folk music festival 2019 Tucson

Folk Music Festival in historic old downtown Tucson

Dancing man at tucson folk festival
This man, dressed for the event, danced in the front of the stage for set after set. Wha’d ya think? Aging hippie?


Just a few photos taken in gentrified downtown Tucson during the Folk Music Festival in 2019. It was a fun event although Folk Music purists would probably objected to the inclusion of a 12 year old boy covering “Rocket Man” and a blatantly country band with a lead singer who couldn’t quite carry a tune. The Willie Nelson sound-alike might not meet the purists standards either. But in the spirit of kumbaya, all these and 150 more bands performed in this two day event.

Teal and Joyce folk singers
These two, Teal and Joyce, were truly folk singers with original songs filled with humor and
a sense of justice.
The duo of Gabrielle Pietrangelo and Beth Daunis could be performers in a Lilith Festival. I really like their music–all original.
Tucson folk music festival street fair
Much of the daytime audience was grey-haired. And what are Wisconsin Cheese curds? In the background is the old Pima County Courthouse.
Chess players in the plaza tucson
Not everyone was interested in listening to the music…
The Sun Link streetcar system was a surprise, but it turns out primarily to be for the University of Arizona students. It runs a little over 2 miles from the heart of the campus through downtown and back.
downtown Tucson mural Sacred  Heart of Tucson
When I first saw this mural I read it as “Heart of Tucson”–a nice thought for this gentrifying area. Then I noticed that it read “Sacred Heart of Tucson”–a different thought altogether.