|
What’s New in Tucson
June 2007
Tucson Celebrates July 4th in Style—Some of the best views of Fourth of July fireworks are at five Tucson-area properties offering exciting festivities for guests:
- At the Tucson Hilton El Conquistador Resort (1-800-445-8667), the 4th of July Extravaganza includes fireworks, live performances by two national pop-rock bands–Lifehouse and Rocco DeLuca–family games, and dining specials. A minimum two-night-stay (July 3-4) is required; package rates start at $149/room, per night.
- Guests at The Westin La Paloma Resort (1-800-937-8461) can watch Fourth of July fireworks at the resort’s country club, and enjoy live entertainment by the pool, including “Dive-In Movies” and the 177-foot waterslide. Summer-getaway packages begin at $119/room, per night.
- On Tuesday, July 3 the JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort (1-800-690-8419) hosts its annual Independence Day barbecue—featuring poolside games, DJ music, and a fireworks display—for registered hotel guests ($159/room; $179/room plus 2 adult barbecue passes) and diners with reservations at either Primo or Signature Grill.
- The Hotel Arizona (1-800-845-4596) at the Tucson Convention Center (TCC), in Downtown Tucson, is offering a special Holiday Package rate designed to appeal to guests of the annual City of Tucson Fourth of July celebration at TCC. The cost is $69/room, including breakfast, June 29-July 8.
- The Tubac Golf Resort (1-800-848-7893) will host its Fourth of July fireworks show for the public ($5/car) and for hotel guests purchasing a holiday package—including VIP parking and seating for fireworks, DJ music, a live band, dinner, and refreshments—for $65/room per night for adults, and $25/per night for ages 6-12. More information is available at the hotel websites, and under Places to Stay at www.visitTucson.org.
Frost Chills Tucson—Customers are driving great distances and standing in long lines to taste the authentic Italian gelatos and sorbets at Frost: A Gelato Shop, located at Casas Adobes Plaza in northwest Tucson. After opening in May 2005 Frost has become so popular that Tucson owners Jeffrey Kaiserman and Stephen Ochoa are opening a second location on the city’s eastside, across from Udall Park, in September. Frost’s frozen treats come in an amazing array of flavors, usually with bits of fruit, nuts, or shaved chocolate; they are made fresh daily using natural ingredients, imported equipment and products, and the expertise of master gelato chef, Nazario Melchionda. A 4-ounce cup sells for $3.66. More information, including the menu, is at www.frostgelato.com.
Grape Stomping and Wine Tasting—Just south of Tucson, Southern Arizona wine country is an area of rolling grasslands, dotted with white oak, and boasting soil similar to that of Burgundy, France. The wineries thriving here include Sonoita Vineyards, which sits atop a scenic hill in the Village of Elgin, overlooking close to 20 acres of vines. To salute the upcoming harvest, Sonoita Vineyards will host its annual August Festival, Saturday-Sunday, Aug. 4-5. Guests can take part in grape-stomping contests, enjoy a tractor-drawn vineyard tour, listen to a live band, and savor a gourmet meal prepared by local restaurants and featuring local wines, such as Arizona Sunset and Sonora Blanca. For details, call (520) 455-5893, or visit www.sonoitavineyards.com.
Happy Birthday Tucson—Throughout August, the Old Pueblo celebrates its multicultural roots with events commemorating the city’s official founding as a Spanish fortress on August 18, 1775. The annual “Fiesta de San Agustin” pays homage to Tucson’s patron saint, Saint Augustine, with a fiesta at Armory Park and Catholic mass at Saint Augustine Cathedral, Saturday, Aug. 25. A music and dance concert, “Viva Arizona! 100 Years of Hispanic Music Memories” showcases Tucson history at the University of Arizona’s Centennial Hall, Saturday, Aug. 4. And paintings by legendary Tucson artist, the late Ted De Grazia are on view at DeGrazia Gallery in the Sun, 10 a.m.–4 p.m daily. Details on these and other events are at www.tucsonsbirthday.org.
Labor Day Film & Music Festival—The Tucson Film and Music Festival is coming to Downtown Tucson over Labor Day weekend, Friday–Monday, Aug. 31-Sept. 3. Now in its third electrifying year, this festival will showcase 40 national and local, contemporary bands (country to indie rock), and a lineup of original, music-related independent films (documentaries, features, and music videos) that have a connection to Arizona or the Southwest. The entertainment, along with a beer-and-barbecue garden, will be centered on indoor and outdoor stages along the historic and hip Congress Street corridor. Tickets will be available at Bookman’s, Hotel Congress, Rialto Theatre, and Zia Records. For more information, contact David Slutes, Hotel Congress Entertainment Director, at david@hotelcongress.com, or visit www.tucsonfilmandmusicfestival.com.
Real Ranch Rodeo—Do you still want to be a cowboy? Every aspiring cowpoke should visit Price Canyon Ranch for its annual Arizona Championship Ranch Rodeo, Saturday–Sunday, Sept. 15-16. Teams of “real deal” cowboys (both men and women) from 10-12 working cattle ranches will compete in events that mimic authentic ranch chores. Events include horse catching, wild cow milking, team branding, and wild horse racing (but not bull riding or barrel racing, which are not regular ranch activities). Also planned are barbecues, a western art-and-crafts show, and live music by 2005 Western Music Artist of the Year, Kip Calahan and her band. Price Canyon Ranch is located southeast of Tucson in the Chiricahua Mountains, and is the last stop on the Working Ranch Cowboys Association (WRCA) national circuit leading up to the national championship in Amarillo, Texas. For more information, call 1-800-727-0065 or visit www.pricecanyon.com.
Resort to Nature in 4-Diamond Comfort —Loews Ventana Canyon Resort partnered with the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson Botanical Gardens, and Friends of Sabino Canyon to create an on-property educational nature trail featuring a hummingbird and butterfly exhibit and indigenous plant life, with guest appearances from native birds, reptiles, and mammals. The new Loews Ventana Canyon Window Trail is marked with signs featuring information about Sonoran Desert plants and animals, stories about Tucson geology, and the history of the AAA Four-Diamond Loews Ventana Canyon Resort. The trail meanders from the resort to the base of an 80-foot waterfall offering stunning views of the Santa Catalina Mountains. For more information, call (520) 299-2020, or visit www.loewshotels.com.
Create Southwestern Tile Art—Uniquely Tucson, Santa Theresa Tile Works is famous for its signature style of mosaic tile creations. Owner and artist, Susan Gamble and her studio artists are noted around the country for creating unique home accent pieces as well as award-winning public works. Designs feature colorful, hand-cut, glazed tiles that often incorporate the natural and social history of an area, and are arranged in shapes of native plants, critters, and geologic features, frequently with quotes from literature or folklore. This summer, Santa Theresa Tile Works is offering an intensive, weeklong, evening workshop intended to entice vacationers at Tucson resorts. For details, call the showroom at (520) 623-8650, or visit www.santatheresatileworks.com.
Tucson Attractions Passport—Enjoy money-saving 2-for-1 offers plus other discounts at museums, parks, and shops when you purchase a Tucson Attractions Passport for $15 from the Tucson Visitor Center, or online at www.tucsonpassport.com.
# # #
|
