Feliz cumpleaños, Tucson. Happy 234th birthday today.

I wrote a previous blog on August 11 about some of the events happening today in the Old Pueblo. Start off with the 8 a.m. flag ceremony at the Presidio de San Agustin downtown on the SW corner of Church Avenue and Washington St., and perhaps end up for more free cake at the Hotel Congress tonight at 5 p.m.

For the children, head out to Reid Park Zoo today for a free day with the animals.

For everyone, the dedication of the 4th Avenue Underpass starts at 4 p.m.,with free trolley rides later from UA Main Gate, along 4th Avenue into downtown.

“This is a party you won’t want to miss. Tucson is invited to share in the excitement of this revitalization project. When: Aug. 20, 4 p.m. to 11p.m. Where: In the Fourth Avenue Underpass, along Fourth Avenue and throughout Downtown. Details: The celebration kicks off at 4 p.m. with a ribbon cutting ceremony featuring Tucson Mayor Bob Walkup, City Council members, city leaders and other dignitaries.”

“Special plans include officially opening the underpass by having the Old Pueblo trolley burst through the ribbon, an Antique and Hot Rod Car Show (Tucson Street Rod Association). The underpass will be closed during the official ceremony, but will be opened to pedestrian, vehicular and trolley traffic once those activities wrap up. The trolley will be running all evening, offering rides from UA’s Main Gate, along Fourth Avenue and into Downtown.”

“The fun continues through the night with live music at several venues, activities in Downtown and on Fourth Avenue and merchant specials on both sides of the underpass. It’s the perfect time to visit your favorite businesses and venues! A special Thank you to Sundt Construction Company who is on schedule and doing a beautiful job. We are all looking forward to the Old Pueble Trolley route extension to downtown.”

Read about the 4th Avenue underpass opening in previous Tucson Citizen blogs by “Artistic Tucson” and “Tucson Metromix”.

For more events and information on what’s happening today log onto www.tucsonsbirthday.org for details.

Be there to celebrate Tucson’s diverse community and its 234th birthday.

August 20, 2009 marks Tucson’s 234th birthday. Someone asked me how that could be being as Arizona only became a state in 1912.

Here’s the history: On August 20, 1775 Captain Hugo O’Conor, an Irishman in the Spanish army selected the site for the Presidio San Agustin del Tucson in what is now downtown Tucson. This was the beginning of the historic presidio here and thus the beginning of the city of Tucson. Incidentally I hear there’s a statue of O’Conor at the Manning House downtown.

So now in celebration of that momentous day the Tucson community is celebrating all month. Log onto www.tucsonsbirthday.org for a calendar of ongoing events, leading up to the birthday on August 20, where several sites will be giving out FREE cake and other goodies.

Probably the most popular event (which I have attended in the past) is the Birthday Flag Ceremony– information copied from the website below:

Time: 8:00a.m.- 10:00a.m.
Admission: Free
Contact Name: Kathleen Nabours
Email: knabours@theriver.com
Location: Presidio San Agustin de Tucson Courtyard
Address: SW Corner of Church Ave. and Washington St. Tucson, AZ 85701
Phone: 577-6261

“The five flags that have flown over Tucson – American, Spanish, Mexican, Confederate, and the State of Arizona – will be presented in a ceremony to celebrate Tucson’s 234th birthday. The Tohono O’odham Nation and Pascua Yaqui Tribe flags will also be presented, as will a replica of the 28-star American flag that was brought by the Mormon Battalion and flown over Tucson on December 16, 1846.

The ceremony will include an invocation, signing of a proclamation by distinguished guests, the honor guard presentation, and music and dance. The flags will then be retired to close the ceremony.

Those attending the ceremony are encouraged to dress in period costumes and sample a piece of the Tucson birthday cake.

The annual flag raising celebrating Tucson’s birthday was begun by Tucson-Pima County Historical Commission in 1975. The Presidio San Agustín del Tucson location is the interpretive center on the site of Tucson’s original adobe-walled presidio.”

But there will be also be free cake on August 20 at the Haunted (antique) Mall on 22nd Street and the Hotel Congress, as well as free milkshakes at Chick-Fil-A restaurant at El Con, and free cookies at the Doubletree Hotel. All details are on the website including a free day at the Reid Park Zoo!

Wow, what a celebration. Happy upcoming 234th Birthday, Tucson.