Tucson Weekly: Cheap Thrills (December 24

Cheap Thrills TEEN SCENE: Every day seems marked by a rising chorus of doom about teenagers who get snagged by gangs, drug abuse or other dead-end lifestyles.
At the same time, towns like Tucson seem to have a big-time shortage of healthy alternatives, with few viable recreational outlets or activities. Fortunately, the Pima County Community Resources Department is helping to change that with its fourth-annual Midnight Jam.
From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, December 29, and Tuesday, December 30, teens are invited to TCC Exhibition Hall A, 260 S. Church Ave., to help decorate for the jam. Their tools will be 16,000 feet of Mylar streamers and thousands of balloons, and their task will be to turn the hall into a festive party scene.
Then, from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday, the action really gets underway for teens ages 13 to 19. Activities include music by DJ Blade, dancing, video games, pool, basketball, aero-trim rides, gladiator jousting, a break-dancing competition, dance contests, plenty of giveaways, and a balloon drop at midnight. And admission is only $2. For details, call 740-2680.
HOLIDAY BALLADEER: He's known as Arizona's Official Balladeer, and there's no doubt that Dolan Ellis lives up to the title. With his trusty 12-string guitar, Ellis revives the rich tales of the Copper State's past and present, with a dollop of humor thrown in for good measure.
And he's been around plenty. A founding member of the famous '60s folk group The New Christy Minstrels, Ellis has subsequently been "officially" dubbed by no less than eight Arizona governors.
Today, he and his wife, Rose Ellis, run the Arizona Folklore Preserve in an old farmhouse in Ramsey Canyon, south of Sierra Vista. It's a serene place where black bears and javelina share space with coatimundi, mountain lions and thick-billed parrots, along with the preserve's towering sycamore trees, picnic spots and bookstore.
The narrow green gorge on the eastern slopes of the Huachuca Mountains is also known as the hummingbird capital of the United States, with more varieties than any other spot in the country. And Ramsey Canyon also boasts a long tradition of mining, moonshining and general lawlessness. In the days since, the canyon has come back to resplendent life. See for yourself on Saturday and Sunday, December 27 and 28, when the Folklore Preserve gets decked out for the holiday with the Ellis' pageant An Arizona Christmas, featuring "songs and stories, past and present." Hot spiced cider and baked goods will also be available.
Performance is at 2 p.m. both days, in the Arizona Folklore Preserve, 44 Ramsey Canyon Road, in Hereford. Drive time is approximately 90 minutes from Tucson. Admission is free, but reservations are required and donations are requested. For reservations and directions, call (520) 378-6165.

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