A year ago on May 8, 2010 a bunch of committed people kicked off the first 2nd Saturdays Downtown, and what a huge success that was. And almost every one since then has been fantastic.

The next huge urban street fest is set for next Saturday May 14 (on Congress Street, between the Fox Tucson Theatre and the Hotel Congress).

And here’s the list of the hard working Steering Committee members from their website:

Luke Cusack, Congress Street Clubs
Beth Dell, Beowulf Alley Theatre
Donovan Durband, Ward VI Office
John Flanagan, Flanagan’s Celtic Corner
Nicole Flowers, 47 Scott
Michael Keith, Downtown Tucson Partnership
Danielle Leines, Strongpoint PR
Jamie Manser, Zocalo Tucson Magazine
Fletcher McCusker, Providence Service Corp.
Erika O’Dowd, Cinema La Placita
David Olsen, Zocalo Tucson Magazine
Randy Petersen, KXCI
Julie Ray, Julie Ray Creative
Mia Schnaible, Screening Room
Monica Surfaro Spigelman, Tucson Cowgirl Communications
David Slutes, Hotel Congress

It has continued every 2nd Saturday since, except for January 8, 2011 for obvious reasons when most events were canceled due to the Tucson mass shooting. (And I think I’ve been to every one except perhaps for July, 2010).

Log onto to their website, www.2ndsaturdaysdowntown.com. The May 14 event schedule is online, plus photos of past 2nd Saturdays Downtown happenings.

Cinema La Placita will be showing the Walt Disney children’s film “Fantasia” on the large empty wall on Congress Street (between Scott Avenue and Stone Avenue).

And mark your calendars for the upcoming 2nd Saturdays Downtown in 2011:

June 11
July 9
August 13
September 10
October 8
November 12
December 10

Thank you to all the steering committee members for all the hard work to keep this popular urban street fest going for a whole year. And what a lot of fun it has been for 12 months!

And here’s the photo gallery of the May 8, 2010 very first successful 2nd Saturdays Downtown (click here.)

“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)!