Admission costs $5 at the door. Call 903-1708 for information.
DIA DE LOS MUERTOS FOR THE KIDS. The dead are quite lucky this weekend, except that they can't join us in the festivities. (Says who?)
The Instituto Cultural Mexicano de Tucson celebrates its fifth Day of the Dead festival with an afternoon of stilt walkers, musicians, dancers and plenty of fun for the kids. There's even a colorful exhibit of altars and calacas.
Come down to the Tucson Children's Museum at 200 S. Sixth Ave. on Saturday, November 2, from noon to 6 p.m. for the free event. Call 792-9985 with questions.
MYSTIFYING ALTARS. There are so many altars sprouting up this holiday season, you could spend the whole weekend staring at them, talking to ghosts, feeling a wisp of wind behind your shoulder.
Here's a scant list of where to find them. The Tucson Arts District's Thursday Night Art Walk meets on October 31 at 5 p.m. for a tour of El Centro Cultural de los Americas at 40 W. Broadway. There's a reception for the high school students' altars and other creations. On Friday, November 1, from 6 to 8 p.m., celebrate the dead with Chicanos Por La Causa at their offices, 200 N. Stone Ave. at Alameda, in conjunction with an art exhibit of altars and a reception of comida tradicional. On Saturday, November 2, from noon to 6 p.m., bring offerings or ofrendas for the Arts District's community altar located at the Tucson-Pima Library Plaza at Stone and Pennington Avenues. For a full list of downtown altars and celebrations, call 624-9977.
ALL SOULS' DAY. In 1989 when Susan Johnson's father died, she went through the grieving process with the only outlet she knew: her art. What materialized was the conception of Tucson's All Souls' Procession. Her three-day performance gathered living souls who were intrigued by the idea of romping through downtown, creatively remembering all those who passed on that year.
To commemorate All Hallows' Eve, All Saints' Day and All Souls' Day, join the parade on Saturday, November 2, starting at 8 p.m. Even The New York Times has noticed this one-of-a-kind, non-motorized procession swirling through the heart of downtown Tucson.
Organizing starts at 7 p.m. in the parking lot between Time Market and Trinity Presbyterian Church at 411 E. University Blvd. It snakes through Fourth Avenue ending up in an orgiastic finale featuring fire artists Flam Chen at the railroad loading docks at the intersection of Franklin Street and Stone Avenue. The after-party heats up at Mat Bevel Institute just up the street at 530 N. Stone Ave., and includes performances by Cat Martino and the Molehill Orkestra.
Everyone's invited. Come in costume or boring Gap wear. (Maybe that is your costume.) There's no alcohol served this year. For more information, call 770-1533.
