Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area

Guided Birding Walks at Patagonia Lake State Park
2026-03-30 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-04-03 09:00 - 12:00 (America/Phoenix) | Patagonia Lake, 400 Patagonia Lake Rd, Patagonia,, AZ, 85624, United States
Guided bird walks are back!​ Join park rangers at the Birding Trail kiosk (next to campsite #12) for a ranger-led hike to learn about the diverse avian wildlife at Patagonia Lake and Sonoita Creek.
The event repeats each Friday and Monday at 9:00 a.m.​ For more information, These walks are limited to 15 people. Sign up in advance at the Visitor Center or by calling (520) 287-2791 or please visit https://azstateparks.com/patagonia-lake/events/bird-walk-patagonia​

ASARCO Self Guided Center Tours
2026-03-31 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-01 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-02 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-03 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-04 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-07 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-08 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-09 09:00 - 17:00 and 1 more date | ASARCO Mineral Discovery Center, 1421 W Pima Mine Rd, Sahuarita, 85629, United States
Since we opened our doors in 1997, the ASARCO Mineral Discovery Center & Mine Tours’ vision has been to educate communities on the vital importance of the copper mining industry to our civilization, to educate students and teachers in earth sciences, and to preserve Arizona’s mining history.
We invite you to take our free self-guided tour of the center’s indoor and outdoor exhibits, which walks through the copper transformation process. Afterward, peruse the Company Store for unique and educational gifts.

Tumamoc Talks: Desert Purple Martins – Star Birds of the Arizona Monsoon
2026-04-01 05:30 - 18:30 | Tumamoc Hill Boathouse, 1675 W Anklam Road, Tucson, United States
Desert Purple Martins – Star Birds of the Arizona Monsoon with Jennie MacFarland
The Desert Purple Martin (Progne subis hesperia) is a distinct subspecies that times its nesting to monsoon abundance and nests almost exclusively in saguaros or other large columnar cacti. Desert Purple Martins are extremely understudied with large gaps in knowledge about their nesting, migration, and wintering grounds. Very recent discoveries and data results will be shared along with lots of video and audio that showcases the charming and fascinating Desert Purple Martin. Jennie MacFarland is the Director of Bird Conservation at Tucson Bird Alliance. She co-coordinates the Arizona Bird Areas Program with Tice Supplee and also coordinates the Tucson Bird Count, a city-wide, urban spring bird count.

Guided Birding Walks at Patagonia Lake State Park
2026-04-03 08:00 - 12:00, 2026-04-10 08:00 - 12:00 | Patagonia Lake, 400 Patagonia Lake Rd, Patagonia,, AZ, 85624, United States
Guided bird walks are back!​ Join park rangers at the Birding Trail kiosk (next to campsite #12) for a ranger-led hike to learn about the diverse avian wildlife at Patagonia Lake and Sonoita Creek.
The event repeats each Friday at 9:00 a.m through April.​ For more information, These walks are limited to 15 people. Sign up in advance at the Visitor Center or by calling (520) 287-2791 or please visit https://azstateparks.com/patagonia-lake/events/bird-walk-patagonia​

Border Bioblitz 2026
2026-04-04 08:00 - 11:00 | Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve Visitor Center, 150 Blue Haven Road, Patagonia, Arizona, 85624, United States
Be a part of this citizen science effort to document the unique biodiversity along the U.S.-Mexico border!

Guided Birding Walks at Patagonia Sonoita Creek
2026-04-04 08:00 - 17:00 | Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve Visitor Center, 150 Blue Haven Road, Patagonia, Arizona, 85624, United States
Join us for guided birding walks at Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve in Southern Arizona on Saturday mornings, starting November 1st, 2025!
Learn about the resident and migrating birds, ranging from gray hawks to vermilion flycatchers to thick-billed kingbirds. Tours will also touch on the environmental history of the region surrounding the preserve. Birders of all levels are welcome.
The start time of the walks will vary depending on the point in the season, so be sure to check the sign-up form to see when they will begin each week. The fee is $8 per person, or $5 for Santa Cruz/Cochise County residents and TNC members. Free to Patagonia/Sonoita/Elgin residents and children under 17. Registration is required.
Please bring comfortable clothes and footwear to walk 1-2 miles, a water bottle, sun protection and snacks. We suggest bringing your own binoculars, but the preserve has a limited number available for checkout. Read more about preserve regulations here.
For more information, contact Preserve Manager Aaron at aaron.mrotek@tnc.org.

Healing Herb Walk
2026-04-04 09:00 - 10:00 | Mission Garden, 946 W Mission Ln, Tucson, AZ, 85745
Learn about some of the 50 medicinal plants in Mission Garden’s Moore Medicinal Garden. The plants are native to the American Southwest deserts and in many cases have been used for millennia. Modern herbalists are keeping this tradition alive at Mission Garden.

America Semiquincentennial and the Town of Oro Valley
2026-04-04 09:00 - 12:00 | Steam Pump Ranch, 10901 North Oracle Road, Oro Valley, 85737, United States
The America Semiquincentennial celebration continues! The Oro Valley Historical Society invites you to the Pusch House Museum at historic Steam Pump Ranch for part three of its year‑long exhibit, America Semiquincentennial and the Town of Oro Valley. Discover the nation’s early hardships, Arizona’s statehood challenges, and the Town’s own founding story. Volunteers will answer questions, and complimentary tours are available with welcomed donations.

Blast from the Past: Firing of the 1541 Coronado Expedition Cannon Replica
2026-04-04 14:00 - 16:00 | Tubac Presidio State Historic Park & Museum, 1 Burruel St, #1296, Tubac, A, 85646, United States
Join us for a remarkable presentation featuring Dr. Deni Seymour, an internationally recognized archaeologist and leading expert on Native and Spanish Colonial history of the Southwest. She will be joined by fellow members of the Historical Arms Society of Tucson.

With more than 45 years of groundbreaking research, Dr. Seymour has uncovered the stories, landscapes, and people that shaped our desert region. Her work—combined with her dynamic storytelling—makes the past come alive. Together with special guests, she will explore the history and technology of early artillery in the Southwest.

Silent for nearly 500 years, two bronze cannons were discovered buried at the 1541 battle site of the Coronado Expedition townsite of Suya, near Nogales in southern Arizona. A highlight of the program will be an exhilarating live cannon firing and in-depth discussion of the cannon, its replica, and the critical role these weapons played during the expedition.

The original cannon will also be available for viewing.

The Geometry of Birding
2026-04-08 14:00 - 15:30 | Tubac Community Center, 50 Bridge Road, Tubac, AZ, United States
A presentation by Peg Abbott, owner and founder of Naturalist Journeys. If birding is your lifelong passion, or even just an enjoyable hobby, you know that it grows with a stairstep progression of acquired skills. Sometimes you level out in ability and get frustrated. Peg Abbott of Naturalist Journeys presents a skill session aimed to help you with a new perspective. Within each bird there is a ruler or other tools related to shape that can help you unlock its ID. Learn how the basics of geometry – points, lines, angles, and planes – come together to create shapes. And how comparing the relative proportions of these shapes within a single bird, or between birds in a group or flock, can help you gain that next level to empower your birding skills and passion to grow.

Agave Heritage Festival
2026-04-09, 2026-04-10 | Tucson, Tucson
This festival is meant to celebrate and sustain the cultural, ecological, and economic significance of agave through binational collaboration, storytelling, and community-rooted experiences.
The Agave Heritage Festival brings together voices from the Sonoran Desert and beyond to honor agave’s legacy and ignite collective action for a more resilient future.
Find a full list of festival events here:https://www.agaveheritagefestival.com/2026-events-calendar

Monthly Bird Walk
2026-04-09 08:00 - 09:30 | Mission Garden, 946 W Mission Ln, Tucson, AZ, 85745
Walk around Mission Garden to look for seasonal and resident birds. Learn to identify some common calls and songs of the birds here. The garden is a good place for beginning and intermediate birders to learn about many of the birds common to the greater Tucson area. Check in with Kevin (the roadrunner) and our resident chickens. We always check the hummingbird feeder to see what hummingbirds are visiting it!
Walks usually last about one and half hours. Walking is easy in the garden and the paths, while not paved, are made of compacted material that is ADA compatible and suitable for wheelchairs and walkers. The length of this walk is 0.50 to 0.75 mile.

Birds of Mission Garden
2026-04-09 08:00 - 09:30 | Mission Garden, 946 W Mission Ln, Tucson, AZ, 85745
At Mission Garden, meet at the front gate

Walk around beautiful Mission Garden with one of the garden’s expert birders. We’ll look for seasonal and resident birds and learn to identify some common calls and songs. The garden is a good place for beginning and intermediate birders to learn about many of the birds common to the greater Tucson area. Check in with the roadrunners. We always check the hummingbird feeder! Take the opportunity to learn about the history of Tucson’s agriculture and some of the crops that have been important here.

Agave Planting at Mission Garden
2026-04-09 08:00 - 11:00 | Mission Garden, 946 W Mission Ln, Tucson, AZ, 85745
Be part of history and the future! Join us at Mission Garden to plant agave in the traditional Hohokam style, inspired by ancient plantings on Tumamoc Hill. These agave plants will provide food for bat pollinators and may even become part of a future festival’s roasting pit.
No experience is needed, and families are encouraged to join! We’ll provide all tools and gloves—just bring your enthusiasm, long pants, and a hat for sun protection.
EVENT SPONSORS
Mission Garden

Howard Scott Gentry Lecture
2026-04-09 16:00 - 17:30 | Tucson Botannical Garden, 2150 North Alvernon Way, Tucson, 85712, United States
The Howard Scott Gentry Award honors those who have advanced the understanding and care of agaves and desert plants, continuing the legacy of Gentry’s foundational research in the Sonoran Desert.
In 2026, we recognize Wendy Hodgson is honored for her decades of leadership in agave and desert plant research and conservation, including field-based work documenting agave diversity, ecology, and cultural uses across the Sonoran Desert. Through her work at Desert Botanical Garden, she has connected science, conservation, and public education, leaving a lasting impact as a mentor and field botanist.
She traces the story of agave in the Sonoran Desert from pre-contact knowledge to present-day research and conservation, highlighting the importance of Indigenous leadership in stewardship.

Arizona Folk Festival
2026-04-09 18:00 - 21:30 | Jacome Plaza, 101 N. Stone Ave, Tucson, 85701, United States
The Tucson Folk Festival returns in 2026 for its 41st year, bringing the heart of live acoustic music back to Downtown Tucson around Jácome Plaza.

For more than four decades, the festival has stood as a living reflection of Tucson’s creative spirit—rooted in storytelling, cultural exchange, and the simple, powerful act of gathering through music. What began as a grassroots celebration has grown into one of the longest-running and largest free music festivals in the country, while remaining deeply committed to accessibility, authenticity, and community connection.
From emerging local voices to nationally recognized artists, the festival creates space for artists to share their craft, for audiences to discover something new, and for traditions to be passed from one generation to the next.
At its core, the Tucson Folk Festival is about more than music. It is a platform for cultural preservation, a launchpad for artists, and a shared civic experience that brings people together across backgrounds, neighborhoods, and lived experiences.

In a time when connection can feel fractured, this festival reminds us what it looks like to sit side by side, listen deeply, and celebrate the stories, and the art that shape us.

The vision is simple and bold: a community where the arts are not an accessory, but a vital thread woven into everyday life —fueling creativity, strengthening identity, and building a more connected and resilient Tucson.

Come be part of the tradition.

Habitat Restoration Day
2026-04-10 08:00 - 11:00 | Oracle Road wildlife crossings, 14380 N Oracle Rd, Tucson, Arizona, United States, 85739, Tucson, AZ, 85739, United States
Join the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection at the Oracle Road wildlife crossings!
This is a great opportunity to get a hands-on, restoration experience, take a tour of these amazing structures, and learn more about wildlife connectivity projects in Southern Arizona.
Our goals for the day:

Remove invasive plant species (buffelgrass)
Water establishing plants
Build and repair erosion control rock structures as needed

Please arrive for an 8am start time. Gloves and all other tools will be provided. We will have snacks bagels and snacks to share with you! Please bring a re-usable water bottle. We hope you can join us!
RSVP here
Physical Requirements: Frequent bending and kneeling, walking in the sun for prolonged periods, walking on potentially uneven surfaces, carrying water buckets weighing between 15-25 lbs, moving rocks weighing between 5-25lbs.
This project in funded in part by the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area and in partnership with Strategic Habitat Enhancements – thank you!

Walk the Anza Trail at Tumacácori National Historical Park
2026-04-10 10:00 - 11:30 | Tumacácori National Historical Park, 1891 E Frontage Rd, Tumacacori, 85640, United States
Join an Anza Trail park ranger at Tumacácori National Historical Park for a guided walk!
-Meet at the mission church at 10 am
-Walk to the Santa Cruz River along the Anza Trail
-Return around 11:30 am
We’ll be walking along the same route the Anza expedition followed 250 years ago! This is an easy trail but expect uneven and unpaved surfaces. It’s a 1- to 2-mile roundtrip journey. Bring comfortable shoes, sun protection, water, and an interest in natural and cultural history!

February 13, 2026 from 10:00 – 11:30 am

March 13, 2026 from 10:00 – 11:30 am

April 10, 2026 from 10:00 – 11:30 am

May 8, 2026 from 10:00 – 11:30 am

1891 I-19 Frontage Rd, Tumacacori, AZ 85640
