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Happy Friday, Oro Valley. In today’s edition: LightsUp! A Festival of Illumination, Downtown Parade of Lights, Pioneer Women Walking Tour, and more. Let’s get to it!
— Cait Baker
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📰 In the news
High-stakes utility contract: Arizona regulators approved Tucson Electric Power’s agreement for Project Blue, a Pima County data center, in a 4-1 vote after public opposition, clearing the final hurdle before construction — see what commissioners decided.
Last year’s champs absent: Tucson Marathon returns Dec. 14 for its 54th year, starting at Biosphere 2 and finishing at Pima Community College North. The Boston-qualifying course expects 3,000 runners. Registration closes Dec. 13 — get all the details.
A tiny traveler returns: After weeks dazzling Nebraska birders, a wayward Costa’s hummingbird named Bob hitched a multi-state rescue road trip to Tucson, acclimated with local rehabbers, and flew free among fellow desert hummers — follow Bob’s rescue journey.
Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.
Identity theft is up 25%: Last year, Americans lost $12.5 billion to ID theft & fraud, and the stories behind those numbers are brutal. My friend just told me his dad’s on his fourth replacement credit card. Other folks have woken up to empty bank accounts or their personal info dumped online after a breach. Aura catches these kinds of attacks early by monitoring for new accounts, weird money movements, leaked data, and other red flags so you’re alerted before things blow up — learn more about it here.
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🫶 We got your back
Medication take-back event: The Oro Valley Police are hosting a Dispose-A-Med drop-off this Saturday, Dec. 6, from 8 a.m. to noon at 11000 N. La Canada Drive. Bring expired or unwanted pills, including OTC and pet meds. Skip liquids, creams, inhalers, sharps, and batteries. A quick, safe way to clean out your cabinet. See what’s accepted and where.
Holiday hunt kicks off: Oro Valley’s Ornament Hunt is underway: more than 20 retailers are giving out 8,000 limited-edition wooden ornaments handcrafted by Canyon del Oro High School students. The Chamber/town shop-local push runs through the holidays while supplies last. Grab a free ornament, no purchase needed, and find locations via the Explore OV app. Optional QR donations support local food banks. See how to participate.
Trivia, wine, and taps: The Hoppy Vine is a neighborhood hangout with a strong tap list, a proper wine lineup, and thoughtful NA picks. Locals Marnel and Hector host weekly trivia, Wine Not Wednesday, and Musical Bingo. Charcuterie boards deliver an easy, snacky dinner when the games run long.
Thinning hair? Same: I’ve been shedding a lot, and recently noticed my ponytail feeling thinner. After way too much panic-Googling, I decided to take Hers’ online quiz. They recommended a Biotin + Minoxidil green-apple gummy that targets regrowth and overall hair health. The whole thing was surprisingly easy: just verify your identity and a licensed provider signs off. Here’s the quiz if you want to check it out.
Makeup that actually works: My sister and I were talking the other day about how the makeup we used in our 20s… just doesn’t work now that we’re in our 30s and 40s. Laura Geller’s entire makeup line addresses this shift, with formulas that smooth, brighten, and actually stay put. If you’re in the same boat, their curated kits are worth a look.
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📆 Around town this weekend
All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.
Today
💃 Pima Dance: Fall Concert @ Pima West Campus – Center for the Arts – Proscenium Theatre | Friday (12/5) at 7:00pm – Fall concert season calls for a little culture, and Pima Dance delivers, led by newly appointed dance lead Julie Andrews, yes, that name. Faculty and students mix contemporary, jazz, ballet, modern, and hip-hop into a sharp, surprisingly affordable showcase, ten bucks, eight if you qualify.
🌺 Holidays in Hawai’i @ Fox Tucson Theatre | Friday (12/5) at 7:30pm – Take a break from the gift-wrap wrestling and let Jake Shimabukuro turn your holiday into a Hawaiian daydream. The ukulele wizard brings his festive show, with Justin Kawika Young and Jackson Waldhoff, all warmth, virtuosity, and feel-good cheer you can actually hum. No airfare required.
This weekend
🤠 Frontier Holidays at the Presidio Museum @ Tucson Presidio Museum | Saturday (12/6) at 10:00am – Holiday season at the Presidio means Old Pueblo goes festive. Think Las Posadas sung by Carrillo K-5 kids, Hanukkah fun with the Tucson Jewish Museum & Holocaust Center, photos with Santa, and an authors’ book fair for the gift list you swore you started early.
🎨 Mainly Murals Walking Tour @ Presidio Museum | Saturday (12/6) at 10:00am – Stretch your legs on a guided two-mile mural stroll north of Congress, where you’ll get the who, why, and backstory behind the paint, plus a peek at fresh additions. Starts and ends at the Tucson Presidio Museum, and yes, pre-registration is required.
🎆 Downtown Parade of Lights 2025 @ Armory Park | Saturday (12/6) at 4:00pm – Ready to watch half the town light up Armory Park for the 31st annual Parade of Lights? Bring a lawn chair, a thermos, and your patience, then we’ll judge floats, sample food trucks, and pretend the kids aren’t on a cocoa bender.
🚶♀️ Pioneer Women Walking Tour @ Tucson Museum of Art and Historic Block | Sunday (12/7) at 10:00am – A slow, satisfying amble through Main Avenue’s matriarchs, this tour covers a quarter mile in two hours, so yes, more stories than steps. Meet Sarah Sorin, Gladys Franklin, and Atanacia Hughes with her fifteen kids, starting at the Tucson Museum of Art, pre-registration required.
🌳 ‘Tree of Life’ Paint and Sip at Bawker Cider @ Bawker Bawker Cider | Sunday (12/7) at 2:00pm – Paint and sip is taking over Bawker Bawker’s indoor taproom with a Tree of Life you might actually hang, cider in hand. Instructor-led, all supplies included, plus a painter happy hour to loosen the brush. 21+, quesadillas available, free weekend parking on Fourth.
🕊️ Peace and Joy Holiday Concerts @ St Mark Catholic Church | Sunday (12/7) at 4:00pm – Whether you live for the Rutter descant or just want a break from mall music, Arizona Repertory Singers deliver Peace and Joy with carols, classics, and fresh picks, plus a string quartet. Tickets are $22 online, $25 at the door, students free.
Next week
👞 Tap Dance Class @ Northminster Presbyterian Church | Tuesday (12/09) at 12:30pm – Shuffle-ball-change your way into the afternoon with a lively tap class that welcomes dancers looking to brush up their rhythm and footwork. It’s two hours of clicking, clacking, and channeling your inner Broadway spirit. No spotlight required—just bring comfy shoes and a can-do attitude.
💡 LightsUp! A Festival of Illumination @ Tucson Botanical Gardens | Tuesday (12/9) at 6:00pm – Skip the ladder and let Tucson Botanical Gardens do the twinkling. Trees dance under a million lights, tin stars shimmer, and luminarias gather in grand chandeliers, the kind of holiday tradition the whole family actually enjoys, no tangled cords, no competitive cul-de-sac lighting politics.
🍭 Christmas Cookie Decorating & Boards with Simply Frosted @ Board & Brush Oro Valley | Tuesday (12/09) at 6:30pm – It’s a festive two-for-one: master pro-level cookie decorating and craft your own custom wood project in one cozy creative night. Simply Frosted shows you how to turn three giant cookies into edible art before you dive into your board or cookbook stand build. Come ready to get delightfully messy—and leave with treats and décor you made yourself.
Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →
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🎶 Live music & entertainment
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🏠️ Price is right – Oro Valley edition
How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).
Listed by: Heather L Shallenberger (Long Realty)
Rebuilt in 2018, this modern perch fronts the 7th and 8th fairways with nightly westward sunsets over a protected five-acre multi-saguaro wash. Private deck, big-sky views, and no HOA, plus breathing room with no homes crowding either side.
Light-filled spaces and soaring ceilings frame a chef’s kitchen, flexible lounge and dining zones, and an indulgent primary suite with kitchenette, custom closet, valley-view patio, and spa-ready terrace with remote shades and overhead heater. Third garage bay flexes to bonus room or fourth bedroom. Five-minute cart path to El Conquistador’s pool, cafes, and bars, ten minutes to shopping and major hospitals.
Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →
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