Richard F. Caris
Mirror Lab Tours
ONGOING
The University of Arizona’s Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab produces some of the world’s largest telescope mirrors, combining expertise in physics, optics and advanced manufacturing. Located beneath Arizona Stadium, the facility helps enable astronomical discoveries through innovative mirror-making technology. Tours are offered Monday through Friday, with times available online.
Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab, 933 N. Cherry Avenue, Tucson, $25 adult tickets and $20 for students, various times, mirrorlab.arizona.edu
Mini Time Machine Museum
ONGOING
Explore a unique collection of 11 hand-painted die-cast model cars and miniature vehicles featured in the Arizona State Museum’s “Traditions in Motion” exhibition. Created by Native artists, the pieces showcase how Indigenous communities blend heritage and contemporary culture through customized vehicles and other forms of transportation. The exhibit highlights a dynamic artistic tradition that transforms everyday objects into expressions of identity, creativity and cultural pride.
The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures, 4455 E Camp Lowell Drive, Tucson, museum admission, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., theminitimemachine.org
Haunted Hermitage
OCT. 16
Costumes, candy, and cats: the Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter & Sanctuary will be transformed into a safe, fun Halloween experience for kids and families on the 16th. Admission is a donation of unopened pet food, with all donations going directly to the Michael Cannon Community Pet Food Pantry, helping local families keep their pets fed.
Hermitage No-Kill Cat Shelter, 5278 E. 21st Street, 5 to 7:30 p.m., Admission with donation of unopened pet food, hermitagecatshelter.org
Tucson Meet Yourself Festival
OCT. 16 through OCT. 18
Tucson Meet Yourself is one of the city’s oldest and most cherished annual traditions. Started in 1974 by a UA folklorist, the three-day folklife festival is a lively and busy showcase of multicultural foods, music, dance and folk arts. Free to attend, the festival raises funds through concessions, merchandise and local support.
Jácome Plaza, 101 North Stone Avenue, various times, free admission, tucsonmeetyourself.org
Southern AZ Fall Home Show
OCT. 16 through OCT. 18
The Southern AZ Fall Home Show is three days of home improvement showcases, artisanal crafts and food, project inspo and over 200 experts, including celebrity demonstrations by HGTV’s Matt Bladshaw and barbecue pitmaster and personality Sloan Rinaldi. The home show offers something for all members of the family, including a dog fashion show, kids market and pet adoption area.
Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Avenue, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., $8 adult tickets, free admission ages 12 and under, southernazfallhomeshow.com
True Concord Voices & Orchestra presents American Classics & Currents
OCT. 16 through OCT. 18
Tucson’s own two-time Grammy nominated True Concord Voices and Orchestra presents works by iconic composers like Randall Thompson’s Alleluia, Grammy-award winning John Corigliano’s Fern Hill, based on the poetry of Dylan Thomas, Eric Whitacre’s Water Night, and more. The ensemble will also perform a poetic, True Concord co-commissioned piece, We Are Phoenix by Co-Composer-in-Residence Timothy C. Takach.
Various locations, various times, from $23.50, trueconcord.org
Slugfest
OCT. 17
Tucson’s first annual Slugfest is coming to earth, courtesy of Slugman, an intergalactic traveler who first touched down in the ‘90s and fell in love with clothing, music and skateboarding. His Oct. 17 return will be an all-day festival of crate-digging, vintage trading, skate demos and live music.
4th ave coalition, 311 E 7th St, Tucson, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., tickets from $32, slugfestaz.com
Film Fest Tucson — ‘Carl Sagan: We Are Made of Star Stuff’
OCT. 18
Join Film Fest Tucson for a brand new documentary peering into the personal and professional life of Carl Sagan, American astronomer, planetary scientist and host of the groundbreaking series “Cosmos.” Presented by the festival and Arizona Arts Live, the film is an intimate portrait of the scientist revealed through rare footage and Sagan’s own personal archives.
Marroney Theatre, 1025 N. Olive Road, 6 p.m., $22, $10 students, all ages, filmfesttucson.org
Boots in the Park
OCT. 19
Country lovers will not want to miss this Rillito Park festival, headlined by Jon Pardi and Koe Wetzel, with support from Corey Kent, the Wilder Blue and Myles Morgan. Beyond the music, the all ages event features art installations, a “tailgate tavern,” a Cactus Cantina “tasting experience” and country club dance hall.
Rillito Regional Park, 4502 N. First Avenue, 12 p.m., from $124, events.bootsinthepark.com
‘The Who’s Tommy’ at Centennial Hall UA
OCT. 20 to OCT. 25
Visiting Tucson in late October, “The Who’s Tommy” is a broadway interpretation of The Who’s classic, 1969 rock opera “Tommy.” Told through hits like “Acid Queen,” “Pinball Wizard” and “See Me, Feel Me,” the album and musical chronicle a boy named Tommy who, after becoming deaf and blind at a young age, discovers an innate talent for pinball.
Centennial Hall, 1020 E. University Boulevard, Various times, tickets from $53, broadwayintucson.com
