Marvelous March

ot only does the third month in the year mark new beginnings and renewed life with the first day of spring, but in Downtown it marks a bevy of events of fun, pleasure and education for you and yours!

A weekend celebration of Mexican-American authors, arts and culture – Nuestras Raíces – begins with a dramatic presentation by local playwrights Enrique Gonzales and Silviana Wood on Friday, March 4 at the Main Library, 101 N. Stone Ave, 7:00 p.m. Saturday sees bilingual story time for children in the morning, programs for adults in the afternoon and an artists’ Mercado, book and tamale festival in the Downtown library’s Jácome Plaza all day. Saturday will also include a performance by Francisco Gonzalez, co-founder of Los Lobos. On Sunday, March 6 The Screening Room, 127 E. Congress St., hosts the conclusion of the event with a Latino Film Festival that runs from noon to 4:30 p.m. Check www.TPPL.org for the complete schedule.

Arizona Theatre Company offers tours of the historic Temple of Music and Art, 330 S. Scott, at 11:30 a.m. on Saturdays March 5, 12, and 19, with ATC docents covering the history of the temple, its restoration as well as taking a behind-the-scenes look at the theatre. Tours are free, open to the public and reservations are not required.

The semi-annual Open Studios Tour is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday March 12 and 13 from noon to 5:00 p.m. Check out local artists’ workspaces and see where their art is created! The program guide is available online at www.TucsonPimaArtsCouncil.org.

Following the Studio Tour on the 12th is the 2nd Annual Warehouse Arts Festival Creative City, with Tucson Puppet Works, Tesoro Flamenco Theater, Mat Bevel, Flam Chen, Les Walkaries (from Montreal), Odaiko Sonora and more performing at the Franklin loading docks (Franklin/Stone Avenue) from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

The annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade & Festival takes place Sunday, March 13 with a multitude of entertainment starting at 10:00 a.m. The parade kicks off at 11:00 a.m. at Cushing Street and Granada Avenue, travels north on Granada to Broadway, east on Broadway to Church Avenue, south on Church – passing the festival at the convention center’s parking lot A – and back to Granada. Surf to www.TucsonStPatrick.com for entertainment details.

Also on March 13 the Tucson Museum of Art’s Casa Cordova, 140 N. Main Ave., will be the site for the Presidio History Fair. The fair is a celebration of Tucson’s Spanish heritage that explores the lifestyles of Spanish Colonial soldiers, Padres, craftsmen and others who lived within the walled Presidio during the 1700 and 1800s with demonstrations of adobe brick making, traditional spinning and woodwork along with food from the Presidio period. The free event runs from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The semi-annual 4th Avenue Street Fair is having its spring edition the weekend of March 18-20 with over 400 booths covering the gamut of arts and crafts, 35 eclectic food vendors, three stages of music and entertainment plus plenty of activities for children! Click on www.FourthAvenue.org for more information.

The revival of free, monthly open-air events in the Downtown Tucson hub begins with Downtown Saturdays - First Flight on Saturday, March 19. This occasion jump-starts a series of vibrant Downtown events resplendent with music and street performances at outdoor venues. March’s entertainment includes - but is not limited to - Flam Chen, Mariachi Luz de Luna, Molehill Orkestra, Tesoro Flamenco Theater with a grand finale by Montreal pyrotechnic performers Les Walkeries. Art installations, a beer garden, dessert garden, food and craft vendors and many other surprises will be featured, from 6:00 p.m. to midnight. Locations are along Stone Avenue between Broadway and Congress, the UniSource Plaza at Stone/Congress and the Thrifty Block open lot east of the Bank One tower. Log on to www.DowntownTucson.org or call 884-5980 for further details.

Saturday, March 19 also sees Mike Ronstadt, Ted Ramirez and the Santa Cruz River Band performing a benefit concert for La Pilita Museum, 420 S. Main, at 4:00 p.m. The museum’s exhibit gallery will feature photos of the Ronstadt and Ramirez legacies - significant contributors to the business, art and cultural development of the region. Advance tickets are $12.00 per adult (children under 12 free accompanied by an adult). Advance sales through March 11, can be obtained at La Pilita Museum 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. weekdays or by calling 882-7454. Tickets at the gate are $15.00.

Come Sunday, March 20, a free event at the Historic Train Depot (400 E. Toole) celebrates the anniversaries of two significant events that occurred there: the 125th anniversary of the railroad’s arrival in Tucson, and the shooting of Frank Stillwell by Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday exactly two years later, on March 20, 1882. A ceremony will recognize these events, with a dedication of a statue of Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday and a re-enactment of the shooting of Frank Stillwell. The hour-long event starts at 10:00 a.m. The celebration also kicks off the opening of the Southern Arizona Transportation Museum, located adjacent to the depot.

Next month, April 1 through 4, is the Clean Air Fair. Inclusive of bike rides and registration, walks, carpool activities, music and more - additional information can be garnered by clicking on www.TucsonAZ.gov/caf or by calling 740-3947 for the schedule of activities.