Events

Join us at the Whitner Museum in Nogales, AZ to hear Dr. Michael Brescia give his talk "Over There Everything is Going to Be Different - Towards a Historical Understanding of the U.S.-Mexico Borderlands.” Dr. Brescia is the Curator of Ethnohistory at the AZ State Museum and Professor of History & Law at the University of Arizona.

Free event. $20 suggested donation.

Sponsored in part by grants from the AZ Community Foundation and the Santa Cruz Community Foundation.

A visit to Magdalena, a "Pueblo Mágico",  today reflects the culture of a small town in Sonora, MX as it has been for centuries.  We'll stroll around the picturesque main plaza, view Father Kino’s unearthed remains, the church of Santa Maria Magdalena, and the chapel with the venerated statue of San Francisco Xavier. You'll have time to visit and do some quick shopping at the clothes + hat shops, candy vendors, and bakeries surrounding the plaza. We'll enjoy a delicious lunch including the unique Sonoran enchiladas.We can accommodate vegetarians, but VEGANS must bring a packed lunch.  After lunch we'll walk to the nearby Municipal Palace to view the larger than life murals depicting the history of Mexico.  The murals are up stairs, and the elevator is reliably NOT WORKING.  If we're lucky we'll get the chance to meet the artist who is still painting new murals downstairs. This tour is led by Father Vicente López, who leads the Patronato de Kino de Tucson, a non-profit organization promoting the canonization and life teachings of Eusebio Francisco Kino, a Jesuit Missionary. Transportation from Tubac and lunch is included.  $195 members/$210 non-members.  

On our way home of this full day tour,  we'll stop at the village of San Ignacio to visit the Misión San Ignacio de Caborca, established as a visita in 1687, the most important of Kino missions over time. San Ignacio is famous for its quince trees producing the famous membrillo preserve where you'll have the opportunity to buy some (delicious with apple slices & cheese!). We'll visit the home of Isabel where we will have the delectable treat of hot tortillas, fresh off the comal, and yummy Mexican cheese for which the area is famed.  You will have the opportunity to buy fresh tortillas to bring home. 
This tour is such a very special and comprehensive introduction to Magdalena, a magical pueblo.  You'll be motivated to return on your own to further explore and enjoy the enchanting  ambience of Sonora, South of Nogales.  

Activity Level: Walking up to 1 mile at a leisurely pace on uneven surfaces. Some stairs. Be advised that there are few sidewalks in MX and many potholes, extra caution must be taken.

CANCELLATION POLICY: Ten or more days prior to tour - full refund, less $25 cancellation fee; OR a credit for a future equivalent tour. Less than ten days before the tour - NO refunds; a credit for a future tour may be offered.

Join us for our Fall Open House. Learn about and sign up for our fall and winter programs. Meet fellow BCA supporters. Have some light refreshments. Our neighbors at the Tubac Historical Society, Tubac Presidio, Tubac Chamber of Commerce, and Java Collection will be open as well. All are welcome!

Visit our partner nonprofit organizations in Nogales, eat lunch at Burrito Hass, learn about the city of Nogales, Sonora and have coffee & dessert at La Roca.

Activity Level: Walking up to 1 mile at a leisurely pace on uneven surfaces. Some stairs. Be advised that there are few sidewalks in Mexico and many potholes, extra caution must be taken.

Tour fee: $95/ members; $105/ non-members

CANCELLATION POLICY: Ten or more days prior to tour - full refund, less $25 cancellation fee; OR a credit for a future equivalent tour. Less than ten days before the tour - NO refunds; a credit for a future tour may be offered.

BCA is hosting a tour to Kino Bay February 19-23, 2026. Come to this information session to learn more about it!

Join BCA's Borderlands Literature and Film Circle for a conversation with Elizabeth Shakman Hurd, author of "Heaven Has a Wall: Religion, Borders, and the Global United States."

Following the Coronado Expedition of 1540, cattle ranching took hold in the Southwest in the 1600s, providing the region with more than 300 years of ranching history and traditions. In that time, rangelands were destroyed and recovered, giving deep roots to the region’s culture of stewardship. With its vast landscapes, varying terrains, and dry winds, today’s ranchers learned early that, for the land to take care of them, they must take care of it first. It is knowledge passed down from the preceding generations, for many of the ranching families of the Southwest have as much history as the cattle, and their operations can be traced back many decades.

Join us for a full day of visiting two of the largest, historic ranches in Santa Cruz County. Beginning with the Empire Ranch, now part of the Las Cienegas Conservation Area, with historian Alison Bunting we’ll hear about life 100 yrs ago. On to the San Ignacio del Babacomari Mexican Land Grant, comprising Arizona’s largest contiguous private land parcel, where we’ll have a catered lunch and learn how the Apaches forced the Ellias family to abandon their ranch, and the defense of the private land rights were protected from the U.S. government and went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. From there we will travel over the Canelo Hills and look out over the magnificent San Rafael Valley, where we’ll check out the “headwaters” of the Santa Cruz River as it heads South into Mexico, and then again as it returns Northward. The San Rafael Valley is one of the nation’s primary last stands of vast native grasslands. If you loved the Ranching to Vineyards Tour you’ll love this even more as it is the prequel to that tour.

Activity Level: Walking up to 1 mile at a leisurely pace on uneven surfaces.

Tour fee includes transportation from Tubac and lunch: $105/members; $115/non-members.

Sponsored in part by grants from the AZ Community Foundation and the Santa Cruz Community Foundation.

CANCELLATION POLICY:

- Cancel on or before November 3: option to receive a full refund (less $25 cancellation fee) OR a to receive a credit for a future equivalent tour
- Cancel after November 3: NO refunds but a credit for a future tour may be offered

Join us at the Tin Shed Theater in Patagonia, AZ to hear Dr. Michael M. Brescia give his talk "Whiskey is for Drinking; Water is for Fighting Over: The Living Legacies of Old Spanish Law and Natural Resources in the American West.” Dr. Brescia is the Curator of Ethnohistory at the AZ State Museum and Professor of History & Law at the University of Arizona.

Water is one of the most valuable and contested natural resources in the American West. Communities have been fighting for access to scarce water sources for quite some time. How are water rights determined in areas that were once part of Spain and Mexico? Why are these old laws, customs, and usages still in effect and still practiced throughout the American West? Disputes over natural resources require navigating thorny historical and legal issues. Spanish colonialism and U.S. expansionism have played defining roles in shaping debates over access and control of natural resources, from water to grazing to minerals. Join us as University of Arizona historian Michael Brescia unpacks the complex historical and contemporary issues regarding water rights and natural resource usages across the American West.

Free event. $20 suggested donation.

Sponsored in part by grants from the AZ Community Foundation and the Santa Cruz Community Foundation.

BCA is hosting a tour to Oaxaca March 30-April 6, 2026. Come to this information session to learn more about it!

In the arid Southwest, ranching has dominated agriculture, with historically large ranches and a vibrant cowboy culture. This tour begins with a visit to the Santa Fe Ranch near Nogales, and an introduction to the many challenges of arid ranching by Dean Fish, Ph.D, Ranch Foreman. He will charm you with his humor and in-depth knowledge, with many a tall tale to tell. Next we'll travel to eastern Santa Cruz County to the Sonoita-Elgin wine appelation; where the landscape dramatically changes to vast grasslands with gently rolling hills dotted with oak trees ... and VINEYARDS. In the past 30 years the wine industry has taken a prominent place in Arizona's economy. We will visit Sonoita Vineyards where Arizona's first commercial vineyard and winery began. There you'll learn all about the history of the wine industry in southern Arizona and how it has become internationally renown; all while enjoying a catered authentic "ranchero" lunch. Optional wine tasting $20/person (not included in tour fee). Tour begins at BCA Office in Tubac, 8:15am. We will travel by van for the day, returning by 4:30pm. Parking available at the Tubac Presidio, 1 Burruel Street.

Activity Level: Walking up to 1 mile at a leisurely pace on uneven surfaces. Some stairs.

Tour price includes roundtrip transportation from Tubac, catered ranchero lunch at Sonoita Vineyards, and BCA tour guide. $95 (members); $105 (nonmembers). Wine tasting available for an additional fee ($20 per person).

CANCELLATION POLICY:
- Cancel on or before November 23: option to receive a full refund (less $25 cancellation fee) OR a to receive a credit for a future equivalent tour
- Cancel after November 23: NO refunds but a credit for a future tour may be offered

Visit our partner nonprofit organizations in Nogales, eat lunch at Burrito Hass, learn about the city of Nogales, Sonora and have coffee & dessert at La Roca.

Activity Level: Walking up to 1 mile at a leisurely pace on uneven surfaces. Some stairs. Be advised that there are few sidewalks in Mexico and many potholes, extra caution must be taken.

Tour fee: $95/ members; $105/ non-members
CANCELLATION POLICY: Ten or more days prior to tour - full refund, less $25 cancellation fee; OR a credit for a future equivalent tour. Less than ten days before the tour - NO refunds; a credit for a future tour may be offered.

Please join us for an evening with acclaimed singer & songwriter Tish Hinojosa. Born to Mexican immigrant parents in San Antonio, Texas, Ms. Hinojosa began performing at an early age. She has released 16 albums in the folk, country, pop, and Latino/a genres and her musical works are expressions of cross-border cultures, diversity and life. She will be joined by renowned ethnobotanist and storyteller, Dr. Gary Nabhan, author of many books including his most recent books, Against the Grain: A Borderlands History of Resistance and Agave Spirits. The event will begin with a brief honoring of our Lady of Guadalupe and an optional meet & greet reception at 4:30pm with Ms. Hinojosa and Dr. Nabhan.

Ticket prices: $35 for concert only, $50 for concert and pre-event reception with tamales, tequila/wine. You will have the opportunity to purchase Tish’s CDs and Gary’s books. Seating is limited!

Reception: 4:30pm
Concert: 5:30-7pm

Join us for a two-day tour of the town of Himdaq Ki (the Cultural Center of the Tohono O'odham people) and the awakened town of Ajo, AZ. We will enjoy a private docent-led tour of Himdaq Ki and Museum where we will see and hear about how these people of the Sonoran Desert have descended over thousands of years. We will have our picnic lunch on their lovely patio looking at their sacred Baboquivari Peak. Afterward we will head to Ajo, a cultural, historical, and humanitarian aid hub. We will stay at the lovely Sonoran Desert Inn. We will be treated to a special dinner prepared from native ingredients, many from the garden there designed by Gary Nabhan, Ph.D., Ethnobotanist. On Wednesday we will take a tour of the town, including its murals, artist housing complex, beautiful town center and square, and other historic sites. We will make a stop at the Ajo Humanitarian Aid office to hear about the migrant activity in the area and have a docent-led tour of the Ajo Historical Museum.

Activity Level: Walking up to 1 mile at a leisurely pace on uneven surfaces. Some stairs. Opportunity for further distance walking if wanted.

Tour fee: $375 for members, $390 for mon-members. Includes special catered dinner Tuesday evening in Ajo at Sonoran Desert Inn, breakfast & lunch on Wednesday, BCA tour guide, local guides and presenters.

Meet in Tubac Presidio Parking Lot at 8:00am. Bring picnic lunch.

CANCELLATION POLICY:

- Cancel on or before January 6: Full refund
- Cancel after January 6: Full refund minus $100 cancellation fee

During this tour, participants will experience the Bahía de Kino region and learn about the many different cultural, economic, environmental, and ecological perspectives. This experiential education opportunity focuses on community-based conservation initiatives, species monitoring, indigenous knowledge, and bio-cultural history. Located on the edge of the Sonoran Desert and shores of the Gulf of California, this region contains incredibly rich, diverse, and unique desert, marine, and island ecosystems. This tour is in partnership with the Prescott College Kino Bay Center for Cultural & Ecological Studies.

We will be staying at the beautiful Casablanca Inn just off the beach, where the food is outstanding! Check out their website (https://www.casablancainn.net/). We'll begin each day with a delicious breakfast, ordering off the menu at the Inn, then walk (or ride the van) to the Prescott College campus, 4-5 blocks away. Prescott College will provide picnic lunches daily and we will have them either out on an island or on the beach outside a Seri village. We will be out on the Sea of Cortez for 2 days, if it's windy the ride can be a bit bumpy! With any luck we'll see whales, but most certainly you will see an amazing variety of birds. This trip is a lifetime adventure.

Activity Level: Walking up to 1 mile at a leisurely pace on uneven surfaces. Some stairs. Be advised that there are few sidewalks in Mexico and many potholes, extra caution must be taken. Climbing in/out of boat via ladder, with assistance. Walking on beach in very soft sand.

BCA Members $1,500 / Non-members $1,600
- Deposit due October 15, 2025: BCA Members $500 / Non-members $600
- Final payment due December 15, 2025: $1,000

Tour price includes: lodging, round trip transportation from Nogales to Kino Bay; all meals except lunch on the first and last day (travel days); and Kino Bay Center guides and itinerary for three days.

Cancellation Policy: If you cancel after the payment deadlines, we will not be able to refund your money unless there is a waiting list and your place on the trip can be filled by someone else. In this case, there is a $100 administration cancellation fee. WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU BUY TRAVEL INSURANCE IN CASE YOU NEED TO CANCEL THIS TRIP. BCA has the right to cancel the tour at any time based on safety concerns in the Kino area. If the trip is canceled, a full refund will be made.

Border Community Alliance and Conect@Oaxaca invite you to explore the true heart of Mexico’s vibrant arts traditions with us in Oaxaca.
Together we will meet the master artists who sustain and illuminate Oaxaca’s creative soul, touching on important issues of authenticity, ingenuity, and innovation. Each day will bring you closer to the creative people whose lives are devoted to mastering art forms that are appreciated around the world. Together, they are the soul of Oaxaca.
Oaxaca is a land of tradition, ancient arts, creativity, and change. The villages of the Central Valleys are deeply rooted in ancient Zapotec communities. You’re invited to explore the history, cultural significance, and creative vision with us on this unique week-long journey through Oaxaca.

Activity Level: Walking up to 1 mile at a leisurely pace on uneven surfaces. Some stairs. Be advised that there are few sidewalks in Mexico and many potholes, extra caution must be taken. Opportunity for further distance walking if wanted.

 The price of the tour includes accommodations, group breakfasts and some lunches, ground transportation, entrance fees, and multilingual guides for both city and villages.
Airfare, dinners, tips, alcoholic beverages and discretionary personal purchases are not included.
People arriving or departing outside of the trip dates will need to pay for their own airport transfers.

Tour size limited to 10 people.

$3095/BCA MEMBERS • $3195/NON-MEMBERS (DOUBLE OCCUPANCY) • $600 single supplement.  
Deposit due December 15. Final payment due January 30.
To reserve your spot, Make Deposit at www.bordercommunityalliance.org or call (520) 398-3229.
CANCELLATION POLICY: If you cancel after the deadlines, we will not be able to refund your money unless there is a waiting list and your place on the trip can be filled by someone else. In this case, there is a $100 administration cancellation fee. WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU BUY TRAVEL INSURANCE IN CASE YOU NEED TO CANCEL THIS TRIP.
BCA has the right to cancel the tour at any time based on safety or COVID concerns in the Oaxaca area. If the trip is canceled, a full refund will be made.