Promoting Tucson’s urban core through collaboration and partnership, Uniquely Tucson – Destination Downtown is a 16-page publication that features locally-owned businesses, heritage destinations, attractions, and historical buildings located along the Sun Link Modern Streetcar route.

This powerful marketing piece for downtown, 4th Avenue, and Main Gate represents real collaboration between Visit Tucson and Santa Cruz Valley Heritage Alliance, with supporting sponsors that include Downtown Tucson Partnership, the Tucson Historic Preservation Office, Pima County Historical Commission, and Parkwise.

Not only is the publication distributed at the Tucson Visitor Center, 100,000 copies have been inserted into Tucson Guide, 2013 Visit Tucson Official Travel Guide, and in Caliente to encourage increased patronage downtown.

Smartphone users can now explore businesses and special events throughout the downtown area using the new mobile-optimized site. UniquelyTucson.com features an interactive map and search capability to explore 176 historic buildings and nearly 200 locally-owned businesses and heritage destinations.

January 20 – A free Bicycle Party in downtown Tucson hosted by (Grey’s Anatomy star) Patrick Dempsey, pro cyclist Tom Danielson, and Bicycling Magazine editor-in-chief Peter Flax in the Armory Park neighborhood.

The route will be closed to vehicle traffic so people of all ages and abilities can ride around one of Tucson’s oldest neighborhoods. Armory Park will host music, including Jovert, Tucson High Magnet School’s steel drum band, and other festivities throughout the afternoon. Ride the 2.2 mile route as many times as you want, meet some new bicycling friends, and maybe an autograph or two.

Image: Facebook

One of our favorite events is setting up right outside the MTCVB office in La Placita Village.

This weekend, the 38th annual Tucson Meet Yourself will sprawl across 60 acres of downtown and draw thousands for a weekend full of fun, food, culture and folklife celebration.

Ethnic food, art exhibits, demonstrations, music and dance performances presented by the more than 64 different cultural groups living in the Southern Arizona-Sonora, Mexico borderland region will be on the program.

This grassroots celebration of the Southwestern cultural landscape attracts more than 100,000 people to downtown Tucson, annually. Earlier this year, the festival was recognized for shining a light on folk and traditional arts with two grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). To learn more, visit tucsonmeetyourself.org.