TUCSON, Ariz. — The Dusk Music Festival is set to kick off this weekend in downtown Tucson, marking the start of the city’s holiday event season.
The festival, held near the Main Library at Jácome Plaza, 101 N. Stone Ave., will draw large crowds Saturday and Sunday. In addition, road closures and detours related to the event, as well as the upcoming Veterans Day Parade, will continue through Monday.
This year marks the eighth iteration of the Dusk Festival. The popular event features live music, food vendors, and art installations.
It takes a lot of preparation to bring a music festival the size of Dusk to downtown Tucson. KGUN 9's Heidi Alagha and Midtown/Downtown reporter Eddie Celaya talk about both the traffic and economic impacts the city is preparing for.
The influx of attendees downtown will impact local traffic, requiring significant planning and coordination from Tucson’s Department of Transportation and Mobility.
“We call these special events,” said Mike Graham, a public information officer with the department. “The organizers … put in an application process that includes the event, how many people they anticipate, and if there’s road closures.”
Dusk will prompt road closures and restrictions from Thursday, Nov. 7, 6 a.m., to Monday, Nov. 11, 6 p.m.
Key closures include:
- Stone Avenue from Alameda to Congress Street
- Church Avenue from Alameda to Congress Street
Alameda will have one restricted westbound lane until Friday evening, after which it fully closes between Scott and Court Avenue.
Other closures affect Pennington Street and southbound travel on Stone Avenue at Council Street.
Pedestrian and bicycle access remain open, and businesses and parking lots are accessible. Drivers should anticipate delays and follow detour signs for safety.
The festival also signifies the beginning of a busy event season for Tucson, with multiple downtown gatherings expected in the weeks leading up to the new year.
City officials are advising drivers to stay informed about road closures and detours before heading downtown to avoid traffic delays.
Want to see more of what's happening in Downtown Tucson this weekend? We've got a full preview:
READ MORE | This weekend in Tucson: festivals galore, beer, cars and live music
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Eddie Celaya is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born in Tucson and raised in the Phoenix area, Eddie is a life-long Arizonan and graduate of the University of Arizona who loves the desert and mountains and hates the cold. Previously, Eddie worked in print media at the Arizona Daily Star. Share your story ideas with Eddie at edward.celaya@kgun9.com, or by connecting on Facebook or Instagram.
