Thursday, February 2, 2006
Gem and mineral show briefs
Tucson Citizen
Dance party features world dance beats
In the global spirit of the gem show, a multicultural dance party will be held tomorrow at The Historic Y, 300 E. University Blvd. The festivities include performances by Tucson favorites Black Man Clay and Mike Olson from "Pulse" combined as the G-Force Project, popular dance music from around the world, Batucaxé, Hot Brazilian Samba and Africatamtam all the way from Cameroon. Special guests are the World Music Dancers. The party is from 9 p.m.-midnight. Admission is $10 at the door. Call 324-0792 for more details.
'RockHounds: The Movie' screens here
The gem show is hosting a screening of "RockHounds: The Movie" at 3 p.m. Feb. 11 in the Tucson Convention Center's Copper Ballroom, 260 S. Church Ave.
"Rock hounds from all over the world flock to Tucson every year," says the film's director Todd Kent. "So we are excited about having an opportunity to screen before such a large audience.
The movie showcases the fun, adventure and science behind the hobby of gem and mineral collecting. It was produced by Explorer Multimedia Inc., in conjunction with the school of geology & geophysics at the University of Oklahoma. Topics include the World Championship Quartz Crystal Dig, hunting for fossils and the "Rock Food Table."
For more information about the movie, check out www.rockhoundsmovie.com.
Free shuttle service available
The Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau has announced a free local shuttle service to Tucson Gem, Mineral, & Fossil Showcase sites. The shuttles, funded by Park Wise, a self-funded division of the city of Tucson, will run nine different routes daily. Shuttles will go to gem shows within these boundaries: River, Valencia and Kolb roads and Camino de Oeste. Gem show guides, including shuttle maps, are available at Tucson International Airport, the visitor center in La Placita Center (100 S. Church Ave.), and at all shuttle stops. Official show guides and detailed shuttle maps will be distributed at all shuttle stops.
Park and Ride lots are:
• Congress Street and Interstate 10 parking hub - 1,000 spaces
• 22nd Street and Interstate 10 parking hub - 1,000 spaces
• Tucson Convention Center - 1,200 spaces
• Tucson Expo Center at Irvington Road and Interstate 10 - 1,000 spaces
Park and Ride garages linked to the other P&R lots by the city's shuttle:
• City/state garage on Congress, 400 spaces weekdays / 1,200 spaces weekends
• Pennington Street garage at Sixth and Pennington, 700 spaces
Parking lots served by the shuttles will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. The cost at most of the lots is $5 per day. Free shuttles will link the above garages to the downtown parking hubs and city of Tucson shuttle on most days. For information, call (866) 727-5436 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
