SAVOR Culinary Festival 2026

Tucson, AZ – As Tucson continues to stand on the world stage as the first U.S. city designated a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, SAVOR Culinary Festival returns on Saturday, January 24, 2026, with its most ambitious and culturally resonant lineup to date. Hosted at the Tucson Botanical Gardens and co-presented by Art State Arizona and Local First Arizona, SAVOR is a once-a-year gathering that places the people behind Southern Arizona’s food culture—its chefs, farmers, artisans, brewers, vintners, and culinary educators—at the center of the story.

More than 70 participating culinary partners will present tasting-style menus that highlight heritage ingredients, Sonoran Desert agriculture, cross-border culinary traditions, Indigenous influence, and bold contemporary creativity. Together, they reflect a region where food is not a trend, but a living cultural practice shaped by place, history, and community.

TUCSON BOTANICAL GARDENS
2150 N. Alvernon Way, Tucson, AZ 85712

TICKETS
SOLD OUT
VIP ADMISSION $160
Early Admission, 10:30 AM – 3 PM
VIP Admission Tickets
Tickets $160 Each

Dive into a world of culinary delights with our SAVOR VIP Admission Tickets. This 21+ event grants you exclusive early access starting at 10:30 AM, letting you beat the crowds and begin your taste tour with serenity. Your ticket not only secures reserved parking but also offers full access to all the enchanting Tucson Botanical Gardens exhibits.

Highlights of VIP Admission:
Early Access: Enter the festival grounds at 10:30 AM through 3 PM, an hour ahead of general admission, to enjoy uninterrupted experiences.
Exclusive Tastings: Relish in the flavors prepared by over 60 local culinary partners, vendors, and food artisans, complemented by the sounds of live music.
Special Welcome: Kick off your visit with a welcome cocktail and a gourmet bite from one of Tucson’s premier chefs.
Commemorative Gifts: Receive a SAVOR wine glass and wine glass neck lanyard, plus a specially designed tote bag.
Transport Perk: Enjoy a discounted LYFT ride, ensuring a safe journey home after a day of indulgence.
The event wraps up at 3 PM, giving you plenty of time to explore, taste, and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere.

GENERAL ADMISSION $125
Admission 12 PM – 3 PM
General Admission Tickets
$125 Each

Join the festivity with our General Admission Tickets, available for $125. This ticket offers entry from 12 PM to 3 PM, ensuring you have ample time to savor the same access to the beautiful botanical gardens, culinary tastings, and lively music as VIP guests.

General Admission Features:
Access the festival from 12 PM through 3 PM, explore every corner of the Tucson Botanical Gardens and enjoy general admission benefits.
Culinary and Artisan Tastings: Sample delights from over 60 local partners including top chefs, innovative food vendors, and artisans.
Welcome Amenities: Begin with a commemorative wine glass and wine glass lanyard.

PARTICIPANTS & MENUS

Agustin Kitchen
Cauliflower Potato Soup

Alchemy Foods
Tiny taco with mushroom chorizo, cilantro lime cream, pickled onions (Vegan)

Alfonso Gourmet Olive Oil & Balsamics
Focaccia bread made with Alfonso Gourmet Olive Oil
Strawberry Kiwi Balsamic Vinegar Shrub with sparkling water (non-alcoholic)

Amelia’s Mexican Kitchen
Enchilada Mole Madre with vegetables (Vegan/Vegetarian)
Enchilada Mole Madre with birria beef, sour cream & fresh cheese
Roasted red salsa & chips
Margarita El Carrizal

Ate Kei’s Filipino Treats
Kapeng Barako (Filipino coffee)
Biko (coconut milk sticky rice with brown sugar & latik)
Ube cookies

AtEaseCookz LLC
TBA

AZ Winery Tours
Featured Arizona Wines

Barnyard Crafthouse & Eatery
Sonoran Elote Nachos with prickly pear & tequila-infused flank steak
Fried fish taco with mango salsa & chili aioli
Desert Paloma cocktail

Barrio Brewing Co.
Barrio Blonde Ale (5% ABV)
Hipsterville Hazy IPA (6.4% ABV)
Barrio Mexican Lager (5.5% ABV)
Nolan’s Porter (5.4% ABV, GABF Gold Medal Winner)

Beyond Bread
Chipotle Beef Torta (from Bread Mill location)
King Cake with cinnamon pastry & festive frosting

Boca by Chef Maria Mazon
Tacos al Pastor
Salsa Tomatillo
Banana Habanero Salsa

Borderland Spirits
Batuq Bacanora Blanco
Batuq Bacanora Reserva
Mazot Bacanora Blanco
Mazot Bacanora Uvalama
Mazot Palmilla / Sotol

Butcher’s Pantry
TBA

Breakthru Beverage
· Featured wines

Button Brew House
All Souls Stout
Button IPA (West Coast Style)
Chiltepín Red (Sonoran Spicy Red Ale)
Sonoran Hot Chocolate
Chili Hopper

Cactus Cru
TBA

Cielos
Chorizo wontons with mango-pineapple sauce
Agua frescas


Cookinwitcort
Collard greens with smoked turkey

Dante’s Kitchen & Cocktails
TBA

Dragoon Brewing Co.
Dragoon IPA
Dragoon Pils
Dragoon Amber
Florecita Juicy IPA

Edna’s Eatery by Charly’s Grill
Mesquite smoked chicken wings & sourdough waffle with piloncillo BBQ sauce
Fermented pineapple beverage with piloncillo sugar & Topo Chico

El Corral
Slow-roasted prime rib on charred bread
“Ghost Rider in the Sky” cocktail

GAP Ministries
Street-style pork birria tamale
Mesquite cookie with prickly pear jam

Hacienda del Sol Guest Ranch Resort & Spa
Menu TBA

Halcyon Vineyards
Featured Wine Samplings

Heineken USA
Featured Beer Sampling

Himaya Garden / Dragonfly Cakes
Filipino biko with assorted toppings (ginger, lemon, ube)
Assorted tea cakes & petit fours
Paint-your-own tea cake experience

Hot Flash Chile Products
Roasted Hatch New Mexico green chile butter sampling

Humo Cocina Mexicana
Grilled chicken taco

Id Smoke That
Gourmet smoked nuts
Smoked BBQ rubs
Smoked honey sriracha sauces
Smoked & infused salts
Smoked & infused sugars

Kingfisher Bar & Grill
Grilled & chilled shrimp with cocktail sauce & Southwest slaw

Kneller’s Delicatessen
House half-sour pickles
Egg potato salad
House-brined corned beef on rye
House hot sauce sampling

La Luz Restaurant / Westin La Paloma
Citrus watermelon salad
Day boat scallops with prickly pear gel & corn succotash
Agave Garden cocktail
Café Botanica cocktail

Life Under the Oaks Lavender Farm
Hot Earl Grey lavender tea
Los Milics Vineyards
Hannah’s 2023
Ita’s 2024
Renato’s 2022
Mo’s 2022

Marana Bread Company
Homeade breads and spreads

Mother Road Brewing Company
Tower Station IPA
Tower Roadside Grove Citrus IPA
Tips Up Hazy IPA
Double 6 Golden Ale


Page Springs Cellars
Wine selections (multiple pours)

POPPED Artisan Popcorn
Assorted artisan popcorn flavors

Postino Grant
Viso Barbera-Nebbiolo (Red)
Stand Chardonnay (White)
Intuición Sparkling Rosé

Purple Devil Donuts
Vanilla cake donuts (toppings TBA)
Purple Tree Truck
Açaí with granola
Strawberry shake
Very berry smoothie
Citrus boost smoothie

Queen of Cups
Some of Me, Field Blend White (2024)
Impressions, Tannat (2023)

Ray Ray’s Sonoran Spirit Tea
Original Ray Ray’s
Prickly Pear Ray Ray’s

Sahuarita High School Culinary
Mini chicken patty sandwiches on Japanese milk bread
Yukon Gold pom frites with dried kimchi seasoning
Yuzu-peach & white chocolate milkshakes

Sawmill Run Restaurant
Smoked & braised Vera Earl beef over Southwest polenta
Bone marrow custard tart with huckleberry sauce

Scratching the Plate
Mesquite French breakfast muffins with corn boue gravy
Mesquite muffins with green chile apple compote & gravy ice cream

Seaview & Main
Fresh-shucked oysters with accoutrements
Seaview poached shrimp

Seis Kitchen
Birria taco with salsa árbol

Shannon’s Kitchen LLC / The Best Bar
TBA

Sip Social Southern Arizona
Hibiscus paloma cocktail
Hibiscus paloma mocktail
Tequila cocktail (TBA)

Tavolino Ristorante Italiano
Costine di Manzo (braised beef short rib) with polenta & arugula
Panna cotta with mixed berry marmalade

The Cork Tucson / UnCork’d Kitchen & Cocktails
Carnitas tacos with burnt tomatillo salsa
Crispy mushroom risotto balls
Beetroot hummus with vegetables
“On the Prowl” cocktail
“Champurrado de Casa” cocktail

The Preserve Fine Dining
Fig & grains of paradise bourbon sour
Fried mole negro tamal with tobacco-infused foie gras espuma

The Roasted Chile AZ
Hatch green chile lemonade

The Royal Room
Old Fashioned cocktail

Transit Tea
Peach & raspberry tea
Passion fruit & cherry blossom tea
Prickly pear tea
Lemon blueberry tea

Tucson Chocolate Factory
Assorted bonbons
Specialty chocolate bars
Mexican mole-inspired chocolates

Tucson Foodie
Featured Wines

Verde Brewing
Beer Samplings

Vertigo Wines
Syrah
Tempranillo
Malvasia-Picpoul
Chardonnay

Whiskey Del Bac
Whiskey Del Bac Classic
Whiskey Del Bac Dorado
Sentinel of the Desert Bourbon
Sentinel of the Desert Rye
Additional selection (TBA)

Wren House Brewing Co.
Spellbinder (Hazy IPA)
Wrenovation (West Coast IPA)
Valley Beer (American Lager)
Big Spill Pils (Dry-Hopped Pilsner)

Yellow Brick Coffee
Colombia Finca Anaya Strawberry Co-Ferment pour-over
Lemon pistachio biscotti

LIVE MUSIC AND ARTS
Throughout the afternoon, SAVOR weaves live music and live art experiences into the tasting journey, activating the gardens as a cultural gathering space. Guests will also experience current Tucson Botanical Gardens exhibitions, including:

• A Chronology: Art Got Me Through — Marilyn Johnson
• Butterfly Magic — Cox Butterfly & Orchid Pavilion
• A Garden Chronicle: 50 Years at TBG
• Yojiro Imasaka: Gardens

Live Music
• Mariachi Tapatio de Tucson — Ticketing Line Entertainment — 10:15 AM – 12:15 PM
• Mark Willis — Jazz/Soul in Porter Gallery — 12 PM – 2 PM
• DJ PNUT – Northeast Parking Lot — 10:15 AM – 3 PM
• DJ Buttafly – East Plaza by Sensory Ramadas — 10:30 AM – 3 PM
• DJ Carl Hanni — Grapefruit Orchard by Butterfly Pavilion — 10:30 AM – 3 PM

Live Art Experiences 10:30 AM – 3 PM
• Brie Bourdeuax — Live Painting
• Donovan White — Live Painting
• Edwina Alarcon — Live Painting
• Haji Miranda — Live Sculpting
• Jesse Perry — Live Painting
• Michelle Allen — Live Painting
• Salvador Shahaqui — Live Painting at Wall Plugs Tent with DJ PNUT in Northeast Parking Lot