Santa Cruz Valley National Heritage Area

Sunset Summer Family Poetry-Las Milpitas
2026-07-16 17:30 - 19:30 (America/Phoenix) | Las Milpitas Community Farm, 2405 S Cottonwood Ln, Tucson, AZ, 85713, United States
A twilight presentation of poems with the theme “Care is a Cure” quote dedicated to Family, History, Tradition, Culture, adjacent Waters and surrounding Lands, Barrios, Rancherias, Wildlife and Nature. Facilitated by City of Tucson Poet Laureate Sr. Logan Philips. For more information call or text: 520-248-5691.

ASARCO Discovery Center & Mine Tours
2026-07-16 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-07-15 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-07-11 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-07-10 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-07-09 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-07-08 09:30 - 10:30, 2026-07-04 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.

Plant Propagation at Borderlands Restoration Network
2026-07-16 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-07-14 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-07-09 09:00 - 12:00, 2026-07-07 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.

Sunset Summer Family Poetry – Barrio Santa Cruz Heritage Project
2026-07-15 17:30 - 19:30 | 1618 S. Santa Cruz Lane, 85713, 1618 S. Santa Cruz Lane, Tucson, 85713, United States
UA Poets – Community Artists – Grassroots Talents Our Poems can be dedicated to Family, History, Tradition, Culture, Stories, the Santa Cruz River, adjacent Bodies of Water, surrounding Lands, Barrios, Rancherias, the Wildlife, Nature, etc. With the Theme “Care is a Cure” quote and session facilitated by our friend City of Tucson Poet Laureate Sr. Logan Philips

Sunset Family Poetry - Barrio sin Nombre - The Land of Chuk Shon
2026-07-14 17:30 - 19:30 | 946 W Mission Lane, 946 W. Mission Lane, Tucson, 85745, United States

Sunset Summer Family Poetry - Barrio Kroger Lane 105th Anniversary
2026-07-13 17:30 - 19:30 | Gallery Studio, 935 W. Ochoa Lane, Tucson, 85745, United States
“The Peoples House – La Casa de la Gente – Hemajkam ha ki” in the Tohono O’odham Language. A twilight presentation of poems with the theme “Care is a Cure” quote dedicated to Family, History, Tradition, Culture, adjacent Waters and surrounding Lands, Barrios, Rancherias, Wildlife and Nature. Facilitated by City of Tucson Poet Laureate Sr. Logan Philips. For more information call or text: 520-248-5691.

Boat Tours at Patagonia Lake State Park
2026-07-12 09:00 - 12:30, 2026-07-11 09:00 - 12:30, 2026-07-05 09:00 - 12:30, 2026-07-04 09:00 - 12:30 | Patagonia Lake, 400 Patagonia Lake Rd, Patagonia,, AZ, 85624, United States
Every Saturday and Sunday, $7 per adult, $5 per child (13 years and under)

9 a.m. Avian Adventure Tour
10:15 a.m. Avian Adventure Tour
11:30 a.m. Lake Discovery Tour
Twilight Tour on Saturdays only. Time varies.

Please call the park to make your reservation: 520-287-2791.
Boat rentals are available at the Patagonia Lake Marina.

OUTDOORS TOGETHER / JUNTOS AFUERA
2026-07-11 18:00 - 20:00 | AZ
Welcome the monsoon season with a sunset walk in the downtown Nogales, AZ art district. Join the BRN Education team for a guided walk of the art Nogales has to offer.
Acompáñanos a darle la bienvenida a la temporada de lluvia, embarcando en una caminata de atardecer por el distrito de arte en el centro de Nogales, AZ. Únete al equipo de Educación de BRN para un paseo guiado para conocer el bello arte de Nogales.

Docent Led Tour
2026-07-11 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
2026-07-09 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.

Monthly Bird Walk
2026-07-09 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.

Paton Center Habitat Ambassadors
2026-07-08 09:00 - 11:00 | Paton Center for Hummingbirds, 477 Pennsylvania Ave, Patagonia, 85624, United States
Join Tucson Bird Alliance’s restoration team in enhancing and maintaining habitat around the Paton Center grounds.

Position Description:

TBA’s restoration department has been hard at work acquiring new grounds and developing valuable native habitat types at the Paton Center over the past few years and we need your help to continue this work. Events will focus largely on invasive species removal and weeding but could include any of the following activities:

Weeding and planting the Paton meadow to support pollinators
Trail maintenance and building for improved visitor experience
Invasive grass and vine pulling and management
Brush clearing and hauling
Irrigation system maintenance to support native plants
Paton Center yard and grounds maintenance
Native seed collection

We welcome you to register for these events if you are interested in any of these tasks and a TBA staff member will reach out in advance of each event to provide a more detailed plan for the day.

Requirements:

Please come prepared to work in direct sun and in hot temperatures during warm months. We recommend wearing long sleeves, long pants, and a hat as well as sturdy close toed shoes. Please also bring a refillable water bottle.

Date:

October-May: 10-12 pm
June-September: 9-11 am

Number of Openings:

We are looking for 10-15 volunteers for each date. Registration required. Please click HERE link to sign up for the date(s) you would like to volunteer.

Overview of Hohokam Pottery Wares and Types
2026-07-07 16:00 - 17:30
“Overview of Hohokam Pottery Wares and Types” five-session online adult education class with archaeologist Allen Dart, sponsored by Old Pueblo Archaeology Center, PO Box 40577, Tucson AZ 85717-0577
4-5:30 pm ARIZONA/Mountain Standard Time (same as Pacific Daylight Time) each Tuesday. $55 donation per person ($44 for Old Pueblo Archaeology Center and Arizona Site Stewards members) supports Old Pueblo’s education programs about archaeology and traditional cultures.
Registered Professional Archaeologist Allen Dart teaches this class in five 1½-hour sessions to familiarize participants with the main kinds of pottery found in southern Arizona archaeological sites of the Hohokam culture. The class will include hundreds of pottery photos, definitions of terms commonly used in ceramic analysis, identifying attributes of the most common Hohokam pottery wares and types, reading materials and bibliographic sources on Hohokam pottery, and plenty of discussion opportunities. Minimum enrollment 10 people.
Registration and prepayment are due 10 days after reservation request or by 5 pm Saturday June 6, whichever is earlier. To register or for more information contact Old Pueblo at 520-798-1201 or info@oldpueblo.org.

City of Nogales Independence Day Celebration: America 250
2026-07-04 16:00 - 23:00 | Karam Park, 159 N Morley Ave, , Nogales, A, 85621, United States
Nogales, Arizona
from 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
This patriotic community celebration will feature live music, fireworks, local vendors, food, drinks, and family-friendly entertainment honoring 250 years of freedom, unity, and independence.
Residents and visitors alike are invited to come together for an unforgettable evening celebrating community spirit and America’s 250th anniversary.
For more information, please visit this link or call 520-287-6571.

4th of July Celebration with Anna Don
2026-07-04 11:30 - 13:30 | Tucson Chinese Cultural Center, 1288 W River Rd, Tucson, 85704, United States
Get ready for this year’s 4th of July Celebration at the Tucson Chinese Cultural Center!
$10 Admission at the door for non-members.
FREE for TCCC Members and Children 12 and under.
Lunch is included with your tickets.
This year, there will also be a special presentation by Anna Don. A personal look at Tucson’s Chinese-American community from the 1930s through the 1950’s.

RSVPs are appreciated to help us plan for lunch and refreshments.

Patagonia 4th of July Celebration
2026-07-04 11:00 - 19:00 | Patagonia Town Park, 325 McKeown Ave, Patagonia, 85624, United States
Celebrate the 250th anniversary of Independence Day in beautiful Patagonia, Arizona! Join the community for a fun-filled 4th of July celebration featuring a patriotic parade, local festivities, and an evening fireworks display. This year’s Grand Marshals are Ron and Cindy Morriss. Parade participants will gather at the high school beginning at 10:00 a.m., with the parade officially starting at 11:00 a.m. The celebration concludes with spectacular fireworks at dusk. Vendors are also welcome to participate. For more information, contact Patagonia Town Hall at (520) 394-2229. Come enjoy a day of hometown pride, family fun, and patriotic spirit!

4th of July 250th Celebration
2026-07-04 10:00 - 12:00 | Tubac Presidio State Historic Park & Museum, 1 Burruel St, #1296, Tubac, A, 85646, United States
Celebrate the 4th of July with Tubac Presidio at a fun-filled community event for all ages! Enjoy free admission, complimentary food, exciting prizes, and a variety of activities throughout the day.
We are also proud to honor our veterans who have served our country with a special veterans ceremony. Veterans are warmly invited to attend and participate—please feel free to wear your uniform or a hat representing your service.
Bring your family and friends as we come together to celebrate independence, community, and those who have dedicated themselves to protecting our freedoms. We look forward to celebrating with you!

Healing Herb Walk
2026-07-04 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.
