‘Arizona Palooza’ Returns with Mental Health Education and Family Entertainment

What: Arizona Palooza
When: Saturday, May 7, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Where: Georges DeMeester Performance Center, 800 S. Concert Place, Tucson

Reporters and editors: To make arrangements to cover the event, contact Pamela Wagner at 520-621-7910 or hwcenter@email.arizona.edu.

Arizona Palooza will return as an in-person event for the first time since 2020 on Saturday, May 7, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Reid Park Georges DeMeester Performance Center in Tucson.

Arizona Palooza brings together organizations from across Tucson and Pima County to deliver useful information about mental health and substance use disorders in an informal setting, including carnival games and live entertainment. The event is free and open to the public.

Held during Mental Health Awareness Month, Arizona Palooza is designed to reach new audiences, reduce stigma and promote open dialogue about how to improve one’s mental health.

This year’s Arizona Palooza includes the Second Annual “First Responder’s Lip-Off Challenge,” a live lip-sync competition between police, fire and EMT teams. Rural Metro Fire Chief John Walka will return to defend his title.

Other highlights include:

• Entertainment by local musicians
• Booth Bingo
• Tucson Parks & Recreation’s Ready, Set, Rec! bus, featuring board games, hula hoops, chess, Mexican train, Jenga, ring toss and more
• Pet-friendly location
• Giveaways, activities and games for all ages

The Arizona Palooza Steering Committee is led by the UArizona RISE Health and Wellness Center, which houses Camp Wellness and the Workforce Development Program, at the UArizona Department of Family and Community Medicine in the College of Medicine – Tucson. Arizona Complete Health is this year’s VIP event sponsor.

For more information, visit tucsonpalooza.org or facebook.com/ArizonaPalooza.