Join thousands of other Tucsonans on December 11, 2010 for the monthly 2nd Saturdays Downtown for: Special Holiday Activities!

–Santa Claus at the Downtown North Pole (120 E. Congress)
–Holiday Window Decorations Contest
–”How the Grinch Stole Christmas” Screening
–Horrible Holiday Sweater Contest (45 S. 6th Ave.,at Rockin’ Queen)
–Wintery-Weather Event
–Free Concert by Five Way Street at the Fox Tucson Theatre

I’m one of the lucky people on Earth who has NEVER received a horrible holiday sweater or sweatshirt. What a relief, so I don’t have any chance of entering this contest, unless one of my loyal readers wants to donate just one of their horrible sweaters to me, by leaving it at the Tucson Newspapers Inc. front desk. (Hint: my size is medium).*

Five Way Street will be performing a musical tribute to Crosby, Stills and Nash at the Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress St., 7 to 9 p.m.

On Scott Avenue stage:
5pm-6pm: Lunar Light Collectors
6:45pm-8pm: Jazz Telephone
7:45pm-9pm: Kristen Chandler

Along Congress Street

5pm-9pm: Critical Stilts
5pm-9pm: Living Statues presented by Parasol Project
5:30pm-7:30pm: Odyssey Story Arts Cart

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Along 6th Ave.

4pm-9pm: Old Pueblo Vintage Fire Brigade’s Vintage Fire Trucks

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Ronstadt Transit Center @ 6th Ave. & Congress St.

4pm-5pm: The Dusty Buskers
5pm-5:30pm: House of Dance
5:30pm-7pm: Les Avenge
6:30pm-8:30pm: Magician John Coppin
7pm-8pm: The Dusty Buskers
8pm-9pm: Technophobes

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

West Wall: Cinema La Placita – “How The Grinch Stole Christmas”
East Wall: Wintery-weather event, Zero Gravity Jumping, Art activities & more

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MEB Management/North Pole 120 E. Congress St.

5:30pm-8:30pm: Santa & Elves

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Old Pueblo Garage, 27 E. Congress St.

5pm-7pm: Mitzi Cowell & Rebecca Horton

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NW Corner Congress St./Stone Ave.

5pm-7pm: 4th Street String Band

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SW Corner Congress St./Stone Ave.

7pm-10pm: Les Avenge
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Chicago Store, 130 E. Congress St.

5pm-9pm: Toby Chivers

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* Side note: Noticed an ad in Zocalo magazine (December issue, page 33) that the Tucson Thrift Shop has tons of recycled Christmas sweaters (“for your Ugly Christmas Sweater Parties”). They are at 319 N. 4th Avenue, phone 520-623-8736. Check them out today or tomorrow during the 4th Avenue Winter Street Fair. You’ll have plenty of time to acquire one before the Saturday night horrible holiday sweater contest.

Entertainment Schedule for 2nd Saturdays Downtown, www.http://www.2ndsaturdaysdowntown.com/ on Saturday, November 13, 2010 (mostly between Hotel Congress and the Fox Theater on Congress Street). Parking is on the street or in the Pennington Street Garage.

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.

13 year old Toby Chivers (rock guitarist) will be the opening performer at the historic Fox Tucson Theatre, before Latin jazz musical group “Descarga”, on Saturday October 9 for the monthly 2nd Saturdays Downtown urban street fest. Concert is free, from 7 to 9 p.m., 17 W. Congress Street. Chivers plays with a teen band called “Deceptively Innocent.”

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.