Tucson Weekly: Cheap Thrills (June 17

Cheap Thrills POP'S CONCERT: This Father's Day, why not treat Pops to a little culture? The Arizona Repertory Singers (ARS) perform their third annual Father's Day concert, Opposites Attract: Eclectic Favorites, in signature a cappella style. Known for their diverse repertoire and polished performances, the 32-member choir performs choral music including sacred works, classics, spirituals, Americana and commissioned compositions. Accompanied by organist Stephen Keyl, the inventive program includes a 16th-century madrigal by Handl, choral arrangements of Cole Porter tunes, and sacred music by Haydn, Stravinsky and Mozart.
Performance begins at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, June 20, at the UA Holsclaw Recital Hall, on campus in the Music Building. General admission is $5, $3 for students and seniors.
TROOPIN' TROUBADOUR: Did you know Arizona has an official balladeer? He's Dolan Ellis, otherwise known as "The Singing Encyclopedia of Arizona," and he'll be appearing weekends at the Arizona Folklore Preserve in idyllic Ramsey Canyon. Cool off in the shade of a giant Sycamore, then head inside AFP's 1920s cottage for A Million Miles of Arizona Adventure, a program of Arizona songs and large-screen photography drawn from four decades of backcountry exploration and folkloric research. Reservations are required, and picnickers must make special arrangements.
Ellis performs at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, June 19 and 20, at the Arizona Folklore Preserve, 44 Ramsey Canyon Road, in Hereford. Call the Arizona Folklore Preserve at (520) 378-6165, or email office@arizonafolklore.com, and they'll set you right up.
MUNCHKIN MAGIC: Load up your little folk for a "Moon Stroll" at the incomparable Valley of the Moon park. This manmade wonderland is maintained solely by volunteers of the George Phar Legler society, descendants of the creator and builder of these pathways, caverns, pools and gardens--which glow fantastically at night beneath colored lights strung through the trees. Surprises abound from every nook and corner: tiny stone houses perching on mineralized cliffs; mini waterfalls flowing into hidden pools; gnomes peering from unexpected places. Tucson's own secret garden is open to the public from 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday, June 23. Admission is free, though donations for park maintenance are appreciated.
MUSIC FOR THE MASSES: Once again the streets of downtown Tucson come alive for Downtown Saturday Night, absolutely the best people-watching opportunity our little burg has to offer. This Saturday there's plenty on the agenda to get your toes a'tappin. At the Ronstadt Transit Center (Sixth Avenue and Congress Street), you can get down with your funky self to the pulse of Steel Jam, a rhythmic blend of calypso, reggae and samba.
Appearing across the street, the award-winning young bagpiper Michael Whinery sends haunting melodies echoing down Arizona Avenue. The Long Rain, a local trio specializing in atmospheric, melodic pop/rock will be on the Winsett Park Stage; and John Grant and Erix Guitar will perform on the Fifth Avenue stage (in front of Magpie's). It's all going on, all for free, from 7 to 10 p.m. Saturday, June 19.

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