagawa / Emma Noël Votapek / Keitaro Harada

Please join us at Rincon Congregational United Church of Christ Saturday,
March 26, 2011 at 4pm in a concert to help raise funds to aid the relief
agencies currently working in Japan. 100% of the donations received will
be sent to the JAPANESE RED CROSS SOCIETY.

Performers include members of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra & Arizona
Opera Orchestra, University of Arizona School of Music Students &
Professors and professional musicians of Tucson and Phoenix, AZ.

Aaron Boyd | Paula Fan | Laura Tagawa | Toru Tagawa | Emma Noël Votapek | Keitaro Harada | Neil Tatman |Mutsuko Tatman | Victoria Hauk | Jonathan Wintringham | Yuri Chayama | Aika Tatebe | Mari Kaneta | and many more…

Special Thanks to University of Arizona Department of East Asian Studies, School of Music & Japanese Student Association | Rincon Congregational United Church of Christ | Suzuki-kai | Yamato Japanese Restaurant |Sushi Yukari | The Japanese Association of Tucson | Dance For A Cause.

For other relief efforts, log onto Southern Arizona Association for Japanese Education website (click here). Fundraising will be occurring at upcoming events in April:

–Suzuyuki Kai Traditional Japanese Dance “Dance of Eternity” on April 17 at Green Fields Country Day School, 2 p.m.

–9th Annual Tucson Japanese Speech Contest on April 23, at PCC Downtown campus, 12 to 5 p.m.

For my previous blog “Please help Japan” click here, about purchasing limited edition Noh mask t-shirts.

4/8/11 UPDATE on Japan Disaster Relief efforts:
http://tucsoncitizen.com/community/2011/04/08/japanese-association-picnicfundraiser-for-japan-disaster-relief/