Tucson July Lunch Mixer: Ready, Set, Vend!
Description
Festivals and events can be so much more than a weekend of sales—they're an opportunity to introduce your business to new customers, build brand awareness, create loyal fans, and grow your reach far beyond your booth.
Join Local First Arizona and DUSK Music Festival at The Leo Kent in downtown Tucson for our July Lunch Mixer: Ready, Set, Vend!, a conversation designed for makers, artists, food businesses, retailers and entrepreneurs who want to make the most of Tucson's vibrant event scene.
From 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., hear directly from some of the people behind Tucson's most iconic events: Chris Norwood of DUSK Festival, Kym Adair of the Arizona Bowl, and Maribel Alvarez of Tucson Meet Yourself. Our panelists will share what makes a vendor stand out, what event organizers look for when selecting participants, common mistakes vendors make, and how to turn event attendees into long-term customers. You'll also have the opportunity to ask questions and learn how to position your business for success at festivals, markets and community events of all sizes.
After the panel, stick around from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. for networking and conversation with fellow local business owners. Attendees are invited to purchase their own lunch from The Leo Kent, which is offering a special discount for mixer attendees.
Whether you're preparing for your first event or looking to take your vendor strategy to the next level, this mixer is a chance to gain practical insights, make valuable connections, and get your business ready to vend with confidence.
Come hungry, bring your questions, and get ready to connect with Tucson's local business community.
Lineup
Chris Norwood - DUSK Music Festival
Chris Norwood is a sponsorship strategist, experiential marketing professional, and member of the leadership team behind DUSK Music Festival, one of Arizona's premier music and cultural events. With more than 20 years of experience helping brands, festivals, and community organizations create meaningful audience engagement, Chris works at the intersection of events, marketing, and local business development. Through DUSK and other events across Arizona, he has worked with hundreds of vendors, makers, artists, food businesses, and entrepreneurs to help them connect with new customers and grow their brands through live experiences. Chris is passionate about creating opportunities for local businesses to succeed and thrive within Tucson's vibrant event ecosystem.
Maribel Alvarez - Tucson Meet Yourself
Dr. Maribel Alvarez holds the Jim Griffith Chair in Public Folklore at the Southwest Center, University of Arizona. In 2014 she founded the Southwest Folklife Alliance (SFA), which produces multiple initiatives connecting heritage artists and ethnic entrepreneurs to cultural and economic development. Since 2010 she has served as the senior program director of the Tucson Meet Yourself Folklife Festival. In 2021, with support from the Mellon Foundation, she co-founded in Sonora, Mexico, a mirror organization to SFA --the Northern Mexico Alliance for Folklore and Patrimony. In 1989, Maribel co-founded MACLA in San Jose, California –one of the most vibrant contemporary Latino art spaces in the United States. Maribel has served as a Trustee of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. In 2018 the American Folklore Society awarded her the prestigious Americo Paredes Prize for “excellence in integrating scholarship and engagement with the people and communities one studies.” For 22 years, she served on the faculty of the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures’ National Leadership Institute training and mentoring more than 500 Latinx cultural leaders throughout the nation. Her doctorate in Cultural Anthropology is from the University of Arizona.
Kym Adair - Arizona Bowl
In July of 2018, Kym Adair was named the Executive Director/CEO of the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl presented by Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop. Prior to accepting the role, Kym was an officer of the Board of Directors of the Bowl game and worked closely with the Staff in the execution of the game. Her previous ten years of experience as the Senior Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for the Bowl’s first title sponsor, NOVA Home Loans, provided her tremendous opportunities to develop strategic relationships with key Bowl partners which enabled her to make a seamless transition into the Executive Director role. When she started, she was just one of two female Executive Directors of a college football bowl game in the country; however after 8 years of progress, there are now 4 women Executive Directors. As the Executive Director, Kym works directly with the Board, manages the day-to-day operations of the Bowl staff, is tasked with the growth and sustainability of the Bowl, and ensures a happy collaboration with Conference and broadcast partners. Kym is also the mother of two children, Andrew and Grace, and is married to her college sweetheart, Craig Adair. She is an Emeritus Board Member of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Tucson, a Board member of the Breakfast Club of Tucson, a Member of the Tucson Airport Authority and a member of the Rotary Club of Tucson.
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