Everyone Is Welcome Here

Tucson Meet Yourself is a free, three-day folklife festival held each October in downtown Tucson — a celebration of the living cultures, traditions, and everyday creativity that make the Greater Southwest one of the most culturally rich regions in the country. Over three days, more than 500 artists, musicians, dancers, cooks, and tradition bearers from 65 or more cultural communities share the practices that define who they are and where they come from — openly, freely, and in public space. Admission is always free.

A Tucson Story, Five Decades in the Making

The festival was founded in 1974 by University of Arizona folklorist and anthropologist Dr. James “Big Jim” Griffith and his wife, Loma — inspired in part by the loss of Tucson’s historic barrios during the Urban Renewal projects of the 1960s, and by a conviction that the diverse communities of this region deserved a platform to see and be seen by one another. Griffith named “respect” as the guiding principle of the work. To bring artists to the festival, he drew on his folklorist’s training: going into communities, building relationships, listening carefully, and earning trust over time.

That foundation has never changed. More than five decades later, Tucson Meet Yourself remains the longest consecutively running folklife festival in the nation — and the same commitment to fieldwork, community relationship, and genuine cultural exchange animates every edition.

Culture in Plain Sight

Tucson Meet Yourself is not a performance of culture for outside audiences. It is a gathering where culture is shared between neighbors — some of whom may be meeting for the first time, many of whom return year after year. Over three days, between 90,000 and 150,000 people move through downtown Tucson eating food they’ve never tasted, watching dances rooted in traditions spanning centuries, and sitting with artists who learned their craft from grandparents who learned it from theirs. Students volunteer. Community organizations raise critical funds. Kids get their names written in Arabic and take them home to frame.

The world is made better through connection. The everyday practices of ordinary people including the food, the music, the craft, and the story are the foundation of a healthy society. Everyday practices have always been hiding in plain sight. Tucson Meet Yourself is where they come into view.

SFA: Part of Something Larger

Tucson Meet Yourself is the signature public program of the Southwest Folklife Alliance (SFA), a nonprofit organization affiliated with the University of Arizona’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and the designated Folk & Traditional Arts Partner of the Arizona Commission on the Arts. SFA’s year-round work supports traditional artists, documents folklife, and builds community across the U.S.–Mexico border region. Our work makes the festival possible and gives it roots that extend far beyond three days in October.

Accessibility: Come As You Are

Tucson Meet Yourself is committed to making the festival welcoming and accessible to everyone. The festival takes place across multiple venues in downtown Tucson, with accessible routes, seating areas, and restrooms available throughout the festival footprint. ASL interpretation is provided at select performances, and SFA’s Accessibility Coordinator works year-round to identify and address barriers — not just in physical access, but in the full experience of participation. We are always learning and improving, and we welcome feedback from community members about how we can do better.

For specific accessibility information including maps, parking, and accommodations use the button below or contact us at Access@SouthwestFolklife.org

Be Part of It: Volunteer

Tucson Meet Yourself runs on community — and that includes the nearly 600 volunteers who show up each October to make it happen. Volunteers support every aspect of the festival, from artist hospitality and stage assistance to information booths, logistics, and guest experience. It is one of the best ways to see the festival from the inside, meet the artists up close, and contribute something real to a community gathering that has been part of Tucson’s life for more than five decades.

University of Arizona students, community members, and local organizations all volunteer at TMY. Many student organizations rely on the festival as a key annual fundraising opportunity, with food booth sales generating a significant portion of their yearly income. Volunteering at TMY is, in its own way, a form of cultural participation.