Tucson Dining

One of the best things about the fall season is that we are no longer desperately trying to fit into that smaller sized bathing suit for weekend pool parties—instead, fun events involving food, food and more food abound. And the best part is, we don’t feel one ounce of guilt for indulging! This weekend, be sure to attend the Southern Arizona Arts and Cultural Alliance’s Food, Art & Wine Festival, in which you’ll have the opportunity to indulge in more ways than one.

What was once a week’s worth of wedding celebrations in honor of Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen has since become a 16-day festival held yearly in Munich, Germany—and all across the globe. Dubbed the world’s largest Volksfest (or people’s fair), this now famous German gathering starts in late September and runs into the first week of October. Since the first Oktoberfest of 1810, this celebration has expanded to entertain some six million people in Munich, Germany, not counting the rest of the world.

It’s no secret to locals that Tucson is full of fabulous places to grab a bite to eat; and now, you have an opportunity to taste some of Tucson’s finest fare for a discounted price during Arizona Restaurant Week. Last year marked the first ever Arizona Restaurant Week, but the deals were only offered in the Phoenix area. Due to the great success of the 2008 event series, Arizona Restaurant Week has extended their deals to Tucson. But hurry up! The week of wining and dining is now taking place through this Saturday, Sept. 26.

We all cherish grandma’s homemade goodies and endless undivided attention as well as grandpa’s life lessons. So former President Jimmy Carter decided to honor the nanas and papas of the world by declaring the second Sunday in September a national holiday—otherwise known as National Grandparent’s Day. To pay homage to all their good doings, spend the day at Apple Annie’s Orchard—a Southern treasure many Tucsonans look forward to.