4th Avenue Street Fair

When I moved to Tucson a couple of years ago, I really loved all of the events that made the Tucson community come together. The street fair is an iconic example of this. The first time I went, I thought what some of the other reviewers thought... overpriced, nothing worth buying, fun to walk through but generally over-hyped.But last winter, thinking maybe I would try to get some Christmas presents, and went back with a different, more open mentality. I attempted to take a closer look at some of the items in the tents, and had great conversations with artisans who had traveled from all parts of AZ, CA, and CO to sell their crafts. A bonus was there are so many stands that give free tastings (flavor tour of hot sauces, salsas, dips, corn nuts, you name it!) and they don't pressure you one bit to buy their product, they're just happy to be there. I loved having conversations with the street fair artisans to learn what made them come to Tucson for the fair. I ended up putting down ~$50 to buy Christmas gifts for my family but it was well worth it.We also met the maker of our favorite local salsa, Mouth of the South Salsa, and were so happy to make that local connection.This past spring, we went again and saw many of the same artisans, got full off of samples and even went into a tiny house that was on display (my HGTV dreams come true!) We didn't buy anything except lunch this time (which, yes, as in all street fairs, is a little over-priced) and it was still very enjoyable.So, if you're looking to buy stuff on the cheap, don't come here. If you're looking for an experience and are willing to spend some money to support smaller artisans, definitely go for it. It's one of Tucson's highlights.

What used to be a fun street fair venue filled with real street artists and musicians has now turned into an event where cell phone companies, window installers, Sam's Club, and many other big named vendors have overwhelmed this fair. Plus it's now time to move the street fair away from the slums of 4th Avenue to a more modern and safer area. How sad to see many businesses on 4th Avenue that have gone out of business or look extremely worn and filthy. As a local resident I won't be attending any more of these street fairs. I highly recommend tourists/snowbirds avoid the fair event as well. There are far better Tucson art and craft shows.

So much fun! I go every year to walk around drink a beer or two and eat! It gets bigger every year!

A large gathering! Wall to wall people. This might might not have been a good time to go (Saturday afternoon). No room to walk or actually see things. I navigate crowds well, but this was more than just a crowd. Some already drank too much. Some were slow. Some were fast. Some were rude. The variety. We did stop and grab a quick bite. That was good! Cold food but good.

Had a great time today. I'm ashamed to say I'm a tucson native and have never been. I needed more time to fully enjoy. I will definitely come out again !

I love the Streetfair it's great that it happens twice a year once in the winter and also in the spring the spring is always the best because the weather always cooperates it's warm and not too hot.Lots of variety of vendors to choose from with different trinkets and clothing items things that you see at a fair, from grown organic salsa is to paintings that are absolutely marvelous; some items you see look like they should be on shark Tank it's really great I had a great time and I always do.Now you can't forget about the food with the smells oh my goodness it's delicious we just want to walk around and eat all day, from roasted corn to turkey legs Chinese food Greek food American food you'll have your great pick even pizza and ice cream.A great time to spend with family and friends!!

There is something here for everyone, you can definitely spend an entire day. There is so much to see! It happens in the spring and the fall. The artisans are always changing, and there are some staples too. You also have the opportunity to stop along any of the permanent shops along Fourth Ave. and restaurants. The are tons of food vendors there as part of the fair too! You can find anything from Gyros, funnel cakes, turkey on a stick, bar-b-que, corn on a stick, gelato, fish and chips, alcohol, and much, much more! There are stages with live music, and smaller individual street bands everywhere. There are fortune tellers, you can watch people paining and crafting, and just plain people watch! You will definitely take something unique home with you!

It's really hard for me to review such an institution as the 4th Avenue Street Fair. On one level, it is a lot of fun. There are a ton of vendors, many whom sell the same overpriced stuff. You will find almost anything that you can imagine here. Great food, live bands, weird stuff to buy. It's a festive atmosphere. I really enjoy attending it.However, for an event that claims to bring the community together, it woefully falls short. Because the reality of this fair is that it's only designed for able bodied people. If you have a mobility impairment, you are not welcome. The proof is in the design. Forget about navigating through it. The vendor layout is a poorly designed mess. You can also forget about handicapped parking spots. Nobody polices them. In fact, I saw three vehicles parked in handicapped spots near the intersection of 4th and Congress, which the public had access to, and they were all taken up by vehicles without placards or handicap signs on their plate. Standing only a few blocks away were the police. I apologize for the rant, but I really like this event, and hate the fact that is and continues to be inaccessible for certain groups of people. To call it a community event is laughable, when it is not designed for the whole community to enjoy. You can do better than this Tucson!

Not enough vendors and no parking unless you pay one of the stores. It's not cheap. No food or drinks. Won't go again.

We really enjoy coming to this event every year but was shocked this year. $ 20.00 to pay for parking ! $ 17.00 for a regular Philly cheese steak ( which the prices were not posted). You would think at that price they would at least b nice to u but nope. Expensive n extremely rude to people. At a different booth $ 15.00 for a cheeseburger but they at least smiled. At those food prices they'll get our business once but there will not b any return business. If that is their goal then mission accomplished. For that price we will sit down n eat at a nice restaurant b4 we go. But other than that the street fair is great. Love the atmosphere n the people.