We founded #ThisIsTucson to help you discover what to do, taste and talk about in Tucson by doing thoughtful research and sharing the best of what we learn. Our goal is to foster a community that knows and loves Tucson.
A sister site of the Arizona Daily Star and tucson.com, we write about local events and things to do; Tucson culture; interesting new local businesses and restaurants; helpful resources; and more of what we love about Tucson.
Here are all the ways you can connect with us:
📧 Sign up for newsletters. Whether it’s finding things to do, or figuring out where to eat in town, we’re here for you! Our Weekend Planner and Eat+Drink newsletters will make sure you’re never bored. Visit here to review your newsletter options.
🖥️ Follow us on social media. Join our vibrant communities on Facebook and Instagram.
✍️ Share your story ideas. We’re always looking for new local stories to tell. If you have a tip or idea, let us know!
📱Download our app. Stay up to date with all things #ThisIsTucson from the comfort of your phone with our iOS and Android app. You can also enjoy our cute Tucson emojis for iOS!
🛒 Buy a t-shirt. Our cute shirts and other fun merch are available to order online. We also have free downloadable coloring pages!
As you get to know us, we hope you’ll become a member and support us directly with a contribution. Our stories are accessible and come at no cost to community members, but we do need your support. We leave the price of membership up to you. You choose the amount and frequency.
How do our ads work?
#ThisIsTucson’s content is accessible and comes at no cost to community members who need it most. This is made possible by our reader membership program, in addition to the support of businesses and organizations. You may see words like “sponsored” or “supported” in spots around our website and newsletters. Here’s what that means:
- Short, sponsored listings let businesses or organizations pay to highlight their event. They are always labeled so you can clearly see the difference between an ad and a story.
- Sponsored stories let businesses or organizations attach a sponsor message to a story. Rather than stories about the sponsor, these are stories sponsors believe will appeal to their customers or a group they want to reach — and importantly, they are stories that meet our journalistic standards and that we would have written even without a sponsor. When a story is sponsored we’ll always tell you that — in multiple spots. While our sponsors know the subject of a story they’re supporting, they have no part in decision-making beyond that and do not get to influence or read the story before it’s published.
- Coverage that is supported by a business means their ongoing financial contribution helps make our reporting possible. #ThisIsTucson maintains full editorial control over any journalism supported by a business. Businesses have no input in the reporting or editing of content produced with their support. They have no advance knowledge of any stories produced with their support and they never get to review our content before it’s published.
What's our ethics policy?
At #ThisIsTucson, we pay for the food and drinks we consume. We don’t accept gifts. Only on rare occasions do we accept free admission to activities — but only if we plan to cover the activity and/or work during the experience, in ways such as photographing an event, writing a review of a play or judging a community competition. We only cover events or activities if we believe they’re a fit for our mission and not because we were offered anything for free. #ThisIsTucson staff pays admission to places we attend specifically for social media coverage.
Transparency is important to us, and so are you. That’s why it’s important to us to share with you how all of this works.
Have questions about anything? Email us at thisistucson@tucson.com.
Meet our team
🌵 Gloria Knott, #ThisIsTucson editor, gknott@tucson.com.
Born and raised in Tucson, Gloria studied journalism at the University of Arizona. She graduated in 2018 and began working at the Arizona Daily Star soon after. She loves exploring different kinds of storytelling and getting to share her favorite things — both new and old — about Tucson, a city she loves endlessly, with readers.
- Favorite thing about Tucson: The artists, the sense of community and the cactus blooms.
- Favorite restaurants in Tucson: HeeMee Coffee + Bakery, Tacos Apson and Baja Cafe. (Also a big fan of literally every gelato flavor at Noodies.)
- Favorite thing to do in Tucson: Shopping local art markets, Tucson Meet Yourself, hiking to Sabino Dam after it rains.
🌵 Ellice Lueders, #ThisIsTucson food and restaurant reporter, elueders@tucson.com.
Ellice writes profiles for the same reason she loves food: both allow her to connect with her community. While she loves pastries, her favorite thing is interviewing and telling her neighbors’ stories with fidelity. Her profiles have been published in High Country News, The Guardian, and The Economist’s 1843 Magazine, but her heart has always been in Tucson.
- Favorite thing about Tucson: Our big skies, how that openness is reflected in the kindness of the people.
- Favorite place to eat in Tucson: My back patio, with friends.
- Favorite thing to do in Tucson: Driving around town with the sunroof open, going on walks around town, reading in the sunshine.
🌵 Elvia Verdugo, #ThisIsTucson features reporter, everdugo@tucson.com.
As a native Tucsonan, Elvia is passionate about all things Tucson and aspires to showcase the best of our unique community with readers. She double-majored in journalism and history at the University of Arizona and graduated summa cum laude in 2021. When she’s not writing, you can find her spending time with her bunny, geeking out about Star Wars or exploring Tucson with her partner.
- Favorite thing about Tucson: The sunsets, wildlife and one-of-a-kind community.
- Favorite restaurants in Tucson: Seis Kitchen, Aqui Con El Nene, Locale and Opa’s Best.
- Favorite thing to do in Tucson: Visiting Mount Lemmon, attending a UA baseball game and checking out Tucson Meet Yourself.
#ThisIsTucson team, from left: Gloria Knott, editor; Ellice Lueders, food reporter; Elvia Verdugo, features reporter.