Back to Student StoriesA Year in Tucson: Signature Events
Life at the University of Arizona isn’t just about classes – it’s about experiences that create memories, connect you with the community, and help you fully embrace Tucson. From street fairs and cultural celebrations to Wildcats traditions, there’s always something exciting happening. Here’s your month-by-month guide to some of the signature events and experiences you won’t want to miss while living in Tucson.
January
Kick off the year with the HSL Properties Tucson Jazz Festival, a nine-day celebration of world-class jazz in downtown Tucson! Each January, talented artists perform at iconic venues like The Century Room and the Rialto Theatre, bringing the city alive with music. The festival’s mission is to spark discovery and celebrate live jazz through community engagement and music education.
February
Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase
Step into a world of sparkle at the Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase, the largest and oldest gem show in the world! Established in 1946, this international event brings together collectors, scientists, jewelers, and artists to celebrate minerals, fossils, jewelry, and unique global crafts. Explore educational exhibits, family-friendly activities, and the Alfie Norville Gem & Mineral Museum’s special free day. Whether you’re hunting for rare finds or soaking in the dazzling displays, this showcase is a must-see Tucson experience.
La Fiesta de los Vaqueros: Tucson Rodeo
Grab your cowboy hat and head to La Fiesta de los Vaqueros, Tucson’s iconic rodeo and celebration of Western heritage. With more than a century of history, this eight-day event features elite rodeo competitions like bull riding, barrel racing, and team roping, along with community festivities throughout the city. Don’t miss the annual rodeo parade, the largest non-motorized parade in the United States, featuring a 2.5-mile route with more than 1,000 horses and hundreds of riders dressed in their Western best.
March
The 4th Avenue Spring Street Fair is a three-day festival in downtown Tucson that draws locals, students, and visitors alike. Stroll along historic Fourth Avenue and browse over 350 vendors offering everything from local honey and jerky to handmade clothing, unique art, and quirky crafts. With live music and the vibrant street festival atmosphere, it’s one of Tucson’s most lively and beloved community events.
Calling all book lovers! The Tucson Festival of Books is a must-attend annual event on the Mall at the University of Arizona. This free festival now draws more than 120,000 visitors and features hundreds of authors, presenters, and volunteers. If you’re a reader, a writer, or just looking to enjoy a beautiful spring day on campus, the Tucson Festival of Books is a celebration of stories, ideas, and community.
April
Admitted Student Day is a celebration for students who have officially committed to joining the University of Arizona. Students and their families are welcomed to campus for a day filled with Wildcat pride. Explore campus resources, meet fellow incoming students, and enjoy activities and giveaways from Student Services. It’s a festive kickoff to life as a Wildcat and a memorable way to celebrate your next chapter at the U of A.
Held each April, the Agave Heritage Festival is a celebration of the deep cultural, ecological and economic importance of agave in the Sonoran Desert and beyond. Through experiences like agave plantings at Mission Garden, guided hikes on Tumamoc Hill, field-note workshops, cultural exchanges, and an Agave Roast, attendees gain a deeper understanding of the traditions and knowledge that shape our region.
May
As graduation season arrives, the University of Arizona comes together to celebrate its graduating Wildcats at Spring Commencement, held at Casino Del Sol Stadium. The ceremony brings together thousands of graduates and nearly 40,000 family members, friends, and supporters for an evening filled with pride, tradition, and reflection. Inspiring remarks from university leadership and keynote speakers highlight the diverse achievements and journeys of the graduating class.
August
Destination Arizona & Welcome Week
Kick off the fall semester with Destination Arizona and Welcome Week – your official introduction to life as a Wildcat! Destination Arizona (DAZ) is a two-day, on-campus orientation where new students learn university traditions, explore campus resources, and meet fellow Wildcats before classes begin. Once DAZ wraps up, Welcome Week keeps the momentum going with events designed to help you find your community, and settle in. Bash at the Rec, is always a favorite, brings together 9,000+ students for a high-energy night of clubs and resources.
September
As the fall semester hits its midpoint, Bear Down Week offers Wildcats a much-needed pause to recharge and reset. Designed to support student well-being, the week features events, activities, and resources focused on stress relief, connection, and community-building. It’s a time for students to come together, prepare for midterms, and reconnect with what it truly means to “Bear Down.” From wellness workshops to campus celebrations, the week reminds Wildcats that support is always within reach.
Each September, Tucson’s vibrant food scene takes center stage during Sonoran Restaurant Week – a 10-day celebration of Southern Arizona dining. Participating restaurants across the region offer exclusive fixed-price menus, each discounted by at least 20 percent. From award-winning eateries to City of Gastronomy-certified spots, the event makes it easy to explore new flavors, support local businesses and experience why Tucson is recognized as one of the country’s most distinctive culinary destinations.
October
Tip off basketball season at the Red-Blue Showcase, held at McKale Memorial Center. This fan-favorite scrimmage gives Wildcats their first look at the men’s basketball team as new and returning players face off. Former Wildcat players also return to judge the high-flying dunk contest, adding extra excitement to the evening and officially kicking off basketball season.
Family Weekend is a long-standing University of Arizona tradition that brings Wildcats and their loved ones together each fall. Dating back to 1929, the event invites families to experience campus life firsthand through academic showcases, campus activities, Arizona traditions, and more. It’s the perfect opportunity to invite the family down and give them a glimpse of your “home away from home.”
Tucson Meet Yourself is a downtown culinary and cultural celebration where food takes center stage. Dozens of food trucks serve small plates from various cultures – pierogies from Poland, Japanese takoyaki, Turkish kofta, and more – earning the festival the nickname “Tucson Eat Yourself.” Alongside the flavors, enjoy live music, dance performances, and folk art demonstrations, but most visitors come hungry for the incredible variety of food. It’s a fun, tasty way to experience the city’s diverse cultural roots.
November
The All Souls Procession is one of Tucson’s most powerful community traditions – an inclusive, artist-driven ceremony honoring loved ones who have passed. Participants often dress in elaborate costumes as they follow a two-mile route through downtown, led by “The Urn,” where attendees write notes and offerings in memory of deceased loved ones. At the procession’s end, the urn is ceremonially burned, creating a moving, communal moment of remembrance. What began in 1990 as a small creative memorial now draws more than 200,000 people, celebrating memory, healing, and life.
Each November, Homecoming brings thousands of Wildcats – students, alumni, faculty, and families – together to celebrate what it means to be part of the U of A community. The week is packed with spirited events, from the Club Olympics and the Bear Down Friday Pep Rally to the iconic alumni bonfire and lighting of “A Mountain.” Festivities build toward the Homecoming football game at Casino Del Sol Stadium, uniting generations of Wildcats in red and blue.
Held each November in the heart of downtown Tucson, the DUSK Music Festival is a two-day music festival at Jácome Plaza. The festival brings together more than 40 artists across three stages, with recent headliners including Kaskade, Steve Aoki, and Louis The Child. Attendees can also enjoy immersive art installations and local food vendors.
Few rivalries run deeper than the Duel in the Desert, the historic showdown between the University of Arizona Wildcats and the Arizona State Sun Devils. Dating back to 1899, this fierce competition centers around the Territorial Cup – one of the oldest rivalry trophies in college football. While the rivalry spans all sports through the year-long Territorial Cup Series, the football matchup, typically played the Friday after Thanksgiving, remains the pinnacle.
Each November, El Tour de Tucson brings nearly 10,000 cyclists to the streets of Tucson for one of the largest and most celebrated bicycling events in the country. Throughout its 40+ year history, the ride has united cyclists of all ages and abilities around a shared mission of charity, community, health, and wellness. Held the Saturday before Thanksgiving, El Tour supports more than 100 nonprofit organizations and has helped raise nearly $130 million since 1983.
December
Fourth Avenue Winter Street Fair
Wrap up the semester at the Fourth Avenue Winter Street Fair, a bustling weekend festival in Tucson’s historic Fourth Avenue district. Browse over 350 vendors offering local honey, jerky, handmade clothing, unique art, and quirky crafts – perfect for finding gifts ahead of the holidays.
Since 2015, two nationally recognized football teams from the Mountain West and Mid-American Conferences face-off in Tucson for the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl. Held annually at Casino Del Sol Stadium, this nonprofit event welcomes thousands of football fans across the country while making a positive impact across Southern Arizona.
We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples. Today, Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes, with Tucson being home to the O’odham and the Yaqui. The university strives to build sustainable relationships with sovereign Native Nations and Indigenous communities through education offerings, partnerships, and community service.
University Information Security and Privacy
© 2026 The Arizona Board of Regents on behalf of The University of Arizona.