Tubac: Where Art and History Meet

As Arizona’s first European settlement, the village of Tubac has seen its share of history and change. First settled in 1752 when Spanish soldiers built a presidio, Tubac also bears evidence of mammoth hunters, who preceded the O’odham peoples (formerly known as the Pimas and Papagos).

Five flags have flown over the town. Tubac has been an Indian community, a Spanish Colony, part of the New Mexico Territory, a Mexican community and an Arizona Territory.

Today, art and history are juxtaposed amid the stunning beauty in Santa Cruz County. After years of conflict over the land, the town had virtually vanished. In the 1940s, the late painter Dale Nichols visualized an art colony and started a school in 1948. Fascinated with the seclusion and simplicity in the desert landscapes, Nichols painted in a Tubac studio for six years.

Other artists came to Tubac and helped promote the town by showing their works to interested passers-by. In the early days, tourists who traveled from Tucson to Nogales often stopped for refreshments in Tubac, and the artists found that offering a cool drink was a necessity in developing their businesses.

Nichols returned in the late 80s at the age of 86 with more visions of opportunities. The village had grown from his sowing of seeds into a crop of shops. Today, it is much more than a stop for water. It has come into its own with an eclectic mix of more than 80 shops, galleries and restaurants. Set in a mercado atmosphere, the town invites visitors to stroll through the shops in leisurely fashion.

Painters, potters, sculptors and carvers are among the many artists who make their home in the village and they produce works in every medium. Works by nationally and internationally known artists fill the galleries and bring national acclaim to the area and its humble beginnings.

Each year, beginning in February, a host of colorful festivals and fairs bring hundreds of thousands of visitors to Tubac. The first of these is the annual Tubac Festival of the Arts. Here, famous artists from around the country descend on Tubac for the celebration of the arts in every form. For more than 40 years the festival has drawn visitors to the village. The nine-day festival draws more than 150,000 visitors from around the globe with internationally acclaimed artists and works in all media.

March brings the annual Tubac Art Walk, an artistic promenade through the historic streets of Tubac. Some of the artists demonstrate their craft, creating works from a dab of paint, a pile of clay or a slab of metal or marble.

Fall’s Anza Days commemorates the historic travels of Juan Bautista de Anza, the area’s leader in the 1700s who led an expedition to find an overland route to the San Francisco Bay area. Each year, participants dress in period costume and re-create the start of Anza’s 1,200-mile journey. A local scholar leads the reenactment on horseback. Beginning at nearby Tumacacori National Historic Park, trekkers hike four and a half miles along the Santa Cruz River to the Tubac Presidio State Historic Park. Games for children and a re-created Spanish Colonial village are among the highlights of the weekend.

Year-round at the park, a museum, underground archaeology displays and living history demonstrations invite the public to learn about Tubac’s rich tapestry of history. The award-winning group, Los Tubaqueños perform on weekends, giving visitors a sense of what life was like in the days as a rustic Spanish settlement. It was at the presidio that conflicts of the Old West raged and soldiers protected the area.

You can also experience a great year-round golfing experience at the Tubac Golf Resort & Spa, par 71/71/72, 6,870 yards with 27 holes. Renowned for its role in Tin Cup, this 27-hole championship course, designed by Rober “Red” Lawrence, offers unique golfing on lush greens and amid cottonwoods. For more information contact (520)398-2211.

In the fall, Tubac: An Art Experience brings art up close and personal to the village. During this November event, artists create works right before visitors’ eyes throughout the weekend that celebrates the artistic process. Local musicians entertain guests while artists provide demonstrations of their works that capture their imagination.

December’s Luminaria Nights/Fiesta Navidad rounds out the year with a holiday celebration that glows in the light of luminarias. The event honors the spirit of giving with two nights of caroling, roving musicians, live reindeer and refreshments at many of the shops. Each year, the historic buildings of Tubac glow in the soft light of these traditional candle-fueled luminarias.

A perfect hub to enjoy southern Arizona’s historic character and scenic beauty, Tubac offers diverse and unique lodging choices, from resorts to bed-and-breakfast inns to guest ranches.