There's no hiding from the summer in Southern Arizona, so why not greet its official start the right way with a solstice party?

That's the attitude at the Arizona State Museum, where you'll get that chance with "Marking the Summer Solstice" on Saturday.

"The event actually started nine years ago," said Lisa Falk, the museum's education director. "It grew out of a summer cultural program we did in collaboration with the public library. It started very small, and we did it for two years."

Falk then came on board, and decided to expand the event to celebrate a diverse range of cultures.

"I'm from the East where there are lots of festivals, and here there didn't seem to be much to do to bring families out of their air-conditioned homes," she said. "It grew from about 200 people that they were getting, and now we get about 1,200 people."

The event aims to be a veritable smorgasbord of culture presented by local groups, with performances from Ballet Folklorico Tapatio, Irish music from Halfway Round the House, Japanese drumming from the Tucson Taiko Kyokai, Cuban salsa with Cuban Connection, and Apache hoop performance from the Yellow Bird Indian Dancers. Tucson pyrotechnic theater troupe Flam Chen will perform for the event's "grand finale" with the Dambe Drum Ensemble.

The event also boasts educational talks from cultural experts, including Navajo physics and astronomy instructor David Begay and Arizona State Museum head of collections Patrick Lyons.

"Marking the Summer Solstice" also promises plenty of hands-on, interactive activities. Attendees can view the sky through telescopes and participate in a chalk mural constructed by the Tucson Madonnari Project.

And all of the talk about the coming summer isn't just an excuse to have this celebration. There will be plenty of sun-related activities — participants can make a "sun clock," and solar energy will provide power for food vendors.

Falk said this multicultural approach to celebrate the solstice is appropriate given the nature of the occasion — the passing of seasons is universal, after all.

"Many cultures do mark this day," Falk said. "It's the day we have the longest light. To me, the celebration is beyond marking the longest day; it's enjoying what we do, the physical environment where we live and also the cultural traditions."

Activities will include crafting Polish solstice wreaths.

Falk said that all kinds of people and ages come to the solstice celebrations.

"We get everybody," Falk said. "We get families, we get single adults, we get seniors, anybody who wants to have a good time."

• When: 4:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday.

• Where: Arizona State Museum, 1013 E. University Blvd.

• How much: Free admission.

• Info: 621-6302 or online at statemuseum.arizona.edu.