Marana Fall Events 2026: Your Calendar of Seasonal Outings
October 15, 2026
October 15, 2026
At 8 a.m. on Saturday, October 17, a group of hikers will set off from Wild Burro Trailhead at 14810 N. Secret Springs Dr. They'll be led by the Town of Marana's Natural Resources team and the Pima County Chapter of Arizona Master Naturalists. The hike ends at 11. Three hours later, the gates open at Heritage River Park, 12375 N. Heritage Park Dr., for the free Marana Fall Festival, which runs until 9 p.m.
Both events are free, and the Town runs both. That pattern holds from now through the last guided hike on December 19. Nearly every date on Marana's fall calendar comes from Town Hall and happens at one of three places: the Ed Honea Marana Municipal Complex on Civic Center Drive, Heritage River Park, or a trail in the Tortolitas. The dates worth circling are the ones where a morning on the mountain and an evening in town fall on the same day.
The Town's Fall Festival announcement shows how much fits into one afternoon and evening at Heritage River Park. The festival has nine carnival rides, pumpkin carving and the Mutton Bustin' Contest sponsored by BAYER. There's also a 26-foot inflatable pumpkin set up for photos in the sunflower field. The Spooky Garden Walk runs through the Marana Community Garden, which shares the park's address.
Local country act Brian Beckman Band plays the Discover Marana Stage, and Compañía de Danza Folklórica Arizona performs. More than 20 food trucks and 25 artisan and craft vendors will be set up across the grounds. The Marana Heritage Conservancy runs a beer garden for guests 21 and older. After sunset, the Town screens Hocus Pocus, the last film of this year's Movies in Marana series.
The festival also has a food donation station at the Town Booth. Guests are asked to bring a canned or non-perishable item for the Marana Food Bank. That collection comes back a month later at a different Town venue.
After the festival, the action moves to the municipal complex at 11555 W. Civic Center Dr. Concerts in the Courtyard has three fall dates there, each from 5 to 7 p.m. The Town is calling this its fifth-anniversary season. Each concert is paired with a second event:
Five days before the last concert, the same address hosts the Town's largest December event. The Holiday Festival & Tree Lighting is Saturday, December 5, from 2 to 9 p.m. The tree-lighting show starts at 6 p.m., with an encore at 8:30 p.m. The encore helps anyone who can't make the early show, whether because of a dinner reservation or young children.
The Town's evening events happen in town, and its morning events happen in the mountains. Besides the October 17 hike, the Town lists four more guided outings before the end of the year:
| Date | Event | Where | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon., Nov. 16 | Sonoran Desert Ethnobotany Hike | Tortolita Mountain Park | 8 a.m.–noon | Longest outing of the fall |
| Thu., Nov. 19 | Tortolita Preserve Nature Trek | Tortolita Preserve | 8:30–11 a.m. | Ages 12 and up |
| Sat., Nov. 21 | Guided Hikes in the Tortolitas | Wild Burro Trailhead | 8–11 a.m. | All ages |
| Sat., Dec. 19 | Guided Hikes in the Tortolitas | Wild Burro Trailhead | 8–11 a.m. | All ages |
All ages are welcome on the Wild Burro hikes, but hikers under 16 must be registered with a responsible adult. The Tortolita Preserve is a Town trail system with its trailhead at 6250 W. Moore Road. It's a short drive from the subdivisions along the Tangerine corridor.
November 19 matches October 17. It starts with the Nature Trek at the Preserve and ends with OnesAll and the Food Bank drive on Civic Center Drive. On both dates, the Town has a free event on the mountain in the morning and another in town that evening.
The biggest event in Marana's fall that the Town doesn't run is a farm. Marana Pumpkin Patch at 14950 N. Trico Road is open Thursday through Sunday through October 31. It has 70 acres of homegrown pumpkins. Its Thursday-to-Sunday schedule also lines up with the October 22 Treat Trail. A family could pick pumpkins on Trico Road and still reach Civic Center Drive by 5.
The farm used to host a December event as well, but it says it will no longer offer the Christmas Express. It cited the event's rising labor and production costs after ten years. With that gone, the Town's December 5 festival is the main holiday event in Marana itself.
Other parts of the Town calendar are tighter this fall:
Two newer restaurants fit into these days, especially on the south end of town near Cortaro and the Arizona Pavilions.
Istanbul Mediterranean Express opened on October 8 at 5660 W. Cortaro Farms Rd., Suite 100. It's the second location of Istanbul Mediterranean Cuisine and Bar and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Owner Kamran Esar told Tucson Foodie that "Cortaro Road felt like the perfect fit because it's a busy, growing area with a great community." It's a fast-casual counter, which suits a quick meal before a 5 p.m. courtyard concert.
Kirin Asian Bistro & Sushi Bar has been open since July at 5884 W. Arizona Pavilions Dr., according to This Is Tucson. It's also open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Its own site lists the same address and hours and takes online orders. That makes Kirin an easy takeout stop on the way home from the December 5 encore show, though the kitchen closes at 9.
On October 17, dinner is already on site. More than 20 food trucks will be at Heritage River Park until the movie starts.
Suzie's work in Marana usually involves land, lot lines and new construction, but these events show which parts of the Town draw people together each season. If you're weighing a home closer to Civic Center Drive, Heritage River Park or a Tortolita trailhead, Suzie Corona can walk you through how each part of Marana connects to them. Request a private consultation.
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