Ten cool things to do in Tucson this weekend (Jan. 26-29)
- Updated
- Updated
Tap & Bottle will celebrate Barrio Brewing, one of Tucson's oldest breweries still in operation this Thursday, by putting some of its best beers on tap for the day.
Barrio has reached its 25th anniversary, making it at least 20 years older than nearly all of the other breweries in town.
Some of the Barrio brews being offered: Citrazona IPA, Never Say Never Belgian Dark, Mocha Java Stout, Rae's Ruby Red IPA and Nolan's Porter.
The evening runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Find out more on the Facebook event page.
- Updated
Guitarist Dave Riley, blues harp player Bob Corritore and the rest of the Juke Joint Blues Band from Phoenix return to Tucson this Friday with a gig at Monterey Court, 505 W. Miracle Mile.
These guys are the real deal when it comes to blues music. On par with some of Tucson's best, Corritore also operates the Rhythm Room in Phoenix and is one of the top blues historians in the state.
Quality music that starts at 7 p.m. More info here.
- Updated
Head west toward Sells this weekend for the 79th annual Tohono O'odham Nation Rodeo & Fair, Friday-Sunday.
The event is open to the public and includes waila bands, a parade, traditional food, arts and crafts and exhibit booths.
Performing at the event, according to a news release, are country rock performers the Stateline Band from White Cone, Arizona on the Navajo Nation; norteño and cumbia band Las Fenix from Houston, Texas; and Tejano accordionist Albert Zamora from Corpus Christi, Texas.
More information can be found on the website.
- Updated
The eighth annual Tucson Sculpture Festival returns Friday with an opening reception at the Sculpture Resource Center, 640 N. Stone Ave., from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
More than 40 artists are participating this year at the fest, which runs through Feb. 9.
The event will include pieces in 2-and-3 dimensions, art works in progress and artists in action, according to the resource center's news release.
Alaskan artist Tresham Gregg also will be in town to showcase his puppet creations.
Find out more information on the Sculpture Resource Center website.
- Updated
The breweries, distillery and purveyors of other tasty liquids along East 44th Street have come up with a new way to promote their proximity to one another.
This Saturday, the folks behind Ten Fifty-Five and Green Feet Brewing, Three Wells Distilling, Yellow Brick Coffee and Seven Cups are holding a block party dubbed "4th on 44th," which we hope will become a regular event on the fourth Saturday of each month.
The inaugural event will have live music. Tucson Fat Noodle and Gigi's Fusion Food Truck will be here.
The drinks will be plentiful, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Tucson Police Officer's Association.
The party will be held from noon to 4 p.m. in the parking lot shared by Ten Fifty-Five and Three Wells Distilling, 3780 E. 44th St.
Expect to see Harbottle Brewing and Copper Mine Brewing adding to the fun as they open within the next 6-8 months.
More information is available on the Facebook event page.
- Updated
Did you know that Tucson has a fully functioning orchestra that specializes in Russian folk music?
Well, we do. It has been a tradition in the Old Pueblo since 1980.
The Arizona Balalaika Orchestra returns to the stage this Saturday with its winter concert at the Pima Community College Center for the Arts, 2202 W. Anklam Road.
This year's show starts at 7 p.m. Find out more on the Facebook event page.
- Updated
It's always interesting when completely unexpected organizations jump into the craft beer frenzy.
This Saturday, the Arizona History Museum will host a very historical craft beer gathering in which they will recreate Levin's Beer Garden, one of Tucson's very first beer gardens dating back to the 1870s.
The Old Arizona Brass Band will be playing the hits of the day and there will be plenty of craft beer to drink.
The following breweries will be there:
1912 Brewing Co
Barrio Brewing Co.
Borderlands Brewing Company
Catalina Brewing Company
Crooked Tooth Brewing Co.
Old Bisbee Brewing Company
Sonoran Brewing
Iron John's Brewing Company
Dragoon Brewing Co.
Dillinger Brewing Company
Sentinel Peak Brewing Company
Participating food vendors:
Gentle Ben's
Sinbad Resturant Tucson
Mutts
Illegal Pete's Tucson
The evening runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
More information can be found on the Facebook event page.
- Updated
Tucson gets first crack this weekend at Arizona Opera's latest rendition of Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" before the company takes it up the road to Phoenix.
It will hold two performances, one on Saturday and one on Sunday, at the Tucson Music Hall, downtown.
It is sung in Italian with English subtitles.
Here's the link to the details page.
And here is a synopsis of the first act, courtesy of Arizona Opera, to get you in the mood:
In 1904, a U.S. Naval officer named Pinkerton rents a house on a hill in Nagasaki, Japan, for himself and his soon-to-be wife, "Butterfly". Her real name is Cio Cio-san, (cio-cio, pronounced "chocho": the Japanese word for "butterfly" is chō (蝶?) or chōchō/chōcho (蝶々 or 蝶蝶?)). She is a 15-year-old Japanese girl whom he is marrying for convenience, since he intends to leave her once he finds a proper American wife, and since Japanese divorce laws are very lax. The wedding is to take place at the house. Butterfly had been so excited to marry an American that she had earlier secretly converted to Christianity. After the wedding ceremony, her uninvited uncle, a bonze, who has found out about her conversion, comes to the house, curses her and orders all the guests to leave, which they do while renouncing her. Pinkerton and Butterfly sing a love duet and prepare to spend their first night together.
- Updated
Tucson Roller Derby is kicking off its 14th season with a double header.
First comes the Copper Queens taking on AZRD's Surly Gurlies at 6:30 p.m.
Then TRD's Bandoleras will throwdown in a brutal match against AZRD's Chain Gang at 8.
The Rifle will provide the music. The featured charity will be BICAS.
Roller Derby matches take place at the Tucson Indoor Sports Center, 1065 W. Grant Road.
More info on the Facebook event page.
- Updated
Generation Cool, Tucson's own brick-and-mortar homage to '80s and '90s pop culture, is holding a grand reopening this Saturday, celebrating the store's redesign and expansion, according to its Facebook page.
Slobby Robby and his associates have been busy on the place, located at 404 N. Fourth Ave., and want to share the end results with you.
They will be open for the reopening party from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
In addition to more than 1,000 new vintage pieces in stock, there will be pizza from Rocco's Little Chicago, a merch giveaway box, music from Humphouse and a pop-up shop by Comfy Club.
Tap & Bottle will celebrate Barrio Brewing, one of Tucson's oldest breweries still in operation this Thursday, by putting some of its best beers on tap for the day.
Barrio has reached its 25th anniversary, making it at least 20 years older than nearly all of the other breweries in town.
Some of the Barrio brews being offered: Citrazona IPA, Never Say Never Belgian Dark, Mocha Java Stout, Rae's Ruby Red IPA and Nolan's Porter.
The evening runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Find out more on the Facebook event page.
Guitarist Dave Riley, blues harp player Bob Corritore and the rest of the Juke Joint Blues Band from Phoenix return to Tucson this Friday with a gig at Monterey Court, 505 W. Miracle Mile.
These guys are the real deal when it comes to blues music. On par with some of Tucson's best, Corritore also operates the Rhythm Room in Phoenix and is one of the top blues historians in the state.
Quality music that starts at 7 p.m. More info here.
Head west toward Sells this weekend for the 79th annual Tohono O'odham Nation Rodeo & Fair, Friday-Sunday.
The event is open to the public and includes waila bands, a parade, traditional food, arts and crafts and exhibit booths.
Performing at the event, according to a news release, are country rock performers the Stateline Band from White Cone, Arizona on the Navajo Nation; norteño and cumbia band Las Fenix from Houston, Texas; and Tejano accordionist Albert Zamora from Corpus Christi, Texas.
More information can be found on the website.
The eighth annual Tucson Sculpture Festival returns Friday with an opening reception at the Sculpture Resource Center, 640 N. Stone Ave., from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
More than 40 artists are participating this year at the fest, which runs through Feb. 9.
The event will include pieces in 2-and-3 dimensions, art works in progress and artists in action, according to the resource center's news release.
Alaskan artist Tresham Gregg also will be in town to showcase his puppet creations.
Find out more information on the Sculpture Resource Center website.
The breweries, distillery and purveyors of other tasty liquids along East 44th Street have come up with a new way to promote their proximity to one another.
This Saturday, the folks behind Ten Fifty-Five and Green Feet Brewing, Three Wells Distilling, Yellow Brick Coffee and Seven Cups are holding a block party dubbed "4th on 44th," which we hope will become a regular event on the fourth Saturday of each month.
The inaugural event will have live music. Tucson Fat Noodle and Gigi's Fusion Food Truck will be here.
The drinks will be plentiful, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Tucson Police Officer's Association.
The party will be held from noon to 4 p.m. in the parking lot shared by Ten Fifty-Five and Three Wells Distilling, 3780 E. 44th St.
Expect to see Harbottle Brewing and Copper Mine Brewing adding to the fun as they open within the next 6-8 months.
More information is available on the Facebook event page.
Did you know that Tucson has a fully functioning orchestra that specializes in Russian folk music?
Well, we do. It has been a tradition in the Old Pueblo since 1980.
The Arizona Balalaika Orchestra returns to the stage this Saturday with its winter concert at the Pima Community College Center for the Arts, 2202 W. Anklam Road.
This year's show starts at 7 p.m. Find out more on the Facebook event page.
It's always interesting when completely unexpected organizations jump into the craft beer frenzy.
This Saturday, the Arizona History Museum will host a very historical craft beer gathering in which they will recreate Levin's Beer Garden, one of Tucson's very first beer gardens dating back to the 1870s.
The Old Arizona Brass Band will be playing the hits of the day and there will be plenty of craft beer to drink.
The following breweries will be there:
1912 Brewing Co
Barrio Brewing Co.
Borderlands Brewing Company
Catalina Brewing Company
Crooked Tooth Brewing Co.
Old Bisbee Brewing Company
Sonoran Brewing
Iron John's Brewing Company
Dragoon Brewing Co.
Dillinger Brewing Company
Sentinel Peak Brewing Company
Participating food vendors:
Gentle Ben's
Sinbad Resturant Tucson
Mutts
Illegal Pete's Tucson
The evening runs from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
More information can be found on the Facebook event page.
Tucson gets first crack this weekend at Arizona Opera's latest rendition of Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" before the company takes it up the road to Phoenix.
It will hold two performances, one on Saturday and one on Sunday, at the Tucson Music Hall, downtown.
It is sung in Italian with English subtitles.
Here's the link to the details page.
And here is a synopsis of the first act, courtesy of Arizona Opera, to get you in the mood:
In 1904, a U.S. Naval officer named Pinkerton rents a house on a hill in Nagasaki, Japan, for himself and his soon-to-be wife, "Butterfly". Her real name is Cio Cio-san, (cio-cio, pronounced "chocho": the Japanese word for "butterfly" is chō (蝶?) or chōchō/chōcho (蝶々 or 蝶蝶?)). She is a 15-year-old Japanese girl whom he is marrying for convenience, since he intends to leave her once he finds a proper American wife, and since Japanese divorce laws are very lax. The wedding is to take place at the house. Butterfly had been so excited to marry an American that she had earlier secretly converted to Christianity. After the wedding ceremony, her uninvited uncle, a bonze, who has found out about her conversion, comes to the house, curses her and orders all the guests to leave, which they do while renouncing her. Pinkerton and Butterfly sing a love duet and prepare to spend their first night together.
Tucson Roller Derby is kicking off its 14th season with a double header.
First comes the Copper Queens taking on AZRD's Surly Gurlies at 6:30 p.m.
Then TRD's Bandoleras will throwdown in a brutal match against AZRD's Chain Gang at 8.
The Rifle will provide the music. The featured charity will be BICAS.
Roller Derby matches take place at the Tucson Indoor Sports Center, 1065 W. Grant Road.
More info on the Facebook event page.
Generation Cool, Tucson's own brick-and-mortar homage to '80s and '90s pop culture, is holding a grand reopening this Saturday, celebrating the store's redesign and expansion, according to its Facebook page.
Slobby Robby and his associates have been busy on the place, located at 404 N. Fourth Ave., and want to share the end results with you.
They will be open for the reopening party from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.
In addition to more than 1,000 new vintage pieces in stock, there will be pizza from Rocco's Little Chicago, a merch giveaway box, music from Humphouse and a pop-up shop by Comfy Club.
View this profile on Instagram#ThisIsTucson 🌵 (@this_is_tucson) • Instagram photos and videos
Most viewed stories
-
Ring in 2026 at these fun local New Year's Eve events 🥳
-
Looking ahead to Tucson's new and cool for '26
-
What a delicious year: the best meals I ate in Tucson in 2025 💖
-
23 exciting events to start your new year, January 2-4 2026! 🪩✨
-
New eats! 10 new restaurants that opened in Tucson this fall
-
Tania's 33 and 12 other places to find bomb menudo in Tucson
-
Over 20 fun events to do in Tucson December 26-28 💖
-
Get ready to eat all the spicy tuna rolls you can at this viral sushi spot 🍣
-
Can Arizona wineries woo Gen Z? Vineyard owners say they have to 🍷
-
A list of places that will be open on Christmas Day 2025



