Flor de Muertos

One showing only! Thursday, Oct 25th 2012 at 7:30pm
Loft Theater, 3233 E. Speedway

General Admission: $8 • Loft Members: $6

Get ready for this year’s All Souls Procession with a special screening of the Tucson-made documentary Flor de Muertos, starring Calexico!

Flor de Muertos (Flower of the Dead) examines the cross-cultural collisions regarding death along the US and Mexico border, commencing with the Mexican celebration of the Dia de los Muertos and ending with the All Souls Procession when 20,000 locals turn out in skull face to rattle through the streets of downtown Tucson, Arizona, to remember, honor, and dance with the dead.

Flor de Muertos – the Aztec Marigold, ‘Cempasuchil’- the scent of marigolds forms a path the souls of the dead can follow back to the living on the annual Day of the Dead. Part documentary, part concert film, Flor de Muertos features acclaimed Americana/alternative band Calexico, playing a concert in Tucson’s historic Rialto Theater to their hometown audience.

Desert rat journalist Charles Bowden, who has roamed the borderlands in search of an elusive truth for decades, author Margaret Regan, artist Salvador Duran and others comment on the insanity of American immigration policies.

Locally made film about our very own All Souls Procession (in which my husband and I have walked, with calaveras/skulls on our heads in the past). I recognized all the names mentioned above who will be in this documentary. Enjoy Tucson and get ready for All Souls on November 4th.

A day before the 10th anniversary of 9/11/11 is this month’s 2nd Saturday Downtown, Tucson’s large urban street fest downtown on E. Congress Street. September is Hispanic Heritage Month so 2nd Saturdays will be featuring Teodoro “Ted” Ramirez, A Son y Sol, and then Suerte on the Scott Avenue Stage, starting at 6:30 p.m. And Latin jazz Descarga performs (for free!) over at the Fox Tucson Theatre at 7 p.m.

A Son y Sol, courtesy of Chris Zukowski and 2nd Saturdays Downtown

This urban event started off on May 8, 2010 and has been continuing every 2nd Saturday since then (despite some inclement weather and despite the tragic shooting on January 8, 2011). And lots of us have been regularly attending, enjoying the street vendors or restaurant food, the lively music at the Rialto, Fox, or Scott Avenue Stage, the wandering minstrels, the arts & crafts, car shows, free movies by Cinema La Placita, etc. etc. The movie this Saturday is the 2006 animated “Cars”, featuring voices of Owen Wilson, Paul Newman and Bonnie Hunt.

movie poster

Each month I encourage our readers to check it out downtown…and enjoy this family friendly monthly fest.

For the event schedule, log onto www.2ndsaturdaysdowntown.com.

And what a birthday celebration it was yesterday (August 20)! Tucson’s Birthday photographer Jon Scanlon took the shots below of people celebrating all day: starting off with the downtown flag ceremony at Presidio San Agustin de Tucson, then at the “Birthday Express” locomotive 1673 at Tucson’s Historic Train depot, lovely art for sale at Old Town Artisans, creative quilts on display at Martha Cooper Branch Library, followed by a birthday cake by Nadine’s Bakery at the Hotel Congress, as well as live music at the Rialto Theater. My husband and I ate that cake & enjoyed it a lot, along with lots of other people. “Happy Birthday Tucson!” was heard throughout the day.

For lots more photos of yesterday’s birthday activities click here. There’s Flickr photos of most of the past events as well.

And it’s not over yet. For more events for Tucson’s Birthday month of August, log onto www.tucsonsbirthday.org.