Tucson: Events

If you're one of those people who are entertained by the spectacle of a small white ball being clubbed around some manicured paddocks, you'll want to be in Tucson in mid-January for the Tucson Open , a men's Professional Golfer's Association (PGA) tournament - the equivalent women's PGA tournament takes place in mid-March. Earthy types descend on the city over the first two weeks of February to take in exhibits at the Tucson Gem & Mineral Show , one of the biggest displays of shiny rubble in the country. La Fiesta de los Vaqueros , also known as Rodeo Week, is held from the last Thursday of February to the following Sunday, when Tucson puts on a smorgasbord (make that BBQ) of cowboy/girl events, along with what's billed as the world's largest non-motorised parade.

In early March, the historic Mission San Xavier del Bac to the south of town is the venue for the Wa:K Powwow Conference , a singing, dancing and eating extravaganza staged by the local Tohono O'odham tribe for all the Indian communities living in the region. The mission also hosts a number of religious ceremonies throughout the year, including the Friday after Easter, Christmas and the Fiesta of San Xavier in early December. On 5 May, South Tucson resounds with Hispanic parades, street stalls and concerts in celebration of Cinco de Mayo , the anniversary of Mexico's victory over France in 1862's Battle of Puebla.