Come Dec. 1, you might walk into a tent filled 10 feet high with colorful stickers and desert-themed bookmarks.
The neighboring tent might have several clothing racks filled with moody designs that are truly one of a kind. And the tent after that might be packed to the brim with decadent cookies or boxes of photography prints or funky pottery made to look like monsters.
Somewhere in between, you'll stumble upon a local musician and a food stand serving Taiwanese chicken larger than your head.
The occasion is Made in Tucson, and it graces us twice a year.
The biannual market makes its return from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 1 along East Seventh Street, just west of North Fourth Avenue. Expect more than 300 local makers, live entertainment and 13 food trucks.
Find everything from apparel and stickers to macrame and woodwork at Made in Tucson.
Made in Tucson is a celebration of local art, small businesses and community. It's volunteer-run and organized by the Historic Fourth Avenue Coalition, who uses the funds from vendor fees for community projects such as murals and running the year-round Coalition Space, which hosts a smorgasbord of events every week.
On Dec. 1, you'll be able to find artists selling everything from monsoon-inspired jewelry to candles that smell like Mount Lemmon. Expect to see paper goods, baked sweets, ceramics, soap, apparel, cosmetics, skin-care products, paintings, crocheted plushies and so much more, including 3D-printed casitas for your plants and specialty spices like Sonoran sea salt.
If you're searching for a place to park, meters are free on weekends or you can park at a garage in the downtown or University of Arizona areas. The streetcar, which is free to ride, has a drop-off point right near the action.
Made in Tucson began in 2018 with roughly 50 vendors as a way to highlight Tucson's creatives. The event has grown each year since.
"Local markets are the perfect opportunity to meet the folks behind your favorite products," Made in Tucson says on Instagram. "Pop on down and say hi, learn about their processes and discover some new favorites. Everything about this market is local from the hand-painted signs, the purveyors and the participants. When the world is complicated, the little things matter. Come out (and) support your community."
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!
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