Tucson Weekly: Cheap Thrills (July 2

Cheap Thrills FROSTY FOURTH: The Tucson Children's Museum gives a big nod to Independence Day with a roster of activities to tickle the taste buds as well as the imagination. First, revelers will be invited to help build--and then gobble down--Tucson's largest ice-cream sundae. And we're talking big: as in 60 feet long, and containing 54 gallons of frozen delight, all donated by Shamrock Farms.
The museum also slips into shenanigans from the past with ice-block rides down a special ramp. In case you can't recall, this delightfully chilly pastime involved perching your derriere on a chunk of ice, setting your sights on a nearby slope, and letting gravity do the rest.
Festivities run from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Tucson Children's Museum, 200 S. Sixth Ave. Admission is $3 per person. For details, call 792-9985.
NIGHT AND DAY: The Tucson Arts District Partnership blends Downtown Saturday Night with Independence Day at the unveiling of their Fourth of July All-American Music Celebration.
The party includes music by The Nite Flys, featuring John Todd and Dan Griffin, playing everything from Steely Dan to Pat Metheny. The Mardi Garcia Band pays tribute to American legends Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and Patsy Cline, along with latecomers like the Indigo Girls; and The Sam Steele Band revs up all-American classics from stars of the '50s ranging from Elvis to Chuck Berry.
The Carpetbag Brigade, a Prescott-based touring theater group, will perform Golden Marshmallow--Oh Yeah. Described as a new twist on the timeless tale of King Midas, the show promises to be "full of belly laughs and grimaces that remind us that water is more precious than gold, and wealth is no substitute for love."
Also, the Arts For Me Kids Workshop will be on site to teach the whole family the cozy craft of quilt-making, with the opportunity to take your projects home to finish.
Up on Fourth Avenue, Stuck in a Groove combines reggae, funk, jazz and rock to create its own groovy sound, while CoZmic DeBris taps influences ranging from Latin and swing to blues.
Downtown Saturday Night runs from 7 to 10 p.m. All events are free. For details, call 624-9977.
SUBURBAN CELEBRATION: The ever-expanding burg of Marana gets into the holiday act with the Family Fun Day and Fireworks Show. The action includes carnival games, jumping castles, face painting, rides, line dancing, hula-hooping and pie-eating contests--in other words, just about everything the Fourth of July should include.
Then comes the grand finale at 9 p.m., with what's being called southern Arizona's "most spectacular fireworks display," complemented by a free slice of watermelon.
Events begin at 4:30 p.m. in Sportspark, located at I-10 and Ina Road. Admission is $7 per carload. Call 744-9496 for information.

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