Marana Police Facility Dedication Ceremony

MARANA - The Marana Police Facility has been operational for a few weeks, but on Wednesday, November 14 the Marana Police Department held a formal dedication ceremony in celebration of its completion.

“This building is a tribute to this community’s unwavering support and to the support and teamwork of all the Town’s departments,” said Marana Deputy Chief Ruben Nunez, who served as the Master of Ceremonies for the event. 

Ground was broken on the $23 million project in June of 2017, but it has been in the works since 2011. Police Chief Terry Rozema said that he saw the need for a new facility prior to accepting the job, and he got the ball rolling for the project shortly after becoming police chief.

Now that the project is complete, the police station is even better than Rozema envisioned.

“I had an idea of what this facility would be like,” said Rozema. “I had this vision of what it was going to be like and how it would work…nothing could have prepared me how amazing this facility is when you actually walk through it.” 

The bulk of the facility was paid for with a temporary half-cent sales tax that will be repealed on January 1, 2019. The tax had the support of the public and the business community.

Marana Mayor Ed Honea spoke on the public outreach process prior to initiating the sales tax. “We went to the Chamber of Commerce, we went to HOA’s, we went to [the businesses]. The Chief lobbied every single person in this town. I think he spoke to all 45,000 people! We said ‘what do you think of the idea of a half-cent sales tax, so that when we build this new police facility we are not going to have a debt for 30 years?’ Everybody seemed to agree with it.”

Town Manager Jamsheed Mehta explained that the Town had a number of options as to where the facility would be build, but in the end placing it in North Marana made the most sense from a growth standpoint, as well as the facility being a perfect complement to the Marana Municipal Complex campus.

Also speaking at the dedication were Project Manager Rick Carr from Abacus, architect Michael Rosso of Architekton, and Todd Steffen, the president of CORE Construction.

Chief Rozema said some people have suggested that the building serves as his legacy, but he disagreed with that.

“I really hope that is not my legacy,” Rozema said. “I did not become a cop to build buildings. I didn’t even become a police chief and come to Marana to build buildings…Our legacy, I hope, is one where we have instilled and implemented a philosophy, an ideology and a culture of policing that transcends time. That we go out and provide a level of service to this community that is un-paralleled. To the extent that this building assists us in doing that, then that is part of the legacy.”

Marana Deputy Chief Ruben Nunez served as the Master of Ceremonies.

The Marana Police Color Guard presents the flags.

Marana Town Manager Jamsheed Mehta.

Marana Mayor Ed Honea.

“Not one phone call, not one e-mail, not one letter, not one complaint in the newspaper, because people of the Town of Marana love our Police Department,” noted Marana Mayor Ed Honea.

Project Manager Rick Carr from Abacus.

Architect Michael Rosso of Architekton.

Architect Michael Rosso of Architekton.

Todd Steffen, President CORE Construction.

Todd Steffen, President CORE Construction.

Marana Police Chief Terry Rozema.

Marana Police Chief Terry Rozema.

“It has been a long journey,” said Marana Police Chief Terry Rozema.

“They do such an amazing job giving unparalleled service to our community,” Rozema said of Marana Police Officers.

Cutting the ribbon at the Marana Police Facility Dedication.

Cutting the ribbon at the Marana Police Facility Dedication.

Marana begins grease recycling and collection on Nov. 19

Marana begins grease recycling and collection on Nov. 19

The Town of Marana is doing their part to protect the local sewer systems by once again hosting a Holiday Season grease collection and recycling event. 

Just a little bit of cooking grease, if poured down the drain, can clog pipes, cause sewage to back up, and lead to costly repair bills.

The Town will collect grease beginning on Monday, November 19 at the Marana Water Operations Yard at 12775 N. Sanders Road. The collection will conclude on Friday, January 4.

The collected grease will be recycled into biodiesel.

Town staff participate in Southern Arizona Construction Career Days

The Town of Marana was well represented at the Southern Arizona Construction Career Days earlier this week. Marana Water staff, engineers and Traffic Technicians from Public Works were on site on Wednesday, November 7 and Thursday, November 8 at the Pima County Rodeo Grounds.

Southern Arizona Construction Career Days is an annual event to introduce students to careers in and related to the construction industry. Area high school and middle school students attended. 

The event began six years ago, and has grown. This year 1,880 students from at least 65 schools attended The students came from as far away as f Rio Ricco, Bisbee, Safford and Globe, as well as the Tucson area.

Vendors, including the team from Marana, were able to share their stories about their experiences in the construction industry, as well as introduce students to new careers in construction that they previously were not exposed to.

According to Public Works Deputy Director Fausto Burruel, there are a number of careers in the construction industry that are struggling to find qualified applicants and exposure to these careers are a great way to spark enthusiasm in young people who will be joining the workforce in a few years.

Vendors not only spoke to students and answered their questions, but many had hands on activities that brought the information they were presenting to life.

Traffic Signal on Arizona Pavilions to blink through Tuesday morning

The Town of Marana and PACE Electrical are happy to announce that the new traffic signal installed just south of Cortaro Road on Arizona Pavilions will be going to flash mode after the morning rush hour this Thursday, November 8, 2018. 

The traffic signal will flash throughout the weekend and Veteran’s Day Holiday and go fully functional after the Tuesday morning rush hour, November 13, 2018.  Occasional traffic signal testing will be performed prior to going to full red flash on Thursday.

For your safety and that of the contractor’s personnel, please comply with traffic control devices, flagging personnel, and/or detour signs.

 Travel time through the project area may increase during construction so please adjust your schedule accordingly. Construction may restrict traffic lanes and create congestion. Taking alternate routes is suggested.

 If inclement weather or other events cause delays, the work may be rescheduled without further notice.

  Stay up-to-date on Town of Marana news, projects, and events. Visit MaranaAZ.gov, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.

As construction winds down, remember to Shop Ina

Between the Ina Road Interchange Project and the Ina Road Beautification Project, things have been very busy on Ina Road between I-10 and Thornydale. There is light at the end of the tunnel and things are going to get better in a hurry, but area businesses are still feeling the pinch and could use the public’s support.

One major component of the Ina Beautification Project was the milling and resurfacing of a long stretch Ina Road. While the improved roadway will benefit all of those who live, work, and shop in the area, it also causes a number of delays and difficulties for drivers. There was no convenient time to do the project, but the decision was made to do that portion of the project during the larger Project Ina work and before the holiday shopping season began. Knowing that traffic delays were an unavoidable portion of the project, it seemed best to piggy back with the existing interchange project, rather than wait until after the project was completed and extend construction in the area even longer.

The good news is that the resurfacing portion of the project was completed on Monday, November 4, which will make travelling in the area easier. The previous week was the worst of the project and from now until spring 2019 when the projects are completed, things will get incrementally better.

Although travelling in the area can still be difficult at times, local businesses have remained open and need customer support now more than ever. While many have made it through the construction with only small losses in revenue, others have been hit hard during the project and need a strong holiday season to make it until the project is completed and access to the freeway is restored. 

The Project Ina area includes a wide variety of businesses, from craft breweries to mechanics, a bowling alley to restaurants. There are all kinds of shops and stores, and with the final repaving of Ina, access is improved.

We invite you to Shop Ina and support these locally owned businesses. Go get an oil change or a beer. Go buy some cookies or take the family out to dinner. Buy a dozen donuts or a dozen tacos. Heck, make it two dozen.

We understand travel in the area can still be difficult, but it is getting better. Let’s help our fellow Marana business owners this holiday season and Shop Marana.

A full list of area businesses, as well as project updates and details, download the Project Ina App.

Things to do in Marana in November and beyond

November and early December is a busy time in the Town of Marana. Over the next month, the Town will host one of their biggest signature events, their annual Thanksgiving road race, a Marana specific leg of the El Tour de Tucson, and another edition of the Marana Game Day Cornhole Tournament.

On The Horizon

Dec 8 - Dispose-A-Med
Dec 15 - Electronic Recycling Event
Jan 1 - Egg Nog Jog

UPDATED Traffic Alert: Ina Road resurfacing extended

The Town of Marana’s Milling and Paving operations has been extended on Ina Road thru Monday  November 5, 2018. Construction will begin at 6:00A.M. and end at 5:00 P.M. Expect lane closures, heavy delays, and increased truck traffic. The Town will mill 3 inches of the existing asphalt and then repave the section of Ina road, between Ulene Place and the Canada del Oro wash

For your safety and that of the contractor’s personnel, please comply with traffic control devices, flagging personnel, and/or detour signs.

Travel time through the project area may increase during construction so please adjust your schedule accordingly. Construction may restrict traffic lanes and create congestion. Taking alternate routes is suggested.

If inclement weather or other events cause delays, the work may be rescheduled without further notice.

Stay up-to-date on Town of Marana news, projects, and events. Visit MaranaAZ.gov, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.

MPD wins inaugural Heroes Hoopfest

The Marana Police Department (MPD) defeated Northwest Fire Department (NWFD) 56-47 to win the first annual Heroes Hoopfest, and claim the Hoopfest Cup. The game was played on Monday, October 29 at the Solar/Shade Super Structure over the basketball courts at Crossroads at Silverbell District Park.

The game was part of the celebration of the new covered basketball courts, but also in conjunction with Friday night's National Night Out event put on by MPD.

MPD used a late run to earn the win. MPD held a slim 35-34 lead with 16:00 left in the game but proceeded to score 19 of the next 26 points and led 54-41 with just over a minute to play. NWFD finished strong, ending the game on a 6-2 mini-run. 

Although the two organizations frequently square off on the hardwood, this organized game between the two will become an annual event. The trophy awarded by Marana Parks and Recreation has room to engrave the winner’s name.

“We’d like to make this game an annual event,” said Marana Parks and Recreation Director Jim Conroy.

The trophy was awarded to Marana Police Chief Terry Rozema by Marana Town Manager Jamsheed Mehta. Rozema served as player and coach for the squad that was also guided by Officer Ira Sewell, who was in full uniform on the sideline.

The solar structure is the second installation at a Town park, and joins the existing 6,097 sq. ft. solar structure located in Ora Mae Harn District Park. This project not only provides electrical credits and environmentally friendly energy, it also serves as an outstanding amenity for the park. This structure will provide shade for park patrons watching swim meets in the pool or their children playing on the large playground.

The two structures, as well as future structures erected at the Marana Municipal Complex, are part of a power-purchase agreement with Solon. The company pays for the installation costs of the solar arrays, while the Town pays a discounted rate for the energy it uses. Estimates by the Town of Marana Public Works Department believe the installations will save the Town roughly $3 million over a 30-year period.

“When there is shade and savings, that is a win-win for everyone,” said Solon’s Luke Alms.

The event was also sponsored by Truly Nolan, who provided free hot dogs for spectators and participants.

After one year, Animal Services a success

The Marana Animal Services Division rounded out its inaugural year of operation on July 1, 2018. The program was implemented to provide top tier customer service to Marana residents, while trying to curtail skyrocketing costs. The data is in, and the first year of the program has been a success.

Town of Marana Community & Neighborhood Services Director Lisa Shafer, who oversees the Animal Services Division, gave an update to the Marana Town Council at their October 16 meeting. 

“We had a very successful first year,” Shafer said.

The primary goal in creating the Animal Services Division was to provide a better level of service to the Marana Community. By having Animal Control Officers dedicated to the Town, response times are quicker based on their more intimate knowledge of the area. One immediate advantage to the Animal Services Division is their success rate in reuniting families with their pets. In the first year of the service, Town staff picked up 263 stray dogs and cats, and 133 were taken directly back to their owners. Another 38 strays were returned to their owners by the Humane Society of Southern Arizona, who the Town has contracted with for kenneling services.

The return rate for all Marana strays was 49.6 percent, with Marana Animal Control officers able to return more than half of the strays they encountered. The numbers are already showing an increase in performance this year, with over 72 percent of strays returned over the past three months. 

“We are having a fabulous first three months,” said Shafer.

According to Shafer, the fast response by the Town’s Animal Control Officers has also reduced the burden on the Marana police officers. She explained that many residents had to rely on Marana Police Department for calls due to the long response times from the previous animal control services.   

“[residents] were giving up and just calling 911,” Shafer said. “Our PD in years past were taking a lot of barking dog complaints, as well as vicious dogs.”

The Town of Marana Animal Services Division has also proven to be cost effective for the Town. The first year of the new division saw expenditures reduced by $9,635 or four percent from Fiscal Year 2017, while revenues were up by $12,069 (14 percent) from dog licensing and donations.  

The Town issued over 4,400 Marana Dog Licenses in that first year.

Traffic Alert: Ina Road resurfacing

The Town of Marana will begin Milling and Paving operations on Ina Road beginning Monday, October 29th through Friday, November 2nd. Construction will begin at 6:00 a.m. and end at 5:00 p.m. daily. Expect lane closures, heavy delays, and increased truck traffic. The Town will mill (remove) three inches of existing asphalt and then repave the section of Ina Road between Ulene Place and the Canada del Oro Wash.

This is part of the Ina Road Beautification Project, which is being done in conjunction with Arizona Department of Transportation’s Ina Interchange Project. The beautification/improvement project is designed to make the area even more appealing for customers when the interchange is complete and Ina Road is fully accessible once again.

For your safety and that of the contractor’s personnel, please comply with traffic control devices, flagging personnel, and/or detour signs.

 Travel time through the project area may increase during construction so please adjust your schedule accordingly. Construction may restrict traffic lanes and create congestion. Taking alternate routes is suggested.

 If inclement weather or other events cause delays, the work may be rescheduled without further notice.

  Stay up-to-date on Town of Marana news, projects, and events. Visit MaranaAZ.gov, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.

Busy weekend in Marana

It is a very busy weekend in the Town of Marana. There is something for everyone, whether you want to meet the police, watch a free movie, view some art, or get your dogs vaccinated.

Marana completes police facility construction, repeals half-cent sales tax

The Marana Town Council voted unanimously to repeal the half-cent sales tax put in place to fund the new Town of Marana Police Facility following the facility’s completion. The decision was made at the October 16 Town Council meeting and will go into effect on January 1, 2019.

“A promise made, a promise kept,” said Marana Mayor Ed Honea.

In April 2015, Town Council approved the sales tax increase to fund the bulk of the police facility project. The sunset tax was designed to raise $18 million dollars to build the facility and then be repealed as soon as the necessary funds were collected. The temporary tax increase went into effect on July 1, 2015.

Based upon current collections and conservative estimates from the independent tax analysis and forecast report by Elliott D. Pollack & Company, the Town anticipates that the one-half percent sales tax will generate the remaining portion of the targeted $18 Million with the December 2018 collections.

“I believe this is a pretty significant achievement to the community,” said Deputy Town Manager Erik Montague in his presentation to Town Council. “This is the second time in my time here that we have fulfilled our promise to the community where we had a temporary tax for a specific purpose.”

The sales tax increase came after nearly a year of public outreach and research. At the July 1, 2014 council meeting, Town Council requested a public outreach plan be developed, and the following month that plan was presented and approved by Council. Marana Police Chief Terry Rozema met with local residents and business leaders and garnered the necessary support to build the project. This public outreach included public meetings, direct business outreach, media interviews, survey cards, and open houses to show the need for the new facility.

With public and business support for the project, Town Council voted in February 2015 to initiate the process to adopt the dedicated one-half percent sales tax to be used exclusively for the design and construction, fixtures, furniture and equipment for a new police department building, and in April they finalized the tax.

Council required that the proceeds from the tax increase be placed in a newly established fund dedicated to building the police facility.  Any collections in excess of $18,000,000 will be used for other costs related to the new police building, including but not limited to operating costs, landscaping, and design and construction of drainage improvements.

The Marana Police Department will hold their dedication ceremony for the new facility on Wednesday, November 14.

Marana News: Marana Art Expo coming this month

The Marana News had a good article on the Marana Art Expo, which will be held on October 26-27 at the Marana Community Center.

The Town of Marana is receiving an extra dose of culture this month with the Marana Art Expo. 

Hosted by parks and recreation, the expo will feature local artists Robin Parnell, Jerry Gwin and Anja Leigh on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 26 and 27 at the Marana Community Center, 1325 N. Lon Adams Road.

The family-friendly event is free and open to the public, and will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Saturday. 

Read the rest at the Marana News website.

Marana, lighting the way to energy savings

On Friday, October 12, the Town of Marana debuted the new Solar/Shade Super Structure at Crossroads at Silverbell District Park. The 9,600 square foot structure covers the existing two basketball courts. 

in addition to the great energy savings achieved from this solar structure, it will also expand the Town of Marana’s ability to provide more recreational and community programs for our citizens. The structure will provide shade during hot Arizona days and it is equipped with state of the art lighting, making games at night an even better experience.

Marana Parks and Recreation believes the structure will provide additional opportunities beyond basketball. 

“This structure will allow the ability to provide programs under this shaded structure during times of the year, that previously would not have been possible on the fully sun-exposed concrete courts,” said Marana Parks and Recreation Director Jim Conroy. “The lights under this structure are high quality LED lamps which will also provide outstanding lighting for night time sporting and community events. From basketball tournaments to community festivals, this new structure will enhance our ability to better serve our residents.”

The structure at Crossroads at Silverbell District Park is the second located in a Marana park, joining a 6,097  sq. ft. solar structure in Ora Mae Harn District Park. Like the structure at Crossroads, this project will not only provide electrical credits and environmentally friendly energy, it will also serve as an outstanding amenity for the park. This structure will provide shade for park patrons watching swim meets in the pool or their children playing on the large playground structure.

The two structures, as well as future structures erected at the Marana Municipal Complex are part of a power-purchase agreement with Solon. The company pays for the installation costs of the solar arrays, while the Town pays a discounted rate for the energy it uses. Estimates by the Town of Marana Public Works Department believe the installations will save the Town roughly $3 million over a 30-year period.

“These two projects went very smoothly,” said Facilities Superintendent Brendan O’Connor, who served as the project’s project manager. “Solon met the schedules laid out in the pre-construction meetings and they were a pleasure to work with.”

The Town of Marana’s other solar projects with solar arrays include the Marana Municipal Complex’s parking lot, the new secure parking lot at the Marana Police Facility, and a collection of solar arrays at the Marana Wastewater Treatment Plant. 

The arrays in the parks are on a net metering systems which gives the Town the ability to produce power during the day and receive credit for nighttime usage.

“The two projects will save money on costly electrical bills and demonstrate that clean energy is a smart choice for the future,” said Marana Public Works Director Mo El-Ali. “These clean-energy investments support building a healthier, more sustainable community where we work, live, and play. The Crossroads park project will provide a nice community engagement platform. We look forward to collaborating and partnering further with Solon to advance further projects.”

Traffic Alert: Tangerine Farms Road - Storm Repairs

The Town of Marana will be replacing trees along Tangerine Farms Road due to Monsoon storm damage. The work will be starting on Monday, October 8th, 2018 through Friday, October 19th, 2018. 

This work will take place during day time hours from 6:00 am to 4:00 pm and include a single lane closure.     

For your safety and that of the contractor’s personnel, please comply with traffic control devices, flagging personnel, and/or detour signs.

Travel time through the project area may increase during construction so please adjust your schedule accordingly. Construction may restrict traffic lanes and create congestion. Taking alternate routes is suggested.

If inclement weather or other events cause delays, the work may be rescheduled without further notice.

Stay up-to-date on Town of Marana news, projects, and events. Visit MaranaAZ.gov, like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.

START DATE:  10/08/2018                                           END DATE:  10/19/2018

DAILY START TIME:  6:00:00                                  DAILY STOP TIME:  16:00:00

SEVERITY: MINOR

PROJECT CONTACT: For questions related to this specific project, please contact Town of Marana Public Works Office at (520) 382-2536.

Travel Impact:  Light delays

Forbes honors Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain

 The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain has set a new standard for desert luxury in the United States, having been named today to the Forbes Travel Guide 2018 Verified Lists of the World’s Most Luxurious Hotels and World’s Most Luxurious Spas.

Announcement of the coveted dual ranking notes that only eight properties in the world, including The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, have earned a Verified List position in both the hotel and spa categories -- with just three in the U.S. achieving this recognition for both hotel and spa. Two of the dual U.S. winners are located on the east coast, while The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain claims the only western-based double ranking.

Forbes’ “Most Luxurious Hotels” list
Forbes’ “Most Luxurious Spas” list

Forbes Travel Guide’s new Verified Lists are compiled from data gathered by the company’s incognito inspectors, who stay at the properties and evaluate them on up to 900 rigorous objective standards used to determine the guide’s annual Star Ratings, which were most recently announced in February 2018. The new Most Luxurious winners are the top 2018 performers in the specific standards that reflect detailed attention to the list’s level of sumptuous comfort, as well as luxurious choices and conveniences afforded to guests. 

Fifty-eight hotels in 17 countries have earned the new Forbes Verified List designation, representing the top six percent of 1,017 Star Rated hotels in performance on standards related to luxury. Just 30 spas in six countries have won the award, out of 269 Star Rated spas worldwide.

“This dual Forbes honor for our hotel and spa acknowledges a stellar team effort, and we are thrilled to be included,” said Liam Doyle, Area General Manager, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. “Our newly-unveiled resort transformation should further elevate the Forbes Five Star experience, helping to raise the bar on authentic desert luxury in the United States. We are excited to share this stunning new resort experience with guests.”

The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain property transformation was unveiled this fall and includes a floor-to-ceiling makeover of its 253 guest rooms and 44,000 square-feet of meeting space, all inspired by the resort’s highly evocative Sonoran Desert sense of place.

Marana named one of state's safest driving cities

Town of Marana has been named one of the Top-10 Safest Driving Cities in Arizona by quotewizard.com. Marana was ranked 9th in the state, the highest rated city in Pima County.

Arizona is rated as the 11th safest driving state in the nation. 

The website compiled over 40,000 data points from QuoteWizard users in Arizona on speeding tickets, accidents, DUIs, and other citations in the last year. They then calculated the rate of incidents across each city. Cities with the lowest rate were ranked safest.

“Marana is a town of about 43,000 residents north of Tucson,” noted quotewizard.com in their release. “The town has two neighboring national parks and I-10 running through its center. I-10 is often used as a commuter route for people traveling between Phoenix and Tucson. Luckily, with that heavy use, Marana is improving both the I-10 and Ina Road, which will ease the intersection’s flow of traffic.”

The Town of Marana and the Marana Police Department have a specific strategy to help create safer drivers.

“Our focus at the Marana Police Department is driver education,” said Marana Police Department Public Information Officer Chriswell Scott. “Though the number of traffic stops in recent years has increased, the number of citations issued has deceased. Every traffic stop is an opportunity for our officers to engage the community and encourage safe driving habits through voluntary compliance with traffic laws. The Town of Marana developed the FOCUS safety campaign to educate our residents on the dangers of distracted driving. Thus far, the campaign seems to have had a positive impact on our community.”  

Kingman was rated as the safest driving city in Arizona. Sahuarita was the only other Pima County municipality to crack the top-10, finishing 10th.

Quotewizard.com is a website that specializes in the insurance industry, with an emphasis on letting consumers compare insurance companies’ rates and policies.

Read the full story. 

Marana Gastronomy Tours Season 2

 Discover Marana, the tourism and marketing program of the Town of Marana, is pleased to announce the second year of its gastronomy tour program. “The Marana Gastronomy Tour” and “A Taste of the Wild: The Marana Wild Foods Gastronomy Tour” explore different aspects of ancient foodways at archaeology sites and wild food flavors through tastings. Featuring ancient foodways experts, archaeologists, master foragers, master brewers, and a Master of French cuisine (Maître Cuisinier de France). 

 “A Taste of the Wild” tours include tastings of Bean Tree Farm prepared wild foods and Catalina Brewing Company and Button Brew House craft beer made with wild foods, and a wild foods walkabout with experts Carolyn Niethammer and Martha Burgess.

“The Marana Gastronomy Tour” includes guided walks at two archaeology sites by Dr. Suzy Fish (later in the season) and Allen Denoyer of Archaeology Southwest, tastings at Catalina Brewing Company, and a small plates tasting at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain. The tours are limited to 12-13 people. 

Reservations with Gray Line Arizona are $99 (“A Taste of the Wild”) and $109 (“Marana Gastronomy Tour”) per person. 

“The UNESCO City of Gastronomy designation was given to Tucson because the areas surrounding the Santa Cruz River have the earliest agriculture found in the United States,” said Laura Cortelyou, Tourism and Marketing Manager for the Town of Marana. “These are the only tours where you can experience these ancient cultures at ancient archaeology sites and taste ancient flavors in craft beer and classical French fusion cuisine.” 

Marana is home to wild foods educators, chefs, and craft brewers that responsibly harvest from the 450 edible plants in the Sonoran Desert; as well as farm-to-table restaurant suppliers, BKW Farms that grows White Sonora wheat used in local craft beer and artisanal baking by Barrio Bread, and a number of beekeepers that produce mesquite and wildflower honey. 

According to Jonathan Mabry, Ph.D., President of the Tucson City of Gastronomy nonprofit organization, “The Marana Gastronomy Tour program brings to life this region’s unique ancient history, foodways, and flavors. These are reasons for its 2016 UNESCO Creative City designation, as well as the area’s many food and beverage festivals, food economy, access to biodiverse foods, and more. Sonoran Desert foods have drawn and sustained peoples here continually for more than 10,000 years, creating a culturally layered cuisine.” 

Gray Line Tours Tucson is the tour provider and a third-generation family-owned business that has provided premier tours in, and from, Tucson for more than 100 years. 

“The Marana Gastronomy Tour” and “A Taste of the Wild: The Marana Wild Foods Gastronomy Tour” are both approved by UNESCO Creative Cities Network member, Tucson City of Gastronomy, the first City of Gastronomy in the U.S.

Scheduled Tour Dates Marana Gastronomy Tour: Thursdays; October 11, November 8, January 24, February 21, and March 21; 12:30 pm - 6:00 pm A Taste of the Wild: The Marana Wild Foods Gastronomy Tour: Sundays; October 21, November 18, January 6, February 3, March 3, April 7; 9:30 am – 1:30 pm.

Marana Gastronomy Tour Reservations 

For tour reservations visit www.GrayLineArizona.com . 

For tour information visit www.TownOfGastronomy.org . 

Things to do in Marana in October and Beyond

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On The Horizon

Nov 17 - El Tour de Tucson 28-Mile Marana Segment
Dec 1 - Marana Holiday Festival & Christmas Tree Lighting
Dec 8 - Dispose-A-Med
Dec 15 - Electronic Recycling Event