The Tubac Festival of the Arts is an annual tradition in Tubac that goes back 67 years. The festival is distinctive because of how it integrates more than 130 local galleries, specialty shops, boutiques and restaurants. 

This year, the event will take place from Wednesday, Feb. 4, to Sunday, Feb. 8. 

It is put on by the Tubac Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with Vermillion Promotions. 

Vermillion Promotions also hosts other fine art and wine events throughout Arizona and in Colorado. 

The Tubac festival will have artwork from 250 artists, a food court, wine tastings and live entertainment.  

From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 6, and Saturday, Feb. 7, local Arizona wineries will offer wine tastings. Patrons can purchase tickets for five to 10 wine tastings, which come with a commemorative glass. 

Wine tasting tickets can be purchased at willcoxwinecountry.org. 

On Saturday, Feb. 7, folklorico dancers from the Mexican Consulate and folklorico and Aztec dancers from Mexicayotl Academy of Nogales will perform for guests. 

The Sunday entertainment schedule will feature youth and adult dancers from Ballet Folklórico Tapatío of Tucson. 

The festival highlights the village’s creativity, history and sense of community. 

Tubac was established in 1752 as a Spanish colonial garrison. Over the years, it has become a hub for artists. 

Candy Vermillion, founder and CEO of Vermillion Promotions and the promoter for the show, started attending the festival while she was a student at UofA. 

She said over the years, the event has evolved, but it continues to retain its local flavor, especially in its immersion of local galleries and shops. 

Vermillion has tried to bring in more fine artists from around the country. This year, there will be artists from a number of different states, including Hawaii, Florida and Alaska. 

A mixture of new and returning artists take part in the event each year. Vermillion said a few artists have been doing the show for 40 years. 

Many of the artists do multiple festivals in Arizona and nearby states. 

“They will pick and choose a circuit. This caliber of artists will pick the top shows,” Vermillion said. 

A number of local Tubac artists and artisans take part in the event each year. 

Artists were chosen by a six-       panel jury that included Vermillion, a chamber member, gallery owners and an artist. 

“We have a jury process where they’re selected based on quality, creativity and presentation,” Vermillion said.  

Collectors and art enthusiasts can find a range of different types of artwork, including watercolor and oil paintings, sculptures, ceramics, leatherwork, jewelry and mixed-  media art.  

Artists will display their work in different parts of the village, including inside the galleries. 

Vermillion said that deciding where to place the artists is one of the most challenging aspects of putting on the show. 

“That’s what takes me the most time and the most thought it taking a look at the selection of our artists, then looking at our village map and thinking of what’s good for the artists…. I need to find the location that’s best to represent the artists’ work, to showcase them, and then spread out the different mediums for the aesthetics and the interest of our patrons. We put a lot of time into the site layout,” Vermillion said. “The geography in Tubac is a little different. It was built in the 1700s. We have businesses we want to be sensitive to, depending on whether they have a courtyard, whether they have artwork out front. We want to work with all of the individual businesses.”  

This year’s featured artist Armik Malekian is a contemporary painter known for his vibrant colors and expressive lines.  He splits his time between Spain and Los Angeles. This will be his first appearance at the Tubac festival. 

This year’s festival poster, “Tangerine Twilight,” was created by local artist and ASU graduate Jennifer O’Cualain, known for her wildlife paintings. Copies of the poster will be available for $20 at the Rotary Club of Tubac’s booth.  

During the festival, attendees have a chance to talk to artists one-on-one about their techniques and inspirations. 

Many of the artists demonstrate their craft during the event. 

“I often see jewelers working in their booths. We invite all the artists to be demonstrating and working….We always have painters and woodworkers out there working,” Vermillion said. 

Vermillion said the galleries, restaurants and shops are all open during the event.  

“They really embrace the festival down there. A lot of the galleries will feature some of their resident artists, who will be demonstrating,” Vermillion said. 

Vermillion said that many attendees travel to spend a few days perusing the festival and exploring local galleries and shops. The area also offers historic landmarks such as the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park and Museum. 

“I think the Airbnbs and the hotels book up a year in advance for this event,” Vermillion said. 

The festival is free to attend, but there are parking fees. Proceeds go to different local charities, which manage the parking lots. 

Attendees should be prepared to walk, but golf carts and shuttles will be transporting guests to and from parking lots.  

Tubac Festival of the Arts
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 4 to Saturday, Feb. 7, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8
WHERE: 1 Burruel Street, Tubac
COST: Free admission, $10 for parking, Wine tastings range from $15 to $30
INFO: tubacaz.com