Tucson Event Profiles

UMC El Tour de Tucson Presented by Diamond Ventures
University Medical Center El Tour de Tucson presented by Diamond Ventures is Tucson's largest perimeter cycling event for all ages and abilities. El Tour is organized every year on the Saturday before Thanksgiving by Tucson's Perimeter Bicycling Association of America. This is a fun ride attracting more than 9,000 cyclists of all ages and abilities from throughout the United States and beyond, including novice, intermediate, advanced, and professional riders. Participants often take part in El Tour and its festivities simply due to their passion for cycling, while others choose the event as part of a healthy lifestyle or as part of their wellness program. Participants may choose to cycle 109, 80, 67 or 35 miles, plus a 4-mile and 1/4- mile Kids and Family Fun Ride. Main routes weave around scenic areas, with beautiful vistas of local mountain ranges and saguaro cactus stands. Course profiles can be rolling to moderately hilly, though the 35-mile route is basically flat and great as a family affair or for beginners. 

Date: November 20, 2010
Date: November 19, 2011
Media Contacts: Richard DeBernardis or Melanie Rineer, Perimeter Bicycling Association of America, (520) 745-2033

Economic impact: $20 - $30 million on ride weekend alone
Economic impact: $50 - $70 million year-round
Number of participants (riders): 9,500
Number of spectators:  30,000

USTA National Junior Winter Championships & Copper Bowl Tennis Tournament
These two junior tennis tournaments attract more than 1,400 young tennis champs from 48 states. Catch both events, and others like these at both locations, for an early glimpse of tomorrow's tennis stars. A number of the junior players who have won Tucson events are now on international circuits. Both these events are open to the public and are free to spectators. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) Junior Winter Championships, presented by Tucson Parks and Recreation at Randolph Tennis Center, is an annual, invitational championship for the very best 12- and under-14-year-old players in the United States. The Copper Bowl, organized by Dickinson Sports, is headquartered at the Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort's 31-court site.

USTA Junior Winter Championships: December 27, 2009-January 1, 2010
Media Contacts: Jim Reffkin or Jeff Brack, Randolph Tennis Center, (520) 791-4896
Location: Randolph Tennis Center

Copper Bowl: January 2-7, 2010
Media contact: Jason Dickinson, Dickinson Sports, (520) 742-2204
Location: Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort

Combined economic impact: $2.5 million
Combined number of participants: 1,000

Coldwell Banker Soccer Shootout
Locally known as the Soccer Olympics, the Coldwell Banker Soccer Shootout occurs every winter in sunny Tucson. Sub-events include Accuracy Shooting, Juggling, Dribbling Relay and the Team Shootout event. The fun starts on Friday night with the famous Fort Lowell Picnic in the Park, Opening Ceremonies, and Soccer Olympics. It's an evening of family fun with food and entertainment. When the Olympics start, teams size up their competition - show off skills - and, maybe, take home a gold or silver medal! Games are played on Saturday and Sunday at roughly 13 different fields throughout Tucson, with the bulk of play at Fort Lowell Park.

Date: January 15-17, 2010
Media contact: Gina Brandt, Fort Lowell Soccer Club, (520) 749-9905

Economic impact: $4.5 million
Number of teams: 321 (174 of these are out-of-town teams)
Number of players per team: 15
Number of spectators: 14,000

Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase
The next Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase runs January 30 - February 14, 2010. With tens of thousands of buyers, collectors, dealers, curators and guests, the showcase is recognized as the premier event of its kind in the world. Dozens of shows at various locations and venues throughout metropolitan Tucson make up Tucson Gem, Mineral & Fossil Showcase. Centerpieces of the showcase include the American Gem Trade Association's wholesale-only AGTA GemFair Tucson, located at Tucson Convention Center, and the Tucson Gem and Mineral Society's open-to-the-public show (the one that started it all in 1955), located at Tucson Convention Center Arena. Gem Show ‘season' attracts an estimated 55,000 out-of-town visitors. 

Date: January 30 - February 14, 2010
Date: January 29 - February 13, 2011

AGTA contact: Doug Hucker, (214) 742-4367 or (800) 972-1162
TGMS contact: Carol Lee, (520) 322-5773.
General media contact: Kimberly Schmitz, MTCVB PR, (520) 770-2143

List of gem shows: www.visitTucson.org/gemshow
Economic impact: $100 million
Read the 2007 Economic Impact Report >>

84th Annual La Fiesta de los Vaqueros (Tucson Rodeo)
Tucson's annual La Fiesta de los Vaqueros (Festival of the Cowboys) includes five PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association) rodeos. It is held at the Tucson Rodeo Grounds at South 6th Ave. and Irvington Rd. The event also features the world's longest horse-drawn, non-motorized parade. The week's events attract about 55,000 fans. An estimated 200,000 spectators come out for the parade.

Date: February 20-28, 2010
Media contact: Joan Liess, Joan Liess Marketing Services, (520) 881-8256
Economic impact: $16 million

World Golf Championships - Accenture Match Play Championship
Come February the eyes of international golf fall on metropolitan Tucson as it hosts the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship. In 2009, this exciting competition moved to the luxurious, new The Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Dove Mountain. This Jack Nicklaus Signature Course opened in 2009 in the Town of Marana on Tucson's northwest side. Here, among stands of majestic saguaros, the world's best 64 golfers compete for an $8 million purse. Pros like Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh, Phil Mickelson and Geoff Ogilvy go head-to-head in an internationally televised, match-play event that has produced unpredictable finishes and intense drama since it began in 1999. Proceeds from this championship benefit regional and local charities, such as The First Tee program. 

Date: February 15-21, 2010
General media contact: Kimberly Schmitz, MTCVB PR, (520) 770-2143
Economic impact: TBD

Major League Baseball Spring Training
Tucson hosts two Major League Baseball Spring Training teams:  Arizona's home team, the world champion Arizona Diamondbacks and the world champion Colorado Rockies. Spring Training is held late February through early April. An average of 45 games are played during the month at two stadiums. Ticket prices range from $4-25 per game.

The MTCVB's website - visitTucson.org/springtraining - lists dozens of hotel and resort Spring Training weekend specials. In 2005, more than 257,000 people attended Tucson Spring Training games.

Date: Late February through early April
Media contact: Bonnie Faircloth, Spring Training Operations Coordinator, (520) 434-1374

Tucson Festival of Books  
More than 450 authors, panelists and performers and more than 100 exhibitors were featured at the first annual Arizona Daily Star Tucson Festival of Books, March 14-15, 2009 at the University of Arizona campus. Internationally renowned authors such as J.A. Jance, Billy Collins, Diana Gabaldon and Elmore Leonard participated in this unprecedented Tucson literary event. The festival included staged activities and events for book lovers of all ages, including lectures, readings, writer's workshops and book signings, and great food from local vendors. The Tucson Festival of Books is sponsored by the Arizona Daily Star and hosted and organized by the University of Arizona. Net proceeds promote literacy in Southern Arizona through the Tucson Festival of Books Foundation.

Date: March 12-14, 2010
Location: University of Arizona campus, 1209 E. University Blvd. Tucson, AZ 85721
Media contact: Bill Viner, Pepper Viner Homes, 520-721-7964 or wv@pepperviner.com
Festival contact: Danielle C. Short, dshort@email.arizona.edu

Economic impact: TBD
Participants: 450 authors, panelists and performers and more than 100 exhibitors
Estimated attendance: Close to 50,000 

Tucson International Mariachi Conference
The award-winning Tucson International Mariachi Conference is Tucson's largest cultural event and a model for other mariachi conferences nationwide. It includes a week of student workshops followed by several public concerts featuring the world's best and brightest mariachi musicians and talented folklorico dancers. The public concerts are performed at outdoor and indoor stages in April.

Date: April 21-25, 2009
Media contact: Loli Gomez, Tucson International Mariachi Conference, (520) 838-3908

Economic impact: $3.7 million.
Estimated attendance: 60,000 participants and attendees.