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Happy 240th Birthday, Tucson

August 20, 2015August 19, 2015 by Carolyn Classen

It’s Tucson’s 240th Birthday, tomorrow August 20, 2015. Here’s a list of the day’s celebrations in chronological order.

Start off at 9:30 a.m. (get there a bit earlier) to see the solar alignment of the bell art on the canopy above onto the description of this Discovery Day on the floor of the bridge below. Photo above courtesy of Charity Bidegain. More info at their FB page: https://www.facebook.com/luisggutierrezbridge?fref=ts

Then get free cake at Cafe 54 Bistro, at 54 E. Pennington St. between the 11 a.m. and 11:20 a.m. (yes, twenty minutes only! so don’t be late)

Celebrate Tucson’s birthday and participate in twenty minutes of happiness by visiting Cafe 54 on August 20 between 11:00–11:20 am. Say, “Happy birthday, Tucson!” to our cashier and receive a free slice of cake. It’s that simple!

Check out http://dohappytoday.com/ for more information about this and other events in the Tucson community.

El Dia de San Juan Fiesta in 18th year

June 22, 2015 by Carolyn Classen

From their FB page:

For the past 18 years, El Dia de San Juan Fiesta has been a cultural, historic and educational celebration to welcome the monsoons to our Tucson desert. The stories of the celebration of El Dia de San Juan date back to as early as 1915 when Tucsonans would gather around the Santa Cruz River to wish, hope and pray that the monsoon would come in abundance but without destruction or harm.

Every year this traditional celebration is hosted in Ward 1 on June 24th, the day of el Dia de San Juan el Bautista. This free, family event includes wonderful cultural music and traditions of Mariachi and Ballet Folklórico Xóchitl de Tucson performances. There are piñatas for the kids, with local vendors and food booths, informational booths, and games all until the closing of the event.

When: Wednesday, June 24, 2015
Where: South East corner in the big lot by the Streetcar at the Mercado San Agustin, 100 South Avenida del Convento (west of the I-10).
Time: The event begins with a procession at 5:00 PM at the Cushing Street Bridge.

Traditional start of monsoon season at Luis Gutierrez Bridge

July 3, 2014 by Carolyn Classen

Check out the solar art alignment today at precisely 10:45 a.m. at the Luis G. Gutierrez bridge (formerly Cushing Street bridge, west of I-10, north of Riverpark Inn).

Discovery date: JULY 3, 10:45AM – Traditional start of the Tucson monsoon season

As for what happens on the bridge, at 10:45 a.m. the sun will shine through the overhead cut out canopy of saguaro cacti harvesting (see image below courtesy of photographer Charity Bidegain) onto the engraving on the floor of the bridge. The bridge was designed by architect/solar designer Dave Dobler and public artist Brenda Semanick, and was dedicated in October, 2012.