Celebrate de Anza’s Journey: Festival Set for Tubac’s Historic Presidio Park

This Saturday, Tubac Presidio State Historic Park and Museum in Southern Arizona will host a festival to commemorate the 1773 expedition of Spanish explorer Juan Bautista de Anza. Located south of Tucson, the event will feature a reenactment of de Anza’s westward journey along with various hands-on activities and family-friendly fun.

Grace Auclair-Lee, director of the museum and park, noted that this festival has been celebrated in different forms for over 50 years. “The event is commemorating a colonizing expedition,” she explained.

Captain of the Tubac Presidio, de Anza was assigned to discover a route from Sonora to California. In the 1970s, archaeological digs led by the University of Arizona and Arizona State Museum unearthed parts of the original military settlement, which Auclair-Lee insists is history “worth preserving.”

The festival welcomes all ages, operating on a Pay-What-You-Wish admission basis. A diverse schedule will offer experiences such as a chocolate-making demonstration at 10 a.m. and a blacksmithing demonstration at 11 a.m. A reenactment ride is set to arrive at the Presidio at 12 p.m., while a tortilla-making workshop will take place at 3 p.m. Attendees can also interact with horses from the Spanish Barb Association and even try their hand at using an original printing press.

“Tubac was home to Arizona’s first newspaper, and we still have an original printing press,” Auclair-Lee stated, pointing out that another press will allow visitors to create their own prints.

Recognized as Arizona’s first state park, Tubac Presidio is described by Auclair-Lee as a “place of many firsts.” She adds, “It’s like a hidden gem behind all the art galleries.” The park provides an opportunity to explore Arizona’s history, particularly the experiences of Native peoples prior to American arrival.

The museum operates under the management of the Friends of the Tubac Presidio and Museum, a nonprofit organization partnered with Arizona State Parks and Trails. Funding challenges persist due to limited state support, and Auclair-Lee has observed a decline in attendance since the pandemic. The museum previously closed for nearly six months in 2019 due to an electrical fire caused by rodent damage, and the pandemic subsequently delayed their reopening.

“We’re bouncing back. We’re nothing if not resilient,” said Auclair-Lee, who emphasized the industry’s need to adapt in a post-pandemic world. Events like the Anza Day Festival aim to reconnect the community with the museum, inviting conversations and engagement.

The festival takes place on Saturday, October 26, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Tubac Presidio, located at 1 Burruel St. Guests can RSVP through the museum’s website.