Flagstaff Summertime Tardeada Festival

The event is free, open to the public and has drawn upwards of 400 visitors in past years.

What is a Tardeada? It’s a vibrant afternoon festival and social dance celebrating Flagstaff’s Hispanic culture and community history. The Coconino County Board of Supervisors is the premier sponsor.

The festival’s goal is to celebrate the legacy of Flagstaff’s Hispanic culture through entertainment, music, dance, art, food and exhibits. Veterans are encouraged to arrive by 11:30 a.m. so they can participate in the traditional group photo and receive their veterans recognition certificates.

The entertainment stage will feature Mariachi Sol Azteca and Mariachi Traditión de Mexico from Tucson, Ballet Folklorico de Colores – Flagstaff and dance music by DJ Armando.

The event will also include an “Oldies” car show (from the early ’60s back to the 1940s) and a raffle. Mexican and regular barbeque food will be sold as a fundraiser for the Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces’ Cultural Heritage Fund.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church is a significant historic site because it was the pride and centerpiece of the Hispanic community when it was built in the late 1920s by Flagstaff Hispanic pioneer families, who had strong bonds to the church.

So for locals and visitors, escape triple-digit temperatures in the rest of the state, bring your lawn chairs and canopies and enjoy the cooler mountain breezes of Northern Arizona.

A Mariachi Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Sunday, June 30 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church.

The public is invited to both events. Visit www.flagstaffnuestrasraices.org or send an email to president@flagstaffnuestrasraices.org or info@flagstaffnuestrasraices.org for more information.