Tuesday, June 25, 2019

Posted By on Tue, Jun 25, 2019 at 1:30 AM

Bourdain Day at Café Passe. Happy birthday to culinary icon Anthony Bourdain! He would have been 63 today, and, since he'll live on forever in our hearts, we're going to celebrate in a way we think would have made him happy: by cooking, drinking and talking. Café Passe will also be playing episodes of his cooking shows at the bar. Raise your standards for what you enjoy eating, in honor of one of the greats. As he said, "Your body is not a temple. It's an amusement park. Enjoy the ride." Hear hear! 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 25. Passe, 415 N. Fourth Ave. Details here. 
click to enlarge Three Great Things to Do in Tucson Today: Tuesday, June 25
Courtesy Photo
Bill & Ted's Excellent Double Feature. Celebrating the 30th anniversary of Alex Winter and Keanu Reeves as the embodiment (and parody) of high schoolers in the '80s, this double feature of both Bill & Ted films will get you ready for the third installment in the series. That's right, Bill & Ted 3 is in the making! 7 to 10:15 p.m. Tuesday. June 25. 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. $13. Details here.

Discovering Science. Get your brain working this summer at today's Discovering Science workshop at the International Wildlife Museum. Participants get to make their own slime! Join in fun science experiments starting at 10 a.m. The workshop is $3 with museum admission, or free to members and summer pass holders! Get ready for explosions, reactions and science galore. 4800 W. Gates Pass Rd. Details here.Events compiled by Tirion Morris, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.
click to enlarge Three Great Things to Do in Tucson Today: Tuesday, June 25
Courtesy Photo
Events compiled by Tirion Morris, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.

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Monday, June 24, 2019

Posted By on Mon, Jun 24, 2019 at 1:30 AM

El Dia de San Juan Fiesta. Monsoons are a weather phenomenon worth celebrating, to say the least. And John the Baptist is a guy with a birthday worth celebrating. And June 24 is a day to celebrate both! This festival features live bands and folkloric dancers performing on stage and celebrates the traditional culture and history of Tucson, along with the renewed life that comes with the "chubasco." There's a traditional procession starting at the Mission Gardens (946 S. Avenida del Convento) through Barrio Sin Nombre and to the MSA Annex, where the party kicks off with food, music, vendors, games and a blessing. 6 to 10 p.m. Monday, June 24. MSA Annex, 267 S. Avenida del Convento. Free. Details here.

click to enlarge Three Great Things to Do in Tucson Today: Monday, June 24
Courtesy Crooked Tooth
Em Bowen and Friends: The Liberal Agenda, a feminist comedy show. In celebration of Pride Month, Crooked Tooth Brewing Company is hosting a special comedy event. Hosted by local comedian, educator and writer Em Bowen, the show will include Mo Urban, Chinna Garza, Amber Frame and Noel Hennessey. 8 p.m. at 228 E. 6th St. Details here. 

click to enlarge Three Great Things to Do in Tucson Today: Monday, June 24
Courtesy Hotel McCoy
2.8 Million Gallon Release. As part of the Santa Cruz River Heritage Project, 2.8 million gallons of water per day will be released into the Santa Cruz river bed. The water is hoped to bring a consistently flowing river to the heart of Tucson, and this is something that has people celebrating. Hispanic Access Foundation, Watershed Management Group, 40 Pastors from the Tucson Evangelical Pastoral Association and Por la Creación Faith-based Alliance are celebrating from noon to 5:30 p.m. with tours at the Living Lab and Learning Center at Watershed Management Group and Mission Gardens. Hotel McCoy is celebrating the new river right in their neighborhood with a celebration from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. The water is set to be released at 4:30 p.m. and can be viewed at 1580 S. Santa Cruz Lane. Details here.

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Friday, June 21, 2019

Posted By on Fri, Jun 21, 2019 at 1:18 PM

click to enlarge Laughing Stock: Jill Kimmel at the O and a Boy-Free Stage at Hotel McCoy
Clay Braasch
Autumn Horvat—comedian, host, booker, rabble-rouser—is at Hotel McCoy on Friday, June 28.

A boy-free stage at Hotel McCoy

Tucson comedians tell no jokes on their private Facebook page. It’s all about stage time, except when interrupted every few weeks by the kind of dustup typical of that medium. Last week a flurry of emotional debate circled around how few local women are seen on local comedy stages. When comedian Autumn Horvat called out a particular local open mic on the matter, a feeding frenzy ensued. 

No one denied that local comedy lineups rarely include more than zero to one woman, but men defended the status quo objectively: Women are a small fraction of Tucson’s comedian population, and even they are frequently unavailable for shows. 

“I think that just going up as a woman is more of a challenge,” Horvat says. “I think people are conditioned to think men are funny, but women have to prove themselves. I feel like some men in our scene already have decided that we aren’t funny and they won’t listen to us.” 

Wait. Men don’t listen? 

“I also feel like men have an easier time getting started,” Horvat adds. “Other men will (mentor) them, take new male comics under their wings, pay attention to their sets and offer them tips.”

With women comics, she adds, that situation often feels like a dating dynamic. Also, some men apparently still have a problem relating to women who may be as smart and funny as them. We feel a facepalm coming on.

Chad Lehrman, a Tucson show promoter who also runs a local comedy series, is very aware of the issue. He already had planned a comedy show to address it: Comedians Who Are Not Boys, at 8 p.m. Friday, June 28 at Hotel McCoy.

He invited Horvat to book the comedians and host the show. “I just named it Comedians Who Aren’t Boys at the McCoy because it rhymed,” Lehrman says, not even wincing. “I wasn’t sure, but Autumn liked it.”

Asked if he thought women are more difficult to book, he answers with a firm and simple “no.” He notes, too, that there are more women than ever now on the national scene. “There’s more of everybody though,” he says, “Indians, Asians, gay comics and women.”

As part of the McCoy Hotel’s Last Friday, Last Laugh series, the Comedians Who Are Not Boys show is free. The bar is open and a food truck is available. Besides Horvat, who also hosts, the lineup includes Mo Urban of The C*nt Show and The Dating Game, and Priscilla Fernandez, host of the long-running Retro Game show at Hotel Congress. Others are Chinna Garza, Rebecca Tingley, Nicole Riesgo and Cierra Renee Miranda.

click to enlarge Laughing Stock: Jill Kimmel at the O and a Boy-Free Stage at Hotel McCoy (2)
Jill Kimmel Comedy
Jill Kimmel is just like us, at The O, Saturday, June 22.

Jill “Yes, She’s Jimmy’s Sister” Kimmel comes to The O

Since we’re on the topic, Jill Kimmel has life stories to share about being a woman in comedy. She’s a mother of two teenage children, and the first to say that all by itself motherhood is a barrier to the open-mic training and travel required to be a comedian. 

“If I didn’t have my parents (to take care of the children), I don’t think I would have been able to start doing comedy, to go out on the road and do it full time,” Kimmel says.

A Phoenix native, Kimmel performs at The O, 2000 N. Oracle Road, at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 22. Tickets are $10 on Eventbrite or at the door.

Asked to describe her own comedy, she quickly denies political content but doesn’t turn down a comparison to Roseanne Barr. 

“She always was the overweight housewife talking about her relationships and raising kids and being married and how horrible it was,” Kimmel says. “I’m not talking about politics, I’m not insulting people, I’m talking about myself, my life. Every time I go somewhere I haven’t been, people tell me I’m not going to be young enough, cool enough, sexy enough. But no matter where I go, people relate to a 40-year-old woman who’s divorced, back in the dating pool, has children in school, has lost weight, gained weight.... It’s just a lot of stuff that’s very relatable. (People) go ‘Yeah, that happened to me. Oh my God!’ I love that!”

Kimmel has worked with Jimmy Fallon, Norm Macdonald and Jeffrey Ross. She’s performed at Stand Up Live, the Improv comedy club and The Comedy Store, among other well-known venues. She creates the weekly segment “What A Mouth” on the “Lu Valentino Show.”

Kimmel suggests that women who don’t get booked enough should start their own shows. She names Tucson comics Mo Urban and Roxy Merrari as examples who have not only benefitted from their own shows but have used them to lift up other women comedians. Autumn Horvat, for example, got her start on Merrari’s Comedy at the Wench series.

For others, she advises, “Just be seen more and network more. I find that the women … booked on shows are the ones who hustle. They’re out there, they’re working and networking. They’re nice and they’re funny.”  

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Wednesday, June 19, 2019

Posted By on Wed, Jun 19, 2019 at 1:30 AM

click to enlarge Three Great Things to Do in Tucson Today: Wednesday, June 19
Courtesy Photo
Epic Cafe
Guitar Show. You already know and love the Epic Café. This month, make it a point to stop by so you can see some of local artist Dell McCartney’s pieces, which are on display all through June. McCartney uses raw steel, autobody paint and decorative accents to create life-sized steel guitars, as well as earrings made out of themed guitar picks. See something you need for your home or you earlobes? It’s all for sale down at the Epic Café! Rock ‘n’ roll downtown to check it out. 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day throughout the month of June at the Epic Café, 745 N. Fourth Ave. Details here.

Southern Arizona Senior Pride Book Club.
Happy LGBTQ+ pride month! One of the ways our local senior pride group is celebrating is by reading a true classic in their book club: Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary. Here’s a line from it: “One’s duty is to feel what is great, cherish the beautiful, and to not accept the conventions of society with the ignominy that it imposes upon us.” Hear, hear! Just add one more thing to your list of duties and we’re set: Join a book club! It’s a great way to make friends, and, of course, to keep yourself reading. 2 to 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 19. Ward 3 Council office conference room, 1510 E. Grant Road. Details here.

click to enlarge Three Great Things to Do in Tucson Today: Wednesday, June 19
Courtesy The Loft
Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday. Add some humor to your Wednesday with this Jacques Tati 1953 classic. Monsieur Hulot takes a summer vacation to a seaside resort that turns out to be anything but relaxing. Dogs, boats and firecrackers dazzle with delightfully silly antics. Co-presented by the Loft and the Tucson Museum of Art, this showing is one not to miss. 7:30 to 9:15 at the Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. Details here.

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Tuesday, June 18, 2019

Posted By on Tue, Jun 18, 2019 at 1:30 AM

Naughty Naranja/Baya Can Release. 1912 Brewing Co. is releasing a mixed four-pack of two Naughty Naranjas and two Baya Goses. 1912 encourages mixing these two flagship beers of theirs for “the ultimate Naughty Baya deliciousness.” 3 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, June 18. 2045 N. Forbes Blvd. Details here.

Taco Tuesday at Batch: Borracho Edition. Batch Cafe & Bar are pairing up with Barrio Brewing to make a taco and beer flight. Each of the three tacos features a different meat, and every beer is a different style. Barrio’s Beach Brew is paired with a pollo taco, Rae’s Ruby Red Grapefruit IPA is with a Cochinita Pibil, and the Citrazona is with Tacos Borrachos. The price gets you all three tacos and three eight-ounce beers. 7 to 10 p.m. Tuesday, June 18. 118 E. Congress Street. $15. Details here.

Return to Earth. The Sonoran Desert Mountain Bicyclists group are hosting the Tucson premiere of this documentary featuring some of the best mountain bikers in the world. Created by Anthill Films and screening at The Loft Cinema, this movie takes viewers on a journey to showcase “what is possible on a mountain bike.” All proceeds benefit the 100-acre Wood Bike Park. 6:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, June 18. 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. $15. Details here.

Fight Club. Whoever would have guessed getting Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Meat Loaf and Jared Leto together to beat the hell out of each other would be so much fun? Especially when you pair the mayhem with in-depth examinations of the mundane horrors of modern life. For their Tuesday Night Classics, Harkins Theatres is screening the embodiment of 1999. 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 18. 5455 S. Calle Santa Cruz & 5755 W. Arizona Pavilions Drive. $5. Details here.

Events compiled by Tirion Morris, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.

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Monday, June 17, 2019

Posted By on Mon, Jun 17, 2019 at 1:30 AM

click to enlarge Three Great Things to Do in Tucson Today: Monday, June 17
Photos courtesy of Pima Animal Care Center
Abby the dog
Free Microchips for Pets. Some scary days are coming up for pets, with Fourth of July fireworks and monsoon thunderstorms on the horizon. Many pets run away when scared, and a microchip can go a long way in getting a pet home safe. Pima Animal Care Center will be helping pets stay with their families and out of the shelter by offering free microchipping through July 3. Make sure you can find Fido, get your furry friend microchipped today. 3 to 5 p.m.  Pima Animal Care Center, 4000 N Silverbell Rd. Details here.

Open Studios Under the Full Moon. Metal Arts Village is having their open studios under the full moon this Monday and what a great way to spend your Monday night! Get outside once the sun has gone down and meet local artists, listen to live music, eat great food and take in the magic of the moon. Food trucks You Sly Dog and Fat Noodle will be on hand so grab some grub and settle in for a while before making your way to Tucson Hop Shop for a brew to complete the night. 6 to 9 p.m. The Metal Arts Village, 3230 N Dodge Blvd. Details here.

Taste the 23 Week. Everyone knows Tucson has amazing Mexican food, but did you know that there are a whopping 23 miles of fabulous food located right here in town? This past weekend, the Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance celebrated their Tucson 23 festival and for the following week, many local restaurants are getting in on the action. With specials from $2.30 to $23, challenge your self to try some new delicious food. You never know, you might find your new favorite restaurant! Find a full list of participating restaurants and their deals here.

Events compiled by Tirion Morris, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.

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Friday, June 14, 2019

Posted By on Fri, Jun 14, 2019 at 1:41 PM

Full Moon Zipline Adventure
Courtesy of Outlaw Zipline
Get scored on your aim at the target range!
If you feel like it’s been a while since you really had something to celebrate, it might help to remember that a full moon happens every month!

Why not celebrate it by ringing in the new moon (and waving goodbye to the sun) with an evening of ziplining? Outlaw Zipline is offering unlimited ziplining from 6 to 9 p.m. for $40.

Located at Old Tucson, they bill themselves as “the only shooting zipline anywhere,” because you get to shoot laser guns while you zipline. A childhood dream come true!

Monday, June 17, Outlaw Zipline, 201 Kinney Road. Reservations are required, and space is limited. (520) 668-9891.

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Posted By on Fri, Jun 14, 2019 at 1:30 AM

click to enlarge 24 Great Things to Do in Tucson This Weekend: June 14 to 16
Courtesy Photo
Father’s Day at Tavolino Ristorante Italiano. Get your dad some flavors from the old country at Tavolino this Father’s Day. Their special menu features an “il Padre” tomahawk steak served with cauliflower and red wine sauce. Specials also include pan-seared scallops, octopus with vegetables, mint pappardelle pasta and more. From 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. 2890 E. Skyline Drive. Details here.

Yacht Rock 2019. La Cocina Restaurant & Cantina is hosting their annual yacht rock party for all of us hanging out in Tucson for the summer. Featuring the smooth, aquatic tunes of ’70s and ’80s yacht rock, this is your chance to dress in awkward attire and hop in a photo booth. Plus, the Cantina will host drink specials all night long. 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday, June 14. 201 N. Court Avenue. $5 cover. 21+. Details here.

click to enlarge 24 Great Things to Do in Tucson This Weekend: June 14 to 16
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Father’s Day Brunch at Hacienda Del Sol. Treat the ol’ man to premium craft brew tastings and award-winning food at this extra special brunch. The menu includes a full omelet and waffle bar, a beef carving station, shrimp cocktails, crab legs, antipasti, a calabacitas taco bar, and more desserts than I can fit into this blurb! 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, June 16. 5501 N. Hacienda del Sol Road. $60 per adult, $30 kids age 7-14, children under 6 are complimentary. For reservations, call (520) 529-3500. Details here.

Tucson 23 Mexican Food Festival. The Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance is showing the power of Tucson’s Mexican food for the fourth year in a row. Taking place at the JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort, this fest of best includes food demos and education, live music and more. There will be food from over 30 local Mexican restaurants and breweries. Get over there while the fajitas are still sizzling! 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 15. 3800 W. Starr Pass Boulevard. $65. Details here. 
click to enlarge 24 Great Things to Do in Tucson This Weekend: June 14 to 16
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New Belgium Brewing at Craft.
Out of Fort Collins, Colorado, New Belgium Brewing is bringing their beers to Craft, A Modern Drinkery. All night, they’ll be tapping specialty kegs, including the Apple Felix, Blackberry Oscar and Honey Orange Tripel. You Sly Dog food truck will also be serving up some great Sonoran Dogs. It turns out Arizona and Colorado meet elsewhere than Four Corners! 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 14. 4603 E. Speedway Blvd. Details here.

Father’s Day Feast at Govinda’s Natural Foods. If your dad has always been interested in vegan foods (or if you’re trying to hint at him to eat healthier) Govinda’s is hosting a Father’s Day shindig with live music and an all-vegan menu. Foods include barbecue seitan cutlets, herb potatoes, bean and veggie enchiladas, stir fry basmati rice and more. 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday, June 16. All you can eat, $17. Details here.

Black Renaissance.
Wait, didn’t this event end in June? Well, that was the plan. But it was such a huge success that local musician Seanloui is throwing one more iteration of this event, in the form of a Juneteenth after party. The evening will spotlight black creativity, highlight black artists’ influence on mainstream culture and celebrate the day slavery was abolished in America! Special guests Tere Chapman and Mattea will be performing, and Sketch 71 (Allen Bush) will be doing live art. Happy Juneteenth! 9:30 p.m. Saturday, June 15. Wooden Tooth Records, 426 E. Seventh St. Free. Details here.

24 Great Things to Do in Tucson This Weekend: June 14 to 16
Courtesy Photo
Brew at the Zoo. This event is only for the most selfless of Tucsonans: You’re there to support the animals at the local zoo, the greater cause of conservation efforts, and the local economy in the form of more than a dozen breweries. If you go, you might even find yourself forced to support local musicians like Dos Suenos and Paul Jenkins. It won’t be easy, but if you’re up for it, this night full of games, time with the zoo animals, henna and glitter tattoos, local eats, chair massages and even a chance to try out some TopGolf putting is a really good opportunity to do your part to be a good citizen. It’s sure to be a zoo-tiful evening. 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, June 15. Reid Park Zoo, 3400 Zoo Court. $45 GA, $45 members, $20 for designated drivers. $55 GA and $50 for members the night of (unless they’re sold out). Details here.

Classic Car Show at Little Anthony’s.
If car shows and diners are like Bonnie and Clyde, or Jack and Jill, or some other iconic duo, then car shows, diners, and YOU are like the Three Musketeers, right? Because the sights to see and the dishes to eat at a car show are nothing if you’re not there to enjoy them. Head on down for an evening full of live music and hopefully-still-not-too-hot weather. Bring the family! 6 p.m. Saturday, June 15. Little Anthony’s Diner, 7010 E. Broadway Blvd. Details here.

click to enlarge 24 Great Things to Do in Tucson This Weekend: June 14 to 16
Courtesy Photo
Chubasco: A Monsoon Exhibition. One of the things that makes summers in Tucson not only bearable, but actually kind of wonderful, of course, are the roaring, raging, remarkable thunder and lightning storms we know as monsoons. In honor of this, the Raices Taller Gallery is having an exhibit all about the monsoon, or chubasco. What’s more universal than water, and what’s more symbolic than the way the sun peeks through the clouds after a storm? Gallery hours are 1 to 5 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and by appointment. Saturday, June 15, to Saturday, July 27. Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery & Workshop, 218 E. Sixth St. Free. Details here. 

click to enlarge 24 Great Things to Do in Tucson This Weekend: June 14 to 16
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DeGrazia’s Birthday. Happy birthday to one of the most iconic figures in Tucson: Ted DeGrazia! DeGrazia Gallery in the sun is hosting a day of free cake, free ice cream and free gallery admission to celebrate the art and architectures of the acclaimed Arizona artist. He was born in the copper mining camp of Morenci on June 14, 1909, so this would have been his big 110th. Take a stroll through the 10-acre gallery grounds to see some of his work in person. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday, June 14. DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun, 6300 N. Swan Road. Free. Details here.

Seventh Annual Dash for Dad 5K.
Considering that, when your father was a kid, he used to have to walk five miles in the snow, uphill, both ways, just to get back and forth between school and his job at the coal factory, the least you could do is go on a measly little 5K run. It’s barely over three miles! Plus, you might even end up having fun. Run with your dad! Run in honor of your dad! Run if you have a dad in your life or if you don’t! There are awards for the first 100 finishers, the first man and woman and the fastest dad. Tagrun hosts this run/walk along the Rillito River Path. 6:30 a.m. race start, 5:30 a.m. registration start. Saturday, June 15. Brandi Fenton Memorial Park, 3482 E. River Road. $25. Details here.

click to enlarge 24 Great Things to Do in Tucson This Weekend: June 14 to 16
Courtesy Photo
Fathers’ Day Weekend & Classic Car Show. They’re ain’t enough room in Old Tucson for the two of us, unless the two of us are a father and a son, because men and boys of all ages get into Old Tucson for free on Fathers’ Day weekend, June 15 to 16. Plus, there will be a classic car show and whiskey tastings at Old Tucson—truly a dad’s dream. Look no “father” than this event for the perfect way to spend Dad’s Day. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 15 and Sunday, June 16. Old Tucson, 201 S. Kinney Road. Free admission for men and boys, $19.95 adults 12 to 64, $10.95 for kids 4 to 11, $17.95 for seniors 65+ and military, $16.95 for Pima County adult residents, $8.95 for Pima County child residents. Details here.

Tucson Pops! On this week’s edition of “free music under the stars in a beautiful park in a beautiful city,” David Hernandez Breton, conductor of the Sonora Philharmonic in Mexico, is the guest conductor. He’s been a soloist performer, concert perfomer, jazz musician and conductor pretty much all over the world, and now he’s coming to hang out with us! You’ll hear highlights from Jurassic Park, Strauss’s Blue Danube Waltz and Emperor Waltz, and selections from the Producers and Tchaikovky’s 1812 Overture, just for example. And hey, Broadway lovers! There’s also a “best Broadway marches” section of the evening. 7 p.m. Sunday, June 16. DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center at Reid Park, 900 S. Randolph Way. Free. Details here.

CreativeMornings.
Have you been to one of these breakfast lecture series yet? This week, the host is BRINKmedia, the theme is “wonder,” and the speaker is Chris Walker, co-founder and chief scientist of FreeFall Aerospace. Walker, who’s been a professor of astronomy, optical sciences and electrical engineering at the UA for nearly three decades, has been the principal investigator on numerous NASA missions that involve crazy stuff like launching balloons into space and going to Antarctica. At FreeFall, he’s in charge of creating revolutionary antenna systems. If anyone is going to make you feel inspired, or at least make you feel motivated, it just might be this guy. 8:30 to 10 a.m. Friday, June 14. BRINKmedia, 1100 S. Sixth Ave. Free. Details here.

The Secret World of Sharks.
What do you and sharks have in common besides feeding on the blood of your enemies? Well, for one thing, sharks like music—some of them even have favorite bands. In most ways, though, sharks are just a lot cooler than us. They have three extra senses we don’t have. They’re born with full sets of teeth. They straight up just don’t have any bones. Join award-winning underwater photographer Samantha Schwann, who has photographed and dived with 21 species of shark. Without a cage. She’ll provide shark info and entertainment with her stories, photographs and dive footage. Heck yeah! 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 15. REI, 160 W. Wetmore Road. Free. Details here.

click to enlarge 24 Great Things to Do in Tucson This Weekend: June 14 to 16
Courtesy Photo
Lavender Festival. Maybe you’re not usually willing to make the trip to Oracle. But for something as lovely as a lavender festival, how could you not be? Carolyn and John Blair, the owners of the four-acre Life Under the Oaks Lavender Farm, are hosting this day for guests to walk around fields of lavender in bloom, listen to live music, eat lavender treats and enjoy lavender cooking demonstrations. Kids can have their faces painted, make crafts with lavender, and visit farm animals—like donkeys, goats, chickens, ducks and a bunny. Carolyn, an artist, will have her art studio open, with paintings of the farm up for sale, as well as a wide variety of lavender plants and products. 4 to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 15, and Sunday, June 16. Life Under the Oaks Lavender Farm, 103 Hobe Road, Oracle. $15, or free for kids under 12, with proceeds going toward the next phase of planting. Details here.

49th Annual Juneteenth Festival. Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States. It’s celebrating June 19, 1965, the day the Union soldiers landed in Galveston, Texas, and announced that the war was over and the slaves were free. And if that’s not worth celebrating, what is? This family-friendly festival features storytelling, shopping and plenty of food vendors, plus plenty of educational opportunities to learn more about the reason for the celebrating. 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 15. Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave. Details here.

Tucson Sugar Skulls vs. QC Steamwheelers. Can you believe it? It’s already the last home game of the season for our hometown indoor football league! They’ll be facing off against the Quad City Steamrollers, in from Moline, Illinois. It’s wild to think that the team just launched its first season in the fall, and it’s already climbing its way up the ranks of the Indoor Football League. Take yourself out to the air-conditioned ball game and see what indoor football is all about before the season ends! 6 p.m. Saturday, June 15. Tucson Arena, 260 S. Church Ave. $10.  Details here.

Cool Summer Nights at the Desert Museum: Pollinator Party! You know what’s really the bee’s knees? Bees! And birds, butterflies, bats and beetles. They’re all pollinators, which means they play an important role in helping our desert ecosystem (and other ecosystems) thrive. In celebration of National Pollinator Week (June 17-23), the Desert Museum has got a night full of local honey samples, Mr. Nature’s pollination-themed songs and even a spelling bee! Get practicing on words like “Euathropoda,” the phylum bees belong to. Plus, Kim Franklin, Desert Museum research scientist, will be talking about the 700+ species of bees in the Sonoran Desert, from the smallest to the biggest, from the wildest to the most domesticated. Easy. Breezy. Beautiful. 5 to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 15. Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 N. Kinney Road. $21.95 GA, $19.95 seniors 65+, $8.95 for kids 3 to 12, free for kids under 3, $17.95 for active or retired military, $16.95 for Arizona/Sonora residents. Details here.

The Quick and The Dead.
See Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe return to Old Tucson! Hosted by The Loft Cinema and Old Tucson, this screening takes place at the very location The Quick and the Dead was filmed. This ’90s Western focuses on a gunfighter who enters a dueling tournament to avenge her father’s death. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, June 15. 201 S. Kinney Road. $5. Please bring your own seating. Bleacher seating is also available. Details here.

click to enlarge 24 Great Things to Do in Tucson This Weekend: June 14 to 16
Courtesy Photo
Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. This 2008 miniseries was one of the first major productions created exclusively for online publication. It features Neil Patrick Harris as an aspiring super villain, with supporting roles by Nathan Fillion and Felicia Day. Casa Video Film Bar is hosting this movie, which is “as dramatic as it is fun.” 7 to 8 p.m. Saturday, June 15. 2905 E. Speedway Blvd. Details here.

click to enlarge 24 Great Things to Do in Tucson This Weekend: June 14 to 16
Courtesy Photo
A Mighty Wind. From the team who brought you This Is Spinal Tap, A Mighty Wind is similar in mockumentary style, but this time takes on folk music! The film is a parody of the American folk music revival of the ’60s, and features Catherine O’Hara, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer and more. The Fox Theatre invites you behind the scenes! 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday, June 15. 17 W. Congress Street. $5. Details here.

Father’s Day Screenings at The Loft Cinema. There are two polar-opposite movies showing at The Loft, so how you view your dad (or better yet, how he views you) will decide what movie you see. To Kill A Mockingbird. This movie, almost as iconic as the book it’s based on, features one of history’s greatest dads, Atticus Finch, played by Gregory Peck in an Oscar-winning performance. Finch stands for truth, and embodies hope. 2 to 4:20 p.m. Eraserhead. Perfectly capturing the nausea and dizziness of parenthood (as well as modern living), David Lynch’s surreal film debut just makes sense in black and white. 7:30 to 9:15 p.m. Sunday, June 16. 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. $8. Details here.

Events compiled by Tirion Morris, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.

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Wednesday, June 12, 2019

Posted By on Wed, Jun 12, 2019 at 1:30 AM

click to enlarge Three Great Things to Do in Tucson Today: Wednesday, June 12
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The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Featuring Hugo Weaving as a drag queen, this Oscar-winning film follows two drag performers and a transgender woman as they travel across the desert, performing their special blend of cabaret. Part of the Loft Cinema’s celebration of Pride Month. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 12. 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. Free. Details here.

click to enlarge Three Great Things to Do in Tucson Today: Wednesday, June 12
Courtesy Photo
Birds & Beer. Do you love birds? Do you love beer? Well, this is the event for you! Spend your Wednesday evening with people of the same interests at Sentinel Peak Brewing Company. Members of the Tucson Audubon Society will be there as well as bird-loving locals so chat and learn about our flying friends. At this event, bird is the word! 4746 E Grant Rd, 5 to 7 p.m. Details here.

Tucson Job Fair. For everyone from the newly graduated to the experienced professional, Tucson Job Fair has a position just for you. Make the most of your chance to skip the paper trail and head right into live interviews with top employers in Tucson. Dress to impress, bring your resume and get ready for your new job! The job fair includes over 400 available positions. 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the  DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Reid Park, 445 South Alvernon Way. Details here.

Events compiled by Tirion Morris, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.

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Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Posted By on Tue, Jun 11, 2019 at 1:30 AM

Tarot Tuesdays at Crooked Tooth. Need a little guidance in your life? Have some questions for the universe? Stop in at Crooked Tooth and get a beer with a side of fortune. Melisa, of The Ninth House will be on hand for mini tarot readings on Tarot Tuesdays. According to the event page, "Readings can help you make decisions, understand the dynamics and energy around situations and relationships and help you make empowered choices." Sounds good to us! First time readings with one card are free, three card readings go for $15. Details here.

Tucson Saguaros Home Game. It's not clear who will win the baseball game tonight, but one team definitely steals the trophy for most-fun team name. The Tucson Saguaros take on the White Sands Pupfish tonight at Cherry Field, 7 p.m. Tickets cost $7.50. Details here.

Acrylic Pour at Creative Juice. Have you ever gotten frustrated while painting and wanted to just pour paint all over the place? Well, here is your chance to do just that! Creative Juice invites you to get messy at their new technique class called "Acrylic Pour." Whether yours turns out like the night sky, some garish granite, or one of those mesmerizing mirror glaze cakes, this artwork is sure to brighten your wall. 6530 E Tanque Verde Rd. 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Details here.

Events compiled by Tirion Morris, Emily Dieckman, B.S. Eliot and Jeff Gardner.

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