Tumacácori National Historical Park will celebrate the legacy of Father Eusebio Francisco Kino with a day of family events on Jan. 10.
The park south of Tucson is celebrating the 325th anniversary of the Jesuit missionary’s arrival in January 1691 at the Indian village of Tumacácori and the subsequent founding of the mission there, according to a National Park Service news release.
The celebration begins at 10 a.m. with a Mass celebrated by Tucson Bishop Gerald Kicanas in front of the park’s historic mission church.
At 11:30 a.m., a demonstration of heritage Spanish Barb horses will take place on the adjacent grounds. At 1 p.m., Mark O’Hare of the Kino Heritage Society will present “Kino’s Querencia: San Cayetano de Tumacácori” inside the mission church.
Throughout the day, until 2 p.m., park visitors can visit a petting zoo, learn to card and spin wool, rope a calf, taste heritage foods and make scientific instruments like the ones Kino used.
Many organizations are taking part in the event.
All activities and entrance to the park will be free that day.
The park is located off Exit 29 of Interstate 19, about 45 miles south of Tucson.
For more information, visit www.nps.gov/tuma
