Since its founding in 1955, the Tucson Pops Orchestra has delivered outstanding entertainment without admission fees to the Tucson public for the past 70 seasons.
The group opens its 2025 spring season on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 11 at 7 p.m. at the DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center at Reid Park, with additional concerts on Sunday, May 18 and Sunday, May 25.
“We are always doing something new and different at each of our concerts, and this Spring season is certainly no exception to that,” said Khris Dodge, artistic director and conductor, who took over the maestro position in 2023. “I truly enjoy working with the great musicians in the orchestra as well as combining their talents with our many guest artists.”
Also, Tucson Pops recently hired James Reel to be the new executive director. He brings a heap of experience — he’s worked with Arizona Friends of Chamber Music, the Tucson Desert Song Festival, and the Southern Arizona Symphony Orchestra.
“I’m honored to have been invited to join the Tucson Pops Orchestra as its executive director,” he said. “Since I was a kid, I’ve always sought new musical experiences, and every Tucson Pops concert introduces me, and potentially anyone else in town, to something or someone delightfully different.”
Keep scrolling to see the free entertainment schedule, along with the participating food trucks that are setting up at Reid Park.
2025 SPRING SEASON HIGHLIGHTS
Sunday, May 11
Special guests El Mariachi Tapatio de Tucson (director Alberto Ranjel). The orchestra will perform a new composition titled Sonoran Rivers, by local composer Yuanyuan Kay HE, with narration written by Alison Hawthorne Deming. The piece tells the story of the Santa Cruz Watershed and its interactions with people through time, grounding the audience in a sense of place and history. The orchestra will pay homage to mothers throughout the evening.
Sunday, May 18
Known as “Golden Voice of Tucson”, award-winning vocalist Katherine Byrnes joins the orchestra for a celebration of songs from Carole King’s Tapestry Album. The wonderfully talented Ballet Tucson will perform alongside Ms. Byrnes with a new ballet performance as well as a pas de deux from Swan Lake (Tchaikovsky).
Sunday, May 25
Memorial Day Concert welcomes the internationally renowned Tucson Boys Chorus. This concert will mark the final performance of their longtime director Julian Acklerly, who retires in June after 45 years at the helm. The orchestra will perform a variety of patriotic favorites throughout the evening.
Food Truck Roundup Schedule
SUNDAY, MAY 11
- Sarge’s Cheesecake, Quesadillas & More
- Colonel Mustard Hot Dogs
- Pops Kettle Corn
- Hawaiian Shaved Ice
- Fiesta Filipina
- SAAFB Free Coffee Corner
SUNDAY, MAY 18
- Sarge’s Cheesecake, Quesadillas & More
- You Sly Dog
- Hawaiian Shaved Ice
- Pops Kettle Corn
- Fiesta Filipina
- SAAFB Free Coffee Corner
SUNDAY, MAY 25
- Sarge’s Cheesecake, Quesadillas & More
- Pops Kettle Corn
- Hawaiian Shaved Ice
- Fiesta Filipina
- Drew’s Dogs
- SAAFB Free Coffee Corner
All Tucson Pops Concerts are performed at 7 p.m. at the DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center at Reid Park (in Randolph Park) located at 900 S. Randolph Way off Country Club Road just north of 22nd Street.
Parking and shuttle service are also available at the Randolph Park Golf Course parking lot, Alvernon Way, just north of 22nd Street.
For more information, visit tucsonpops.org.
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.
