Flam Chen is one of the most awesome performing groups I know of in Tucson, Arizona - or elsewhere…read morefor that matter. No one handles fire like they do, but they also do it with incredible costumes, a dark style, great music and sound. I have seen them at a few events, but they are really well known for their performances for Day of the Dead. If you get a chance, I HIGHLY recommend them.

some places teach you things..this place stays with you…read more I went into the African American Museum of Southern Arizona expecting a quick visit..something meaningful but modest. What I didn't expect was to leave genuinely moved and still thinking about it hours later. This isn't a museum you just walk through quietly, read a few plaques, and move on from. It asks you to slow down. To listen. To rethink what you thought you knew about Tucson, about the Southwest, and about American history in general. What hit me almost immediately was how local and real everything feels. These aren't distant stories from far-off places. This history happened right here. Buffalo Soldiers stationed in Arizona. Fred Snowden shaping the University of Arizona. Quilts carrying coded messages. Families, neighborhoods, resistance, creativity...all unfolding in the same city we drive through every day. It makes you realize how much has been overlooked or left out, and how different the picture becomes when those stories are finally centered. The exhibits are thoughtfully curated, but what truly elevates the experience is the people. The staff and guides are incredible...warm, knowledgeable, and clearly invested in what they're sharing. You don't feel rushed or talked at. You feel welcomed into a conversation. There's a sincerity there that you can't fake, and it changes the whole tone of the visit. It feels less like a museum and more like being trusted with something important. Another thing that surprised me..the scale. The space is intimate, but in the best way. It allows you to actually absorb what you're seeing instead of being overwhelmed. And somehow, this entire experience is free. No catch. No watered-down presentation. Just high-quality storytelling, thoughtfully done, offered to the community because it matters. This is a place for everyone...whether you're deeply familiar with Black history or just beginning to learn, whether you've lived in Tucson forever or are new to the area. You'll walk out knowing more, feeling more, and probably asking better questions. That's rare. If you're looking for something meaningful to do in Tucson..that actually adds depth to how you see this city ...don't skip this! Don't rush it. And definitely don't sleep on it. History doesn't disappear just because we stop paying attention.

Chamber Music PLUS is the originator of unique shows that combine live theatre, classical music to…read morejazz, and visual images. "A collection of powerful and personal stories of the most celebrated artists in history," so say the Founders Harry Clark and Sanda Schuldmann. They truly are. Such stories as "Still Life" about Frida Kahlo and Georgia O'Keeffe, and "Vivaldi Four Seasons," Jazz shows and Classical music. Brought to life in Tucson at the Berger Center for Performing Arts in Tucson and at the ASU Kerr Cultural Center in Scottsdale. In its 28 seasons, CMP has has a history of some 600 concerts featuring over 2,500 works and has performed throughout the US, performing in every major concert hall from Carnegie Hall to the Library of Congress. These are stunning and unforgettable experiences that we are lucky to have in Tucson.

Chamber Music PLUS put on a show called "Lisztian Loves" this past weekend, starring Andre Watts on…read morethe piano and Michael York playing the part of Franz Liszt. It was absolutely marvelous! Full house. Standing ovation. Everyone left smiling. This group does five shows each year at the Berger Center for the Performing Arts, which is a great venue -- good sound, excellent sight lines, plenty of free parking. Not only are the shows top notch, but the music really makes these unique shows so wonderful. Writer and cellist Harry Clark, along with pianist Sanda Schuldmann, and various guest stars, bring new understanding to an individual, a place, and a time. We never miss them. And for good reason!

Another hidden gem in the Old Pueblo. Blue Lotus Artist Collective is a non-profit gallery space…read morededicated to supporting, showcasing, and giving much needed visibility to black artists. The collective was founded in 2022 and now resides in its current gallery space in downtown Tucsons Pioneer Building. Exhibits range from including Tucson artists, to student art shows, and also showcasing artists from around the country. Personally, I have not had a ton of meaningful exposure to black artists, so the fact that there is a space dedicated to just that in our own city is a benefit to all! Sign up for their newsletter to stay informed on upcoming exhibitions. They have limited hours during the week and are also available by appointment. They also post occasionally on their Instagram for upcoming events and collaborations.

Preservation and advancement of art and culture is of paramount importance to keeping the magic of…read moreSouthern Arizona alive. I was honored to attend an event that not only celebrated the Best 23 Miles of Mexican Food in America, but also supported The Southern Arizona Arts & Cultural Alliance. It was a fun evening of culinary surprises and delectable delights. Some of the highlights included La Estrella Bakery's Mexican pastries, Tito's Vodka celery gimlet & Seis Kitchen's street tacos with pickled onions. Honestly, the star of the show was a spicy Mexican gazpacho (if anyone who attended the event knows the name of the restaurant who served it, please DM me)! The venue, though lacking in cultural flair, provided excellent parking & shuttle service and had a picturesque desert location. It was great that the organizers had the Compost Cats onsite to provide recycling & composting options for the waste! I would recommend this event to anyone who enjoys Mexican food & libations and wants to support this amazing organization.

Three stars because this event benefits a good cause. Two…read morestars for actual event execution. Despite the fact that the event space seemed gigantic, it was just packed with so many people constantly moving around. The dishes served were very juicy/messy and there were definitely not adequate amounts of seating or tables. People were "reserving" or saving seats with napkins at tables and leaving stuff behind. The guests were complete slobs and there was just food covering any surface where a person could actually set a plate down to eat a bite. The space was so crowded I kept getting run into by people trying to eat or not watching where they were going. The food being served tasted good but was super disappointing. For the cost of a ticket I could wait in line for 5-10 minutes and get one tortilla chip or an extremely tiny (size of my pinky fingernail) piece of flan? Seis was the only vendor that really had it going on: they had their cast iron skillets bubbling on hot rocks at the table and gave out a full size taco that was high-end, demonstrated Mexican cooking and food, and tasted out of this world. There was also a ton of boozy drinks and beer (which I know most people like) but no water and no non-alcoholic drinks (horchata, agua frescas, jamiaca iced tea) that I found. - The shuttles were super fast and impeccably clean to and from the parking lot. - There were so many people helping to guide guests into the event and they were all above and beyond friendly and helpful.

This group has done so much to draw my shy daughter out of her shell. Cheryl Ann Rossi is so…read moreenergetic and fun, it's infectious. The performances are great, but the focus is on quality education education in acting, voice, and dance.

We want to see more college basketball. If you buy at the…read moreU, you save other fees and get handed your tickets. Pretty easy. Good plan

I have been going over here for years, and the artwork varies from the mundane to the spectacular…read more This is one of the reasons I really like it, you never know what your going to find, it is a great vehicle for new artist to show their work. They always seem like family in their support of the artist showing work, and the work is multicultural as well. It's worth a peek in and 1st Saturdays is a great time to go.

As the Taller's web site notes, the gallery is "Tucson's only Latino based contemporary nonprofit…read morecooperative art gallery and workshop." It is small, but worth visiting for both the art's impact (which is often politically- and emotionally-charged; this isn't sofa-matching art) and its quality of execution. Keep an eye on the lovely web site, or the Tucson Weekly, for what's on display; each new exhibit has a theme. Workshops offer all kinds of interesting projects. I would love to see this wonderful little gallery thrive, because its focus-- art, multiculturalism, and community--are among the qualities that make Tucson so special.