Ruben Reyes' "Pancho Goes to College" was filmed in Tucson.

Our picks for the top entertainment events of the week

‘Pancho Goes to College’ screens here again

For those who haven’t seen Ruben Reyes’ award-winning film, “Pancho Goes to College,” here’s another opportunity – and it’s free. Cine Rasquacho Internacional y Casa Maria will screen the movie, which has drawn comparisons to Spike Lee’s “School Daze,” under the stars at the soup kitchen. Director Reyes and many of the actors will be present, including Regina Romero and Pancho del Rancho. A Rasquacho-style reception will feature free hot dogs, popcorn with lemon and cold lemonade. When: 7 p.m. Friday Where: Casa Maria/Guadalupe Free kitchen, 410 E. 26th St. Price: free Info: 624-0312

Films by UA students showcased at TCC

A teen genre musical, a meditation on Jewish identity, a fantasy epic about a fiddler turned dragonslayer and a comedic series of commercial spots are all on the movie menu as University of Arizona film students premiere their works, Students graduating from the UA School of Media Arts bachelor of fine arts program will screen their senior thesis films at the annual “I Dream in Widescreen.” The students wrote, directed and crewed their own films. A Q&A session with the filmmakers follows the presentation. When: Doors open at 6 p.m. Friday, with the screenings beginning at 7. Where: Tucson Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave. Price: free Info: 626-1405 www.uanews.org

Arts in the Zoo features concert, exhibit, wine

Music can sometimes tame beasts – and we’re not talking about the four-legged variety. Human animals will be treated to a soothing concert of classical music as the Reid Park Zoo hosts an evening under the stars with the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy a wine reception and private art exhibition by local artists, including nature photographer John Chapman and world-renowned artist Diana Madaras. When: Gates open at 6 p.m. Saturday, with the concert from 7-9:30 Where: Reid Park Zoo, 1030 S. Randolph Way Price: $20 adults, free for children 1 and younger Info: 791-3204, www.tucsonzoo.org

Head to Swan Park on Saturday evening to celebrate its new playground and to watch “Madagascar 2″ on a three-story-high inflatable screen.

Cox Communications is hosting the free movie from 6-8 p.m. at the park, 1700 S. Swan Road. The 5.53-acre park also has barbecue grills and picnic sites.

Mariachi Tesoro de Tucson is among the three groups performing Monday.

Our picks for the top entertainment events of the week

Gaslight Theatre hosts Mariachi Extravaganza

The sounds of youth will be showcased during The Gaslight Theatre’s Mariachi Extravaganza Concert. Scheduled to perform are youth groups Mariachi Sonido de Mexico, Mariachi Cielo de Mexico and special guest Mariachi Tesoro de Tucson. Members’ ages range from teen to college. When: 7 p.m. Monday Where: 7010 E. Broadway Price: $18 adults, $14 children 12 and younger Info: For reservations, call 886-9428.

‘Rita of the Sky’ returns to the big screen

The multiple-award winning “Rita of the Sky” at the recent Arizona International Film Festival will play again this weekend. At the festival the film won Best Feature Documentary and Best of Arizona awards, playing twice to sold-out houses. This documentary by Tucson filmmaker Kathryn Ferguson details the tragic story of a Tarahumara woman from the wilderness Copper Canyon area of Mexico who followed an old cattle drive trail from her home to the middle of Kansas, where she was arrested and wrongly institutionalized for 10 years. Ferguson will attend all screenings and answer questions afterward. When: 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday Where: the Screening Room, 127 E. Congress St. Price: $8 Info: 882-0204.

Boys Chorus Pops Concert on Saturday at TCC

The Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus’ annual Pops Concert will include all of its groups in a “show of lighter music.” Sing and Swing will be the theme of a segment of the program featuring a salute to the big band swing era. In addition, the choristers will perform their signature Western songs and trick rodeo roping. When: 3 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday Where: Tucson Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave. Price: $15 and $18, with tickets available at all TCC and Ticketmaster outlets and the Boys Chorus office, 5770 E. Pima St. Info: 296-6277

A young inspired author, Dylan Blankenship of Desert Willow Elementary, wrote a story about "My Friend the Magic Box."

If doughnuts and Pop-Tarts had a smackdown, who would win? How about pizza and spaghetti?

Stories that Soar, a local theater program featuring snippets of plays written by schoolkids, will answer those questions when it offers two performances at the University of Arizona on May 9 showcasing the best of its work this school year.

“When adults write about kids, it’s very different from when kids write themselves. It’s very entertaining for everyone, and it offers a great glimpse into the world of kids,” said Sharon O’Brien, artistic director for Stories that Soar.

The stories are collected over a period of several weeks at elementary and intermediate schools, then developed into plays with live actors, music and sound effects. The actors then return to the schools for assemblies featuring the submitted plays. The group has performed in 10 local schools and three in Phoenix this year.

Actors come from a variety of backgrounds and range in age from 19 to 50, O’Brien said.

Darby Blaker, who graduated in December with a UA bachelor’s degree in speech and hearing sciences, joined the group at the suggestion of a friend. She was quickly hooked, she said.

The plays are a great way to bring out kids’ feelings and thoughts, which are basically the same feelings and thoughts adults have, Blaker said.

“I think it’s every kid’s dream to see something they created brought to life,” she said.

The UA performances will offer two or three stories from each of the schools the group worked with this past year, O’Brien said.

Topics range from the serious – war and immigration – to the whimsical – a fight between spaghetti and pizza.

A reception with balloons, face painting, raffles and a silent auction to benefit Stories that Soar begins an hour before showtime.

Stories that Soar has been active for eight years. The group has a stable of about 20 actors, though only about 10 will be in the UA shows.

The food fights became part of the program after several kids submitted plays based on fights between their favorite foods, O’Brien said.

“It’s a three-round favorite food smackdown. Doughnuts and Pop-Tarts decide to be friends; it’s too hard to fight,” she said.

To find out the winner in the pizza-spaghetti matchup, head to UA on May 9.

Timothy Jones of Soleng Tom Elementary wrote about a mail carrier who gets lost in space.

———

IF YOU GO

What: “Best of Stories that Soar!”

When: 2 and 7 p.m. May 9

Where: University of Arizona Marroney Theatre, 1025 N. Olive Road.

Price: $8 for adults, $5 for kids ages 12 and younger. Available at Mrs. Tiggywinkle’s Toys, 4811 E. Grant Road; Antigone Books, 411 N. Fourth Ave. or at the door May 9.

Info: 975-9970, www.storiesthatsoar.org

Hundreds of Harley-Davidson motorcycles will roar through downtown and throughout southern Arizona on Thursday, Friday and Saturday as the 2009 Arizona State H.O.G. Rally makes its third annual visit.

Harleys will congregate inside and outside the Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave., and riders will head out of town to explore the region in all directions, rally coordinator Nick Feldaverd said.

Most of the rally events are for H.O.G. members only, but the public is welcome to check out the bike show from 8 to 11 a.m. Saturday in the TCC parking lot and check out the vendors at La Placita Village, 110 S. Church Ave.

There will also be a motorcycle parade through downtown at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Harley Owners Group in Arizona used to hold its annual rallies in Williams, but moved the event to Tucson in 2007.

“There are some tremendous riding areas in southern Arizona that many people don’t know about,” Feldaverd said. “One of the biggest things we enjoy is having our bike games inside (at the TCC).”

Feldaverd said 500 riders have pre-registered, but he thinks total participation will fall short of the 1,500-plus that took part the prior two years.

“I would say 1,500 is really high this year because it is really tough for everyone,” Feldaverd said of the economy.

The rally is offering guided and self-guided rides up Mount Lemmon and Kitt Peak, north to Biosphere 2 and south to Sonoita, Tombstone and the Titan Missile Museum and to other locales.

The rides fill Thursday and Friday, and Saturday events move to the TCC for the morning bike show and the afternoon bike games.

Hold on to your broom sticks and trash can lids, because STOMP members just might try to swipe them from you.

Our picks for the top entertainment events of the week

Bring in da noise, bring in da STOMP – again

The creative eight-member troupe uses everything but conventional percussion instruments – matchboxes, wooden poles, brooms, garbage cans, Zippo lighters, hubcaps – to fill the stage with varied rhythms. When: 8 p.m. Friday, 5 and 9 p.m. Saturday, and 3 and 7 p.m. Sunday. Where: Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd. Price: $28-$51 Info: 621-3341, www.uapresents.org

‘Hick-Spanic’ comic Reymundo at Laffs

Born in Acapulco, Mexico, and partially raised in Kentucky, self-proclaimed “Hick-Spanic” Alex Reymundo has plenty of material to glean from his upbringing. He’s been featured on the Showtime and Comedy Central special “The Original Latin Kings of Comedy,” along with the likes of George Lopez and Paul Rodriguez. He also received an ALMA Award for “Outstanding Comedy Special” last year. This is a Laffs’ special appearance, one show on Cinco de Mayo. When: 7 p.m. Tuesday Where: Laffs Comedy Club, 2900 E. Broadway Price: $15 Info: www.laffstucson.com/

‘Amancio’ tells of gay man’s murder in Yuma

As a young boy, Amancio Corrales emigrated from Mexico to Yuma with his parents in search of a better life. The gay Amancio dreamed of one day being a performer in Las Vegas, but the 23-year-old’s dream was cut short on May 6, 2005, when his body was found floating in the Colorado River near Yuma. He had been brutally beaten and stabbed. For the first time, the story of activist Michael Baughman’s journey to seek justice on behalf of Amancio’s family is revealed in the documentary, “Amancio.” Baughman and Corrales’ family will attend the screening. When: 7:30 p.m. May 7 Where: The Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. Price: $10 Info: 322-5638, www.loftcinema.com

Harvest, in Oro Valley, features organic and locally sourced food.

The 2009 Art in Oro Valley Competition & Exhibition runs through April 30 at Ventana Medical Systems, 1910 E. Innovation Park Drive, with viewing hours from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.

The exhibit features work from more than 80 local artists in three competition themes: Water, Oro Valley and High School Open Subject. If you hurry, you can still check out the exhibit with your favorite starving-artist friend, then treat her/him to a big meal at one of these five nearby eateries. Or just skip the exhibit and go straight for the food.

ANGELINA’S RISTORANTE

12152 N. Rancho Vistoso Blvd., Suite 170, 742-9595, 11 a.m.-midnight Sundays -Thursdays, 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Fridays-Saturdays (late night menu after 10 p.m.)

Features a nice variety of 27 upscale tapas and award-winning artisan pizza.

CIBARIA CUCINA ITALIANA

12985 N. Oracle Road, 825-2900, 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and 4:30-9 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays

Try the Polenta Capponata, sautéed Italian sausage, eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, red onions and mushrooms in a marinara sauce served over creamy polenta.

DRAGON VILLAGE RESTAURANT

12152 N. Rancho Vistoso Blvd., Suite 180, 229-0388, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, noon-9 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays

Specialties to try include Westlake Shrimp & Beef Soup, Bacon Shrimp Roll and House Lettuce Cups, with shrimp, chicken, beef, onions and peppers in a spicy sauce.

HARVEST RESTAURANT

10355 N. La Cañada Drive, 731-1000, 3-9 p.m. Mondays-Thursday, 3-10 p.m. Fridays, 11:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturdays, 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Sundays

Handmade Gnocchi is a great way to start the meal at this newbie, which emphasizes organic and locally sourced food

SPICE BISTRO

10325 N. La Cañada Drive, 297-3777, 5-9 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays

Linguine Allo Scoglio features a generous collection of well-prepared shrimp, scallops, mussels and clams, and the calamari starter is excellent.

Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad combine comedy, music and burlesque.

Our picks for the top entertainment events of the week

Nonkosher show: Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad

Oy vey, your Jewish grandmother might say. These “nice Jewish girls” offer up a little bit of everything, from a surf version of “Hava Nagila” (with help from backing band The Four Skins) to a striptease (while dressed as Hasidic Jewish men). When: 8 p.m. Friday Where: Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. Price: $12 advance, $15 at the door Info: 622-8848, www.hotelcongress.com

The Great American Songbook Sing-along

Concert pianist and actor Hershey Felder, whose one-man/one-piano show “Beethoven, As I Knew A Him” runs through the weekend, will hang around to lead his audience in several nights of joyfully singing Broadway’s greatest hits. Requests from the audience will be encouraged, as well. When: 2 and 7:30 p.m. April 30; 7:30 p.m. May 1; 2 and 8 p.m. May 2; and 2 p.m. May 3 Where: Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott Ave. Price: $31-$54 Info: 622-2823, aztheatreco.org

It’s no gamble: See Charo’s casino act

OK, admit it – you’re curious about this show. What will the Spanish sexpot do? Her stand-up act? A concert of flamenco guitar (which we hear she’s quite accomplished at)? Both? Whatever the “cuchi-cuchi” diva does, we’re sure it’ll be entertaining. When: 7 p.m. April 30 Where: Desert Diamond Casino, Interstate 19 and Pima Mine Road Price: $10-$20 Info: 294-7777, www.desertdiamondcasino.com

A new online arts directory started Monday at showup.com gives Tucson its first comprehensive Internet listings controlled by the arts community.

For people looking for a show, showup.com lists what’s going on in theaters, music venues, museums and art galleries around town, and people can buy tickets at the site.

One click can take shoppers to a specific organization’s ticket site for regular tickers or to showup.com‘s Ticket Marketplace.

“We make the decision of what tickets go up there (at the marketplace),” said Kevin Moore, managing director at Arizona Theatre Co.

The marketplace mostly carries last-day tickets that were not sold or tickets that were returned. They typically are discounted, said Matt Lehrman, executive director of Alliance for Audience, which started showup.com in Phoenix in 2004 and added a dedicated section for Tucson.

Ticket Marketplace has attracted theater newcomers as well as theater veterans expanding their entertainment options, Lehrman said.

People from dozens of arts organizations showed up for the site launch event at the Tucson Museum of Art, playing right into Lehrman’s selling point that showup.com in Phoenix led to arts organizations getting to know each other and collaborating more to build audiences – the key objective for the arts community, Lehrman said.

Arts and cultural organizations can e-mail listings and promotional art to events@showup.com to have them posted at the site.

The Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau provided $50,000 to begin and operate the Web site for its first year. The bureau collaborated with the Tucson Pima Arts Council, which listed an online directory as the first priority for the Pima Cultural Plan.

Comedian Ron White will perform to a sold-out house at Desert Diamond Casino on Friday.

It’s hard to complain about a job where you can smoke cigars and drink scotch on the clock. Then again, most people don’t punch in to work after 9 p.m. and consider a successful day one where they’ve offended, shocked and maybe, if they’re lucky, entertained their clientele.

Welcome to the world of Ron “Tater Salad” White. The comedian who made his name as part of the “Blue Collar” comedy tour that included such fellow stars as Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and Larry the Cable Guy, set himself apart from the more schticky country personas of his former tour mates by doing one simple thing: just being himself and telling rambling stories of his often booze-fueled adventures.

“I don’t really understand how I do that exactly either,” White says of his ability to take his life experiences and turn them into (somewhat) true, hilarious short stories that he likens to a profane play rather than old school joke telling. “That’s what I’ve always been able to do.” Even as a kid, White says, he was the kind of person who could see a car wreck and spin a yarn about it that would make people laugh.

“Everyone is born with some weird ability, and that’s what I was born with,” says White, who performs Friday to a sold-out crowd at Tucson’s Desert Diamond Casino. “I guess that makes me a one-trick pony. For a long time, I thought I was a no-trick pony, and I didn’t know what I was going to do with my life.”

While Foxworthy kept it clean and silly, and Larry’s country bumpkin image is a total put-on (sorry to burst your bubble, but the Cable Guy doesn’t sound like that in real life), White stuck to his bread and butter: f-bomb-filled observations told in a folksy drawl that might have made Mark Twain blush a bit.

Born in Fritch, Texas, the former bull rider signed up for the Navy at 17 and was honorably discharged two years later for a “medical condition” that included a drug habit that landed him on probation later in life. Once he got clean, White became a counselor with the drug abuse program, but he never quite gave up his vices.

Last year, White was busted for possession of a small amount of marijuana in Florida in what he has claimed was part of an extortion plot by a former employee. But rather than apologize for the indiscretion that netted him one of those classic disheveled celebrity mug shots, White says he’s turned the sour incident into comedic lemonade.

“I’ve been doing comedy for 23 years, and I don’t really do topical comedy because that’s tricky, and guys like (Jay) Leno or (David) Letterman have a room with 19 or 20 writers … and if I tried to write one of one of Dave’s top-10 lists, seven of mine will be funnier than theirs, and three will be funnier than mine, and I’m not interested in fighting them out,” he says. “I just live the way I live and tell the story. These days, a lot of it is about the drug bust.”

White says he recently had a conversation with his manager and they agreed that when some up-and-coming writer comes to them and says, ‘Hey, I can write for Ron,’ their answer is typically, ‘Well, no you can’t. It’s more than an accent. It’s Ron’s point of view, which you don’t know and can’t come up with.’”

While his first drink of scotch of the day typically doesn’t come until he hits the stage, White admits that his later engagements sometimes get, well, a bit loose.

It’s all part of a life plan that’s really no plan at all.

“This is just the way it turned out,” he says. “There’s no rhyme or reason to it. My retirement plan is, ‘Maybe something neat will happen.’ It’s all a gamble. The fact that I ended up where I did is a pure (bleeping) mystery to me. I’ve put more effort into tubing a river than this career.”

Argentine-Uruguayan collective Bajofondo performs at The Rialto.

Our picks for the top entertainment events of the week

UPDATE: Bajofondo concert cancelled.

Bajofondo serves up tango-electronica fusion

Led by Grammy- and Oscar-winning producer Gustavo Santaolalla (Juanes, Café Tacuba, “Brokeback Mountain,” “Babel”) on guitar, vocals and percussion, the Argentine-Uruguayan collective fuses tango with electronica. But this is no mere two turntables-and-a-microphone group. With Santaolalla on guitar, vocals and percussion, the rest of the octet contributes the usual (bass, keys) and the unexpected (bandoneon, violin), intermingling the acoustic and the electronic. Not traditional tango, not traditional electronica, Bajofondo is a danceable mixture of the two. When: 8 p.m. Thursday Where: The Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. Price: $23 Info: 740-1000, www.rialtotheatre.com

Fun at Pima County Fair kicks off this week

Carnival rides, cotton candy, cute little animals and plenty of musical entertainment are all part of the fun at this year’s Pima County Fair, which opens this week. When: April 16-26. Main Gate opens at noon on weekdays and 10 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Closing time is from 11:30-12:30 p.m., depending on weather and attendance. Where: Pima County Fairgrounds, 11300 S. Houghton Road Price: $7 general, $2 for 6-10 years old, $5 for parking Info: 762-FAIR, www.PimaCountyFair.com

Club Congress hosts Earth Night Celebration

Club Congress is hosting a solar-powered, nine-band, two-stage event as an Earth Day after party. The outdoor patio stage will feature Grams and Krieger and Friends, The Wayback Machine, Kevin Pakulis Band, Johann Wagner and Raina Rose. DJ PJ, 21 Pump Street, Mike Superhero and Monster P—- will rock the nightclub inside – and all will be powered with energy provided by the Solar Store and our closest star. When: 7 p.m.-2 a.m. Wednesday Where: Club Congress, 311 E. Congress St. Price: Free Info: 622-8848, www.hotelcongress.com

Ticket prices for the Associated Students of the University of Arizona’s concert with Kelly Clarkson and Jay-Z have been cut in half Thursday only.

The half-price sale for the Last Smash Platinum Bash will run from 8 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Thursday on asua.arizona.edu or in the ASUA office on the third floor of the Student Union. Tickets will cost from $24 to $100, with an $8 service fee.

The concert is the first major Arizona stadium concert show in more than 32 years. Fleetwood Mac performed there in 1977.

The concert will be April 29. Doors open at 5:00 p.m.

The concert features rapper Jay-Z, Grammy Award winner Kelly Clarkson, alternative rockers Third Eye Blind and The Veronicas from Australia.

The Tucson Audubon Society is looking for birders to help raise money for the organization this month through its Birdathon, according to a news release.

“Birdathon is similar to a charity walkathon where walkers earn donations for numbers of miles walked. Instead we count birds,” said Chris Harrison of the Audubon Society, who organized the event.

Birdwatchers will gather in teams from now until May 10 to count bird species in specified areas. Donations will be raised through pledges of money for each species spotted or a flat donation.

Birders can create their own teams or join teams organized by the Audubon Society, the news release said.

For more information, see the Audubon Society Web site at www.tucsonaudubon.org or call or e-mail Harrison at 629-0757 or charrison@tucsonaudubon.org.

Speedy pigs compete for ice cream at county fair

Cook's Racing Pigs speed around the track to win soft-serve ice cream with Oreo cookies.

The 90-foot horseshoe racetrack is laid out ahead. On one end, the starting gates are being loaded; on the other, soft-serve ice cream with Oreo cookies awaits the victor. The starting gates rattle as the athletic animals become anxious. Similarly, the tension builds in the crowd. Suddenly, the gates fly open and they’re off!

Screaming Yellow Oinker, Go-Go Green, Pork-Belly Blue and Speedracer Red tear around the track as spectators scream for their champions.

“The racing pigs is an event that just about any age group will enjoy watching,” says Launa Rabago, marketing director of the Pima County Fair, which kicks off April 16. “(Audiences) think it’s funny and entertaining. I haven’t ever recognized that pigs appeal to any certain age demographic, so we consider it an event for everybody regardless of age.”

“Cook’s Racing Pigs” at the Pima County Fair is just like any other day at the races, the pig races that is. Before each race, audience members pick a color, yellow, green, blue or red. These correspond to one of the pigs in the race. Once the race is finished, everyone who picked the color of the winning pig is awarded a blue ribbon – that proudly declares, “My Pig Won!” – and entered in a drawing for hats and shirts.

“It’s a memory that we’re able to create for the spectators at the Pima County Fair,” says Charles Cook, owner of the pig racing company. “Some folks have never won a blue ribbon before.”

Cook, 48, raised pigs as a child and teenager in the agriculture organizations 4-H and FFA. At the age of 26, Cook, whose mother owned an ice-cream shop, was asked by a representative from the California State Fair if it would be possible to train pigs to race. As it turned out, all it took was cookies and cream.

“They are very motivated by the dessert,” Cook says. “Whoever gets there first gets more, so that’s their incentive to outrun the others. They actually change positions and you can see that they’re trying hard to get there first.”

Cook’s racing pigs are different from other porkers seen around the fair, he says. Rather than being meaty and muscular, the wild breed pigs he purchases are smaller and thinner. This ensures they can fit in the starting gates for as long as possible.

Cook buys the pigs once they are weaned from their mothers – and the training begins.

“In the first day of training they walk around the track until they realize they have that reward at the finish line,” Cook says. “Then the second day, they jog. And the third day, they run.”

Once the pigs have become seasoned competitors, they tour the country, competing with one another for that grand prize of ice cream and cookies. Each pig’s career lasts about one year or, “as long as they can fit in the starting gate,” Cook says.

As is the case with any athlete, there comes a day when the pigs realize they just aren’t what they used to be. Once the racers have passed their prime, they are retired and sold to anyone wanting a legendary racing pig. Cook generally buys only female pigs and tries to sell them to breeders to create the next generation of competitors.

As far as his own retirement, Cook says he and his family still have a lot of races left in them.

“We’ll be doing this until we’re physically too old to travel down the road and our new 9-month-old son will take over the business in the future.”

Pig racing is a family affair for the Cooks, who say their 9-month-old son will take over someday.

Reality TV star and '80s rocker Bret Michaels will perform at the fair on April 25.

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IF YOU GO

What: Pima County Fair

When: April 16-26. Main Gate opens at noon on weekdays and 10 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Closing time is from 11:30-12:30 p.m.

Where: Pima County Fairgrounds, 11300 S. Houghton Road

Price: $7 general, $2 for 6-10 years old, $5 for parking

Info: 762-FAIR, www.PimaCountyFair.com

What: Cook’s Racing Pigs

When: daily heats at the fair are 1:40, 4:30, 6 and 9 p.m.

———

CONCERTS AT THE FAIR

April 18: Country star Phil Vassar, 7:30 p.m.

April 19: norteño musician Ramon Ayala, 7:30 p.m.

April 20: youth performance troupe Breakdown Tucson, 8 p.m.

April 24: Nat and Alex Wolff of The Naked Brothers Band, 7:30 p.m.

April 25: ’80s rocker and reality TV star Bret Michaels, 8 p.m.

April 26: alt-country band Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers, 5:30 p.m.

Concerts are free with fair admission

Lila Downs' most recent CD, "Shake Away," was nominated for best world music album at this year's Grammys.

Our picks for the top entertainment events of the week

World music diva Lila Downs returns to UA

Singing in multiple languages, including Spanish and that of her Mixtec mother, Lila Downs sets her words – and those of others in her many covers – to an even greater variety of musical styles. Her September CD, “Shake Away (Ojo de Culebra)” continues the diversity with an ambitious set of blues, cumbias, folk and rock. When: 8 p.m. Saturday Where: Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Blvd. Price: $20-$44 Info: 621-3341, www.uapresents.org

Al Perry celebrates release of country CD

Tucson institution Al Perry serves up a platter of classic country covers for his latest album, “The Three-Track Session.” The CD was recorded by Jack Miller on an old three-track recorder in Phoenix. (Miller’s production credits include Duane Eddy, Waylon Jennings, the Animals and many, many more.) “It sounds totally ’50s,” says Perry. Also on the bill with a new CD is country-rocker Cathy Rivers. Bluesman Tom Walbank rounds out the local lineup. When: 9:30 p.m. Saturday Where: Plush, 340 E. Sixth St Price: $5 Info: 798-1298, www.plushtucson.com

Tucson faves Ozomatli back at Rialto

East L.A. genre-bender Ozomatli returns to the Old Pueblo with its melange of Latin, hip-hop and pop stlyings. Opening the concert are talented local showmen Sergio Mendoza y La Orkesta, fresh from the success of their Latin dance night at the Rialto last month. When: 8 p.m. Friday Where: Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. Price: $23 advance, $25 day of show Info: 740-1000, rialtotheatre.com