photo: courtesy of the Peterson Family
While most cities recognize their founding when they reach landmark anniversaries such as centennials or bicentennials, Tucson may be the only city around to commemorate its birthday on a yearly basis.
Tucson's annual celebrations aren't about how many years it's been since the Irish mercenary Hugo O'Conor established the Tucson Presidio as an outpost of New Spain in 1775. It's about establishing connections in a city largely populated by people born elsewhere.
Cele Peterson's vision created the series of events in 2006 to motivate the Tucson community to recognize Tucson's robust history.
Cele's passing this recent May serves as inspiration to the Tucson's Birthday board, which is continuing the tradition by utilizing the events as catalysts for a stronger community.
Linda Ray, Peterson's long-time personal assistant, heads up the Tucson's Birthday effort, and explains the larger purpose:
"The philosophy I came to see through Cele's eyes is that connections are what make a community. Tucson's Birthday is her vision for making Tucson stronger by instigating, propping up, pushing, finagling and cajoling connections between people, activities, places, historic events, cultures and ideas that might never come together otherwise.
"The birthday is built on a different model - it's dispersed over time and geography, even over as many themes as there are events. Our thinking was that such decentralization would engage more people at all levels than a single event would, and help build a sense that Tucson is not just about the usual suspects, but that everyone has a role to play and/or a reason to participate."
In that spirit, Tucsonans are asked to contribute whatever they can to foster connections to the city and its culture and history, no matter how small.
Activities this year range from the grand opening of the Mission Garden gates on August 1, and a kids' stamp design contest, to discounts at various businesses on August 20 (the official birthdate of the Old Pueblo). Among many other events planned: a Celebrate Tucson! Concert at the Fox Theatre on August 14 in conjunction with 2nd Saturdays, free birthday cake at the DeGrazia Gallery of the Sun on August 20, Los Descendientes Birthday Gala on the 21st and La Fiesta de San Agustin on August 28. See the entire calendar and to learn how to get involved at TucsonsBirthday.org.
Ray suggests that Tucsonans "go out and do as many things as they can, especially do things and go places that are new to them. Make some new connections."
