Mercury Portal celebration at the newly opened Monterey Court, 505 W. Miracle Mile (one block west of Oracle Rd.). Website: www.montereycourtaz.com.

January 28 & 29 2012

Day: Sat and Sun 11am – 3pm $6

Night: Sat doors @ 5pm $16 (21+)

The festival celebration will feature contemporary performance & installation art, live music & DJs, variety & characters and with guest performers DJ Camilo Lara from the Mexican Institute of Sound (Mexico City) and West Village piano bar icon Jim Allen (New York City), entertainer extraordinaire from the legendary Marie’s Crisis playing day and happy-hour in the Mercury Portal Piano Bar.

INCLUDING:

Salvador Duran,
Marianne Dissard,
Parasol Project DJ Carl Hanni,
DJ Sökó Niño The Missing Parts,
Trima Muzicante,
Whiskey Breath Burlesque,
20,000 Strong Men Time Travelling Vaudevillians,
Circus and More….

Monterey Court Cafe will be offering a sampling of their much anticipated menu featuring such specialty items as Citrus Ceviche cups, Monterey Gumbo soup, marinated lamb skewers, Primavera Pasta and assorted hot and cold empanadas with full liquor, wine and Arizona micro-brewed beers. Tickets are Available at Bookman’s.

Monterey Court is a newly opened collective of artisan galleries and shops in a remodeled courtyard area of a former motel on Miracle Mile. Call 520-582-0514, info@montereycourtaz. The Venue launch announcement for the Mercury Portal festival says to DRESS TO IMPRESS: “retrofit your dress for a 1930s – 1960s Sonoran road-trip.

List of current galleries at Monterey Court:
The Quantum Gallery
Gone to Pieces
Latin Spirit Designs
Dragon’s Spark
Silver Streak Gallery
Hacienda Bellas Arts
Victorian West
Jonathan Fine Art
Small Miracles Craft Mall
Blue Dog Confectionery and Gallery
Velvet Rags

For more about the Monterey Court renovation & upcoming event, click here for KUAT Channel 6 interview on 1/25/12.

September 11 marked the fifth 2nd Saturdays Downtown on and around E. Congress Street, filled with revelers, street musicians, more and more art & craft vendors, delicious food, and shows at all three theaters– the Rialto, the Screening Room and the Fox. We caught a bit of flamenco at the Screening Room, then listened to a lively free concert by Anna Warr & Giant Blue Band (six musicians with trumpets and saxophones, guitar, keyboards, drums).

Photos below all courtesy of Ward 6 Council aide Donovan Durband.

7 Pipers bagpiping down Congress Street

Here’s a photo of one of the acrobatic performers with “The Fying Tortillas” aka Les Avenge at the Ronstadt Transit Center.

Lot of delicious food vendors selling a variety of cuisine are available each month.

Laos Student Club food vendor

These four human statues called the “7 Blahs” (Parasol Project) would stand perfectly still until someone gave them money, then they would shout out “blah, blah, blah” and dance. Very amusing for the kids.

Screening Room marquee (flamenco dancers inside)

The Missing Parts street musicians

Fox Theater crowd down the street

Anna Warr & Giant Blue Band performed inside the Fox Theater

large crowd in the Empty Lot on Congress

puppet vendor on Scott Avenue

Good night from three of the “7 Blahs”.

Next 2nd Saturdays Downtown slated for October 9.

Be there.

The inaugural 2nd Saturdays Downtown “Urban Street Fest” was held on Saturday, May 8, 2010, on Congress Street between the Hotel Congress & Church Avenue. I wrote a previous blog about most of the evening’s happenings (click here), and am now posting some great photos.

All photos taken by and courtesy of Donovan Dean Durband, Ward 6 Council aide:

2nd Saturdays Downtown sign & helpers

Sharon and Jamie at One North Fifth (Irish music)

Two human statues on Congress Street

street musician & human statues

The Missing Parts at Ronstadt Transit Center

The Modeens on the Scott Ave. stage

Get Right Rounders performing

the Fox Tucson Theatre marquee

Screening Room marquee lit up

a steak in the neighborhood restaurant

performers with Tucson Circus Arts

If you missed this first 2nd Saturdays Downtown, go downtown for the second one on Saturday June 12!