1. St. Pete for Peace continues its free screening series with Cocalero, an award-winning documentary that focuses on Bolivian farmers, the union they formed in response to their government's U.S.-prompted efforts to get rid of coca crops, and Evo Morales (pictured), the native Aymara Indian man who comes to represent them and eventually become the country’s first indigenous president. The film begins at 8:30 p.m. and is presented in the outdoor courtyard at Café Bohemia.
2. Convergence 2008 – the bienniel fiber arts conference of the Handweaver’s Guild of America – opens to the public today. Locals are invited to the Tampa Convention Center to come check out exhibits and demos, and shop for a variety of fiber merchandise.
3. LA’s Rooney produces music that’s been likened to a marriage of British Invasion rock and 1980’s pop. The band plays State Theatre with support provided by Locksley, a Brooklyn garage-rock ensemble.
4. Tampa Independent Business Alliance launches a local celebration of Independents Week, a nationwide observance – which officially occurs July 1-7 – that encourages communities to make an effort to shop at locally-owned independent businesses.
5. Another screening event, this one at Muvico Baywalk and to benefit St. Pete Pride. The “Pride and a Movie” selection is the detective drama, On the Other Hand, Death.
This article appears in Jun 25 – Jul 1, 2008.