One of my favorite things about Tucson is that we know how to party! The All Souls Procession is probably my favorite local celebration. Inspired by the Mexican holiday Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), the Tucson procession has existed since 1990 when local artist Susan Johnson grieved the passing of her father with a ritualistic performance piece-celebratory and creative. The Procession as I know it is Tucson’s biggest holiday, a huge street party with thousands of angelic and ghoulish beings descending the streets to mourn and celebrate the life and death of their loved ones.
All Soul’s is the best event to put on too much glitter and $10 fairy wings. It is a place where I can carry pictures of loved ones that have passed away, and share them with others without holding back. I am always amazed by the creativity in various forms: drumming, dancing, beautiful masks and costumes, stilt walkers spinning fire, wagons, dancing skeletons, giant puppets, dancers suspended from cranes. I how moved I was one year, marching under the 4th Avenue bridge while women holding torches towered above us, lighting up a huge sign which read LOVE > FEAR.
The parade culminates with ritual burning of slips of papers filled with prayers, dreams, hopes and wishes which are carried through the streets in a large urn. Then the celebration begins with performance art by fire dancers and fire spinners and a large, crazy afterparty. The fire wielders are a local pyrotechnic theater group called Flam Chen. And they rock.
Nothing can really hold a candle to All Soul’s, but it’s not the only awesome celebration in town. We also have Tucson Meet Yourself, a free festival celebrating authentic cultural food, dance and other traditional arts of all of the Southern Arizona’s ethnic communities. It takes place each October, and is just a delightful explosion of music, dancing, traditional arts and crafts, storytelling, demonstrations of cultural heritage…and food! Where else can you see Yaqui and O’odham dancers, eat fry bread, watch Filipino dancing, listen to Irish tunes and watch the amazing Odaiko Sonora with their big bad taiko drums?
There are so many other fun local events. The 4th Avenue Street Fair takes place every winter and spring. And we’ve got bike swap meets. And Shakespeare Under the Stars. And outdoor movies Thursday nights, complete with free popcorn, at Cinema La Placita. And annual 4th of July showings of Captain America (and curse-a-long) at Loft Cinema (where you can get real butter on your popcorn and even order beer and watch great movies like Food, Inc. or even the Rocky Horror Picture Show if that’s what floats your boat. We’ve got Laff’s Comedy Club, where my boyfriend and I spent New Year’s last year at the special midnight show, complete with champagne breakfast and glass flying overhead as servers in bowties tried to break up the fight. Tucson Botanical Gardens has Luminaria Nights each December, where thousands of luminarias light up the garden paths and you can drink cider, eat cookies and listen to beautiful music to summon the holiday spirit.
I’ve even had some luck with local groups. I’ve mentioned our Weston Price potlucks (and even a few book discussion groups). Although I had no luck getting into the local women’s group (I was assured that it was great and amazing and wonderful, but just happened to be full), I did find a seasonal women’s group that was actually open and accepting (as they are supposed to be!) and attended one WomanWise Gathering to discuss body image. It was eye-opening. And who can forget Young Jewish Tucson? Great events of all stripes.
A lot of cities know how to party, but Tucson does it best.
