Tucson, AZ

Happy Birthday Tucson! August marks Tucson’s 233rd birthday and there are a multitude of activities going on this month to celebrate in the Old Pueblo.

On a Friday night that was graced with cooling breezes and no monsoons in sight or sound, I took some out-of-town visitors to help me celebrate Tucson’s birthday at the annual “Heart and Soul of Tucson – ART” birthday festival.

This interesting little mini-festival is being held on the patio of the Vila Thai restaurant all during August. For those of you who have not discovered the Vila Thai — which many believe is the best Thai restaurant in Tucson — it is upstairs at 972 East University Boulevard at Park Avenue.

Different activities are scheduled for each night of the month, but the one constant is the eclectic display of art from Tucson’s local artisans. Hana Hipp of Eagle Productions always puts on this celebration and the selection of art and artists she has assembled is well worth the visit. In addition to the displays and easels scattered around the patio, there were two additional gallery rooms for your perusal and enjoyment.

We were lucky enough to meet several of the artists, which made the evening even more enjoyable, since one of the artists was quite knowledgeable about Tucson and spent almost an hour sharing Tucson trivia with us. Did you know that John Dillinger, the famous bank robber of the 30s, used to vacation in Tucson?

One of the more interesting displays was a collection of stained-glass luminous vessels and treasure boxes that feature inclusions such as metal, shells, tile and mirror. We had the pleasure of chatting with the artist, Eneida Colon, who gave us her own spiritual interpretations of several of the pieces.

There are several paintings by Gonzalo Espinosa, one of Tucson’s popular artists. Gonzalo is well known for his mural art through-out the city.

Another table included several pieces of brightly colored, kiln-formed glass pieces made in a complex mosaic design. There was also a wide selection of dichroic glass pendants on display.

In addition to the art display, Lupita Duran was performing with her beautiful folk songs and we were told that additional entertainment during the month will include expressions of poetry, live music, fashion shows and many other forms of entertainment

The Wall Street Journal once referred to Tucson as a “mini-Mecca for the arts,” and rightly so if this birthday celebration is any indication.

To top the evening off, we had dinner at the Vila Thai outside on the patio listening to the beautiful music and basking in the temperate weather uncommon for early August in Tucson.

I should add that the chicken and cashews was outstanding and the Singha beer was so cold it had ice in it! A great evening of art, food, and friends at the “Heart and Soul of Tucson – ART” birthday festival and the Vila Thai restaurant. We will be sure to get back at least once during this month-long birthday celebration.