Tucson FoodieCelebrating local food, drink, and community.
Mercado San Agustín celebrates 15 years with Quinceañera event

(Photo courtesy of Mercado San Agustín)

Mercado San Agustín celebrates 15 years with Quinceañera event

May 6, 20263 min read

Mercado San Agustín will celebrate 15 years with a Quinceañera event on Friday, May 8. The Mercado San Agustín Quinceañera will take place from 6-9 p.m. at 100 S. Avenida del Convento. The celebration will honor the west-side marketplace’s role as a cultural hub, business incubator, and community gathering space.

The event will feature special remarks, live music, shop and dine deals, and community programming. Organizers describe the Mercado as a place rooted in heritage, walkability, and local character. Over 15 years, the plaza has grown into a destination for food, shopping, and neighborhood connection.

Mercado San Agustín Quinceañera honors 15 years in Tucson

Mercado San Agustín opened as a plaza inspired by traditional Mexican marketplaces. Today, it anchors the Mercado District with restaurants, shops, events, and public gathering space. The anniversary event will celebrate the merchants, founders, customers, neighbors, and families who shaped its identity.

“This anniversary is really about the people,” co-founder Kira Dixon-Weinstein said in a press release. “The merchants, the neighbors, the customers and the families who have made this space what it is. Mercado San Agustín was always meant to feel like it belonged to Tucson — and 15 years later, that spirit is stronger than ever.”

The celebration will also recognize the Mercado’s role in supporting small businesses. Presta Coffee Roasters and Seis Kitchen both started with modest footprints at the Mercado before expanding across Tucson.

Music, remarks, and community celebration

The Mercado San Agustín Quinceañera will include remarks from Tucson leaders, founders, tenants, and neighborhood voices. Speakers include Mayor Regina Romero, Vice Mayor Lane Santa Cruz, founders Adam Weinstein and Kira Dixon-Weinstein, and original tenants. The celebration will also include shop and dine deals throughout the evening.

The program will feature:

  • Azteca Dancers
  • Blessing
  • Speeches from Tucson Mayor Regina Romero
  • Speeches from Vice Mayor Lane Santa Cruz
  • Speeches from Menlo Park Neighborhood Association President Kylie Walzak
  • Speeches from founders Adam Weinstein and Kira Dixon-Weinstein
  • Remarks from Isabel Montaño from La Estrella Bakery
  • Remarks from Ahydee Almazán from Dolce Pastello
  • Live music from Chicha Dust
  • Live music from Lupita Miranda
  • Specials from beloved merchants

Remarks begin at 6 p.m., followed by Chicha Dust at 7 p.m. The band features Brian Lopez and Gabriel Sullivan’s original cumbia project. Guests can expect an evening built around music, food, and community pride.

(Photo courtesy of Mercado San Agustín)

A launchpad for local food businesses

Mercado San Agustín has long supported independent food and retail concepts. Its courtyard setting gives small businesses a visible, community-centered place to grow. That role helped define the Mercado as more than a shopping destination.

The anniversary also highlights Tucson’s broader food culture. Visitors can grab coffee, pastries, tacos, dinner, and drinks before or during the event.

Event details

The Mercado San Agustín Quinceañera offers a free-flowing way to celebrate one of Tucson’s most familiar gathering places. Guests can attend for remarks, stay for music, and support the merchants who call the plaza home.

Details include:

For 15 years, Mercado San Agustín has connected Tucson through food, culture, and small business. This Quinceañera gives the community a chance to celebrate that legacy together.

Article written by:

Jackie Tran

Jackie Tran is a Tucson-based food writer and photographer. Best known locally for his work for Tucson Foodie, his work has also appeared in publications such as Bon Appétit, National Geographic, and the New York Times.

Outside of food, he also loves playing musical instruments and petting pets.

If you’d like to stalk him, visit his Instagram @jackie_tran_ or jackietran.com.

Get our free Tucson Foodie weekly newsletter

New openings, events, dish recommendations, and guides — every Wednesday. No spam.

Take us with you.

Discover the best local spots, browse the dish database, build and share your to-visit lists, support local, and join the Foodie Club when you're ready.

Advertisement

Follow @TucsonFoodie136.2K followers
IOU Sushi III has closed. The all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant on North Oracle Road announced the news on Facebook after about 10 years in Tucson. “This is the hardest post I’ve had to write,” the owners said. The post continued, “we have met some great friends who have become family to us.” Tucson Foodie first visited the restaurant in 2017, when it operated as IOU Sushi IV. 

Read the full story on tucsonfoodie.com.IOU Sushi III has closed. The all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant on North Oracle Road announced the news on Facebook after about 10 years in Tucson. “This is the hardest post I’ve had to write,” the owners said. The post continued, “we have met some great friends who have become family to us.” Tucson Foodie first visited the restaurant in 2017, when it operated as IOU Sushi IV. Read the full story on tucsonfoodie.com.
THE FALL SOUTHERN AZ HOME SHOW RETURNS OCT. 16-18 WITH TWO BIG CULINARY HEADLINERS🔥 

@Tcctucson welcomes award-winning pitmaster @Sloanrinaldi for an “All Things Brisket” demo at 2:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, followed by a meet-and-greet. 

Three-time Iron Chef Tucson champion @Chef_antbanks of @Obonsushi takes the Culinary Showcase Stage Saturday at noon. 

The show will also feature 200+ vendors, food trucks, pet-friendly attractions, adoptable animals, HGTV’s Matt Blashaw, the Kids Market, and more. 

WHEN: Oct. 16-18 | 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
WHERE: TCC 📍260 S. Church Ave.
TICKETS: $8 | $4 with discount coupon | Kids 12 & under free
 
SPECIAL ADMISSION: 
• Friday: Seniors 65+ free; half-price for military, veterans, first responders, police, firefighters & teachers with ID 
• Saturday: Half-price for seniors and the same groups
• Sunday (Heroes Day): Seniors half-price; military, veterans, first responders, police, firefighters & teachers free with ID

ALL DAYS: $2 admission from 3-5 p.m. Free parking in Convention Center Lot B.THE FALL SOUTHERN AZ HOME SHOW RETURNS OCT. 16-18 WITH TWO BIG CULINARY HEADLINERS🔥 @Tcctucson welcomes award-winning pitmaster @Sloanrinaldi for an “All Things Brisket” demo at 2:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, followed by a meet-and-greet. Three-time Iron Chef Tucson champion @Chef_antbanks of @Obonsushi takes the Culinary Showcase Stage Saturday at noon. The show will also feature 200+ vendors, food trucks, pet-friendly attractions, adoptable animals, HGTV’s Matt Blashaw, the Kids Market, and more. WHEN: Oct. 16-18 | 9 a.m.-5 p.m. WHERE: TCC 📍260 S. Church Ave. TICKETS: $8 | $4 with discount coupon | Kids 12 & under free SPECIAL ADMISSION: • Friday: Seniors 65+ free; half-price for military, veterans, first responders, police, firefighters & teachers with ID • Saturday: Half-price for seniors and the same groups • Sunday (Heroes Day): Seniors half-price; military, veterans, first responders, police, firefighters & teachers free with ID ALL DAYS: $2 admission from 3-5 p.m. Free parking in Convention Center Lot B.
Anne Rysdale built @sheltercocktaillounge in 1961 with concrete walls, lava rock, and Cold War nerves. Today, owners Pam Santangelo and Kevin Breutzmann keep the Tucson bar exactly as regulars remember it. Inside, martinis share space with JFK memorabilia, a vintage atomic chandelier, and a suit of armor named Charlie. “Tucson is changing so much, but this has stayed the same. It’s a time capsule,” Santangelo said. 

Read @sea_lyon’s article on Tucsonfoodie.com 
Photos by @sea_lyonAnne Rysdale built @sheltercocktaillounge in 1961 with concrete walls, lava rock, and Cold War nerves. Today, owners Pam Santangelo and Kevin Breutzmann keep the Tucson bar exactly as regulars remember it. Inside, martinis share space with JFK memorabilia, a vintage atomic chandelier, and a suit of armor named Charlie. “Tucson is changing so much, but this has stayed the same. It’s a time capsule,” Santangelo said. Read @sea_lyon’s article on Tucsonfoodie.com Photos by @sea_lyon
Scratch-made Japanese ramen goes far beyond instant noodles, with rich broths like tonkotsu, miso, and shoyu. Tucson has more specialty ramen shops than you might expect. Here’s where to find them around town.🍜

@ikkyu.tucson 
@jaramencurry 
@kiwamiramenbar 
@kukai___ 
@marujapanesenoodle 
@maruplusaz 
@obonsushi 
@raijinramen 
@theramenbartucson 
@tossfriedchickennramen 

More guides on Tucsonfoodie.comScratch-made Japanese ramen goes far beyond instant noodles, with rich broths like tonkotsu, miso, and shoyu. Tucson has more specialty ramen shops than you might expect. Here’s where to find them around town.🍜 @ikkyu.tucson @jaramencurry @kiwamiramenbar @kukai___ @marujapanesenoodle @maruplusaz @obonsushi @raijinramen @theramenbartucson @tossfriedchickennramen More guides on Tucsonfoodie.com