News Release: Tucson’s Birthday Ambassadors Orientation set for July 23

Contact: Linda Ray
info@tucsonsbirthday.org
520-327-7544

TUCSON’S BIRTHDAY AMBASSADORS SPREAD THE FUN
July 23 Orientation Set for Tucson’s Birthday Volunteers

Tucsonans who love their town and want to spread the
word about its month-long August birthday celebration are invited to
attend an orientation from 10 a.m. to noon, Saturday, July 23 for
Tucson’s Birthday Ambassadors.

The meeting, to be held at the Martha Cooper Branch Library, 1377
North Catalina Ave., will feature a 20-minute capsule history of
Tucson by historian Ken Scoville, donuts from the 75-year-old LeCave’s
Bakery and coffee from Ike’s.

Birthday Ambassadors attend their choice Tucson’s Birthday events to
help promote all the other events in the Birthday month. They’re
encouraged to text, Twitter, Facebook, FourSquare, Yelp, photograph,
videotape and blog about events they attend. They also serve as a
street team to promote events to their friends and neighbors, and to
encourage people to visit tucsonsbirthday.org for more information.
In 2010, more than 40 Ambassadors participated, some attending more
than 20 events.

Besides enthusiasm for learning more about our city’s history,
cultural diversity and natural wonders, Ambassadors require a cell
phone, an e-mail address, a computer and a comfortable relationship
with their technology. An additional training session is available on
blogging.

Reservations are required via e-mail to tucsonsbirthday@gmail.com.
Anyone interested in attending is urged to first familiarize
themselves with the information available on the Tucson’s Birthday
website at http://www.tucsonsbirthday.org.

Tucson’s month-long birthday celebration was conceived in 2006 by Cele
Peterson. The month celebrates the contributions of many cultures and
interests, as well as the environmental features and institutions that
have made Tucson a unique community. Tucson’s Birthday Planners is a
501(c)3 corporation, registered in the State of Arizona. Its Board
members are President and Executive Director Linda Ray, Chairman Hon.
Richard Elías, Secretary Dave Fisher and at-large members Hon. Regina
Romero, Ray Davies, Lance Laber, Tom Prezelski, Art Pesqueira and Pete
Hershberger.

Tucson’s birthday is coming up on August 20, but events are held throughout Tucson during the entire month of August. Log onto that website to find out what’s happening every day. I attended several fun events last summer and blogged about them as well.

Wonderful multi-cultural, religious, birthday celebration at St. Augustine’s Cathedral downtown (192 S. Stone) last night, despite some monsoon rains. Photos courtesy of Tucson’s Birthday photographer Jon Scanlon.

Halau Hula O Ualani, The Maguire Academy of Irish Dance, Ballet Folklorico Tapatio, Los Changuitos Feos performed. And St. Augustine birthday cakes were enjoyed by all at the end of the fiesta.

St. Augustine cathedral & fiesta banner

people enjoying the fiesta

hula dancer performing on stage from Halau Hula O Ualani

more hula dancers performing

Maguire Irish dancers performing

lovely dancer from Maguire Academy of Irish Dance

Ballet Folklorico Tapatio performers

Ballet Folklorico Tapatio on the new beautiful flower stage

Bishop Gerald Kicanas at the Mass inside the Cathedral

St. Augustine's statue

Los Changuitos Feos leading the procession after Mass

Los Changuitos Feos in the Cathedral

Happy Birthday St. Augustine cake

Feliz Cumpleanos San Agustin cake

More photos online at Tucson’s Birthday website, www.tucsonsbirthday.org.

I like multi-cultural shows having grown up in multi-cultural Hawaii. Here’s your chance to enjoy one tonight Aug 28, (from Tucson’s Birthday website):

La Fiesta de San Agustin
Time: 4pm – 9:30pm
Admission: Free To The Public
Location: St. Augustine Cathedral – Placita
Address: 192 S. Stone (downtown, south of Broadway)
Phone: 623-6351 (work)
Contact Name: John @ 404-9974 and Leilana @ 294-9812
Email: johnj4698@gmail.com

“Arts and crafts, food booths, native American dancers, Las Donas de Los Descendientes– Diverse cultural entertainment, including the Menehune Hawaiian Dancers (Halau Hula O Ualani), the Maguire Academy of Irish Dance, Los Chanquitos Feos, and Ballet Folklorico Tapatio.

As is tradition, the fiesta will also have a mass at 5:30 p.m. with Bishop Gerald Kicanas and a procession with a statue of St. Augustine. The bishop and representatives of a variety of cultures will walk to the music played by Los Changuitos Feos.

The procession will go around the block and end in the placita adjacent to the cathedral, where the bishop and a Yaqui medicine man will give a blessing before the rest of the party goes underway.”

Where else can you a hula show, mariachi performers, Mexican folklorico dancers, Irish dancers and a Yaqui medicine man all at the same event? Enjoy Tucson’s diverse cultures and celebrate Tucson’s 235th Birthday.

St. Augustine cathedral

UPDATE: Photos by Jon Scanlon of this fiesta, click here.