Things go BUMP in the night. When things BUMP In Tucson, it’s for a good cause.

The Tucson Zombie walk, now in its Seventh un-dead year, will again bring forth its un-living legions to raise Funds and Food for the Tucson Community Food Bank!

Rejoice: It is the time of year when a young man’s thoughts turn to the simple pleasures in life: rising from the dead, cannibalism, and widespread destruction!

The Mayan Calendar has said it’s “Game Over!”

What better way to celebrate THE END of Everything than with a
ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!!!!

Date: Saturday, October 13, 2012
Time: Event opens at 6:00pm for Costume Contest Registration.
Audience: All ages. Costumes are encouraged. (We are not responsible for any future therapy needed by small children.)
Start Location: MLK Building Parking Lot, 55 North 5th Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85701
End Location: 2nd Saturday Downtown Stage (Scott Avenue North of Broadway)
Event Cost: FREE!!!! Costume Contest Entry: $5 or 5 canned goods.
What to Bring: Canned food and cash to donate to the Community Food Bank!
Sponsors: Bookman’s Entertainment Exchange &The Mission Creeps.

Full list of activities, 6pm-9pm (Subject to change-Times are Approximate):
• 6pm Costume Contest On-Site Registration Starts. See www.tucsonzombies.com for rules and pre-registration.
• 6:30pm Zombie Walk Variety Show/ Dance Party Starts. (Got an Act? Send Email to tucsonzombies@gmail.com to get on our Variety Show Roster)
• 7pm Costume contest registration ends. Judging begins.
• 8pm Costume Contest Finalists Announced.
• 8:30pm Walk Starts with Costume Contest winner as Grand Marshall
• 9:30pm Walk Ends at 2nd Saturday Stage at Scott and Broadway.
FREE Concert by The Mission Creeps begins at the end.

Info on 2nd Saturday Downtown, www.2ndsaturdaysdowntown.com.

Sounds like another creepy, undead event in the heart of downtown Tucson. If you missed last year’s walk (it’s actually more like a shuffle & stumble as these creatures don’t walk well), click here to view my very own photo gallery posted on Halloween. And don’t forget that can of food — not for them of course (they don’t eat food) — but for the living at the Community Food Bank.

Be scared. Be there.

Jamie O’Brien was playing his uplifting Irish music at One North Fifth (with Sharon Goldwasser on violin & mandolin), then I rambled over to the lovely Fox Tucson Theatre to hear the renowned Portland Cello Project (five cello musicians) on stage with a drummer. They played a haunting “Godfather Theme” in the first hour and even a rousing singalong “Hey ya”, followed by several lively songs with Weinland (a vocal guitarist).

Then I ran into fellow TC.com blogger Charles Spillar (“Artistic Tucson”) and we set off to explore two fabulous L.A. themed bars– Sapphire Lounge (rooftop bar, with several floors of ultra elegant dance/lounge areas) at 61 E. Congress, then Zen Rock, an equally elegant dance/lounge with a basement at 121 E. Congress. Wow, neither of us could believe these two high scale bars existed on Congress Street.

Then we checked out “Catacoustic Groove” a men’s cappella rock/soul/R & B group of six fellows including Dr. Bruce Bayly, an old friend of mine. They were drawing a large crowd at the Ronstadt Transit Center.

Also happening: a rock sound stage on Scott Avenue with The Modeens, The Mission Creeps, and Greyhound Soul, and nearby the Tucson Circus Arts with people on stilts, who teach juggling, clowning & taiko drumming. A local pie maker (Big Skye) sold me a delicious strawberry/rhubard pie. It seems street musicians were everywhere, along with mimes/human statues with grey faces & costumes, and a good mix of food and craft vendors. Most of the restaurants on E. Congress were open and doing good business as well. Stefan George was performing over at the Hotel Congress for free.

Cinema La Placita showed Beatles’ movies on a large screen projected on the wall of the large empty lot on E. Congress between Scott and Stone, and Ultimate Electronics encouraged youth to participate in karaoke/musical instrument participatory singalongs, also Beatles’ music. I loved hearing “I Want to Hold Your Hand” again. Cinema La Placita organizer Erika O’Dowd was passing out flyers for their upcoming Beatles movie on May 13, “A Hard Day’s Night.”

Need I say more? It was a fantastic “Urban Street Fest.” Kudos to former TC.com blogger Donovan Durband and his new boss Ward 6 Councilmember Steve Kozachik who apparently had a big hand in pulling this event together. Both men were present as well, enjoying themselves.

And as Everett, the guy with a humorous “Free advice for 5 cents” stand on the corner of Congress/6th Avenue said “my advice is to come back” for another 2nd Saturday. I recommend we all take his advice.

The second 2nd Saturdays Downtown is slated for June 12. Don’t miss it.

5/9/10 UPDATE: Photo gallery of shots taken by Donovan click here.

Saturday, May 8, at 7 – 10pm

This free concert will be at the lovely Fox Tucson Theatre, 17 W. Congress Street. Info from their website:

“From The Rialto Theatre and Hotel Congress on the east end to The Fox Theatre on the west, downtown Tucson will come alive in a series of free-to-the-public, arts, entertainment, shopping and dining happenings called 2nd Saturdays Downtown, set to kick off Saturday, May 8, 2010 and every second Saturday of the month thereafter.

Kicking off the 2nd Saturdays series in grand style is a world-class free concert by the Portland Cello Project (www.portlandcelloproject.com) at the Fox Theatre. This indefinable ensemble transcends your typical conceptions of what a string group can do, playing everything from inspired original compositions, to obscure 19th -century folk songs to straight-ahead rock n’ roll. As a special treat, Tucson-based singer-songwriter Howe Gelb will join the ensemble as they combine symphonic stylings with one of Tucson’s most renowned musical collectives.

Portland Cello Project, photo by Tarina Westlund

Thanks to Tucson’s Providence Service Corporation (NASDAQ: PRSC) for helping to underwrite this show.”

And thanks to Ian Fritz (co-organizer of the Eat More Pie! Contest) who alerted me about this concert, as his sister Anna (pictured above) plays in this Portland Cello Project.

2nd Saturdays Downtown (www.2ndsaturdaysdowntown.com) monthly events will be from 5 to 10 p.m., with the next ones scheduled for June 12, July 10, and August 14. Check out their website for more activities, for this ongoing “Urban Street Fest”.

This inaugural Saturday event will also feature an outdoor stage on Scott Avenue between Congress St. and Broadway Blvd., to include music by The Modeens (6 to 7 p.m.), The Mission Creeps (7:15 to 8:30 p.m.), and Greyhound Soul (8:45 to 10 p.m.). Sounds like Downtown Saturday Night has finally returned, on a monthly basis.

Another reason to go on down to downtown!