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Dancer at Tumacácori (NPS)
The long- anticipated 50th annual Fiesta at Tumacácori National Historical Park will return this year, following a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The fiesta will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 3, and 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 4, 2022. Admission is free. La Fiesta de Tumacácori is a celebration of all the cultures which have lived in and influenced the historical Santa Cruz Valley. The two-day event will feature Native American, Mexican, and Southwest food, crafts, and performances. A multicultural Catholic Mass will be celebrated in front of the historic Tumacácori Mission church on Sunday morning, led by Bishop Edward Weisenburger, of the Tucson Diocese, and Monsignor Leopoldo Gonzalez, of the Nogales Diocese.
Local non-profit historical, cultural, environmental, and religious organizations will be selling food and hand-crafted items. On the main stage, there will be all-day, continuous entertainment, featuring a variety of dance and music groups representing many cultural traditions. Visitors can enjoy demonstrations including carving, pottery making, and O’odham basket weaving. Guided tours of the mission will be available both days, as well as guided walks to the Santa Cruz River. In the hands-on “Discovery Corner,” there will be family-friendly activities including piñata breaking, historical clothing, and nature based games.
On Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m., a procession begins in front of the visitor center, leading through the fiesta grounds and ending in front of the mission church. The multicultural Catholic Mass begins when the procession arrives, approximately 10:30 a.m. Please note that no photos are permitted during the procession or mass, or while sacred dances are being performed. (“NO PHOTOS” signs will be posted prominently at restricted times and locations.)
Only service animals are allowed on the mission grounds or fiesta grounds. Tumacácori’s Anza Trailhead is closed to equestrian access during the fiesta.
Tumacácori National Historical Park is located 45 miles south of Tucson and 15 miles north of Nogales. Take exit 29 off of I-19 and follow the signs. For information, call the Tumacácori visitor center, (520) 377-5060.
The full schedule for festivities can be found here.