BEYOND: A Guide

December 31, 2013 |

Join in city-wide activities to honor community and memorialize the victims of Tucson’s Congress on Your Corner shootings on Jan. 8, 2011.

In its third year, BEYOND is settling into a tradition as an active memorial bringing Tucsonans together to Commemorate, Celebrate, and Commit as a brighter, unified community. Here’s your guide to making the most of the events spread across the city on Saturday, Jan. 11.

BEYOND Tucson offers a variety of activities geared toward bringing the Tucson community together and commemorates the victims of the Jan. 8, 2011 Congress on Your Corner shootings. photo courtesy of BEYOND Tucson

BEYOND Tucson offers a variety of activities for all Tucsonans.
photo courtesy BEYOND Tucson

For those who want to get out of town and into the mountains, there’s a variety of  activities and hikes on the wild perimeters. Starting at Sentinal Peak, volunteers will pull buffelgrass from “A Mountain,” which was a favorite run of Gabe Zimmerman’s, the Rep. Gabrielle Giffords’ staff member who lost his life Jan. 8, 2011. The firefighters at Sentinel Peak Brewing will be giving their thanks in the form of beer samples from their new nano brewery. There’s also guided hikes departing from the Wild Burro trailhead in the Tortolita Mountains, at Marana’s 14810 N. Secret Springs Dr.; and from Sabino Canyon, where parking fees will be waived and programs will engage folks of all ages. In addition, hikers, bikers and horseback riders can convene at the Gabe Zimmerman Davidson Canyon trailhead south of the Rincon Mountains, off of Highway 83.

A Guide to BEYOND 3For the competitive, there’s the Colossal Du, a rugged run-bike-run in Colossal Cave Mountain Park, 16721 E. Old Spanish Trail. The park will throw its own festivities, with free Discovery Tours and an archaeology hike of Hohokam sites. Across town, a 5-mile social run will show off the scenery at Saguaro National Park West, 2700 N. Kinney Rd.

For the playful, the new Sporting Chance Center – 2100 W. Curtis Rd. – joins the lineup of BEYOND events with basketball, volleyball and futsal games in their 40,000 square foot court facility. The center, which hosts youth sports teams throughout the year, is situated right near the River Walk at La Cholla Boulevard, and guided walks will leave the facility for those who want some fresh air.

For the imaginative, Valley of the Moon – 2544 E. Allen Rd. – returns with a storytelling day in Tucson’s historic fairyland. At the Christina Taylor-Green Memorial Park, at the corner of Shannon and Magee Roads, the Stroll and Roll will bring together all ages with sidewalk chalk to decorate the route and dogs to meet from Gabriel’s Angels, a pet therapy organization for at-risk kids.

For the south side community, BEYOND In Your Neighborhood is a new walk to link up the Sunnyside neighborhood, starting at Habitat for Humanity’s Santa Maria site, 944 W. Santa Maria St. Neighbors will meet and greet, create recycled art and enjoy a group lunch.

And for the social, the Main Event in Armory Park, 221 S. 6th Ave., draws thousands of visitors to dance, ride bikes, rock climb and visit health and wellness stations sponsored by Tucson Medical Center. The Living Streets Alliance Kidical Mass will escort families on a safe and fun biking route through the Old Barrio. Meet Me At Armory Park will be a four-mile walk/run to show off parts of Downtown, 4th Avenue and the Rattlesnake Bridge. The Children’s Museum, 200 S. 6th Ave., is free during BEYOND, and last year drew in a record number of 4,000 visitors.

BEYOND has become an amazing explosion of options to enjoy the Tucson community that lasts longer than a single day.

“One goal of Beyond is to get people out with their families and doing something healthy,” says BEYOND Project Manager Michelle Crow, “but another goal is to connect people to the ongoing resources in their communities.” It’s a bond that opens up the community every year to commemorate, celebrate, and reaffirm our commitment to each other.

BEYOND is January 11, 2014  and all the details on its events are at Beyond-Tucson.org.

Category: Community, DOWNTOWN / UNIVERSITY / 4TH AVE