There are two Street Fairs per year, one in Spring and one in the Winter. The next Street Fair is March 22, 23, 24, 2013. Hours are 10 am to 6pm each day. The Street Fair takes place between Ninth Street and University Blvd. along Fourth Avenue. Free to the public, the Fourth Avenue Street Fair brings together 400+ arts and crafts booths, 35+ food vendors, 2 stages, Community Stage North, Main Stage South, street musicians, food, jugglers, street performers, the ever so popular Free Tucson’s Children’s Museum’s kids hands-on-art Pavilion. There is face painting, balloons, demonstrations, sidewalk entertainment and tons of other fun activities.

This large street fair is definitely a Tucson tradition, and is very well attended, street to street crowds…twice a year.
And every year there are new booths and new art experiences. Check out the colorful map below:

Yesterday Sunday March 17, Winsett Park (near 316 N. 4th Avenue) was re-dedicated to the Mike Haggerty Plaza aka “The Mike”, as he was the so-called Honorary Mayor of 4th Avenue. Former Tucson Councilman Haggerty passed away last year on March 5, 2012. LD 10 State Rep. Bruce Wheeler spoke at the ceremony, as well as family & friends of the one term former Tucson Councilman. Mike’s widow Mimi Haggerty was in attendance as well. And they served green frosted cup cakes in celebration of Mike and St. Patrick’s Day.

My husband and I are bikers and we have a lot of extra bike stuff. If you are like us, head over to the Fall 2012 GABA Swap meet on to sell or exchange some of your bicycle equipment, clothing, misc. stuff. This Fall swap meet is held annually a week before El Tour de Tucson, which will be held on November 17, 2012. New this year due to Sun Link Construction – the swap meet will be on 5th Avenue (see info below from GABA’s website):

Still the same and yet different ( new improved and old fashioned). We’re scheduled for Saturday, November 10, 2012 , from 8am through 2pm. We’ll have four blocks of the street closed off to car traffic, centered at the corner of 5th avenue and 7th Street, just West of historic 4th Avenue. This will be our second bike swap at this spot. It was good last April and it should be great this November. Even though it’s not on 4th Avenue, we still have a great partnership with the Fourth Avenue Merchants Association (FAMA).

More info at Greater Arizona Bicycling Association: www.bikegaba.org. Contact Greg Yares at 520-323-9020 or bikeswap@bikegaba.org.

Former Tucson Birthday photographer & freelancer Jon Scanlon graciously took photos of the various Tucson Birthday celebrations this past weekend, leading up to the actual birthday on August 20, 2012. Happy 237 years Tucson! And thanks Jon for the great photos.

His photos of the birthday celebration at the Southern AZ Transportation Museum on August 18:

Ward 2 Councilmember Paul Cunningham celebrating with train museum officials

Photos of the Tropical Bash at Main Gate Square & 4th Avenue, and the Hotel Congress cake on August 18:

And photos of the flag raising ceremony at the Presidio San Agustin del Tucson Grounds on August 20.

Trobadour Ted Ramirez performing after flag ceremony

Darkness settles upon the El Presidio grounds

What beautiful birthday cakes were created for these celebrations.

If you want to see some of the 2011 Tucson birthday photos by Jon, here’s the link to the former Tucson’s Birthday website (click here).