The Presidio Museum will celebrate Tucson’s 251st anniversary on Aug. 20 with pop-up exhibits, live music and drinks inspired by historic ingredients from the region.
The celebration marks the signing of the proclamation establishing the Presidio San Augustín del Tucson on Aug. 20, 1775. Those two and a half centuries of history are important to the museum’s director of interpretive programming, Kate Avalos.
“People have been living in Tucson for thousands of years, but 251 is just the Spanish proclamation,” Avalos said. “We think of it as the founding of modern Tucson.”
Incorporating the linguistic traditions of the area, the annual event is known by the name “S-cuk Ṣon,” which is the Tohono O’odham name for this area, meaning “at the base of the black hill.” Avalos said that they wanted to use the English, Spanish and O’odham languages showing the 250-year history of the region’s name.
That history will also be reflected in drinks served by Brandylion Tea and Spirits, a museum bar that opened in February 2026. Co-owner Kellner Brown said the bar worked with the museum to incorporate native and historic ingredients found in the region.
Drinks will feature ingredients such as historic citrus, mission fig, quince, tepary bean and cochineal. Brown said the bar will serve the beverages in small copper jill cups, modeled after the ration cups used by Presidio soldiers in the 18th century.
“We have also been in conversation with the UNESCO Heritage folks to determine which of the different plants and ingredients that are grown on the museum grounds,” Brown said.
Brandylion will also provide entertainment for the celebration, with performances by Mambo Cat Trio, Mamma Coal and DJ The Jorgenator.
Sponsored by Desert Diamond Casino and the City of Tucson, the free event runs from 6:30 to 10 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20 ,at the Presidio Museum. The museum will return to its regular schedule Aug. 27.
“It’s always been a free event,” Avalos said. “So it is something that hopefully everybody comes to check out.”
