Special Events

​Plein Air Event!!​

​December 3, 2025

Gates Pass

9 am - 12 pm

On Speedway west of I-10 to Gates Pass Road

​Gates Pass Overlook and Trailhead area is located in the Tucson Mountain Park, just east of Saguaro National Park West. This area provides access to numerous trails, parking, restrooms, and a wonderful place to watch sunset. The area is managed by Pima County (this is not an NPS site), and is open to the public from 6am to 8pm daily.

​Great paintout at Mission Gardens!

Great paint out photos from past events!!!!!

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What Is Plein Air?

Plein Air is a term derived from the French phrase 'en plein air,' which literally means 'in the open air.' It's a familiar concept today, but in the late 1800s, thanks to the Industrial Revolution, artists were able to carry small metal paint tubes out of their studios for the first time in all of history. This allowed them to paint on site and record the colors they saw from observation instead of from a drawing or a sketchbook with notes. For the first time they were able to observe, investigate and capture the true colors and effects of sunlight during different times of the day on a particular landscape or subject, and it was revolutionary.  ​