Many places around the world are gearing up for sweater weather and pumpkin spice everything, while Tucson won’t let up the 100-degree weather. But just because Tucson hasn’t received the memo of the season change it doesn’t mean you can’t still celebrate fall. Here are a few ways to enjoy the autumn at home and outside. 

Make fun fall treats 

Since the weather hasn’t cooled down yet, you can still enjoy frozen treats. If you’d still like to embrace the fall season, a way to combine the two would be to make pumpkin spice flavored popsicles. Get some silicone popsicle molds in the shape of a pumpkin or even a skull, wooden popsicle sticks and your pumpkin spice mixture. You’ll be able to taste autumn even in this hot weather. 

Baking is a popular hobby people pick up in the fall season and it can be festive to make your treats into shapes like pumpkins, skulls or even leaves. Pumpkin shaped bread rolls are a savory option to show off to friends or keep for yourself.

Cinnamon is also another tasty fall favorite, and baking cinnamon rolls can add a nice scent in your home to get you in the season spirit. To make the cinnamon rolls more fun you can turn them into pumpkin shapes by getting some cooking twine and wrapping it around the rolls. 

Make boo baskets

You might have seen the idea of boo baskets on TikTok. It’s a simple do-it-yourself project that you can make for your friends or significant other. 

Figure out if they like the fall or Halloween aesthetic more and fill their basket(s) with cute decorations, some of their favorite snacks and anything else you think they’d enjoy. 

For a fall themed basket, a chunky knit blanket or trendy UGG Tazz slippers could be nice options. More affordable options could include long thick socks or a fall scented candle.

For spookier baskets, you could choose an orange pumpkin trick-or-treat pail as the basket and add a Halloween sweatshirt, a coffee mug or a few of their favorite horror movies.

Make a fall playlist

Music can set the tone for any occasion even during the fall season. You can make a playlist full of songs that give you cozy sweaters and jumping-in-leaves vibes.  

“Willow” by Taylor Swift or “There She Goes” by The La’s are a couple of songs that might make you want to snuggle up with a cozy blanket and watch “Gilmore Girls”.  

You could also just listen to the whole “Evermore”  album” by Swift. Paola Rodriguez, an Arizona Public Media reporter, is a fan of Swift who recently went to her “The Eras Tour” concert in Glendale, Arizona. According to Rodriguez, Swift has mentioned that “Evermore” represents the transition to fall.

“When I listen to ‘Evermore’ and I listen to songs like ‘cowboy like me’, it just makes me want to jump into a pit of yellow and orange leaves and put on a newspaper hat and live my best life,” Rodriguez said. 

Marana Pumpkin Patch

Marana Pumpkin Patch has 50 acres of homegrown pumpkins with all different sizes to pick from. There’s also a corn maze that you can walk through and it’s free with admission. 

They offer a variety of activities for kids and adults like a diesel train ride around the patch, a super slide and mini tractors. These activities along with more are also included in admission. A few more activities cost an extra fee up to $10. 

The fall festivities go from Oct. 7 through Oct. 29. The pumpkin patch will be open Thursdays and Fridays from 3 p.m. to 8  p.m., 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays.

On Thursdays and Fridays, admission will be $21 at the gate and $18 online. Admission for Saturdays and Sundays will be $23 at the gate and $20 online. 

Marana Pumpkin Patch is located on Trico Road and depending on traffic, it could be up to an hour drive from Tucson.

Cooking on Campus Halloween Bash 

Cooking on Campus is a student-led initiative that works to provide students with hands-on cooking classes. They hold three classes a semester and have one coming up on Tuesday, Oct. 24, at 7 p.m. in the Shantz building. 

For the Halloween Bash, they are teaching two recipes; a “BOOrito” bowl and rice crispy treats.  Both recipes are going to be vegetarian.

“We try to [theme] our recipes around campus pantry ingredients and shelf table ingredients that are affordable, nutritious and easy for students,” said Natasha Juhl, director of Cooking on Campus.

Tickets are $10 each and can be purchased on their Eventbrite page. There is room for 10 participants. 

“We do have limited capacity so I would recommend getting a ticket earlier, the earlier the better,” said Caitlin McKenna, advisor of Cooking on Campus and nutrition counselor at Campus Health.

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