Travel through the pivotal years between 1775 and 1900 as America grew, changed, and pushed west. Learn how national events paved the way for Arizona’s unique path to statehood and uncover the people and moments that brought the Territory to life in the American imagination.   Every Saturday through March 21, 2026

Limited space, by reservation only! Did you know that Oracle State Park was once covered by warm, shallow seas? Are you familiar with the numerous faults that uncovered rocks once buried more than 5 miles beneath the surface? The park offers visitors the opportunity to experience the unique geology of the Santa Catalina Mountains area. […]

HD SOUTH, Home of the Gilbert Historical Museum, proudly invites the community to experience the Red, White & Blue–themed 21st Annual “Art of Quilting” Show, a vibrant celebration honoring the nation’s Semiquincentennial. This year’s show presents a special traveling exhibit from the American Quilt Study Group, featuring works from the remarkable collection “Makers and Designers: […]

Celebrate America’s true art form, jazz, with the Grammy Award-winning Count Basie Orchestra. The 16-piece band’s repertoire features Basie’s signature blend of swing, blues, and improvisation, delivering a masterful performance. This special 90th anniversary concert features Nnenna Freelon, a seven-time Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist, arts education advocate, producer, and arranger who has achieved great heights in […]

Meet in the Palo Verde Day Use area and learn how to distinguish between birds and seek out our avian friends from hawks to hummingbirds throughout the trail! Be prepared for a 1-mile, slow-paced bird walk on moderate, rocky terrain with a mild 150ft elevation gain. The program takes about 1.5 hours. Please wear close-toed […]

Commemorate America’s 250th Birthday and the start of the Cactus League spring training games with sports photographer Jean Fruth and an intimate behind-the-lens look at the country’s favorite pastime, baseball. As one of the few women to cover the Majors, Fruth brings a fresh perspective the field.

Fridays (January - April) @ 9 a.m. Join us at the Birding Trail kiosk (next to campsite #12 in Patagonia Lake State Park) for a ranger led hike to learn about the diverse avian wildlife at Patagonia Lake and Sonoita Creek. The park is designated as an Important Bird Area by the Audubon Society. If […]

Live snakes in the library! Melissa Amarello from Advocates for Snake Preservation (ASP) will be here with her snake teachers (non-venomous snakes) to share her enthusiasm for our slithering friends. If you are not an appreciator of snakes, you will be after this presentation! All ages are welcome.

Join the Oro Valley Historical Society to hear the tale of Earl Linwood Francis, a historic figure from Oracle, Arizona, who was an adventurer, miner, prospector, dreamer, and whose life has been celebrated in stories around dinner tables, bars, cafes, and desert campfires, and they are quite the stories! He was truly his own man, […]

This beautiful program is designed to start with a famous Arizona sunset draping gracefully over the Superstition Mountains, and end under the light of the full moon. The 1.5-mile trail features some rocky, rough terrain but with little elevation gain. It is a ranger-guided hike focusing on the aesthetic, while offering opportunities to stop and […]

Join us for a new series of kid focused programs. The program will be held the first Sunday of the month at 10am Dec. through March. Each month will be a new theme where kids can learn about different science and outdoor related topics and complete a related activity. The program is free with paid […]

America loved the swinging sounds of female close-harmony groups even before The Andrews Sisters hit the airwaves. Audiences will hear those great vintage songs with fresh ears when this trio takes the stage! These New York City-based vocalists have performed across the USA at iconic spaces honoring our veterans (the Intrepid Air and Space Museum, […]