Fourth Avenue Street Fair

Visited the 4th Avenue street fair yesterday and though I would post a few pictures for those that haven't checked it out.

The Fourth Avenue Street Fair is a huge event that takes place during the Spring and Fall in Tucson. Lots of food, arts and crafts, live music and people watching. It takes place along 4th Avenue in Central Tucson, and it's a great way to enjoy the outdoors while checking out some neat artwork. I forget how busy this event gets. We headed down Sunday morning at about 10:30 because we thought it wouldn't pick up until later in the day, but by the time we got there the place was packed. There's no designated parking so you basically park along the area's neighborhood streets. Wear your comfy shoes and plan on walking a lot. If you don't like crowds I suggest you stay at home!

It's really difficult to walk with so many people at this event. I suggest leaving your purse at home or keeping it close to you; you'll be bumping into everybody just trying to get through the crowds.

The booths at the street fair are predominately arts and crafts; about 400 booths. If you like wind chimes then this is the booth for you; they had about every style available and were really pretty inexpensive.

There were some really beautiful pieces of art available at the street fair. Many of the artists don't have shops and only sell their pieces at these types of events.

There was also some great entertainment; several different musicians were playing throughout the area. It was nice listening to the music as we made our way through the packed streets. The musicians drew a lot of attention and tips from the crowds.

You don't need to worry about getting hungry at this event; there was an endless number of food vendors that offered about every type of food imaginable including BBQ, Greek, anything fried and even beer. One of the popular booths offered frozen strawberries and bananas on a stick that had been dipped in chocolate. Prices were a little expensive; lemonade started at $5 but it was a super size cup so I guess the price wasn't so bad. I say "started" because at each booth we visited we were charged a different price.

The next Fourth Avenue Street Fair is December 12, 13 and 14th. The weather should be beautiful and it might be the perfect place to find that one of a kind holiday gift for your special someone. Make sure you check it out!

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Great weekend for outdoor events in Tucson

A lot of great events going on this weekend in Tucson. The weather's going to be perfect for these outdoor events...

Tonight and Saturday you can enjoy the region's largest outdoor wine tasting as well as food from some of Tucson's best restaurants at the Crush pARTY. Benefiting and held in the courtyard of the Tucson Museum of Art, learn about wines from around the world and join in the silent and live auction.

The 4th Avenue Street Fair begins today and continues through Sunday. I'll be checking it out Sunday afternoon so I'll add some pictures then. The street fair takes place in downtown Tucson twice a year; once in the Spring and once in Fall. There you'll find shopping, art and craft booths, live music, street performers and lots of food. 4th Avenue is kind of an artsy scene so it's really fun to go and people watch.

Sunday morning is the ninth annual Southern Arizona Race for the Cure in Tucson. This event raises over 1 million dollars a year and the proceeds go to breast cancer research. It was actually rated the "Best Spectacle Event" in Tucson by a local news publication. Unless you attend one of these races you really can't understand what that means, but I will say until my first race I'd never seen grown men in pink formal dresses run a 5K race. It's entertaining and exciting and uplifting to get involved with such a worthy cause, especially when you know so many women that affected by it.

I really look forward to participating in this race. I personally know five women who currently have or have had breast cancer, and that scares me. It's touching and emotional to wait with the thousands of race participants, many who have the names of women emblazed across the back of their shirts; a tribute to those who have survived or been lost to breast cancer. Better bring your tissues!

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Tucson wildflowers in bloom

Just wanted to post a few pictures of some of the beautiful wild flowers that have been popping up all over Tucson...

Tucson had a really wet winter this past year, and those rains brought on an incredible display of wild flowers. Right now you can find golden poppies and penstimons blooming along the Tucson sidewalks and roadways; it's really a site to behold. Unfortunately the wildflowers will only bloom for a few more weeks unless Tucson sees more rain, which isn't in the forecast. There are some great areas around Tucson to check out wild flowers displays. Visit the DesertUSA wildflower report for locations and incredible photos.

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Spring Training in Tucson

Spring is in the air in Tucson! Temperatures are warm, the birds are singing and Spring Training has begun at Tucson Electric Park. About this time every year you'll see a lot of the Tucson work force playing hooky to take in an afternoon of sunshine and baseball.

The is the first weekend of the 2008 spring training season in Tucson. Teams including the Chicago White Sox, Colorado Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks come to Tucson each spring to get in a few practice games before the start of the official baseball season in April. Spring Training starts the last week of February and continues through March, when Tucson weather is at its best. These games are really popular with Tucson residents and visitors alike; just a laid back atmosphere with lots of mountains, sunshine and ball park food. What more can you ask for? Don't forget the sun screen!

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Tucson Gem and Mineral Showcase; a big boost to local economy

Only two days left to check out the 2008 Gem, Mineral and Fossil Show in Tucson. I visited a few of the sites on Wednesday, and spotted some really interesting pieces of jewelry. The Tucson Gem show is a HUGE event for our city...

The two week gem and mineral showcase draws about 50,000 participants and attendees to the Tucson area, making it the largest show of its kind in the world. You can always tell when the gem show vendors arrive in January because you'll begin to see white tents popping up in parking lots and empty fields all over Tucson. The event brings in approximately $100 million a year, so it's had a major impact on the Tucson economy since it first began in 1955. Certain shows are open to only wholesale buyers, while others are open to the public. As you can expect, parking can be difficult to find, so the City of Tucson provides a free shuttle service that stops at all the key gem show locations.

You can find some amazing things at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show; gold and silver, pearls and beads, diamonds and other gemstones, really cool fossil and mineral pieces, and much more. These show owners come from all over the world to display and sell their pieces. My husband and I were once in the San Juan Puerto Rico airport and we met a gentleman that was bringing his Tanzanite jewelry display to the Tucson Gem Show. He was actually from South Africa, but he had stopped in the Caribbean to check out gem stone jewelry at some of the island retailers before heading to the states.

If you've got time this weekend I suggest you stop by at least one of the showcase sites just to see what the gem show is about. During the last few days of the event the vendors are more likely to haggle down their prices because they don't want to ship all the merchandise back home. It's better if you know what you're looking for before you buy; that way you'll be better prepared to negotiate a fair price. Most sellers are honest but there are a few that will take advantage of inexperienced shoppers. When the salesman starts telling you how beautiful you look in their $350 necklace, take a walk around the site before you buy. You might find a better deal at the booth next door.

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Tucson hotel prices high during early months

I've had several clients tell me they plan on visiting Tucson for the first time sometime in January or February, and I just wanted to note that hotel prices will be ridiculously high because of some huge Tucson events scheduled at these times.

January and February are big months for Tucson. The weather is incredible compared to the rest of the country so we have a lot of visitors stopping by to enjoy our climate. Tucson also plays host to several events that draw in hundreds of thousands of visitors, which really causes hotel prices and home rental fees to sky rocket. The annual Tucson Gem and Mineral Show is HUGE, and pulls in about 20% of Tucson's revenue each year. This event begins February 2nd and continues through February 17th. Exhibitors will be arriving in Tucson by mid to late January so some hotels are most likely booked already.

The Accenture Match Play Championship golf tournament is scheduled for February 18th through the 24 at The Gallery at Dove Mountain. The worlds top 64 golfers play in this match and spend a lot of time in some of Tucson's finest resorts during their stay.

This year Superbowl XLII is being played at Glendale Arena in Phoenix on February 3rd. Hotels in Phoenix are already booked so many lucky ticket holders are staying in Tucson.

How high can prices go you ask? The La Quinta Inn at the airport is usually priced at about $80-90 dollars per night though much of the year, but during late January and into February the nightly rate goes up to $187 per night. Some of Tucson's finest luxury resorts are priced well over $400 per night during this time. Needless to say if you plan on visiting Tucson during January, February or March, better make your reservation now if you hope to get a room!

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Belated Happy Holidays in Tucson

Hope everyone had a happy holiday! Sorry for the lack of blog entries over the last few days; I am still nursing my terminally ill cat and I was taking care of last minute shopping and baking. Since I fell behind in my Tucson Days of Christmas I figured I'd just note a few more of the great things that Tucson offers around the holidays.

This past weekend was packed with activities leading up to December 25th. I enjoy heading over to La Encantada shopping center and checking out the "snowfall" that shoppers can find every Friday and Saturday night through the third weekend in December. "Snow machines" are set up to create a winter wonderland in the courtyard area at the bottom level of La Encantada. It really is a site, but it gets VERY busy so if you're not comfortable with crowds it might be something you should avoid. Keep this activity on you list for next year.

I visited the Reid Park Zoo and their holiday lights display last weekend and it was beautiful! Bright multi color lights are strung throughout the zoo, and visitors can sip hot chocolate and enjoy carolers or other entertainment while viewing the decorations. Most of the zoo animals aren't too active at this time of night but walking through the zoo on a cool evening surrounded by festive decorations can really put you in the Christmas mood!

One of my favorite activities at Christmas time is looking at local holiday light displays, and there are some great neighborhoods in Tucson that really go all out when it comes to holiday decorating. Winterhaven is probably the most popular neighborhood displays in Tucson, as every home in the community is decorated to the nines. Anyone that's lived here for a few years has trekked to this Central Tucson neighborhood to see the amazing light displays. Nights are designated for walking or driving through Winterhaven, with Thursday the 27th being the last night to drive through.

There are lots of other Tucson neighborhoods that really get into decorating for the holidays. One specific community in Rancho Vistoso (in Oro Valley) street after street of Christmas lights and decorations that draw a large crowd through the month of December. I've actually heard that the community's home owners associations requires residents to decorate for the holidays ( I still need to verify that).

It's really great to see so many Tucson residents decorate for the holidays. Just because we don't get really cold temperatures or snow doesn't mean we don't know how to celebrate the holidays!

And though the holiday was over today most people still had busy schedules. Many a friend spent last evening strategizing for today's post shopping event. My husband and I pulled up in the Target parking lot at 7:20 am and were amazed to see that how many people were already shopping. Crate and Barrel and Pottery Barn had lines out the door within 30 minutes of opening. Needless to say the search for bargains is still on.

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Santa, Carolers and the Nutcracker all in one day

Even thought the weather was a little cold yesterday, it was a great day to check out the local goings on. I always keep my camera handy so here are a few pictures of more Tucson events....


Nothing beats visiting Santa Claus! The lines were long as children waited patiently to visit Santa at the Tucson Mall on Sunday. Old St Nick will be at the mall until December 24th so make sure to get the kiddies by to visit him before he heads back to the North Pole!

I spotted this group of talented little carolers at La Encantada this weekend. The outfits are just too cute! La Encantada is featuring different holiday festivities throughout December, including the Tradition of Poinsettia where shoppers can have their picture taken with Tucson's only Poinsettia tree. It's beautiful to visit La Encantada after dark when the holiday lights sparkle from above!

One of my favorite holiday traditions is seeing the Nutcracker Ballet, and there are usually several different productions each holiday season in Tucson. This past weekend I saw the Tucson Regional Ballet's production of A Southwest Nutcracker, featuring the Tucson Symphony Orchestra. It's always a great performance and a unique twist from the original ballet. The Nutcracker takes me back to those days when I was a little girl and everything in life was so simple.... If you didn't get to see the Nutcracker this weekend or would like to see a more traditional version then be sure to check out the Moscow Ballet's production of The Nutcracker on Saturday, December 29th at the Tucson Convention Center.

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Is that snow I see?

Well it's beginning to feel a lot like December here in Tucson, which is great since there are several holdiay events scheduled for today. The forecast is rainy and a high of 55 degrees; I'm sure that means the Catalina Mountains will see their first snow by the end of the day.

There's lots on the agenda today. Oro Valley is schduled to have their 3rd Annual Holiday Parade this morning at 10am, but it's raining pretty heavy so hopefully it's not a wash. Containers will set up along the raodside to collect canned food donations.

The 13th Annual Downtown Parade of Lights is scheduled so begin tonight, rain or shine. The holiday festival begins at 4pm at Armory Park and the parade begins at 6pm. Be sure to check out all the great music and floats in the parade. Hopefully the rain will change to snow so it will really feel like the holidays in Tucson (hee hee, not a chance!)

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More great holiday activities in Tucson

There some great holiday activities scheduled in Tucson this weekend, and hopefully the weather will hold out for those joining in the outdoor events. Each day this weekend I'll note another holiday activity in my Tucson holiday countdown.

When I was previewing properties yesterday I noticed that everyone was outside, enjoying the mild Tucson weather and putting up holiday decorations. It seems that the first week of December is the "right" time for stringing up lights and hanging bright shiny bulbs from anything homeowners can find in their yards. It's really fun to watch everyone enjoy themselves, and it helps me to get into the holiday spirit.

- If your in the mood for an outdoor stroll , tonight's perfect for visiting the Tucson Botanical Gardens where you can enjoy looking at festive holiday lights at their Luminaria Nights. This Friday, Saturday and Sunday night between 5:30 - 8pm you can find over 2000 luminaries in a beautiful garden setting. Sip on hot chocolate while you dream about cold, snowy wonderlands in other parts of the world.

- If you're in the mood for something a little more lively, check out Tucson's 4th Avenue Street Fair that runs tonight through Sunday. Enjoy lots of shopping, food, music, entertainment and some great people watching! The 4th Avenue Street Fair takes places every December and is a great way to enjoy Tucson's incredible weather while celebrating the festive season with family and friends.

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25 Days of the Tucson holiday season

It's the first day of December and sometimes I find it difficult to get into the holiday spirit since I live in the desert and it's still 70 degrees. There really are a lot of festive events that happen during the month of December, so I've decided to mention one each day leading up to December 25th to help everyone remember that it is actually the holiday season in Tucson!


Today there are a number of fun activities scheduled to start the month off with some holiday cheer...

Nothing says the holidays in the desert Southwest like tamales! Making and eating tamales are a holiday tradition in Tucson, and there's no better place to celebrate this tradition then at the Tamale and Heritage Festival at Casino Del Sol! It takes place today from 10am-6pm and is a great way to have fun while enjoying some of the best tamales in Tucson!

Another great way to get into the spirit is to tour the holiday lights and luminaries at Tohono Chul Park. Enjoy live music, cookies, hot cider and thousands of festive lights in beautiful desert surroundings. Stop by for late afternoon tea, finger sandwiches and desserts before checking out the lights.

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Photos from Tucson's El Tour race

I was out this morning and captured a few pictures of some of the El Tour cyclists in action. Just thought I would share...

Here are the pack leaders that made their way onto Moore Road at about a quarter of 10 this morning. There were a lot of neighbors out to cheer on all the cyclists! It's great to see so many residents in the Rancho Vistoso community support all the race the participants. The weather was perfect for the race; sunny and about 65 degrees at 10am.

At the right was one of the first packs making their way up the hill on Moore Rd. This hill was a real obstacle for some riders but the rest of the race was downhill so I'm sure it was a relief to know that could relax a little after they got to the top!

This was an action shot of a fan handing off a water bottle to two racers sharing a tandem bike. Sorry for the blurry picture, but I was trying to dodge cyclists!

Oro Valley plays host to a lot of events throughout the year. In March we'll see the Arizona Distance Classic Half Marathon which takes runners up and down Rancho Vistoso Blvd. It can be a tough run because this roadway has several steep hills, but it's worth it when you have the gorgeous Catalina Mt's to distract you along the way!

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El Tour de Tucson is coming!

Tucson roadways are currently over run with cyclists taking their final training rides before Saturday's El Tour de Tucson race. Attendance is expected to be between 10,000-11,000 cyclists this year. That's a whole lot of bikes on the road! Below is the map that shows the routes for this competition. Routes vary in distance from 109 miles (for those serious cyclists) to a family fun ride of 4 miles.

The race route passes through my neighborhood in Oro Valley so I'll be hanging out and taking a few pictures to include in my blog. The expected weather for race day is sunny and 79 degrees. Just perfect!

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More little signs that Fall has arrived in Tucson

There are several signs that it's Fall in the Tucson area. Besides the gorgeous night time temperatures (low 50's), November brings several clues that better weather (then the rest of the nation anyway) has arrived -

- Out of state license plates are everywhere, so that can only mean the snowbirds have arrived! Snowbirds are what those of us living in Arizona and California call our seasonal residents that move to the area for the winter. Yesterday I saw plates from New York, Wisconsin, Quebec, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan and Oregon all within an afternoon's car ride. The arrival of snowbirds is a sure sign that winter is on it's way!

- No matter where you are in town, right now you'll see cyclists gearing up for the El Tour de Tucson race that takes places here on Saturday, November 17. From August to mid November everyone has got to watch their step to avoid colliding with the packs of cyclists on the roads. I encounter this a lot when I'm running in the morning. Running in Oro Valley you'll come across several cyclists for each block of roadway. Most cyclists are friendly enough if you're courteous to them and get out of their way, but you've got to be careful; I've come across some that scream obscenities at anyone in their path. Must be fatigue and overexertion from training!

- The Javelinas have been attacking our pumpkins again! Javelinas are present throughout the year, but you really begin to see them around Halloween when homeowners leave pumpkins out. Just last night a Javelina knocked over our patio table and broke a potted plant in his (or her) attempt to confiscate the decorative pumpkins we had on the table. It was quite the site as my husband ran out the front door and screamed when he saw the 150 pound creature staring up at him!

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Tucson's Spooky Halloween

Who says it has to be cold and windy to enjoy Halloween? It may be 85 and sunny today in Tucson but there are still lots of people who get into the spooky spirit! Included are some pictures of the great decorations that several Oro Valley homeowners used to give trick or treaters a Halloween thrill.

Not sure where to take the kids to have some Halloween fun? Though trick or treating door to door isn't as popular in Tucson as it is in other parts of the country, there are still lots of activities planned for kids to show off their scary costumes. The Arizona Daily Star featured an article that included a number of Halloween events in the Tucson area.

Hope you have a safe and happy Halloween!

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October events in Tucson

Since Fall is officially here in the Old Pueblo, I thought I'd mention some of my favorite October activities that occur in and around the Tucson community. Temperatures generally start to cool down quite a bit this time of the year, and some of us native Tucsonans even need jackets in the early morning hours. It's this weather that really entices folks in cold weather climates to consider Tucson for a second home. Nothing better than spending your winters in Tucson, enjoying 75 degree temperatures and no snow! Anyway, on to my list......

• Visit a farmers market - You can find a farmers market almost anywhere and on almost any day of the week in Tucson. One of my favorites is the St. Philips Plaza farmers market, which is located in Tucson's Catalina Foothills. It's great to wander thru the market under a canopy of mesquite trees as the breeze is blowing. It's even better when you eye all the breads and pastries that are available. It's worth checking out; lots of fresh goodies and the produce during the Fall months is much better in my opinion. For a full list of Tucson farmers markets visit the Arizona Daily Star.


• As I've mentioned before I'm a runner, so I love October in Tucson; cooler temperatures and a few great races that lead up to the big daddy run in December. Get Moving Tucson is a 10 mile race that's a perfect training run for the Tucson Marathon and Half Marathon. The route takes you through scenic downtown Tucson and there aren't a lot of hills so I really enjoy this run. Last year there were about 700 runners in this 10 miler, so like most races you'll want to start off at the front of the pack or you'll get stuck in the crowd and lose your time. It's a competitive race so you are provided with a chip to wear, and remember that that are some SERIOUS runners using this race to train (a 4.51 minute mile? Believe me it's possible) . There's also a 5K run and non competitive family fun walk. Great way to enjoy the cool temperatures and get fit in Tucson.

• The SAHBA Home and Garden Show is a huge event in Tucson. With over 400 merchants in this expo, you'll get ideas for a million little "household projects" that you can put on your husband's to do list. I'm really glad that this event is held in the Fall because parking can be difficult to find and the cooler temperatures make it easier to walk three blocks to the expo. Still it's worth it when you get to check out all the cool new gadgets and trends for your home and garden.
  
• Since I'm still a kid at heart and Tucson doesn't see the same seasonal changes that other parts of the country do, it sometimes hard to believe that we've transitioned into Fall. Nothing says Halloween to me like picking my own pumpkin at one of the local pumpkin farms. I like to go to the Buckelew Farm just SW of Tucson because they have wagon rides and other fun stuff. Really great for kids as well as adults who are looking to feel a little of that Halloween spirit. I also like to visit the Reid Park Zoo for their Howl-o-ween celebration. Lots of trick- or- treaters and decorations. Pretty spooky!


• I think my favorite Fall activity in Tucson actually involves leaving Tucson! We love taking road trips, which is exactly what we'll be doing this weekend. Tucson is located close to so many different scenic areas and attractions; when cooler temperatures hit it makes for great weekend trips. And most of these trips allow you to see those seasonal changes that we lack in Tucson. I'll be taking lots of photos so that I can begin my official Tucson Road Trips entry once I get back.

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