Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress St.
7pm-9pm: Nils Lofgren, guitarist with Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band
Acoustic show. $15 – $75. “Prior to Springsteen, Nils recorded with Steven Stills, Neil Young, Rod Stewart, Ringo Starr, Grin, Dr. John, Los Lobos, Kathy Mattea, and has also released twelve solo albums.”

Scott Avenue Main Stage @ Broadway Blvd. –
6:00pm-7:00pm: Silverbell

7:15pm-8:30pm: the RAiLBiRDz (funky, soulful blues, R&B)

8:45pm-10:00pm: Michael P’s Big Band (soul, funk, honkey-tonk and rock)

Street Performances along Congress St.:
6pm-10pm: Living Statues, presented by Parasol Project

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Ronstadt Transit Center @ 6th Ave & Congress St
6pm-6:15pm: Preview performance of “An evening with Shel Silverstein”
6:15-8pm: The Bike-A-Stra
8pm-10pm: Five Way Street – Classic rock and expert harmonies

7pm-9pm: Magician John Coppin

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Indian Village Lot – Kid’s Corner! Between Stone & Scott on Congress

West wall: Cinema La Placita – “Alice In Wonderland” (animated version).
East Wall: Ultimate Electronics hosts Rock Band video competitions. Plus art activities for the kids, and more!

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Old Pueblo Garage, 27 E. Congress St.
6pm-8pm: (-J.)™ (ukelele, guitar, folk)
8pm-10pm: Cruz Billy – Delta blues

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NW Corner Congress St/Stone Ave
6pm-8pm: The Fourth Street Stringband – (Americana/folk/bluegrass)

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SW Corner Congress St/Stone Ave
7:30pm-10pm: Les Avenge – beat boy acrobatics
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Chicago Store, 130 E. Congress St.
6pm-10pm: Toby Chivers with Deceptively Innocent
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Flanagan’s Celtic Corner, 222 E. Congress St.
7pm-9pm: Tucson Fire Department Pipes and Drums
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Plus an art opening reception of “Small Wonders” at the Drawing Studio, 33 S. 6th Avenue –their annual holiday fundraiser featuring a large variety of “small works priced for holiday giving”, 6 to 9 p.m.

I’ve only missed one 2nd Saturdays Downtown since their inaugural event on May 8, 2010. Come on downtown & enjoy the musical performances and all the fun! Bring the kids.

December 11 is the next 2nd Saturdays Downtown.

Toby Chivers

Event schedule to date from website, www.2ndsaturdaysdowntown.org.

Scott Avenue Stage (between Congress St. and Broadway Blvd.):

6:00pm-7:00pm: A Son y Sol (Latin American music with a twist)
7:15pm-8:30pm: Banana Gun (upbeat acoustic)
8:45pm-10:00pm: Jumper (power-pop)

Along Congress Street:

Art Car Exhibit: 10+ vehicles presented by Automorphosis
Odyssey Storytelling: Look for the StoryArts Cart on the topic – “Masks: Hidden Identities”
5:30 pm-6:15pm: 7 Pipers Band – bagpipers
7pm-9pm: Critical Stilts – Stilt walking & dancing
6pm-10pm: Living Statues, presented by Parasol Project (see photo below courtesy of Donovan Durband)

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Ronstadt Transit Center @ 6th Ave & Congress Street:
5:30pm-7pm: Les Avenge – beat boy acrobatics
7:00pm-8:00pm: Desert Melodies
8:00pm-9:00pm: The Technophobes – candy folk music
9:00pm-10:00pm: Honey Pistol – folk rock/indie/acoustic
7pm-9pm: Magician John Coppin
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Indian Village Lot – Kid’s Corner! Between Stone & Scott on Congress:
West wall: Cinema La Placita screens “Alice in Wonderland” & an encore presentation of a compilation of music videos from the Tucson Film & Music Festival.
East Wall: Ultimate Electronics hosts Rock Band video competitions.

Plus art activities for the kids, an anti-gravity jumping device and more!
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Old Pueblo Garage, 27 E. Congress Street:
6pm-8pm: Blanco Cliff & John White – blues

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NW Corner – Congress St./Stone Ave:
6pm-8pm: The Missing Parts – Folk music from an undiscovered country

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SW Corner – Congress St./Stone Ave:
7:30pm-10pm: Les Avenge – Beat boy acrobatics
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Chicago Store, 130 E. Congress Street:
6pm-10pm: One Phat DJ
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June’s Corner Store, 10 E. Broadway Blvd.
6:30pm-8pm: TBA
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Flanagan’s Celtic Corner, 222 E. Congress Street:
Annual Celtic Pumpkin and Gourd Carving Contest. Gift Certificates to Flanagan’s Celtic Corner will be awarded.

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And over at El Presidio Park and the Jacome Library Plaza of the Joel D. Valdez Main library is Tucson Meet Yourself, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., also on Saturday! Read my blog on that annual event (click here).

Upcoming 2nd Saturdays Downtown: Saturday, November 13, 2010 and Saturday, December 11, 2010.

Someone asked me if there was anywhere to shop downtown and upon reflection, here’s a list of 20 plus businesses, based on some research from the Downtown Tucson Partnership website and my own personal knowledge (click on the blue links for further info):

Desert Bloom 27 N. Stone Ave., 792-9882. Monday-Friday 9:30 am–5:30pm, Saturday Noon–5pm. Fine jewelry, unique gifts, distinctive home and garden accessories.

Flanagan’s Celtic Corner 222 E. Congress St., 623-9922. Wednesday-Friday 11am-3pm, Saturday-Sunday 9am-6pm. Celtic jewelry, pottery, t-shirts, Guinness items, more.

Friends of the Library Bookstore at the Joel D. Valdez Main library, 101 N. Stone Ave., 594-5500. Monday to Friday 11 to 2 p.m. Low cost books,CDs, DVDs.

Hotel Arizona gift shop, 181 W. Broadway, 624-8711. Greeting cards, Southwest gifts, more.

Hydra Leather and More 145 E. Congress St, 791-3711. Monday-Saturday 11am–7pm, Sunday 12pm-6pm. An eclectic mix of fashions, lingerie, shoes, and accessories for men and women.

Indian Village Trading Post 110 S. Church Ave. #4199 (La Pilita Village), 623-1162. Monday-Friday 9am-4pm, Saturday 10 am-3 pm. Jewelry, clothes and shirts native to Tucson.

June’s Corner Store 10 E. Broadway, Suite 108, 622-8100. Monday-Friday 9am-4:30pm. A large selection of greeting cards and gifts.

Mahlia Collection 410 N. Toole Ave. Suite 1, 791-2185, Monday to Friday 9 to 5 p.m. Jewelry, furniture, couture, accessories.

Maynard’s Market 400 N. Toole St., 545-0577, Sunday through Thursday: 7am – 8pm,
Friday and Saturday: 7am – 10pm. Gourmet foods, specialty gift items (candles, tshirts, Vy & Elle bags, greeting cards), more.

Old Town Artisans Shops 201 N. Court Ave., 623-6024. September–May: Monday–Saturday 9:30am–5:30pm, Sunday 11am–5pm, June–August: Monday–Saturday 10am–4pm, Sunday 11am–4pm. Located in the El Presidio Historic District is the little city block of Old Town Artisans. Five shops: Dawn Stewart (jewerly/fine art), La Zia (native arts & crafts), Old Town Pot Shop (pottery, artwork, & more), The Outpost (fine art & handicrafts),Tolteca Tlacuilo (world imports).

Perri Jewelers 13 N. Stone Ave., 624-4311. Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm. Diamonds, watches, jewelry, guaranteed jewelry and watch repair.

Re-Threads 66 E. Pennington St., 884-5553. Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm, Saturday 10am-2pm. Recycled fashions.

Rockin’ Queen, Inc 45 S. 6th Ave, 461-1076. Monday to Friday, 10 am to 7 pm. Women’s high-quality clothing (100% bamboo, cotton & silk).

6th Ave. Stylez 41 S. 6th Ave., 409-7928, Monday to Friday, 11 am to 7 pm. Men’s and women’s casual clothing.

Studio 220/Got All Your Marbles 220 E. Congress, 628-1433. Thursday-Saturday 10:30am-2:30pm. Featuring our own interchangeable marble jewelry, as well as other fun, creative jewelry and art.

Tiendita Gift Shop at La Pilita Museum, 440 S. Main St., 882-7454. Tuesday to Saturday, 11 to 2 p.m. T-shirts, greeting cards, ceramic crafts by local artists, more.

drawing of La Pilita Museum by Nancy Lenches, 2004

Tucson Children’s Museum (Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s Gift Shop) 200 S. 6th Ave., 792-9985. Tuesday to Friday 9 to 5 pm, Saturday & Sunday 10am-5pm. Plush novelties, coloring books, toys for children.

The Museum Shop at the Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block 140 N. Main, 624-2333. Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm. Sunday noon-5pm. A splendid selection of works by Arizona’s most talented artists and craftspeople. One-of-a-kind handcrafted glass, pottery, textiles, jewelry, and multimedia artworks available in this lobby-level shop.

We keep waiting for Downtown redevelopment to occur, for Downtown Tucson to have another “hey day” for more shopping and gifts. But check out what’s there now, and let me know if I missed any favorite shops which you frequent.

“Irish import, musician, and singer Jamie O’Brien will be bringing you some beautiful, haunting Irish and Celtic songs, both old and new, influenced by his very own individual approach to the traditional, complete with a wee touch of the contemporary.” Saturday, March 13, 2010, between 3:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M, at Himmel Park branch library, 1035 N. Treat Ave., in the large meeting room.

Then the next day Sunday, March 14 “run with the Irish” downtown for the annual St. Patrick’s Day festival and parade. The fest is all day at Armory Park (220 S. 5th Avenue), 10 to 5 p.m. with the parade starting at 11 a.m.

Here are two good Tucson Irish American/St. Patrick’s Day websites:

http://www.tucsonstpatricksday.com/ for parade & festival info, along their theme of “Running with the Irish.”

http://tucsonirishcommunity.com/Events/st-patricks-day-parade-and-festival (lots of information about the happenings of the Irish Community in Tucson).

For updates contact John Flanagan at info@FlanagansCelticCorner.com, by phone at 520- 623-9922, or meet him in person at the only Celtic/Irish/Scottish/Welsh shop in town–
FLANAGAN’s Celtic Corner, 222 E Congress St, in downtown Tucson, across from the Ronstadt Transit Center. Hours are Wed – Fri: 11AM – 3 PM, Sat – Sun: 9 AM – 6 PM.

My husband and I honeymooned in Ireland, and I am good friends with several Irish Americans who always celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. And believe it or not, I bake Irish soda bread (recipe courtesy of my friend, the late Alice Creagh Brown, of Ridgefield, Connecticut).

Happy St. Patrick’s Day a wee bit early. And don’t forget to wear green (or you’ll get pinched)!