Thursday, November 25, 2004

Free stuff: Our picks

Tucson Citizen

friday

Looking for an audience?: Every Friday, Bentley's House of Coffee & Tea hosts an open mic for all ages. Talent is not required for this 7:30 p.m. event at 1730 E. Speedway Blvd. Call 795-0338.

saturday

Tucson Audubon visits: Herpetology is so much more than slimy and scaly. Explore the Sonoran Desert, focusing on reptiles prevalent in the Tucson area. Get close to a live snake and learn why reptiles are so important to the balance of nature. Learn why they shouldn't be feared and how to identify the most common species. Noon at Barnes & Noble, 7325 N. La Cholla Blvd., in Foothills Mall. Call 742-6402.

Coping with cougars and bears: Do you know the surprising facts and statistics on basic bear and cougar biology, behavior and incidents? Dave Smith, author of "Don't Get Eaten: The Dangers of Animals that Charge or Attack," will give a talk and slide show on how to reduce the risk of a confrontation with a wild animal and what to do in a worst-case scenario. A book signing follows the 10 a.m. presentation at Sabino Canyon Visitor Center, 5700 N. Sabino Canyon Road. Call 749-7711.

Kings of Spin!: Yo! Yo! Yo! The Kings of Spin are in the house! They are throwing yo-yos around and want participants of all ages (below), 4-7 p.m. at Bookman's, 6230 E. Speedway Blvd. Call 748-9555.

sunday

Catch the Trains: Action toy trains of all sizes and shapes will be running on 16 tracks, with whistles blowing, bells ringing and steam engines smoking. Children can run an electric train on the floor or play with wooden trains. The fun is from 12:30-4:30 p.m. at Gadsden-Pacific Division Toy Train Operating Museum, 3975 N. Miller Ave. Call 888-2222.

wednesday

Free Jazz!: The Ellington Band and the Basie Band, along with the Fletcher Henderson Big Band and the Woody Herman Super Sax Ensemble, are featured at this free concert presented by the Arizona Jazz Academy and the University of Arizona. Local Jazz stars Mike Kuhn, Malik Alkabir and Doug Tidaback are included. The jamming is from 6:30-9 p.m. at Park Student Union, on Park Avenue between University Boulevard and Sixth Street. Call 792-0160.

next thursday

Duo Guardabarranco: Nicaraguan folk-music duo Guardabarranco - siblings Salvador and Katia Cardenal - returns to Tucson for a free performance. The duo blends music and poetry with songs of love and of hope of a better world. The concert includes a dinner at 6 p.m. The music kicks off at 7 p.m. at Unitarian Universalist Church, 4831 E. 22nd St.