With the tippy-tops of downtown Tucson’s skyline illuminated, and the trees sparkling with twinkle lights, downtown Tucson is in full holiday mode — and we haven’t even gotten to some of the best Christmas-themed events yet.
Coming up on Saturday, December 14, The Downtown Parade of Lights and Festival hits the streets!
The festivities, which are sponsored by Rio Nuevo District, Arizona Bowl, Visit Tucson/Vamos a Tucson, and more, begin at 4 p.m. with food trucks and vendors.
Then, the parade kicks off at 6:30 p.m. Keep in mind that the parade route is new this year, starting at 17th Street and Fourth Avenue and ending at Armory Park.
Also, The Downtown Parade of Lights is honored to present Chef Carlotta Flores as the 2024 Grand Marshal.
The annual parade thanked Carlotta and her family for “their love and contribution to the Tucson community,” adding that the community joins them “in celebrating her efforts by attending the parade to honor her dedication to our beloved city.”
Then, chow down on some local cuisine!
More than 15 food trucks will be parked in the area, waiting to warm your bellies. Most of the food trucks will be located on 12th Street between Scott Avenue and Sixth Avenue, but there will also be some distributed along the parade route.
The exact locations are TBD, but here’s the list of food trucks:
Participating Food Vendors
- Lahaina’s Waffle Dogs
- Gigi’s Peruvian/Mexican Fusion
- Jackie’s Food Court
- La Bufadora Fish Tacos
- Tacoqueta
- Sushi Hana
- DC Jumbie Latin Caribbean
- Charly’s BBQ
- Mafia Kitchen
- Takoyaki Balls
- Cowpig
- Espresso Self
- Kettle Corn Bros
- Bugaloos Soft Serve Ice Cream
- Stardust Cafe
- Parritas Mexican Food
- Chappopin Cafe
Dress warm, save room for something to eat, and give a round of applause for Carlotta.
“The matriarch of Tucson’s Mexican food scene, Carlotta Flores, ACF, is the third generation overseeing El Charro Café, the country’s oldest Mexican restaurant in continuous operation by the same family since 1922,” The Downtown Parade of Lights and Festival shared. “Chef Carlotta Flores of Tucson, AZ was one of 2021 Forbes Magazine’s 50 Women over 50 and the only woman amongst the 10,000 nominees to be given the award from the hospitality or food industries.”
For the schedule, parade info, and the full list of sponsors, please visit downtownparadeoflights.com.
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Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
