City Week

Farewell, Poetry Month

Hotel Congress sure is hopping these days. The first of two highlighted events at the venerable old hotel this week is the UA Poetry Center's Open Mic Reading. The reading concludes the center's Poetry Month events with a fun opportunity to share and experience poetry from varied walks of life.

Guests are welcome to sit and watch, of course, and poets of any age, race and creed are encouraged to get up and share their works. Those interested in reading are required to sign up by 6 p.m., and will be given a five-minute reading slot. The bar will be open, and seating is limited, so arrive early.

Celebrate the swan song of Poetry Month 2004, meet fellow poets or poetry lovers and enjoy an evening of literary arts; best of all, it's free. Contact the event host, Mia McDonald, at miam@email.arizona.edu for more information.

Literacy Is Good--Just Ask Our President

Early literacy is an important part of education that is often overlooked in school districts with limited resources. Make Way for Books, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, has set out to change this unfortunate situation. The group serves approximately 1,400 kids each year, giving new, quality books to young children and their parents in needy areas of Tucson.

As part of their annual fund-raising campaign, Make Way for Books holds its second annual Noche de Baile/Night of Dance event, presented by O'Rielly Chevrolet. Honorary co-chairs Congressman and Mrs. Grijalva will take part in a night of folklórico and flamenco dance performances, Latin dance lessons, door prizes and other exciting activities. Enjoy the atmosphere of the historic Hotel Congress, the cultural activities and the knowledge that you are helping support preschool programs for childhood literacy.

The event is open to the public, and tickets are $30 per person or $50 for two. For more information, call 721-2334 or visit makewayforbooks.org.

There's Always Room for You in J-E-L-L-O

It's that time again, when Jell-O becomes more than just a jiggly snack for kids and people on liquid diets. That's right; it's time for the 17th Annual Reno Gannon Memorial Jell-O Wrestling Extravaganza!

The long-running, annual fund-raiser for the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF) promises lively, unique fun for all. The evening will feature Jell-O wrestling (no doubt, the next Olympic sport), a live auction, a raffle and good food and spirits. How often do you get to tackle friends (or perfect strangers) in sweet, bouncy, brightly-colored surroundings? Even if you fall in face-first, hey, it could always be worse--you could be mud wrestling.

Admission is a highly affordable $4. Advance tickets are on sale at Woody's Bar, IBT's, Desert Pride and the SAAF offices through Friday, April 30; after that, buy tickets at the door on a space-available basis. The event is supported by Woody's Bar, Pete Peterson of New York Life, Tim Brown of Farmers Insurance, Robin Standcliff Photography--and you! Call Amy at the above number or e-mail events@saaf.org for more information.

Rest in Peace, Rex

The Redhouse Family Jazz Band is a well-known institution in the Tucson music scene. Rex, Larry, Vince, Charlotte, Mary, Tony and Lenny have entertained audiences with their jazz standards and originals, made unique with a Diné Navajo flair. This weekend, however, one member of the family will be conspicuously absent.

The patriarch of the family, Rex Redhouse, passed away recently. This performance, the second in Tucson Jazz Society's Jazz Under the Stars series, is dedicated to the memory of the beloved musician, mentor, community leader and Navajo elder. Although his presence and support will be sorely missed, the evening will commemorate his life and his music, with the rest of the Redhouse family performing a blend of jazz tunes spiced up with Latin and Native American influences.

Each member of the family has more than two decades of experience under their belts, with numerous albums and performances, and several members have been honored with Grammys, Nammys (Native American Music Awards) and other awards.

Tickets for this special performance are $14 general, $10 for TJS members, $5 for students and $1 for TJS JazzWerx students. Visit tucsonjazz.org for more information.