4th Annual Water Festival (in partnership with Earth Day Festival at same time, same place)
SUNDAY • APRIL 21 • 9AM – 2PM

Reid Park DeMeester Outdoor Performance Area
(Country Club Road, N. of 22nd Street, Tucson)
FREE to attend!

YOU’RE INVITED to participate in Tucson Arts Brigade’s 4th Annual Water Festival, integrating art, science and culture to raise awareness, promote stewardship, and foster creative expression about our water future. This year, The Water Festival is partnering with the Earth Day Festival at Reid Park!

THE WATER FESTIVAL is the ONLY large-scale community event in Pima County that showcases creativity and water solutions together and is a prime opportunity to engage the public through diverse activities for learning, networking, and family fun!

• Exhibitor Fair
• Performances
• Art Show
• Music
• Speakers
• Workshops
• Kids Activities
• 3-Mile Walk for Water (8am-9am)
• Cultural / Spiritual Connections
• Design for Water Solutions Contest
• “The Vibe” LIVE Art Happenings
• Fun Surprises & Special Guests!

I’ve been to this cool, refreshing festival in the past and even got to see Mermaid Odette in her portable pool. 4th Annual Water festival sponsored by Tucson Arts Brigade. More info at: http://www.waterfestivaltucson.org/ or call 520-623-2119, info@waterfestivaltucson.org. This festival integrates water, art, science, and culture to raise awareness about water use and resources.

More info on 19th Annual Earth Day at www.tucsonearthday.org, 520-206-8814,
info@tucsonearthday.org.

Join the Parade
All species great and small-insects, plants and animals-the Earth needs them all! Dress-up and participate in the “All Species Procession” as part of the Earth Day Parade! Make a banner and tell us how your species is so important to Planet Earth. Are you helping clean the air (trees and plants)? Are you an endangered or threatened species? The ice may be melting your home (global warming) or maybe there hasn’t been rain in a while so you are affected by drought or the threat of fire… let us know what we should do to help all species have a place on earth! Parade begins at 10:00 and winners are announced at 11:30.

Solar Competition
Model Solar Electric Cars and Houses, designed and constructed by middle school students, are real world engineering projects. The kits contain solar cells, motors, batteries, lights and other optional parts. The design and the construction is “left to the ingenuity of the student”! Competition begins at 10:45. Awards at 1:00!
For a kit order form and information on how to enter email Stacey at solar@swetucson.org

Alternate Fuel Vehicle Show
Check out vehicles that run on alternate fuels such as biodiesel, compressed natural gas, electric, ethanol, propane and waste vegetable oil. Ask the experts how you can start using an alternate fuel in your vehicle to keep the air clean for all.

Bike to the Zoo
Animals love the earth and need clean air too! So, ride your bike to the Reid Park Zoo and get FREE admission by showing your safety helmet. Before or after visiting the zoo, ride over to the Earth Day Festival for more fun!

Celebrate Mother Earth, and water– her most precious resource.

2012 Spring Season of Music Under the Stars begins on Mother’s Day, May 13

Who: Tucson Pops Orchestra Spring 2010 Concert Season

What: FREE concerts under the stars for the whole family

When: Sundays, May 13, 20, 27 and June 3, 10 and 17, at 7:00 p.m.

Where: DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center, Reid Park (E. 22nd x Country Club)

Tucson, AZ — Sunday, May 13th marks the opening of the spring season of the Tucson Pops Concerts in the Park. The Orchestra, under the direction of Laszlo Veres, celebrates its 57th year of performing free concerts in the park. The public is invited to enjoy “Music under the Stars” at the DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center, in Reid Park, on Sunday evenings beginning at 7:00 pm from May 13th through June 17th. The concert schedule is as follows:

May 13- Mother’s Day Concert – Featuring the Catalina Foothills “Falcon” Steel Band, under the direction of Dr. Tina Walton performing a medley of island inspired music. The orchestra will perform A Salute to Glenn Miller, My Yiddishe Momme, selections from the Sound of Music and more to round out the evening dedicated to moms everywhere.

May 20 – Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus under the direction of Dr. Julian Ackerley. The internationally acclaimed group will sing selections of some of their favorite tunes. The orchestra will perform Overture to Boccaccio by von Suppé, Somewhere in Time by Barry/Custer, Jamaican Rumba by Benjamin and more.

May 27 – An Evening with Nancy Davis Booth, one of Tucson’s most popular guest vocalists. She will perform several Puccini operatic numbers including “Musetta’s waltz” from La Bohème, and Vissi D’arte” from Tosca; in addition to several contemporary classics including My Funny Valentine by Rodgers, George Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm and more.

June 3 –Maestro’s Favorites – Featuring a variety of Conductor Laszlo Veres’ favorite tunes including the world premiere of “Legends”, An Overture and Festivals, both by Richard Faith, along with Medleys from Mary Poppins, My Fair Lady, Moscow Nights and more.

June 10 – Stars of the Pops – The Tucson Pops Orchestra takes center stage at this concert featuring a collection of new and old favorites including selections from Sweet Charity, soundtrack highlights from The Lion King and more.

June 17– Future Star – Clark Evans, Cellist performing the Cello Concerto by Dvorak. The orchestra will conclude the 2012 spring season of “Music under the Stars” with Quest for Camelot – Selections, Tango Jealousie, and the ever popular 1812 Overture (complete with “cannon” fire) by Tchaikovsky.

The spring 2012 concert series is sponsored by Long Companies, Rosemont Copper, the Friends of the Pops and Tucson Parks and Recreation with additional support from the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Tucson Pima Arts Council.

The DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center is located off Country Club just north of 22nd Street. Parking is available at the Randolph Park Golf Course parking lot, Alvernon Way just north of 22nd Street with shuttle service to the band shell beginning at 5:30pm.

For more information on the Tucson Pops Orchestra visit the website at http://www.tucsonpops.org. Bios and photos of guest artists are available upon request.

Contact:

Norma Gentry
ProVentures, Inc.
520-318-9445
ngentry@pvinc.net

And Happy Mother’s Day to all who attend the concert tomorrow night, especially mothers, stepmothers, adoptive mothers, grandmothers, great grandmothers, even mothers-in-law and foster mothers.

Many many events are scheduled today by an amazing partnership of Southern Arizona groups, to “commemorate, celebrate and commit” to moving beyond that mass shooting on January 8, 2011. The earliest event start at 7:15 a.m. and some last till 6 p.m. tonight.

Here is again the BEYOND website for a long list of events today (click here), all over Southern Arizona.

The Main Event is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Reid Park (22nd and Country Club area):

•Run/walk the BEYOND Outdoor Experience Activity Course.
•Take a class from Zumba, Yoga Oasis, The Uncarved Block (Tai-Chi)
•Try Pima County’s Bicycle Obstacle Course
“There will be creative opportunities with Bens Bells, Beads of Courage, Story Odyssey, Stories that Soar, Arts and Crafts and more! Tucson High Jovert Steel Drum Band will be performing as well. And you won’t want to miss Beyonce’s “Move Your Body” Flash Workout at 11am at Demeester Outdoor Performance Center.”

BEYOND is a community-wide event to commemorate the anniversary of January 8th, celebrate the spirit of togetherness we felt in the days and months afterward, and re-commit ourselves to working together to build a stronger community every day.

After that horrendous and shocking shooting in our community, there was an outpouring of love & support at the 3 memorials, many dedications to the six deceased victims over the months, many public forums & lectures, even a photography book “Together We Thrive” (click here for that blog on its release day).

Today let us remember January 8th — a day early before tomorrow’s 1st year anniversary and “Remembering January 8th” events (click here).

And if you decide to stay at home tomorrow, at 6 p.m. turn on KUAT Channel 6 to watch the very moving “Together We Heal” PBS one hour documentary of that tragic day (click here).

UPDATES: My notes in the comment section below about the events I attended today for BEYOND.