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What's New in Tucson
September 2008
Medieval Panel Paintings. One of the most important groups of paintings produced in late 15th-century Spain has returned to Tucson. "The Altarpiece of Ciudad Rodrigo" is back on view at the University of Arizona Museum of Art (UAMA) now through March 22, 2009. This group of 26 Spanish-medieval panel paintings depicts biblical events from Genesis to the Last Judgment. The panels originally adorned the cathedral altar at Ciudad Rodrigo, a small city in western Spain. Since 2006, the 500-year-old paintings have undergone groundbreaking research and technical analysis. Displays, showing what the researchers found, are featured with the paintings in this exhibition, "Fernando Gallego and His Workshop: The Altarpiece from Ciudad Rodrigo."
Rodeo Royalty. Fourth-generation Arizonan Natalie Uptain will reign as Rodeo Queen at the Desert Thunder Pro Rodeo, October 11-12, at Tucson Rodeo Grounds. Natalie is a genuine cowgirl who learned to ride horses at her family's ranch in Queen Creek, AZ. A skilled competitor, Natalie has always been active in the equestrian world, winning buckles and prizes in barrel racing, pole bending, and team penning. Joining Natalie is her attendant, Rodeo Teen Queen, Brittney Hamilton. Fourteen-year-old Brittney has dreamed of becoming rodeo royalty since she was six years old and first spotted a rodeo queen at a Tucson Rodeo. This will be Desert Thunder Pro Rodeo's 14th year at Tucson Rodeo Grounds. The PRCA-sanctioned event features bull fighters, roping contests, saddle bronc, bareback riding, steer wrestling, barrel racing, team roping, and more. More details are at the Desert Thunder Pro Rodeo Web site.
Nightfall: Release the Beast. The normally family-friendly Old Tucson Studios makes its annual transformation - as only a real movie set can - from best Old West theme park to haunted township "Nightfall," October 3-31. Visitors are forewarned: this is not a family magic show! With a new crew of motley freaks and monsters and the new "Release the Beast" theme, this show promises more-frightening-than-ever fun. The "Iron Door Mine" takes daring visitors below ground into a defunct gold mine harboring forgotten miners. On the "Feat Train," travelers are cautioned to keep arms and legs inside the car at all times ... should they wish to keep them. Learn more about this Tucson Halloween highlight at the Nightfall Web site.
Meet the Artists. More than 100 Tucson artists will offer a behind-the-scenes peek at the creative process during the Tucson Open Studio Tour, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 8-9, from noon to 5 p.m. On this free self-paced tour, studios and workshops will be open throughout the Tucson metropolitan area. Among the artists: Kathy Withers, a fiber artist who raises llamas, angora rabbits, goats, and sheep, and spins her own yarns; Aureleo Rosano, a sculptor and mosaic artist who creates 3-D wall hangings that look like oversized jewelry; and Glory Tacheenie-Campoy, an award-winning multimedia artist who grew up in the Navajo Nation. The tour program is available at various Tucson locations and at the Web site of the Tucson Pima Arts Council.
Cool Patio Dining. Fall weather in Tucson draws diners outdoors for sunset cocktails and starlit suppers. Fine Southwestern food and comfortable patio seating are always in season at these fine Tucson restaurants: Terra Cotta has patios with seating for 140 and both city and mountain views. The cool, climate-controlled patio at Wildflower also offers foothills views. Old Pueblo Grille's walled patio features fountains, illuminated foliage, and sunset views. For more patio-dining options, visit the Culinary section at the Metropolitan Tucson Convention & Visitors Bureau Web site.
El Tour de Tucson Champion. On the Saturday before Thanksgiving - when many are raking leaves or baking pumpkin pies - thousands of bicyclists gather in Tucson to peddle around the city's perimeter as part of Southern Arizona's largest participatory sporting event. The University Medical Center 26th El Tour de Tucson presented by Diamond Ventures takes place November 22. Last year's event attracted 9,000 cyclists and an estimated 30,000 spectators. This year, the event is dedicated to two-time El Tour champion, Tour de France commentator, and Vision Quest founder, Robbie Ventura of Wildwood, Ill. Ventura amassed more than 70 victories during his 12-year pro career, which included four years on Lance Armstrong's US Postal squad. For more details on El Tour, Ventura, and the El Tour Dedication Dinner, visit the Web site of Perimeter Bicycling Association of America.
Spin Your Wheels. For a quick summary of Tucson's major bicycling events and related information, visit the new Biking page under Outdoor Adventure and Nature at the Web site of the Metropolitan Tucson Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Maynard Dixon's Arizona. Tucson was the winter home of renowned Western painter Maynard Dixon, who lived here painting his beloved desert landscape from 1939 until he died in 1946. The Tucson Museum of Art will present a new exhibition of the artist's work, "A Place of Refuge: Maynard Dixon's Arizona," October 11 through February 15, 2009. This retrospective of more than 135 works traces Dixon's sojourns into Arizona, focusing solely on depictions of Arizona subjects: the Indians of the Southwest; cowboys and bronco busters; canyons, mesas, clouds, cottonwoods, and sagebrush. Tucson contributors to this exhibition include Medicine Man Gallery; and the Arizona Historical Society's Arizona History Museum, which loaned three lunette-shaped murals that Dixon painted in 1907 for Tucson's then-new Southern Pacific Railroad Depot. Copies of the murals are on display in the Depot lobby.
The Man Behind the Canvases. Fans of Maynard Dixon's iconic Western art can get to know the man behind the canvases at "Go Ask the Little Horned Toad," a theatrical portrait blending dramatic narrations, music, and visuals. Presented by Chamber Music PLUS Southwest as season opener for its "Rhythms of Life" series, the show premieres October 24-25 at the Tucson Museum of Art in conjunction with the exhibition, "A Place of Refuge: Maynard Dixon's Arizona." Taking its title from one of Dixon's many poems, the show includes more than 100 of his paintings and stars Conrad John Schuck as Maynard Dixon and features guitarist Brad Richter and cellist Harry Clark. More details are at Chamber Music PLUS Southwest and Tucson Museum of Art.
All Souls Procession. On November 9, a two-mile procession of mourners will walk through Downtown Tucson, ending at the burning of a large urn filled with offerings, hopes, and wishes for those who have passed away. Inspired by Mexico's Dia de los Muertos holiday, Tucson's All Souls Procession provides a sanctuary for community members from all walks of life to express grief and loss in a celebration of creative energy and a rejoicing of living. Organized by Many Mouths One Stomach, the event serves as a vehicle for working artists to collaborate, create, and inspire the public through celebration, ceremony, and ritual. Details, including photographs from past events, are at All Souls Procession Web site.
Shopping at the Gardens. Fall - rather than spring - is prime planting time Tucson. Cooler air temperatures and soil that is still warm from the summer sun promote rapid root growth. For nature-lovers who want to take home a memento of their Desert Southwest experience, local botanical gardens are bursting with live souvenirs. At the Fall Plant Sale at Tucson Botanical Gardens, October 4, gardeners will find a diversity of drought-tolerant plants. Tohono Chul Park's Fall Plant Sale, October 11-12, will offer more than 400 species of plants, including an estimated 150 species propagated at the park. More details are available online from both gardens.
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