You’re invited to Founders’ Day
Every year, Marana ushers in spring with great fanfare with its Founders’ Day event. It’s a day to celebrate the history and people of Marana, plus meet more of your neighbors, make new friends, and enjoy a parade, a vintage car show, live music, artisan crafts, great food, plus an array of kids’ activities.
Mark your calendar for March 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and set your navigation to 11155 W. Civic Center Drive, Marana, Ariz. 85653 (Marana Municipal Complex).
Here’s the schedule:
| 10 a.m.–12 p.m. | Parade featuring Teacher of the Year Jennifer North as Grand Marshall. |
| 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. | Good Trouble performing classic rock hits. |
| 11:30 a.m.–4 p.m. | Obsession Car Club show featuring amazing vintage cars. |
| 11:30 a.m.–4 p.m. | 20 food trucks offering fresh coffee, BBQ, Sonora dogs, tacos, sweets, soup, sandwiches, ice cream, snacks, candy and more. |
| 11:30 a.m.–4 p.m. | Local artisan vendor and exhibitor booths selling arts, crafts, goods and wares. |
| 11:30 a.m.–4 p.m. | Lucky Cat Social Art Creation Station, offering youth free interactive learning and arts activities and crafts to bring home. |
| 11:30 a.m.–4 p.m. | Chalk Art Alley, giving children of all ages the opportunity to create chalk masterpieces on designated Marana Town Hall walkways. |
| 1:30–2 p.m. | Tucson Chinese Cultural Center performing the Dragon Dance. |
| 2–4 p.m. | Freddy Parish & Band performing country, old-time and bluegrass hits. |
Visit the historic Marana exhibit.
At this year’s event, be sure to visit the Marana Community Center’s “Crafting for a Cause” booth to view some amazing historic photos, a craft wall and exhibits.
The history of Marana dates back to approximately 1400 A.D., when Hohokam peoples made the Sonoran Desert their home. In the 1600s, the region was colonized by Spanish missionaries and would become home to an influx of settlers from across the globe.
The name “Marana,” which means “thicket,” appeared on railroad maps for the first time in 1890.
The history of Dove Mountain.
In 1926, Eugene “Cush” Cayton purchased a choice piece of Ruelas Canyon in the Tortolita Mountains and established the T Bench Bar Ranch. Cayton’s surveyor predicted the land would become one of the most beautiful spots in the Tucson area.
Cush and his family ranched the land until 1984 and during that time were gracious hosts, entertaining a wide variety of artists, scientists, prospectors, cowboys and an assortment of colorful characters. They passed their stewardship of the land to David Mehl and his late brother George, a choice they made with loving and thoughtful consideration for the land.
The Mehl’s then created Dove Mountain, a community that today offers luxury living tucked within breathtaking Sonoran Desert landscapes and featuring recreation, championship golf courses, fine dining, and the amenities of The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain Resort & Spa.
True to their promise to Cush Cayton, the Mehls have preserved thousands of acres of land for residents to experience and explore in perpetuity.