Agave Heritage Festival
2026-04-11, 2026-04-12 | 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

Guided Birding Walks at Patagonia Sonoita Creek
2026-04-11 08:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-18 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Phoenix) | 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.

America Semiquincentennial and the Town of Oro Valley
2026-04-11 09:00 - 12:00 | Steam Pump Ranch, 10901 North Oracle Road, Oro Valley, 85737, United States
The Oro Valley Historical Society’s year‑long tribute to the America Semiquincentennial moves into its final phase for the season. Stop by the Pusch House Museum at historic Steam Pump Ranch to view America Semiquincentennial and the Town of Oro Valley, an exhibit connecting the nation’s founding challenges with Arizona’s and Oro Valley’s own. Our naturalist will be on-site providing two one-hour gentle walking tours around the Ranch culminating in our Heritage Garden where visitors will be able to see a replica of a Tohono O’odham pit house and the plants that our growing in our garden this season. Volunteers will be available in the Museum for questions, and complimentary tours are offered with grateful acceptance of donations.

Desert Discovery Day
2026-04-11 09:00 - 13:00 | Children’s Museum Tucson, 200 S 6th Ave, Tucson, AZ, 85701
Join us April 11, 2026 from 9 AM–1 PM for a celebration of everything that makes the Sonoran Desert so special. From amazing plants and animals to the rich cultures that call our desert home, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to learn, explore, and connect.

Food trucks
Hands-on activities
Fun for the whole family

Come celebrate the beauty, science, and culture of the desert with us!

If you are interested in volunteering with the SCVNHA during this event, please email: zabrina@santacruzheritage.org

ASARCO Self Guided Center Tours
2026-04-11 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-14 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-15 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-16 09:00 - 17:00, 2026-04-17 09:00 - 17:00 | 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.

Growing in the Desert: The History & Culture of the Tohono O’odham
2026-04-11 10:00 - 11:00 | Tubac Presidio State Historic Park & Museum, 1 Burruel St, #1296, Tubac, A, 85646, United States
This program is made possible by Arizona Humanities. Please note that park admission is not included.

Many Arizonans call the Sonoran Desert and its striking landscapes home. Long before our urban centers and city lights lit up the dark desert skies, the Tohono O’odham were cultivating and shaping the land with abundant agriculture—from squash and beans to corn and cotton. For generations they passed down their rich knowledge and culture grown from their connection to the desert. Join us for a program with Jacelle Ramon-Sauberan as she shares her knowledge about the history and culture of her people, the Tohono O’odham.

Jacelle Ramon-Sauberan, of the Tohono O’odham Nation, serves as the Education Liaison for the Kitt Peak National Observatory and as an instructor at the Tohono O’odham Community College. She earned her Ph.D. in American Indian Studies with a minor in Journalism from the University of Arizona in 2023. As part of her dissertation work, she created the first living-document on the history of land and water in the San Xavier District, as told from a Tohono O’odham perspective. She has written for news publications across the US including Indian Country Today and is part of Arizona Humanities’ AZ Speaks Program providing presentations on Tohono O’odham History, Culture, and Foodways across Arizona. Jacelle also serves on several boards and committees including Wecij U’uwi Hemapai (Tohono O’odham Young Women’s Gathering), Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace-Mission Garden, Friends of Saguaro National Park and Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area Partnership Council.

Arizona250 Celebration at the Historic San Rafael Ranch
2026-04-11 10:00 - 15:00 | San Rafael State Natural Area, 2036 Duquesne Rd, Patagonia, 85624, United States
Join us for a special Arizona250 celebration at San Rafael Ranch Historic District, located within the San Rafael State Natural Area.
This commemorative event invites the public to experience one of Arizona’s most significant historic ranching sites while celebrating Arizona’s rich heritage, landscapes, and communities. Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the historic ranch house, learn about the San Rafael Valley’s ranching and conservation legacy, and enjoy the natural beauty of the surrounding short-grass prairie. Connect with Arizona’s past while supporting the preservation of this remarkable place for future generations!
Self guided ranch house tours and educational displays will be offered throughout the day. A dedication of property as an Important Bird Area will be held at 10 a.m.
Please register for this event online. No physical tickets will be provided; those who register will be on the event guest list.
If you are interested in volunteering with SCVNHA at this event, please email: zabrina@santacruzheritage.org

Arizona Folk Festival
2026-04-11 12:00 - 21:30, 2026-04-12 11:30 - 20:30 | 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.

Hijas del Maguey Film Screening + Q&A
2026-04-11 12:30 - 14:30 | The Screening Room, 127 East Congress Street, Tucson, 85701, United States
RSVP REQUIRED
In partnership with the Tucson City of Gastronomy, we present Las Hijas del Maguey (Daughters of Maguey) – a documentary that follows the Mujeres del Mezcal y Maguey de México, a collective of women organizing for visibility, fair recognition, and a stronger future for the communities who sustain agave culture. Through their stories, the film opens a wider view of mezcal, not just what is in the glass, but the labor, land, and power behind it.
After the screening, stay for a panel Q&A to keep the conversation going by exploring women’s leadership in agave, the realities of rural livelihoods, and what it takes to build an industry that is more equitable, transparent, and rooted in stewardship.
EVENT SPONSORS
Tucson City of Gastronomy

The Amazing Agave at Saguaro National Park on Saturday
2026-04-11 13:15 - 14:00 | Saguaro National Park West-West at the Red Hills Visitor Center, 2700 North Kinney Road, Tucson, 85743, United States
Heralded as the “Tree of Wonders”, the agave has been celebrated for centuries throughout Mexico and the American Southwest, and utilized to make over 40 products – from textiles to tequila. Uncover the adaptations that enable this native succulent to thrive in the hot and harsh Sonoran Desert, and discover how a prized ornamental holds the promise of a practical and sustainable crop. Join a Park Naturalist for this narrated theater presentation, and prepare to be amazed!

“Future of Water” UA Fine Arts Student Illustration and AR Exhibition
2026-04-11 15:00 - 17:00 | Tucson Gastropark, 1625 East Broadway Boulevard, Tucson, 85719, United States
Located in Tucson within the Sonoran Desert, the subject of water conservation and effective water usage is a major one. Being situated in a dry, arid environment that directly impacts our way of life, IDA (Illustration, Design, and Animation) students at The University of Arizona, led by Professor Jenn Liv, take on a first-semester project that combines illustration, motion design, and AR activation to create work that raises water conservation awareness.
Students first gather research on water conservation in Tucson, examining current measures and incentives implemented by the city to reduce water use and promote conservation. They then develop concepts for an illustration, followed by a storyboard to map the short animation. After concepts are approved, students move into final production and link their illustrations and animations through the Artivive app. This assignment has produced compelling results each time it is offered, introducing students to extended reality and interdisciplinary practice while creating interactive work that engages viewers and adds an immersive quality to each piece.

Living Lab & Learning Center Tour
2026-04-11 17:00 - 19:00 | Watershed Management Group, 1137 N Dodge Blvd., Tucson, AZ, 85716
Our guided Living Lab Tours happen every 2nd and 4th Saturdays of the month. You’ll be led through our demonstration site by one of our Docents to learn about our many water harvesting systems firsthand.

Danny Lopez Park - Trash / Buffelgrass cleanup
2026-04-12 07:00 - 09:00 | Danny Lopez Park, 4300 N Silverbell Rd, Tucson, 85745, United States
This trash/buffelgrass cleanup is on Sunday, April 12 from 7 – 9 am. Ramada #7 is reserved for a (no alcohol) potluck brunch after the cleanup. Email me for at FriendsOfDLPark@gmail.com for more info and please copy/paste this link to sign up https://forms.gle/kkU7mSAhQNn8c8EB7 if you would like to join. You do not need to help with the cleanup in order to attend the potluck. Meet at the SOUTHERN end of the lake. When you drive into the park, take the first right and follow this all the way around behind PACC until you get to the meeting spot parking.
At the April 12 potluck, Friends of Danny Lopez Park will be practicing using the iNaturalist app to help document the plants, birds, dragonflies and aquatic invertebrates around Silverbell Lake. They will use this skill on Saturday, April 25 to do a Bioblitz for the 2026 City Nature Challenge.

Borderlands Restoration Network Plant Sale
2026-04-12 08:00 - 11:00 | Bar Crisol + Exo, 196 West Simpson Street, Tucson, 85701, United States
Borderlands Restoration Network brings their plants to Bar Crisol + Exo on Simpson St for a native plant and seed sale supporting ecological restoration across the Arizona Sky Islands and the Madrean Archipelago.
Proceeds from native plants and seeds help fund the cultivation of native seed fields and responsible seed harvest used in restoration projects throughout the region. By choosing plants adapted to desert and mountain ecosystems, you are supporting habitat, pollinators, and long-term landscape health. Stop by for coffee, browse native plants, and support on-the-ground restoration work by taking something home.
Come for the plants, stay for the coffee and conversation.

Wild Connections Week
2026-04-13 - 2026-04-17
Join the Coalition for Sonoran Desert Protection for a free field trip series to our region’s most critical wildlife corridors during the week of April 13!
Explore, learn from local experts, and make exciting discoveries along the way. This is a fantastic opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at the creative solutions and current challenges to wildlife movement in Pima County.
Sign up for any or all events below:
★ Explore the Santa Cruz River Wildlife Ramp
When: Monday, April 13, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Where: West of the Avra Valley Road exit on I-10 in the Tucson-Tortolita Mountains wildlife linkage
★ Cross the CAP Canal in Avra Valley
When: Tuesday, April 14, 7:00 AM – 8:30 AM
Where: Saguaro National Park West — Red Hills Visitor Center. From there, we will carpool and follow each other to an area just west on Sandario Road in the Coyote-Tucson-Ironwood wildlife linkage, where desert bighorn sheep were seen a few years back!
★ Why didn’t the tortoise cross Picture Rocks Road?
When: Thursday, April 16, 7:00 AM – 8:30 AM
Where: Parking lot off Picture Rocks Road near the Cam-Boh Trail in Saguaro National Park
★ Sunset at the Wildlife Bridge – 10th anniversary celebration!
When: Friday, April 17, 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Where: Next to the Ann Day Memorial Wildlife Bridge in the Catalina-Tortolita Mountains wildlife linkage
This event series is funded in part by the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area – Thank you!

Santa Cruz River Restoration
2026-04-15 09:00 - 11:00 | Ron Morriss Park, 31 Calle Iglesia, Tubac, AZ, 85746
Join Tucson Bird Alliance habitat restoration professionals for a Santa Cruz River Community Stewardship Event! We will be working to restore habitat along the Santa Cruz River in Tubac, starting with invasive plant removal. Monthly community restoration volunteer events will be held every third Wednesday from 9-11am, through May 2026. This project is a joint effort between the Tubac Nature Center and Tucson Bird Alliance.

Indigenous Comedy Live
2026-04-15 17:30 - 21:00 | Hotel Congress, 311 E. Congress St, Tucson, 85701, United States
Arizona State Museum is showcasing Indigenous Comedy Live, on April 15th, hosted by Hotel Congress in downtown Tucson. Highlighting the humor of Indigenous comedians representing Akimel O’otham, Pascua Yaqui, Quechan, Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota, and Tohono O’odham communities: 5 comedians, 1 stage, 1 night under the stars! In collaboration with The Indigenous Market, we kick off the night with the a small market of eight Indigenous artisans from Tucson and a frybread stand offered by the Miss Native UA Club.

ASARCO Ticketed Mine Tour
2026-04-16 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-04-17 09:30 - 10:30 | ASARCO Mineral Discovery Center, 1421 W Pima Mine Rd, Sahuarita, 85629, United States
The ASARCO Mineral Discovery Center & Mine Tours’ vision has been to educate communities on the vital importance of the copper mining industry to civilization, to educate students and teachers in earth sciences, and to preserve Arizona’s mining history.’
Join the mine tour for a firsthand look at the copper transformation process. Ticketed mine tours are approximately 65 minutes long.
Tours at 9:30 am, 11:15 am
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE MINE TOUR

Closed-toed shoes are required to take the tour. No Crocs, sandals, or flip-flops will be allowed.
We suggest bringing a water bottle (filtered water station is available in the Center).
Please dress comfortably.

Guided Birding Walks at Patagonia Lake State Park
2026-04-17 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​

Earth Day of Connection & Rio Relay
2026-04-18 08:00 - 11:00 | Bonita Park, 20 N Bonita Ave, Tucson, 85745, United States
Join community members, local organizations, land management agencies for a day of fun and stewardship!
Days of Connection celebrating Earth Day and the RioRelay is taking place at Bonita Park right-off of the Santa Cruz River. Join the Pima County Connecting Children to Nature Coalition, Tucson Clean and Beautiful, Pima County, Sonoran Institute, Tucson Water, United Way and other partners as we come together to celebrate Earth Day through a day of fun, stewardship and connecting with nature and community!
Earth Day of Connection is happening on Saturday, April 18th between 8AM-11AM at Bonita Park located at 20 N Bonita Ave, Tucson, AZ 85745.
These experiences bring together local groups and individual passionate about the natural world and environmental stewardship. At this Day of Connection you can expect to;

Enjoy music, snacks and beautiful green space with a broad community of stewardship and nature lovers.
Steward the Santa Cruz by picking up trash with TCB and Sonoran Institute or learn to identify and remove invasive giant reed (Arundo donax) with specialists from Tucson Bird Alliance.
Experience the on-going neighborhood conservation and restoration efforts in the area being lead by Friends of Favor Celestial and Watershed Management group.
Connect with Educators with Pima County Conservation Lands and Resources and Regional Flood Control District to learn more about what our county is doing to conserve and celebrate our public lands.

Fort Lowell Park Walking Tour
2026-04-18 09:00 - 11:00 | Fort Lowell Museum, 2900 N Craycroft Rd, Tucson, 85712, United States
Before Davis Monthan, there was Fort Lowell! This walking tour covers the history of the land, people, and fort structures that played a huge part in the development of modern Tucson during the Apache Wars, America’s longest-running military conflict. This 2-hour leisurely walk is just under a mile. It will feature the adobe ruins of fort structures such as the Quartermasters Building, Officers’ Quarters, Post Barracks and the Fort Hospital. Admission to the museum is included with the tour.
Be prepared to be on your feet. No public water or restrooms are available at the museum, but the park offers fountains and public restrooms (next to the parking lot, by the Craycroft entrance).
Begins and ends at the Fort Lowell Museum

Buy tickets here: https://tucsonpresidio.com/civicrm/event/register/?id=1193&reset=1

America Semiquincentennial and the Town of Oro Valley
2026-04-18 09:00 - 12:00 | Steam Pump Ranch, 10901 North Oracle Road, Oro Valley, 85737, United States
As America’s Semiquincentennial celebration continues, the Oro Valley Historical Society presents the third part of its annual exhibit at the Pusch House Museum in Steam Pump Ranch. America Semiquincentennial and the Town of Oro Valley reflects on the nation’s founding struggles, Arizona’s path to statehood, and the Town’s own early challenges. Volunteers will be on hand to share more, and free tours are offered with donations gratefully accepted.
