It's that time of year again as grills get fired up, firework tents are popping up all over town, dogs are looking for good hiding spots, and Americans are getting ready to celebrate the 4th of July.

Here are five tips each with five tricks to make sure you have a fun, safe and legal Independence Day:

1. Make sure your fireworks are legal: Aerial fireworks such as sky rockets, roman candles and firecrackers are all illegal in Arizona outside of professional shows. But don't fear, according to Tucson Fire Department, you can still set off smaller fireworks from June 24 through July 6. Be careful with all firework use as if damage occurs to someone else's property, the firework launcher is responsible.

Legal fireworks include:
1. Sparklers, including Morning Glory and sparkler trees
2. Smoke Balls, Smoke Cones, Smoke Candles
3. Ground-based sparklers, including ball and disk, and cylindrical sparklers
4. Sparkling wheels
5. Ground Sparklers (up to 500g) including cylindrical, square, cone and California Rocket fountains.

2. Leave it to the pro's: There are many professional shows happening locally where you can sit back, relax and let someone else do the work:
1. "A" Mountain Fireworks - Downtown 9 p.m.
2. Star Spangled Spectacular - Marana 5 to 9 p.m.
3. Diamonds in the Sky Celebration - Kino Sports Complex 5 to 9:30 p.m.
4. Oro Valley July 4 Celebration - Naranja Park 5 to 9:30 p.m.
5. Red, White and Boom - Sahuarita Lake Park 6 to 10 p.m.

Check out our event calendar for a full list of local shows.

3. Stay safe while handling fireworks: Safety must be a priority when using fireworks as they can be a danger to yourself, others and the environment. Tucson Fire Department recommends you always use fireworks in a clear area away from your house or any plants. Fireworks are only allowed on private property, never in the street or on any city property. Be careful of all plants and dry brush as Smokey the bear says only you can prevent wildfires.
1. Know your fireworks: always read all of the packaging instructions
2. Never give fireworks to children
3. Alcohol and fireworks is not a good combo, don't drink and firework.
4. Never carry fireworks in your pocket (ouch!)
5. Wet finished fireworks before throwing away

Pitbull:

If you think the Sonoran Desert is scorching, how about a night of heat all the way from Miami? Pitbull, the one and only Mr. 305, Mr. Worldwide will grace the AVA Amphitheater stage at the Casino del Sol on Sunday, July 8.

"Feel the Moment" with the number one Latin pop singer for a Fireball-filled night of fun. Pitbull will set the house on fire with “International Love” for an upbeat show sure to keep you on your feet.

International star, musician, rapper and fashionisto Armando Christian Perez, also known as Pitbull, has soared to the top of the Latin Pop music scene since his first album M.I.A.M.I. released in 2004. Pitbull now has over ten albums and has recorded songs with stars including Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera and Ke$ha to name a few.

A Salute to America. If you thought the Gaslight Theatre wasn’t going to do anything for the Fourth of July, we don’t know what you were thinking, but you were definitely wrong. They’re going all out with this tribute to all of the brave members of our country’s armed forces, hosted by Armen Dirtadian and with a world-class band. You’ll hear all of your favorite patriotic hits, from “America the Beautiful” to “You’re a Grand Old Flag,” and everything in between. The Manhattan Dolls and Robert Shaw will make special guest appearances, and…well, let’s just say there might be a few other special guest appearances as well. 7 p.m. Monday, July 2. The Gaslight Theatre, 7010 E. Broadway. $22.95 adults, $12.95 children, $20.95 seniors/students/military. Details here.

Mondo Monday: So it's Monday and you are wishing it was Friday? So you wish you were from the future? So you need to see Yor, The Hunter from the Future at The Loft Monday, July 2 at 8p.m. Watch Yor, a powerful warrior from the future, battle for the survival of his people in a prehistoric land on the big screen. This is one you sure don't want to miss as it is also the kick off to The Loft's Trashy Time Travel month of July! 3233 E Speedway Blvd, $3 tickets, $2 members. Details here.

Events compiled by Emily Dieckman, Dylan Reynolds, BS Eliot, Ava Garcia and Jeff Gardner.

Triple Divide. The Tucson Movie Club and State Bar of Arizona are screening a documentary on the controversial subject of fracking. The film features interviews from affected citizens, oil executives and all the middlemen in between. After the screening, panelists will hold a discussion on current environmental and industry laws, and their effect on Arizona. 1:30 p.m. Friday, June 29. 270 N. Church Ave. $75. Details here.

Joe Rogan: Strange Times 2018 Tour. You may know him as an MMA guy, you may know him as the guy from Fear Factor, you may know him as the host of your favorite podcast or you may know him as the host of a podcast you’ve listened to a couple times when there are guests you’re interested in. But chances are, you probably know about Joe Rogan. It turns out, Joe Rogan knows about Tucson, too! He’s swinging by on his Strange Times comedy tour, because he’s also been a standup comic for more than two decades. 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 29. Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave. $43 to $63. Details here.

Clueless. Ah, the wondrous high school comedies of days gone by. What’s better than the nostalgic feelings? The throwback soundtracks, especially when it’s full of grunge and golden-age hip hop. It’s kind of the Mean Girls of the ’90s, and what’s not to like about that? Head on over to The Fox Theatre and get your prep on. 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 30. 17 W. Congress St. $7. Details here.

The Misandrists. Picture this: A man on the run in the wilderness discovers a secret stronghold for the “Female Liberation Army”—a radical feminist terrorist group that plans to have women take over the world. What happens next? This showing at The Screening Room is based on the wild counterculture and exploitation films from minds like John Waters. 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 28, and 9 p.m. Friday, June 29. 127 E Congress St. Details here.

Tucson Bicycle Service. There are places where you buy a bicycle. There are places where you get your bicycle fixed. And then there’s Tucson Bicycle Shop, which does both! After 18 years of experience as a Shimano certified bicycle mechanic, Mario Lizarazu is bringing a service-focused shop down to Fourth Avenue. They offer everything from one-time tune ups to basic and pro-level annual plans, which include tune ups, free bike checks and discounts on parts and labor. If you’re a bike lover, it’s a place with perusing. And if you’re a bike lover in need of some maintenance, it’s doubly worth checking out. To celebrate its recent opening, the shop is offering 10 percent off tune ups and service plans through the end of 2018. Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Tucson Bicycle Service, 234 E. 22nd St. Service prices vary.

2001: A Space Odyssey. You know what’s a great movie? This one. You should see it. Today is your last chance! (For this particular screening at The Loft) The movie will be shown at The Loft for their new 70mm screening. 12:30 p.m./4 p.m./ 7:30 p.m., Thursday, June 28. 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. $10. Details here.

Events compiled by Emily Dieckman, Dylan Reynolds, BS Eliot, Ava Garcia and Jeff Gardner.

Tucson Bicycle Service. There are places where you buy a bicycle. There are places where you get your bicycle fixed. And then there’s Tucson Bicycle Shop, which does both! After 18 years of experience as a Shimano certified bicycle mechanic, Mario Lizarazu is bringing a service-focused shop down to Fourth Avenue. They offer everything from one-time tune ups to basic and pro-level annual plans, which include tune ups, free bike checks and discounts on parts and labor. If you’re a bike lover, it’s a place with perusing. And if you’re a bike lover in need of some maintenance, it’s doubly worth checking out. To celebrate its recent opening, the shop is offering 10 percent off tune ups and service plans through the end of 2018. Open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Tucson Bicycle Service, 234 E. 22nd St. Service prices vary.

2001: A Space Odyssey. You know what’s a great movie? This one. You should see it. If you know what it’s about, that’s all the reason you need to go see it. And if you don’t know what it’s about, you still certainly recognize the name, and that’s proof enough of its importance. Either way, I’ll see you at The Loft for their new 70mm screening. 12:30 p.m./4 p.m./ 7:30 p.m., Wednesday June 27 and Thursday, June 28. 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. $10. Details here.



Lunch Specials for a Good Cause. Get your pizza fix and help out the community all in one meal. For the duration of June, (and it's almost July, can you believe it?!) Barro’s Pizza and Pepsi are teaming up to raise funds for the Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children with a daily lunch special. Specials include a slice of pizza and small drink for $2.75 or two slices and a drink for $4.25. Barro’s will donate all proceeds from the lunch special (up to $20,000) to the nonprofit. 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 1-30. 5884 W. Arizona Pavilions Drive. Details here.

Events compiled by Emily Dieckman, Dylan Reynolds, BS Eliot, Ava Garcia and Jeff Gardner.

Fantastic Negrito. Surviving hardship makes a smart person kinder. Enter Xavier Dphrepaulezz, who suffered through a tough, impoverished childhood, gunpoint robberies, and a car crash that about killed him off. He rose as Fantastic Negrito in 2014 and nabbed a contemporary blues Grammy the next year. And now with Please Don’t Be Dead, he’s made a genre-defying meditation on overcoming odds—in style. With sizzle guitars and the searching grit of good Chris Cornell, Negrito seeks to “break the chains” of race, religion, and gender politics. Later, the sartorially sweet (rising) star channels the controlled tenderness of Jeff Buckley as he sings the blues for pal Cornell, RIP. Each tune could be a single, from the songwriterly execution to the vocal delivery. Entire thing ends with a kickass funk sendup, Parliament-style, “Take that bullshit and turn it into good shit.” Negrito closely follows his own wise-beyond-his-years advice. Tuesday, June 26 at Club Congress, 311 East Congress St. Doors at 7:30 p.m. $12-$15. 21+. —B.S. Eliot. Details here. 

Zona 78 Chef’s Dinner. Tonight Zona 78 Chef Keith Parker is sharing the Italian restaurant’s kitchen with Chef Nadia Aidi of Food My Muse for a special dinner paired with wine. The dinner will spotlight local products and purveyors like Barrio Bread and Fiori de Capra  throughout its six courses. Limited to 20 people. $75 per person. Call 296-7878 for reservations. 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 26. 7301 E. Tanque Verde Road. Details here.

Baseball Nights at Kino Sports Complex. “Take me out to the ballgame! Take me out to the croooowd!” Don’t you just love the United States of America’s national anthem? Okay, so maybe that’s not the real anthem, but what’s more patriotic than eating a hot dog and popcorn at a baseball game, and cheering on the home team—in this case, any of the eight teams on the Sun Belt College League, made up of recent high school graduates from Southern Arizona and other parts of the country? Some cheat codes: $1 Hot dogs on Tuesdays, half-off soda and popcorn on Thursdays and special appearances by Woody the Woodpecker and Daffy Duck Thursdays through Sundays. Kings vs. the Javelinas today at 7p.m. Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium, 2500 E. Ajo Way. $5 adults, free for kids 12 and under. Details here.

2001: A Space Odyssey. You know what’s a great movie? This one. You should see it. If you know what it’s about, that’s all the reason you need to go see it. And if you don’t know what it’s about, you still certainly recognize the name, and that’s proof enough of its importance. Either way, I’ll see you at The Loft for their new 70mm screening. 12:30 p.m./4 p.m./ 7:30 p.m., Friday, June 22 through Thursday, June 28. 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. $10. Details here.

Dillinger Beer Dinner. Batch Café and Bar and Dillinger Brewing Company have teamed up to create a three-course meal paired with three beers for a match made in foodie heaven. The menu includes jalapeno mac ’n’ cheese with Serrano reduction, grilled cheese with Tiki Party beer and The Stud doughnut with Gang Signs Imperial Stout. $35 per person. Purchase tickets online or in store. 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 26. 118 E. Congress St. Details here.

PY Dinner with Chefs featuring Executive Chef Brian Smith. Casino del Sol and PY Steakhouse’s monthly chef dinner spotlights Maynards Market and Kitchen Chef Brian Smith this time. Come hungry for a three-course meal of asparagus and heirloom bean salad, top knot chicken roulade and toasted white chocolate sorbet. Each course is paired with wine, and make a toast to an evening of good eats with a Manhattan at the start of the meal. $65 per person. 6:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, June 26. 5655 W. Valencia Road. Call 520-324-9350 for reservations. Details here.

Events compiled by Emily Dieckman, Dylan Reynolds, BS Eliot, Ava Garcia and Jeff Gardner

Summer Safari Nights at Reid Park Zoo. For all the wildlife in Tucson, the first thing you think of when you think of the city probably isn’t a safari. But anything is possible at the Reid Park Zoo, especially when it takes place on a summer evening, when the weather is much more bearable. This week, the program’s theme is “protecting the sounds of the wild,” and will give kids and adults alike the chance to learn about the sounds of animals like dart frogs, elephants, lemurs, lions, tigers and goats. It’s the kind of desert symphony everyone can enjoy! 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 22. Reid Park Zoo, 3400 Zoo Court. $10.50 adults, $8.50 seniors, $6.50 kids 2 to 14. Half off for zoo members! Details here.

University Bar Crawl: Back to School Night. Relive your college days with Tucson Young Professionals’ bar crawl through bars right outside of the UA. Rep your alma mater in your college gear and enjoy free food and drink deals like extended happy hours and $3 shots at participating bars like Frog and Firkin, Gentle Ben’s and No Anchovies. $5 for non-members. TYP members get free drinks and food. 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, June 22. East University Blvd. Details here.

Niki J Crawford. With the command of a small-town gospel choir leader and the grace of a woman who’s come of age on camera in Black Hollywood, Niki J Crawford has mad capacity for wide appeal. Only the world needs to catch up (and perhaps pen her stronger material). Crawford’s band ably backs her with a sunny Caribbean flare, bringing out the cheery hopeful tones of a young Whitney Houston in her voice. But she can go deeper, accessing that scratchy, Macy Gray (or Samantha Fish) age-old pain of loving too much, and too hard. “Don’t lose your power/Playin’ it down/Never lose faith/Stand your ground.” Having so far cameoed with The Roots and at Bonnaroo, she’s coming up, hard. She is beautiful and hard-working and well-versed in the BlackExpos and street fests this nation over. Maybe an up-to-the-moment Quincy Jones will step in, someone as versed in songwriting, arranging and soul as they are the gadgetry and gimmick of modern pop stardom. Friday, June 22 at Monterey Court Studio Galleries, 505 W. Miracle Mile. 7 p.m. $10. All ages. —B.S. Eliot. Details here.

Seanloui could be called the new Seal. Utilizing synths and modern EDM scratches, whirs and sped-up backing vocals, he sings adult contemporary jazz/R&B for the 4 a.m. comedown crowd. And like Sade, too, Loui sounds generic at first, but listen close. His voice floats and lilts atop pulsing backbeats, nuanced and guileless. The songs swell and gently jab in ways that make emotional sense. It’s an earned listen because once night falls and fatigue sets in, his can be a warm bubble bath with a lover and a sweet strain of sativa. The subtle charms of his gentility emerge with no irony—words like romantic, chivalrous, tender come to mind. And belying the Trumped-up, polarized era we live in, Loui sings of the bliss of coming home to a woman he actually adores, the joy of quiet evenings, the way shadows climb and curve and gyrate across his mind’s eye. His up-to-the-minute production ensures that a whole new generation of listeners can discover the simple pleasure of connecting hearts—the songs sound like creative necessities, not bedroom-studio naval-gazes for self-indulgent brand merchants, like so much pop now. With Jaca Zulu and Taco Sauce the Band on Friday, June 22. Club Congress, 311 East Congress St. Doors at 8 p.m. Free. —B.S. Eliot. Details here.

If Saturday Night Live is your jam, the Best of Sketch Show at TIM Comedy Theatre at 9 p.m., Saturday, June 23 should be well worth your $5. You’ll see the TIM sketch team’s favorites of the 28 sketches they’ve staged since their first show in January.

Whimsically named Baby Fish Mouth (an obscure When Harry Met Sally reference), the team fulfills a fantasy of TIM’s artistic director, Daniel Kirby, who actually favors Key and Peele.

“I like their approach,” Kirby says, “because it's in line with the Upright Citizen's Brigade philosophy. A lot of the writing staff is UCB trained.”

That philosophy, Kirby explains, is to establish quickly a who-what-where that everyone can relate to, then focus on one absurd thing, exploring and heightening it throughout the sketch.

Kirby says, “I try to teach that methodology in TIM sketch classes so when we are in writers' meetings and I'm giving feedback that's what I'm filtering it through. Our goal is to set up something that people recognize and then cheat their expectations.”

Kirby’s sketch fandom began in grammar school, but he never tried writing until he joined the UA’s Comedy Corner. That company produced improv and sketches weekly.

“Nobody had official training in that group,” Kirby says, “but writing new content every week was crazy. I might have done it wrong but at least I did it and tried to figure it out.”

After college, Kirby formed a comedy-based band, did a little stand-up and ultimately connected with other Tucson improvisers to stage late-night shows at the Beowulf Theatre. By the time that closed, Justin Lukasewicz had founded Tucson Improv Movement. Kirby joined the company and within a year began offering classes in sketch writing. Two and a half years later, he had a large enough pool of writers to start TIM’s sketch team.

“We learned kind of on our feet how to perform and run the sketch show best,” Kirby says. “Now we’re executing at a higher level. We're more familiar with the best way to get laughs.” Variety is key, he says. “Writers bring their own perspectives and sense of humor, so we get social satire, absurdity and sometimes just goofiness.”

Mad as hell about those kids?

An organization that provides free legal and social services to detained migrants benefits from a an all-star comedy show at Borderlands Brewing Company on Thursday, June 21 from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. Tickets are $15 via squareup or at the door.

Billed in the Facebook event as Morgan Murphy and friends, the show features Murphy, who has written and produced for Jimmy Kimmel Live! (388 episodes), and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. She’s also performed standup multiple times on Chelsea Lately, John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up Show, the Joe Rogan Experience and many others.

Kristine Levine of The Frank Show and Pauly Casillas of The Switch hold down the feature slots, and other special guests are promised.

Juggling?

Laff's Comedy Cafe has a decades-long reputation for bringing the best club comedy to Tucson. So when they book a juggler, we go, "This, I gotta see." Ian Pecel juggles at 8:30 and 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, June 22 and 23. Admission is $12.50 or $27.50 via laffstucson.com. There is a two-item minimum. 

Temperatures are on the rise in Tucson, and here are some choice ways to keep cool this summer at the University of Arizona:

Flandrau Science Center & Planetarium, 1601 E. University Blvd., 621-4516, flandrau.org. Flandrau is open all summer with planetarium shows, family-friendly science exhibits and the dazzling specimens of the Mineral Museum. The laser music show "Laser Stranger Things" will play in the planetarium theater, featuring songs from the soundtrack of the hit Netflix series "Stranger Things." Check the website for hours and showtimes.

UA Museum of Art, 1031 N. Olive Road, 621-7567, artmuseum.arizona.edu. See the world through the eyes of renowned visual artists. The museum has more than 5,000 paintings, sculptures, prints and drawings.

UA School of Art Galleries, 1031 N. Olive Road, 626-4215, art.arizona.edu/facilities/galleries. Exhibits by student, faculty and professional artists in a broad range of media and concepts.

Judith Chafee and "Congressional & Political Archives" exhibit, UA Library Special Collections, 1510 E. University Blvd., 621-6423, speccoll.library.arizona.edu. Judith Chafee was a trailblazer, both as an architect and as a woman in a male-dominated profession. She is celebrated as a visionary modernist whose structures harmoniously blend with their host environments. The "Congressional & Political Archives" exhibit highlights key events and projects from her life and work. These collections document Arizona politics, from its territorial days up through the present, and the historical relationship between the federal government and the people of Arizona. The permanent exhibit highlights materials from the political collections of Ralph Cameron, Marcus A. Smith, Henry F. Ashurst, Lewis W. Douglas, John R Murdock, Stewart Udall, Morris Udall, Dennis DeConcini, James Kolbe and Gabrielle Giffords.

Arizona State Museum, 1013 E. University Blvd., 621-4695, statemuseum.arizona.edu. Established in 1893, the museum is the oldest and largest anthropology museum in the Southwest. As an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, it has a collection of more than 25,000 woven pieces of rare baskets, sandals, cradle boards, mats, cordage and preserved fibers representing every indigenous basket-making culture in North America.

Jim Click Hall of Champions, McKale Center, 1 National Championship Drive, arizonawildcats.com. The Hall of Champions display on the McKale mezzanine features 18 UA intercollegiate sports. The displays are centered on outstanding student-athletes, performances, events and traditions from more than 100 years of UA athletics.

"Longer Ways to Go" exhibit and Heritage Gallery, Center for Creative Photography, 1030 N. Olive Road, 621-7968, creativephotography.org. "Longer Ways to Go: Photography of the American Road" delves into the complex dialogue that photography can enter into with a subject. This exhibition explores the symbiotic relationship between photography and the folklore of the American highway, including the emblematic Route 66. Inspired by the center's legacy, the Heritage Gallery features iconic treasures from the collection alongside more recent acquisitions.

History of Pharmacy Museum, 1295 N. Martin Ave., 626-1042, pharmacy.arizona.edu/centers/history-pharmacy-museum. Housed in two College of Pharmacy buildings, the museum is a collection of hundreds of thousands of items, including bottles, original drug containers, books, store fixtures, and artifacts from Arizona (circa 1880 to 1950) and elsewhere.

Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab, 527 National Championship Drive (underneath the east side of Arizona Stadium), 626-8792, mirrorlab.as.arizona.edu/tours. Watch how mirrors are created for Earth-based telescopes such as the Giant Magellan Telescope.

Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, 1215 E. Lowell St., 621-0984, ltrr.arizona.edu. The tree-ring lab offers free one-hour, docent-led tours, presenting information about its rich history.

Mount Lemmon Science Tour, 9800 E. Ski Run Road, skycenter.arizona.edu. Discover the science and wonders of Arizona's "Sky Islands" region on a drive up the Santa Catalina Mountains, where one of the most dramatic drives in the U.S. meets some of the most fascinating natural science in the world. The temperature is 20 degrees cooler at the top. This free, family-friendly tour features music by the band Calexico. The Mount Lemmon Science Tour app is available as a free download on your Apple or Android smartphone. Then visit the SkyCenter at the 9,157-foot summit for the SkyNights stargazing program. For more: visittucson.org/things-to-do/space/geotour-tucson/mt-lemmon-science-tour-app/