Community Day

Saturday, May 13
Activities & Entertainment from 9 AM – 1 PM

Free Admission All Day!

Join us for this family-friendly, free event to celebrate public gardens, community, and YOU! By offering free admission and providing family-friendly activities and entertainment we hope to encourage guests to visit our beautiful garden and learn more about the Sonoran Desert!

¡Acompáñanos a celebrar los jardines públicos, la comunidad y a ti! La diversión incluye música en vivo, Reptile Ramble, los Desert Players, actividades artísticas para pintar con un pincel de yuca, construcción de hábitats para abejas autóctonas, siembra de semillas y mucho más.


What is Go Public Gardens?

The American Public Gardens Association’s “Go Public Gardens” initiative runs May 12-21, 2023 with the goal of encouraging people to visit public gardens in their city and while they travel.

La iniciativa “Go Public Gardens” (Vamos a los Jardines Públicos) de la American Public Gardens Association se celebra del 12 al 21 de mayo de 2023 con el objetivo de incentivar a la gente a visitar jardines públicos en su ciudad y mientras viajan.


Entertainment

Desert Player’s Performance | 9:30 – 10 AM | Garden Pavilion

Prepare to be delighted by the Desert Players, a live pantomime group made up of Tohono Chul volunteers and docents! Don’t miss their original Sonoran Desert-themed play, Legends of the Lost Bone.

Prepárate para deleitarte con Desert Players, un grupo de pantomima formado por voluntarios y educadores de Tohono Chul. No te pierdas su obra original, “Legends of the Lost Bone”, con temática del desierto de Sonora.

Play Synopsis: Come along on a nighttime journey with your favorite desert characters, Jacqueline Jackrabbit, Rumplepigskin the Javelina, and Spiny Saguaro as they help the very small but resourceful Nomad, a grasshopper mouse, as he makes the dangerous trek up to Skeleton Hill.

That trickster Coyote has told a tall tale of a Lost Bone. Nomad believes Coyote when he says the bone must be taken up to where the scary Skeleton Coyote is said to reside. If Nomad can successfully return the bone before the first rays of the sun break the horizon at dawn, the legend says that he will be rewarded with his heart’s desire.

Listen to the wind, feel the rain during a thunderstorm, and go along with the gang on a daring and adventurous trip as Tohono Chul’s Desert Players once again delight children of all ages with their latest live-action pantomime show.

After the show, children can make an animal mask of their own to take home!

Resumen de la obra: Acompáñanos en un viaje nocturno con tus personajes favoritos del desierto, Jacqueline Jackrabbit, Rumplepigskin la Javelina, y Spiny Saguaro mientras ayudan al pequeño pero ingenioso Nomad, un ratón saltamontes, en el peligroso camino hacia Skeleton Hill.

El embaucador Coyote ha contado un extraño cuento sobre un hueso perdido. Nomad le creyó a Coyote cuando le dijo que había que llevar el hueso hasta donde se dice que reside el temible Skeleton Coyote. Si Nomad consigue devolver el hueso antes de que aparezcan los primeros rayos del sol en el horizonte al amanecer, la leyenda dice que será recompensado con su mayor deseo.

Escucha el viento, siente la lluvia durante una tormenta y acompaña a esta pandilla en un viaje audaz y lleno de aventuras mientras los Desert Players de Tohono Chul deleitan una vez más a niños de todas las edades con su último espectáculo de pantomima en vivo. Después del espectáculo, los niños podrán hacer sus propias máscaras de animales para llevar a casa.


Mr. Nature’s Music Garden | 10:30 – 11:30 AM | Performance Garden

Your kids will love Mr. Nature’s Interactive Music Hour, with a special guest, AZ Tree’s Please Community Garden! Mr. Nature gets children moving and dancing through song, dance, instrument fun, and interactive music!

A tus hijos les encantará el espectáculo musical interactivo de Mr. Nature con un invitado especial, ¡el jardín comunitario AZ Trees Please! Mr. Nature pone a los niños en movimiento y a bailar con canciones, bailes, divertidos instrumentos y música interactiva.


Bilingual Spanish Story Time | 11:30 – 12:30 PM | Garden Pavilion

with Aprender y Jugar Language Program and the Gipsy Pirate Octopi

Listen to “Yo soy agua”/ “I am water” and “We are the Water Protectors”/ “Somos los guardians del agua” in English and in Spanish while engaging in body movements that express water! Gipsy Pirate Octopi will sing Spanish children’s songs, and play the accordion and trombone.

Escucha “Yo soy agua”/”I am water” y “Somos los guardianes del agua”/”We are the Water Protectors” en inglés y en español mientras realizas movimientos corporales que representen el agua. Gipsy Pirate Octopi cantará canciones infantiles en español y tocará el acordeón y el trombón.

Maria Belen Mejia Pape is an artist, teacher, interpreter, translator, activist, and a single mom. She is the owner of Aprender y Jugar Language Program LLC which became a business in 2018. However her dedication to this project started years ago. M. Belen started creating Aprender y Jugar while she was staying at home with her daughter, Juli 

Her passion and love in preserving her mother language as well as traditions and culture allows her to genuinely enjoy while working and teaching children. Maria Belen believes that to learn a second language enhances your life in many ways. M. Belen explains that immigrants keep their native tongue so they don ‘t forget where they come from.

M. Belen was born in Quito, Ecuador. She has a B.A in Journalism and is fluent in 3 languages: Spanish, English and French. Aside from living and working in South America, she also lived about two years in France working with children. M. Belen started learning French when she was 4 years old in an immersion school in Quito.

The Gipsy Pirate Octopi is a husband and wife duo. Margarita Brosova plays the accordion and sings. Tony Rosano plays a variety of low brass instruments, including trombone and piano. Tony Rosano has been playing music since his childhood and when he met his wife, Margarita, he helped her fulfill a lifelong goal of learning the accordion. He also wooed her by learning to play all her favorite songs, many of which are Russian because she is from Saint Petersburg, Russia. Over the years Gipsy Pirate Octopi have been expanding their repertoire and performing at a variety of venues.

The Gipsy Pirate Octopi es un dúo compuesto por un matrimonio. Margarita Brosova toca el acordeón y canta. Tony Rosano toca diversos instrumentos de metal, como el trombón y el piano. Tony Rosano ya tocaba música desde niño y cuando conoció a su mujer, Margarita, la ayudó a cumplir el objetivo de su vida: aprender a tocar el acordeón. También la conquistó al aprender a tocar todas sus canciones favoritas, muchas de las cuales son rusas, dado que ella es de San Petersburgo, Rusia. A lo largo de los años, Gipsy Pirate Octopi ha ido ampliando su repertorio y presentándose en diversos lugares.


Reptile Ramble | 10 – 12 PM | Overlook

Come see some native (and maybe some non-native!) reptiles up close! You might see a tortoise, a gopher snake, or even a king snake!

¡Ven a ver de cerca algunos reptiles autóctonos (y quizás algunos no nativos)! Es posible que veas una tortuga, una serpiente topo o incluso una serpiente rey.

Activities for Kids

9 AM – 1 PM

Build a Native Bee Habitat | 9 AM – 1 PM | Garden Pavilion
Construcción de hábitats para abejas autóctonas
Did you know that the Sonoran Desert is home to around 700 species of native bees? Arizona is rich in bee diversity-we are the leaders in not just the country, but perhaps the world! Make your own habitat for native bees using paper straws to give them a spot to rest in after a long day of pollinating!
¿Sabías que el desierto de Sonora es el hogar de aproximadamente 700 especies de abejas autóctonas? Arizona es una región con una gran diversidad de abejas: somos líderes no solo en el país, sino, quizá, en el mundo. Con sorbetes de papel, crea tu propio hábitat para las abejas autóctonas y dales un lugar donde descansar tras un largo día de polinización.

Paint With a Yucca Paintbrush | 9 AM – 1 PM | Garden Pavilion
Pintura con pinceles de yuca
Paint your own masterpiece with a paintbrush made from yucca and take your own paintbrush home! Mother’s Day is May 8th and what is a better present than a handmade card?
Pinta tu propia obra de arte con un pincel hecho de yuca y llévatelo a casa. El Día de la Madre es el 8 de mayo y no hay mejor regalo que una tarjeta hecha a mano.

Plant a Seed | 9 AM – 1 PM | Garden Pavilion
Siembra de semillas
Plant your own bean seed or sunflower seed to take home and watch grow! The planter is an upcycled paper tube that is biodegradable and can be planted into a bigger pot or into your garden!
Siembra tus propias semillas de habas o de girasol para llevártelas a casa y verlas crecer. La maceta es un tubo de papel reciclado y biodegradable que se puede plantar en una maceta más grande o en el jardín.

Make Insect Antenna | 9 AM – 1 PM | Garden Pavilion
Elaboración de antenas de insectos
The antennae on insects serve many different purposes, including touch, heat, and vibration, but kids can create their own antennae using pipe cleaners and pompoms for the purpose of looking cute and being unique!
Las antenas de los insectos tienen muchas funciones, como el tacto, el calor y la vibración, pero los niños pueden crear sus propias antenas con limpiapipas y pompones para que sean bonitas y únicas.

Temporary Tattoo Station | 9 AM – 1 PM | Location TBA
Estación de tatuajes temporales
Choose from a cool bug, a “Queen of the Night” flower, or one of our adorable Nature Ninos! Take your temporary tattoo home or wear it for Community Day!
Puedes elegir entre un simpático insecto, una flor “Reina de la noche” o uno de nuestros adorables “Nature Niños”. ¡Llévate tu tatuaje temporal a casa o lúcelo en el Día de la Comunidad!

Make a Native Seed Ball | 9 AM – 1 PM | Children’s Garden
Elaboración de una bola de semillas autóctonas

Join the University of Arizona’s Cooperative Extension team to make a “native seed ball” to help promote pollinator plants around Tucson!


Concessions from the Garden Bistro

FOOD MENU

Red Chile Chicken Street Taco | $6
Red Chile Chicken, Poblano Crema, House Salsa and Pickled Jalapeños with Choice of Flour or Corn Tortillas

Tacos Al Pastor | $6
Shredded Adobada Marinated Pork, Sliced Radish, House Salsa and Pickled Jalapeños with choice of Flour or Corn Tortillas

Veggie Tacos (Vegan) | $6
Calabacitas, Dried Sweet Corn, House Salsa, Pickled Jalapeños with Choice of Flour or Corn Tortillas

Grilled Cheese (Vegetarian) | $6

Quesadilla (Vegetarian) | $8
Green Chile and Cheese

Street Corn – (Vegetarian) | $6
Off the cob griddled corn, mayo, cotija cheese, scallion, cilantro, tajin and tortilla chips

Tajin Fruit Cocktail (Vegan) | $6
Fresh fruits and melons tossed in Tajin

Churros with Chocolate Sauce (Vegetarian) | $5

DRINK MENU

Prickly Pear Margarita | $12

Red Or White Wine | $10

Hard Seltzer | $7

Local Beer | $7

Prickly Pear Lemonade | $6

Bottled Water | $4

Maya Iced Tea | $4

Assorted Soda | $4

Community Partners

9 am – 1 pm | Sonoran Seasons Garden & Spanish Colonial Courtyard