Take advantage of sensational summer mornings at this Saturday music series at La Encantada, an upscale shopping destination. Local musicians perform while restaurants offer culinary demonstrations and tastings. The biweekly gathering starts at 11 a.m. in the center courtyard, 2905 E. Skyline Dr. Phone 299-3566 or check out www.laencantadashoppingcenter.com.

Tucson's thriving arts community produces vibrant works at this big downtown blowout. Galleries- featuring everything from photography and oil paintings to glassworks and jewelry-host artist receptions and demonstrations, exhibition openings, food, and entertainment, all sponsored by the Central Tucson Gallery Association. The cruise lasts from mid-morning through the evening. For more information, including a schedule and map, phone 629-9759 or visit www.ctgatucson.org.

Discover the beauty of the desert after dark at this weekly Saturday event at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. Learn about all aspects of nocturnal life- from bugs and bats to owls and flowers. The mountain lions, along with the other residents of Cat Canyon, become especially active once the sun sets. The museum's shops and restaurants remain open for the event. Admission after 5 p.m. is only $6. 2021 N. Kinney Rd. Phone 883-1380 or visit www.desertmuseum.org.

A merry band of players performs Shakespeare on the open stage every summer, adding comic and tragic twists to Tucson's warm evenings. Bring a picnic meal and comfy seating (or a blanket and someone to lean against) for an evening of entertainment under the stars. Catch the 7:30 p.m. performances of The Merry Wives of Windsor at the DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center in Reid Park, Country Club Road between Broadway Boulevard and 22nd Street. Phone 837-8078.

Early Spanish and Mexican farmers and settlers used the feast day of St. John the Baptist, the patron saint of water, to pray for life-sustaining summer rains. In the early 20th century, residents observed the day by taking a dip in agricultural canals. The modern fiesta has participants hoping for rain but happy to settle for Mexican food, Mexican horse-riding demonstrations, mariachi music, and folklorico dancers. It all starts at 6 p.m. with the culmination of a procession, followed by a blessing, on the west bank of the Santa Cruz River, a dry bed until the monsoon rains fill it up, south of Congress Street and west of Interstate 10. Phone 791-4040.

For centuries, the Tohono O'odham have gathered and prepared saguaro cactus fruit as a tribal year-end ritual, before the rains signal the start of the planting season and the beginning of a new year. Taste some sweet saguaro-fruit syrup during this annual harvest festival at Colossal Cave Mountain Park. Talk with harvesters, listen to chicken scratch (O'odham social dance music), watch basket weaving and toca (a native women's game similar to field hockey) demonstrations, and sample a lunch inspired by O'odham foods. It all starts at 11 a.m. Take Interstate 10 east to exit 279 or Broadway Boulevard east to Old Spanish Trail, where the park entrance is located. Park entry costs $5 per vehicle. Phone 647-7121 or check www.colossalcave.com.

Tucson hosts neighborhood parades, family barbecues, and fireworks displays throughout the basin. There's entertainment around the Tucson Convention Center, 260 S. Church Ave., in the afternoon, and the day is capped with fireworks shot from nearby "A" Mountain. Phone 791-4101.
Marana goes traditional with games, music, food booths, arts & crafts, and fireworks 6-11 p.m. at Ora Mae Harn Park, 13250 N. Lon Adams Rd. Take Interstate 10 north and follow the event signs. Phone 382-1950.
Oro Valley stages a concert with symphonic music and food booths at Riverfront Park, 551 W. Lambert Lane. Rousing music under the stars is capped by fireworks from the nearby Hilton Tucson El Conquistador Golf & Tennis Resort. Phone 797-3959.
Sierra Vista's celebration includes a pet parade, food, arts & crafts, music, and military tributes at Veterans Memorial Park. Crowds move to Stone Complex for the largest fireworks display in Cochise County. Take Interstate 10 east and then AZ Highway 90 south. Phone 520-417-6960 or 800-288-3861.
Bisbee hosts the oldest Fourth of July parade in the state. It's even older than the state itself. That's preceded by coaster races down hilly streets and mining-skills competitions that recall the town's heyday. Fireworks cap the celebration in this town 95 miles from Tucson. Take Interstate 10 east and then AZ Highway 80 south through Mule Pass Tunnel. Phone 520-432-6002.
Patagonia's annual parade steps off at 11 a.m., followed by music, games, food, and a dance in the city park, which you'll find right in the middle of the main thoroughfare. Fireworks go off a few blocks away at the local high school. Take Interstate 10 east, then head south on AZ Highway 83, and south again on AZ Highway 82. Phone 520-394-0060 or 888-794-0060.
Tombstone provides games for kids, while everyone enjoys a softball tournament, food booths, and fireworks. Go east on Interstate 10 to exit 303 to Benson, then take AZ Highway 80 southeast for 23 miles. Phone 888-457-3929.

In the late 1800s, many frontier citizens felt the arm of the law wasn't long enough to dole out justice to thieves, killers, and other outlaws. Vigilantes took matters into their own hands, and sometimes the innocent got caught up in the frenzy and paid the ultimate price. Today, no one gets harmed by the nearly 3 dozen gunfighters, shady ladies, miners, and other townsfolk who make up the current Tombstone Vigilantes. This reenactment group keeps history alive, especially on this weekend of mock shoot-outs, 1880s fashion shows, a chili cook-off, and street entertainment. Take Interstate 10 east to exit 303 in Benson, then go southeast 23 miles on AZ Highway 80. Phone 520-538-1086 or 520-378-2457, or visit www.tombstonevigilantes.com.

Tucson's throwing a party and you're invited! The fun kicks off at 8 a.m. at the site of the original fort on the northwest corner of Court Avenue and Washington Street-Presidio San Agustin del Tucson- where the Spanish army claimed its territory on August 20, 1775. A bilingual reading of the proclamation and a flag ceremony, history reenactments, musicians, and free birthday cake recognize the native Tohono O'odham, Spanish and Mexican colonists, and US, Confederate, and Pascua Yaqui settlers who have lived in this area for more than 4,000 years. Phone 791-4213 or visit www.tucsonsbirthday.org.

Tombstone rose from the fortunes of mining and gained a reputation for rough-and-tumble characters, who frequented the town's saloons, gambling houses, and bordellos. But respectable, hardworking, church-going folk also lived here. Meet all types during this weekend, which attracts gunfighting reenactment groups from throughout the US. Costumed Old West performers stay in character all weekend, making a visit feel like a step back in time. Head east on Interstate 10, then south on Arizona Highway 80. Phone 800-457-3423.

Known as the "Queen of the Copper Camps" in the late 19th century, Bisbee offered both the culture one would expect from the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco and a thriving vice district that catered to less-refined recreation. Brewery Gulch boasted nearly 50 saloons in its heyday. Now, it's a popular restaurant and shopping district as well as the site of this annual party. The Miz Old Biz pageant pokes fun at beauty contests, while a pet parade, children's carnival games, and a pancake breakfast add to the charm. Find Bisbee 95 miles southeast of Tucson off Arizona Highway 80 south of Interstate 10. Phone 866-224-7233 or see www.discoverbisbee.com.