You know it's December when Santa sets up in the middle of the mall, lights twinkle through Winterhaven and hundreds of white tents pop up along Fourth Avenue.
The 55th annual Fourth Avenue Winter Street Fair returns 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Dec. 13-14; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 15 along North Fourth Avenue from University Boulevard to Eighth Street.
The street fair is a twice-a-year seasonal celebration of art, where more than 350 vendors from around the globe set up shop to sell everything from tea towels to wind chimes to bonsai trees.
While local vendors will be sprinkled throughout the main festival, including Juju & Moxie near Che's Lounge, The Solar Lot located near Sky Bar will feature even more Tucson creatives including Safety Babes Keychains, Sui Gen Femme, Ducky's Pineapple Banana Bread, Las Changuis Tianguis and Dirty T Tamarindo.
People are also reading…
You'll also find more than 40 food vendors along the historic avenue, typically serving up meals like tacos and barbecue, plus all the fair food of your dreams. Think funnel cake, rainbow snow cones, brick-sized piles of fries and lemonade served in giant baby bottles.
Two stages will be set up for live music, one on Seventh Street and one on Fifth, including more than two dozen performances throughout the three-day festival. Expect to see Znora, Compañía de Danza Folklórica Arizona, Chalako the Band, Kids Unlimited and "The Voice" contestant Kayla Von Der Heide.
While admission to the festival is free, the trickiest part of the biannual street fair is often parking.
A free shuttle service will be provided from the Pennington Street Garage, 110 E. Pennington St., according to the street fair's website. You can also park at any garage in the downtown or University of Arizona areas to take a free streetcar ride to the festival.
Explore nature through fun, hands-on exhibits at Children’s Museum Oro Valley at Tohono Chul
CMOV@TC has indoor and outdoor exhibits with daily activities and programming for kids and families that mesh with the environmental focus of Tohono Chul, teaching all about the culture, animals and plants of the Sonoran Desert!
What does "supported by" mean? Click here to learn more.
Gloria was born and raised in Tucson and is a 2018 University of Arizona grad. From wildflowers to wildlife, she loves all things Tucson and hopes to share her love of the city with readers ✨