Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area

Nightfall at Old Tucson
2026-10-17 17:00 - 23:00, 2026-10-16 17:00 - 23:00, 2026-10-15 17:00 - 23:00, 2026-10-11 17:00 - 23:00, 2026-10-10 17:00 - 23:00, 2026-10-09 17:00 - 23:00, 2026-10-08 17:00 - 23:00, 2026-10-04 17:00 - 23:00 (America/Phoenix) and 3 more dates | Old Tucson, 201 S Kinney Rd, Tucson, AZ, 85735-9321, United States
The darkness returns. Evil never stays buried for long, and Nightfall at Old Tucson rises again for its 34th year, running from October 1st through October 31st. Darker haunted mazes, more sinister scare zones, and live entertainment await across 22 acres of pure Halloween terror. Judge Blackwood presides and the verdict is in. Your time has come. Get your tickets now at oldtucson.com

Plant Propagation at Borderlands Restoration Network
2026-10-15 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-10-13 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-10-08 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-10-06 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-10-01 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-09-29 09:00 - 12:00 | Borderlands Nursery & Seed, 42 San Antonio Road, Patagonia, 85624, United States
Spend your morning at Borderlands Nursery & Seed with a great group of plant lovers propagating native plants that will restore the landscapes of the borderlands. Bring water and be prepared for outdoor work.

Sarah Mcquaid Live Concert
2026-10-10 14:00 - 16:00 | Tubac Presidio State Historic Park & Museum, 1 Burruel St, #1296, Tubac, A, 85646, United States
Sarah McQuaid is an acclaimed singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose lush vocals, masterful musicianship, and captivating storytelling create an unforgettable live performance. Blending folk, blues, and atmospheric instrumentals, her music reflects her diverse background and invites audiences into an intimate, heartfelt journey. Known for her warmth and engaging stage presence, Sarah’s concerts leave audiences inspired, moved, and deeply connected.
There will be light bites and refreshments for the show as well!

Docent Led Tour
2026-10-10 11:00 - 12:00, 2026-09-26 11:00 - 12:00 | Empire Ranch, 16655 E. Empire Ranch Rd, Sonoita, 85637, United States
Docent Led Tour of the Empire Ranch House. 11 am to noon. Reservations are required by 5 pm the day before the tour. Click here to make a reservation. Free. Meet at the Visitor Contact Station.

Birds of Mission Garden
2026-10-08 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.

Monthly Bird Walk
2026-10-08 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.

Healing Herb Walk
2026-10-03 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.

ASARCO Discovery Center & Mine Tours
2026-09-30 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.

Dragonfly BioBlitz
2026-09-30, 2026-09-29, 2026-09-28, 2026-09-27 | Santa Cruz River
Let’s catch them all — help us find all the colorful dragonflies and damselflies that are returning to the Santa Cruz River! For decades, the river was dry, but now it is flowing in many sections thanks to the release of high-quality recycled water in Pima and Santa Cruz Counties. Beautiful dragonflies and damselflies have come back to the river, but we need your help to find them all and show the world how successful these river restoration efforts have been. New species are still showing up on the river and you can help find them!
To participate in this community science project, you only have to have a camera, smartphone, or tablet, and an account with iNaturalist. In coordination with our annual Santa Cruz River Dragonfly Festival, we tally how many species we can find along the river each September. But don’t stop there! Continue to add observations anytime throughout the year.
Everyone is invited to participate! Just follow these easy steps:
1. Create an iNaturalist account and download the app or use the web interface
2. Visit any number of numerous locations along the Santa Cruz River and take photos of the dragonflies and damselflies you see
3. Upload your photos and observations to iNaturalist and we will include them in our tally of all the species found on the river!
Learn more about the Dragonfly BioBlitz here!

A Star is Born at the Loft Cinema Presented by the Empire Ranch
2026-09-27 14:00 - 17:00
Join us in celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the Historic Empire Ranch at the Loft Cinema in Tucson with a special screening commemorating the 50th Anniversary of A Star is Born, starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson.
Over 52 movies and television shows were filmed on or around the Empire Ranch between 1946 to 1996, including A Star is Born in 1976. The Desert Honeymoon House from the movie was located just south of the headquarters off Highway 82, and many scenes were shot in the Sonita/Elgin area.
Come just for the movie or join us for a special VIP Reception before the movie!
VIP tickets include:

Movie Ticket
One beer/wine/soft drink
Small Bites
Movie Memorabilia Raffle
A behind-the-scenes Making of the Movie presentation by Actor/Stuntman Steve “Bunker” de France, who was Kris Kristofferson’s stand-in, and Author and Film Historian Gene Freese.

Sunday, September 27, 2026
2:00pm – 2:45pm VIP Reception and Making of the Movie Presentation
3:00pm – 5:00pm A Star is Born
Tickets are on sale now through The Loft Cinema:
$15 General Admission (movie only)
$30 VIP Reception
The Loft Cinema
3233 E Speedway Blvd
Tucson, AZ 85716
This event is made possible in part by a grant from the Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area
All proceeds go toward preserving and protecting the Historic Empire Ranch.

Fiesta del Maiz
2026-09-26 15:00 - 21:00 | Kennedy Park Fiesta Area, 3357 South La Cholla Boulevard, Tucson, 85713, United States
We’re back at Kennedy Park! Save the date for this year’s Fiesta Del Maíz with live performances by LOS APSON and special guests.
Saturday, September 26th from 3-9PM, as always this event is free and all ages.
¡Nos vemos ahí!
FREE community event 9.26 at Kennedy Park food, live music, family friendly activities and more.
3pm-9pm / ALL AGES / FREE
FREE community event at Kennedy Park starting at 4pm with food, live music, family friendly activities and more. Free Face Painting, Arts & crafts, and fun for the entire family.
Tucson City of Gastronomy presents the annual “Pueblos del Maíz Fiesta,” a FREE community event at Kennedy Park. Kennedy Park will transform into a maíz themed fiesta with live music from Los Apson and more. The event will also feature local food and artisan vendors, family-friendly activities, and art installations, all celebrating the cultural and culinary significance of Maíz in the Sonoran Desert.
