Ten cool things to do in Tucson this weekend (Oct. 20-Oct 22)

The second annual Film Fest Tucson is set to take place Thursday through Sunday, Oct. 19-22, in downtown Tucson.

The festival will feature 30 films, both narratives and documentaries in short and feature-length format. Most screenings will again take place in the historic 101-year-old Scottish Rite Cathedral, 160 S. Scott Ave.

All of the feature screenings are either Arizona or Southern Arizona premieres, giving Tucson audiences the first chance to see timely and powerful films for the first time, Stratford said.

The presentation of the 1914 silent film “The Girl Stage Driver” will include live piano accompaniment by Jeff Haskell, a legendary figure in the Tucson jazz scene.

This screening also will feature the debut of a “lost film,” “The Bisbee Screen Test” from 1939, that was recently discovered at the Lyric Theatre in Bisbee. It was common during that era for filmmakers to search small towns in hopes of discovering the next big star, Stratford said.

For more information, visit the Film Fest Tucson website. 

SCOTTSDALE — The producers had one goal when they set out to do "Only the Brave," the film that chronicles the 2013 Yarnell Hill fire in Prescott that killed 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots.

Tell the men's stories.

"People don't know what these guys do and we got the chance to introduce them to the world," Michael Menchel said last week as reporters from around the state gathered at Scottsdale's The Phoenician Resort to promote the film. It arrives at theaters on Friday, Oct. 20.

"We're super proud of the film," fellow producer Trent Luckinbill added, a sentiment shared by Brendan McDonough, the lone survivor of the Yarnell Hill fire.

"Since day one we’ve just felt that everyone who has been a part of it just wants to make sure that it’s authentic and make sure it’s honoring and make sure it’s a fitting film," McDonough said. "Make sure it shows what our brothers were about and the moral code they carried.”

"Only the Brave" will be shown at most major movie theaters in Tucson. 

- Cathalena E. Burch

Regina Spektor's sharp songwriting and wit with the written word has driven the singer/songwriter to new heights and given listeners earworm hits, such as "Fidelity," "Better" and "You've Got Time," otherwise known as the theme song to "Orange is the New Black."

Spektor is coming back to Tucson this Friday for a show at the Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St. The evening begins at 8 p.m. More information can be found on the Rialto website.  

Last weekend, only a couple of soccer goals rested on the bright green grass that surrounds The Gregory School campus.

This Saturday, more than 400 classic cars — this year’s featured model is a 1926 Bentley race car — and future classics, foreign and specialty cars will be displayed on that field from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Harley-Davidson will have a big display, as well.

During the past decade, the Rotary Club of Tucson has raised more than $1 million for local charities through its annual Tucson Classics Car Show. Last year more than 20,000 people attended, and organizers expect the same this year.

The $5 ticket for admission makes the event affordable for families — and offers the opportunity to win one of five significant prizes, the first of which is the choice of a 2008 C-6 Corvette convertible or $15,000 cash.

There also will be a children’s tent with activities, crafts and book giveaways, a food court, and booths with car accessories.

The club hopes to beat last year’s record proceeds of $209,000 to share among five local nonprofits: Make Way for Books, Joint Technical Education District of Pima County, Gap Ministries, CareGiver Training Institute of Tucson and the YWCA Women’s Impact Fund.

Make Way for Books, which is on a mission to give all children a chance to read and succeed by working with children from birth to age 5 and their families, will receive 40 percent of the proceeds.

In addition to raising funds, organizers hope to promote awareness about organizations such as Pima JTED, which offers advanced career and technical education programs across 13 member school districts in Pima County.

The details:

KFMA is anticipating as many as 12,000 people will come out for its daylong Fall Ball at Kino Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 21.

Pennsylvania rockers Breaking Benjamin head the lineup that includes post-hardcore pop-punkers Pierce the Veil, experimental/skate punkers Thrice, hardcore punk/metalcore band Beartooth and the indie alt-rocking trio Dreamers.

Fans might grouse about Fall Ball security, which will include full-body scans and complete body pat-downs, which are not new this year, said KFMA general manager Ken Kwilosz. But this year there will be more attention paid to security screenings following the Oct. 1 mass shooting at the Route 91 Harvest country music festival in Las Vegas.

“Anytime something like that comes up, you gotta ask ... are we doing everything we can to make people as safe as possible?” Kwilosz said.

Among the security measures in place for Saturday’s concert is continuing the festival’s clear-bag policy — the same policy as the University of Arizona’s that prohibits fans from bringing in backpacks or purses. You can bring in wallets and other personal effects in a gallon-or-so-sized clear plastic bag.

To make it easier on the audience, KFMA is giving away the bags this week. Call the station at 407-4500 for giveaway locations.

Fall Ball is the second big outdoor music festival in Tucson since the Vegas mass shooting that left 58 people dead, including a recent UA graduate. Last weekend, more than 10,000 people attended the two-day Dusk Festival at Rillito Park.

“We are moving forward. Baseball games, football games, everything continues,” Kwilosz said.

More information can be found on the Facebook event page. 

- Cathalena E. Burch

The Tucson Museum of Art isn’t its old self.

In fact, it is barely recognizable.

The museum closed its galleries in July. When they reopen Oct. 21-22 with celebrations and free entry, visitors will walk into what looks like a larger, fresher, more exciting place.

Walls have come down, floors replaced, galleries added. The education center has expanded, and the museum’s popular gift shop has been moved to just inside the west entrance.

And there are the improvements you can’t see but will notice — such as a new air conditioning system.

The renovations across the 4-acre campus were about $750,000 — a good deal more than the $150,000 originally planned. But fundraising was so successful, says TMA Director Jeremy Mikolajczak, that the museum was able to make changes that had been planned for the future.

- Kathleen Allen

The Details:

What: Celebration to mark the reopening of Tucson Museum of Art's main galleries.

When: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 21, 22.

Where: TMA, 140 N. Main Ave.

Admission: Free.

Exhibits: Dress Matters: Clothing as Metaphor, through Feb. 18

Desert Dweller, through Jan. 21.

Et cetera: In addition to the exhibits, the opening weekend activities include story telling, dance, talks and tours.

Information: 624-2333; tucsonmuseumofart.org.

Over the last decade, Tucson's annual Nam Jam has evolved its focus in an effort to help veterans who fought in wars beyond Vietnam, including those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. 

Organizers have taken it one step further this year, changing the name of the event to the Nam to Sand Jam ("To the shores and lands of WWII to the sandbox of the Middle East" the online flier reads).

This year's Nam to Sand Jam will run from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Reid Park. It will include a 9 a.m. pancake breakfast, military displays, live music and veteran resource information for any veteran in need of assistance. 

More information can be found on the Nam Jam website. 

Metrognome Music is stepping up its game on its seemingly neverending quest to break the Guinness world record for the Largest Gathering of People Dressed as Garden Gnomes this Sunday. 

Gnome Fest 2017 is slated to take place from 3:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m. at the Maracana Indoor Sports Arena, 555 E. 18th Street on the south end of downtown.

The event will include gnome-themed activities, live music and food. It is free to attend. Donated cans of food are requested for the Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona. 

Make sure to show up in your best garden gnome attire. 

More information on the Facebook event page.