Despite the wind in the air and the lingering snowline on our state’s northern border, spring is in full bloom and summer is fast approaching (June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere). So now is the time to start planning out all that summer fun you’ll be having this year. As us locals know, New Mexico is a seasonal wonderland—whether you stick to the warming concrete environs of Albuquerque or head out into our neighboring counties in search of shade and greenery. To assist you in choosing your summer destinations, Alibi staff members have assembled a calendar of diverse events—festivals, concerts, conventions, art tours, fishing tournaments and more—from all over the state. Go out and enjoy! Get a tan! (But don’t forget the sunscreen!) See the sights! We’ll just be here putting together a newspaper every week.
Summer Guide 2018 May 15
Blessing of the Fields, Las CrucesThe traditional feast day of San Ysidro, the Catholic patron saint of farmers, is celebrated with music, a procession and piñata-making at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum for the Blessing of the Fields. This longstanding tradition happens anew on Wednesday, May 15 at 10am and kicks off the museum’s weeklong celebration commemorating its 20th anniversary. Joining the celebration is totally free. (nmfarmandranchmuseum.org)
Summer Guide 2018 May 17
New Mexico Fiber Crawl, TaosNew Mexico has a long history of hand crafts and working with textiles. That legacy is illustrated in fresh, new ways at the New Mexico Fiber Crawl. Throughout the weekend—that is, Friday, May 17 to Sunday, May 19—interested parties can tour farms and artist galleries that develop fiber arts. The event spans across Taos, Española, Los Alamos, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Tierra Amarilla and beyond. Print out a passport from the event website, and check off the many stores, farms, artists studios and museum. Orient yourself at a Kickoff Party at The Yarn Store in Albuqueruque on May 17 from 5 to 7pm. (nmfibercrawl.org)Kayak Fishing Tour, Elephant ButteElephant Butte Lake State Park hosts an event from May 17 to 19 that combines two well-loved outdoorsy things—kayaking and fishing. The Kayak Fishing Tournament is for serious enthusiasts (hence the $65 entry fee but is, in fact, open to captains of any “non-motorized” water craft. First prize is a 2019 Hobie Mirage Outback in camo (that’s a fancy pedal-drive kayak to you landlubbers). Want to know more or get your entry form? Get in touch with hosts Zia Kayak Outfitters online. (ziakayaks.com)
Summer Guide 2019 May 17
Taos Lilac Festival, TaosReady yourself for a big whiff of purple when the Taos Lilac Festival comes into full bloom Friday, May 17 through Sunday, May 19 in downtown Taos. The “place of red willows” takes on a distinctive lilac flavor filled with arts, crafts, bands, foods, wines and even a pet show for a weekend among the flowers. Free and fun, more information and a schedule of events can be found on the Taos Lilac Festival website. (taoslilacfestival.com)
Summer Guide 2019 May 17
Nomadic Yoga Festival, Albuquerque Get your asana down to the Nomadic Yoga Festival on Friday, May 17 and Saturday, May 18 at The Yard for the finest in yoga-adjacent food trucks, vendors and beer to complement a full range of classes and workshops. An all-access pass is available for $69, as are tickets for individual classes and workshops. For more information and a listing of the 34 yoga teachers scheduled, see the Nomsadic Yoga Festival website. (nomadicyogafestival.com)
Summer Guide 2018 May 18
CrawDaddy Blues Fest, MadridThe Mine Shaft Tavern brings fresh, live crawfish and three stages of blues music to the Madrid Railyard on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19. The crawdads come straight from Beaumont, Texas, and the stages feature a bevy of talent, both local and from farther afield, including Hillary Smith & Chillhouse, Felix Y Los Gatos, Levi Platero and The Rudy Boy Experiment. Tickets for each full day of tunes and treats cost $25, and tickets are available at holdmyticket.com. (themineshafttavern.com/crawdaddy-blues-fest-2019)
Summer Guide 2019 May 18
World Migratory Bird Festival, RatonBirds are flying in from all over for the World Migratory Bird Day Festival at Sugarite Canyon State Park on Saturday, May 18 and Sunday, May 19. See a raptor in repose or a vulture vocalizing or try your lucking identifying the myriad bird species that stop by for free food at the park’s feeders from 8am to 5pm. Admission is included with regular park entry fees for this all-ages event. (emnrd.state.nm.us)
Summer Guide 2019 May 24
Silver City Blues Festival, Silver City Slather on the sunscreen because music won’t be the only hot thing at the Silver City Blues Festival from Friday, May 24 though Sunday, May 26. Spend Memorial Day weekend at this free event, filled with food, drinks and a boatload of blues from the likes of Grady Champion, Guitar Shorty, Laurie Morvan Band, Chris Dracup Trio and more. For more information and a full schedule of events and performers, visit their website.(silvercitybluesfestival.org)
Summer Guide 2018 May 19
Santa Fe Century Ride, Santa FeFor the ambitious cyclist, check out the annual Century Ride put on by Santa Fe Century. The ride is 100.2 miles of looping terrain and kicks off at Santa Fe Community College. Riders have the option to start with the group at 7am or on their own. There are four food stops offering snacks, energy drinks and more. Registration for the full Century Ride is $50 per rider or $60 the day of. For a complete list of gear needed and a route map, check out their website. (santafecentury.com)
Summer Guide 2018 May 25
Riverfest, FarmingtonFor over 30 years, thousands of people have gathered over Memorial Day weekend to attend this celebration of Farmington’s rivers, trails and parks. This year’s Riverfest takes place from Saturday, May 25 through Sunday, May 26. Live music, river rafting, car shows, tractor rides, a beer and wine garden, a fine arts show and so many more activities happen over this fun-filled weekend. Don’t miss the infamous wiener dog races and the chance to win $2,000 in the rubber duck race. To see a full schedule of events, visit their website. (riverreachfoundation.com).Sugarite Canyon Fishing Tournament, RatonStarting on May 25 is the annual fishing tournament at Sugarite Canyon State Park. This nine-day tournament takes place on Lake Maloya. Entry fee is $10 per person with door prizes handed out daily. Catch a tagged fish for a chance to win $1,000, or get a shot at winning a boat for just entering the tournament. There’s also a free kids’ derby on June 1.
Summer Guide 2019 May 25
Las Cruces Wine Festival, Las CrucesNothing complements a great-tasting wine like three days of food, music and celebration the at the Las Cruces Wine Festival. The best wineries, food trucks, artisans and musicians from all over the Land of Enchantment will be making their way to the Southern New Mexico State Fairgrounds on May 25 through 27 from noon to 6pm. Festivalgoers must be 21 and over. Tickets include a complimentary wine glass and range from $10 to $40. (nmwine.com/las-cruces-wine-festival-2019)
Summer Guide 2019 May 25
Albuquerque Wine Festival, AlbuquerqueCheck out one of the state’s largest gatherings of wine lovers at the 19th annual Albuquerque Wine Festival. Located at the one and only Balloon Fiesta Park, festival sponsors are treating attendees to delicious local food, awesome local bands, art, collectables and over 100 wines from award-winning wineries. Celebrate the grape from May 25 through 27, from noon to 6pm. Tickets for adults 21 and older range from $10 to $50 and include $5 off any bottle of wine. (nmwine.com/albuquerque-wine-festival-2019)
Summer Guide 2019 May 26
ABQ Blues & Brews, AlbuquerqueLike Tom and Jerry or Batman and Robin, the blues just goes with beer. See for yourself at the 9th annual ABQ Blues & Brews fest at Sandia Resort & Casino. Join at least 60 of the state’s finest breweries on Sunday, May 26 from 3 to 6pm for unlimited samples of their tastiest beverages while jamming out to great high desert blues musicians. General admission for this 21-plus event is $37. Early bird specials are listed online. (abqbluesandbrews.com)
Summer Guide 2019 June 1
Spring & Fiber Fest, Santa FeOn Saturday, June 1 and Sunday, June 2, El Rancho de las Golondrinas (just outside of Santa Fe, hosts its annual Spring & Fiber Fest. From 10am to 4pm both days, see hide-tanning and blacksmithing demos, enjoy fresh lemonade and biscochitos, meet some alpacas and learn about our national historic trails. Plus get your full share of fiber action with sheep shearing, wool dyeing, spinning and weaving. Don’t forget to shop the fiber arts marketplace. Tickets start at $8 and children 12 and under get in free. See a full list of events online. (golondrinas.org/festivals/spring-fiber-fest)
Summer Guide 2019 June 2
Corrales Garden Tour, CorralesThe annual Corrales Garden Tour highlights the natural beauty of the historic village to Burque’s north, featuring the many beautiful gardens and tenacious gardeners whose work adds to the natural allure of the Rio Grande Valley that we all call home. The self-guided tour happens on Sunday, June 2 from 9am to 4pm throughout the storied town, with tents featuring food and entertainment available on the main road, Corrales Road, and throughout town. Tickets can be purchased beginning in early May at the Frontier Mart and Village Mercantile in Corrales, Jericho Nurseries, Alameda Greenhouse and Osuna Nursery. Tickets are $12 in advance via brownpapertickets.com or $15 the day of the tour. (corrales-gardentour.com)
Summer Guide 2019 June 6
PrideFest, AlbuquerqueCelebrate New Mexico’s LGBTQ community at the 43rd annual Albuquerque PrideFest. The state’s diverse LGBTQ and allied communities are invited to a candlelight vigil at Morningside Park at 7:30pm on Thursday, June 6. The celebration continues at Expo New Mexico on Friday, June 7 at 6pm with a free Night PrideFest and Art Reception. And the main event—the famous Pride parade and festival—starts at 10am on Saturday, June 8 at Expo New Mexico. General admission on Saturday is $15 for adults. Children 10 and under get in free. (abqpride.com/events/pridefest)
Summer Guide 2019 June 7
Chama Western Heritage Days, ChamaExperience New Mexico’s past in person at Chama Western Heritage Days. Get a taste of the Old West with two days of competitions, demonstrations, educational clinics, live music and food at the Chama Valley Rodeo Grounds. See astounding feats of sportsmanship and learn about the esoteric art of the cowboy from June 7 through 9, 9am to 10pm. Fees vary for different activities. (facebook.com/chamawesternheritagedays)
Summer Guide 2019 June 13
End of Trail, Edgewood For the 38th year, the Single Action Shooting Society presents End of Trail, the 10-day “world championship of cowboy action shooting.” Bust out your spurs, and head to Founders Ranch in Edgewood on June 21 or 22 from 8am to 5pm, when competition is open to the public, the saloon is jumping and vendors are selling the best in Old West merch. Tickets are $5. (sassnet.com/EoT)
Summer Guide 2019 June 14
ARTsmart’s Edible Art Tour, Santa FeIf walking through one of the world’s art capitals sampling great art and awesome local food seems like a thing to you, then indulge in this tour of the best Santa Fe has to offer. The Friday night iteration of this edible tour is all about the Downtown art scene in our capitol city; the Saturday night event includes galleries on Canyon Road. Both tours include food from Santa Fe’s best restaurants. Tickets cost $45 and are good for both nights, and the event begins with a big party at The Signature Gallery on Friday night. (artsmartnm.org/artsmarts-edible-art-tour)
Summer Guide 2019 June 14
Red River Art & Wine Festival, Red RiverTake your eyeballs and taste buds on a Father’s Day weekend road trip for a dose of culture at the Red River Art & Wine Festival. Enjoy the scenic charm of the town of Red River and a sampling of fine wine and live music at Brandenburg Park on June 14 through 16. Featuring both silent and live auctions for art, pottery and photography, this gathering isn’t just about good taste in grapes—it’s also about good taste in art. (redriver.org/events/art-wine-festival)
Summer Guide 2019 June 15
Festival Flamenco Internacional de Albuquerque, AlbuquerqueThe rich history of Flamenco has been regularly explored and celebrated here in Albuquerque, and the 32nd annual festival to honor this process is a must-attend summer event. Eight days of discussion, workshops, dancing and public performance provides participants with a stunning vision of an ages-old form of artistic expression. There are various venues for all of these entrancing dancing festivities, including Rodey Theater, The Experimental Theater, the Albuquerque Journal Theatre and the National Hispanic Cultural Center. For more information about registration or to buy tickets please visit the website or call 242-7600. (ffiabq.org)
Summer Guide 2019 June 16
Dia De Los Padres!, AlbuquerqueDia De Los Padres! is an an annual Father’s Day fiesta featuring local music hosted by the Downs Racetrack & Casino in central Burque. This years’s featured artists include awesome Latinx artists Gonzalo, Cuarenta Y Cinco and El Gringo as well as genre-busting OG country rockers Black Pearl and Str8 Shot. The gates open at 1pm, and the action begins at 2pm for this all-ages jumpin’ June frolic where admission will run you $10 if you’re over 18 or only $5 if you’re between ages 12 and 17. Score tickets at holdmyticket.com.
Summer Guide 2019 June 21
Bodacious Butterfly Festival, Raton From Friday, June 21 through Sunday, June 23, learn about butterfly behavior and practice catching (and releasing) these beautiful bugs with the kids in Sugarite Canyon State Park. Butterfly behavior experts will be on hand to answer butterfly-related questions. This event runs from 7 to 8pm on Friday, from 9am to 9pm on Saturday and from 9am to 3pm on Sunday. Admission is included in the $5 park day-use fee.
Summer Guide 2019 June 22
Toast of Taos Wine Festival & Golf Tournament, Ranchos de Taos The Lions Club of Taos hosts the annual Toast of Taos Wine Festival & Golf Tournament at the Taos Country Club in Rancho de Taos. Compete with other golfers for the longest drive starting at 9am, and begin tasting all sorts of different New Mexico wines at 2pm. For those 21 and over, tickets are $45. (taoslions.org/index.php/toast_of_taos)
Summer Guide 2019 June 22
Music & the Stars, Radium Springs Taking a grand view of the outdoors in our state is a noble activity, made more so at night by a sky filled with stars and wonder. Join the New Mexico State Parks Service at Leasburg Dam State Park in Radium Springs for a deeper view of earthly nature and the universe above. Several telescopes are available for the public to observe planets, stars and nebulae. Weather permitting, the observatory and its 16-inch research grade telescope is also available for you to look through. Volunteers from the Astronomical Society of Las Cruces will be on hand to assist visitors with telescopes and answer questions. Regular park day-use or camping fees ($10) apply. The sky watching begins at 6:30pm. Tom Foster Morris & The Band of Friends provide a soundtrack, and food trucks are available to augment astronomical activities.
Summer Guide 2019 June 27
Rockin Route 66, Tucumcari Don’t drive your daddy to drinkin’ this year by hanging in Burque when other rockin’ climes are calling. Get that hot rod Lincoln of yours ready to run and head out to Tucumcari for the Rockin Route 66 festival, happening from June 27 to 30 in that fabled New Mexico town right smack in the middle of the historic highway route that connects Cali to the rest of the Western world. At this year’s iteration, expect roaring acts like The Rhythm Shakers and Danny B Harvey & Anne Marie Lewis to prove to you that the Mother Road to rock is still rolling.
Summer Guide 2019 July 4
The Largest Fireworks Show in New Mexico, MescaleroIf you’re the sort of American who digs a mountain setting, explosions in the sky with added color and the victorious smell of sulfur, then have we got a free, family-friendly Fourth of July event for you! The Largest Fireworks Show in New Mexico will be happening at Inn of the Mountain Gods down near Ruidoso from 3pm until 10pm. All you gotta do is drive south about three hours, rent a cool cabin and sit back and chillax. Boom, homies, boom.4th of July Free Music Getaway Weekend, Taos If you prefer to kick it en el Norte on federal holidays and don’t even want to think about el Sur, much less Ruidoso, then Taos is just the ticket. This year, the Fourth will be a groovy scene there indeed, with featured performers War (think “Low Rider”) and ukulele master Jake Shimabukuro providing the awesome jams at this patriotic party. It’s a free, all-ages festival sponsored by AMP Concerts, who ask that you register for free tickets at holdmyticket.com.4th of July Celebration with NM Tech Famous Fireworks Display at Dark, SocorroOr you could just hang out in the middle, primo. The city of Socorro is having an all-day celebration of the Fourth of July from 11am til 10pm. It’s free and features legendary local musical acts like Tobias Rene, Cowboy Way and Suavecito. The party also features water slides, BBQ and food trucks and boasts a legitimately world-famous fireworks display. (socorronm.gov/events/22nd-annual-4th-july-celebration)
Summer Guide 2019 July 5
UFO Festival, Roswell People from 43 states and 16 countries, 27 media groups, 24 live network shows and countless print stories can’t all be wrong about the legendary UFO Festival—taking place in Roswell on July 5 from noon to 10pm, on July 6 from 10am to 10pm and on July 7 from 10am to 3pm. Beam down to the site of the infamous Roswell UFO crash site and find yourself confronted by more alien-oriented events (a UFO light parade, planetarium shows, a sci-fi convention) than you can shake a probe at. (ufofestivalroswell.com)
Summer Guide 2019 July 5
Pork & Brew, Rio RanchoFrom July 5 through 7, sample New Mexico’s best barbecue and beers at Rio Rancho’s 16th annual Pork & Brew fest. It goes down at Santa Ana Star Center from 2 to 8pm on Friday, from 11am to 7pm on Saturday, and from 11am to 5pm on Sunday, with arts and crafts, live music, cooking demos and pig races. Tickets are just $6. (rioranchonm.org/142/Pork-Brew)
Summer Guide 2019 July 6
July 4th Fireworks Show, Elephant Butte Celebrate this bombastic, patriotic holiday with the biggest fireworks show in New Mexico on the largest body of water in the state. Head down to Elephant Butte State Park for a long weekend, where fees are waived after 6pm in honor of the festivities. The sky lights up on the Saturday closest to July 4 (July 6, in this case) shortly after dusk. Be sure to check out those reflections in the water.
Summer Guide 2019 July 6
Santa Fe Wine FestivalSanta Fe’s longest-running wine festival returns to El Rancho de las Golondrinas on July 6 and 7. Taste over 20 New Mexican wines, dance to live music and shop for handmade arts and crafts. Anyone under 21 must be accompanied by a legal guardian. Tickets are $18 and include a complimentary wine glass. (golondrinas.org/festivals/santa-fe-wine-festival)
Summer Guide 2019 July 10
Los Alamos ScienceFest, Los Alamos If you need a reason not to skip over the secluded town of Los Alamos, ScienceFest gives you at least one. Hundreds of scientists, engineers, techies and artists gather to offer five days of mind-blowing, hands-on education and entertainment. The fest includes a plethora of events each day, from Wednesday, July 10 through Sunday, July 14. This year’s theme is “Eureka!” (losalamossciencefestival.com)
Summer Guide 2019 July 13
Lavender in the Valley Festival, Abiquiu New Mexicans tend to be understandably obsessed with one of our most abundant and profitable floral crops, lavender. Purple Adobe Lavender Farm brings its Lavender in the Valley Festival back for a 10th iteration on July 13 and 14 with a “U-pick” lavender field, their famous tea house, crafts, tours, food, music and lots and lots of lavender. General admission is $5, and children under 10 get in free. (purpleadobelavenderfarm.com)
Summer Guide 2019 July 13
Aztec Ruins
Rationalobserver
American Indian Cultural Arts Festival, Aztec Here’s an opportunity for a real, free cultural encounter designed to broaden horizons, open minds and introduce residents, visitors and shoppers to the wealth of art, craft and creativity coming out of tribal areas in the Four Corners area. From 10am to 2pm, on Saturday, July 13, various Southwestern tribal entities demonstrate their work and culture, as Pueblo dancers perform in the plaza. Aztec Ruins National Monument is located about 3.5 hours northwest of Albuquerque, near Farmington.
Summer Guide 2019 July 13
Fort Stanton Live, Fort Stanton This 160-year-old military fortification located between Capitan and Lincoln welcomes costumed reenactors from the Civil War and Indian Wars era for this popular annual event. There will be historical reenactments, demos, presentations, vendors, food and even a Victorian ladies’ tea. The day gets capped off by a period military ball. Gates open at 9am, and admission is $5 per person or free for children under 12. (fortstanton.org/events/fort-stanton-live)
Summer Guide 2019 July 15
Clay Festival, Silver City Journey down the Clay Trail to Silver City for the 2019 Clay Festival from July 15 through 21 for workshops and insight into the culture of clay. In this region clay is used creatively in art, pottery, murals and architecture This year-round clay destination celebrates a humble, practical element of The Land of Enchantment. (clayfestival.com)
Summer Guide 2019 July 18
Run to Raton, Raton Don’t worry: No actual running is involved. This celebration of bikes, trikes and classic cars runs from Thursday, July 18 to Sunday, July 21 and showcases northern New Mexico food, drink and landscapes. The packed event schedule includes live music, bike and car shows, a street party, games and prizes. It all starts on Thursday with a camp-out and party in infamous “Cold Beer,” New Mexico. Plan your weekend by checking out all the happenings online. (runtoraton.com)
Summer Guide 2019 July 20
¡Viva México! Fiesta, Santa Fe Celebrate the rich culture of Mexico at the 12th Annual ¡Viva México! Fiesta at El Rancho de las Golondrinas. Enjoy delicious Mexican food, shop at the mercado, listen to mariachis and marvel at amazing art on Saturday and Sunday, July 20 and 21, from 10am to 4pm. Admission for adults costs $8, teens and seniors pay $6 and kids under 12 get in for free. Tickets can be purchased via holdmyticket.com. (golondrinas.org/festivals/viva-mexico-celebration)Lavender in the Village, Los RanchosThe 13th annual lavender fest in the Village of Los Ranchos boasts live music, free yoga classes, a kids’ camp, wellness seminars, cooking demonstrations and 70 artisans offering everything from lavender bouquets to lavender paintings, pies, spices, lotions, beer and wine. (lavenderinthevillage.org)
Summer Guide 2019 August 2
Billy the Kid Pageant and Old Lincoln Days, LincolnStep into New Mexico’s past with food, music and a reenactment of Billy the Kid’s dramatic last escape at the Lincoln Historic Site. Old Lincoln Days takes visitors back to the days of the bloody Lincoln County War with live performance, music, food and a parade. Adult admission is $6. Museums open at 8:30am, and the reenactment caps it off nightly at 8:30pm. (billythekidpageant.com)Socorro Chile Harvest Triathlon, Socorro Compete in the spiciest ’athlon of the summer—the 25th annual Chile Harvest Triathlon in Socorro. Swim, bike and run your way to legendary status on Friday, Aug. 2 (youths, ages 7 to 15) or Saturday, Aug. 3 (adults), starting at 7:30am. Registration costs $60 for adults (if filed before June 22, $80 if filed later). Registration ends on July 31. (chileharvesttri.com)
Summer Guide 2019 August 2
Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial, Gallup Tribes including the Aztec, Pine Mountain Apache, Diamond Creek Apache, Southern Cheyenne, Chickasaw, Comanche, Hopi, Pima, Sioux and Zuni descend on Gallup for this 98th annual celebration. A juried art exhibit, the Inter-Tribal Queen Pageant, a rodeo, concerts and—of course—plenty of ceremonial dancing take place over this 9-day (Aug. 2-11) event. General admission is $10. Special events like the opening night wine tasting ($25) or the Ceremonial Queen Luncheon ($20) are extra. (gallupceremonial.com)
Summer Guide 2019 August 3
Places With a Past Historic Homes and Buildings Tour, Las Vegas Celebrate three decades of Las Vegas’ “renaissance” with a self-guided tour of historic and renovated homes and buildings. View these beautiful structures the way they were meant to be seen. Buildings along the tour route open their doors to visitors from 9am to 4pm. Tickets are $25 per person and can be purchased online. (lvcchp.org)
Summer Guide 2019 August 10
New Mexico Hemp Fiesta, Albuquerque Make the summer a little greener with Weekly Alibi at our third annual Hemp Fiesta. Learn more about one of the fastest-growing industries in New Mexico from medical cannabis experts and industry leaders at Balloon Fiesta Park from noon to 8pm. There will be rad bands, food and other fun activities. Admission is free, and parking will run you $5 per vehicle. (nmhempfiesta.com)
Summer Guide 2019 August 10
Festival Eclectica, Angel FireAward-winning powerhouse vocalist and guitarist Samantha Fish heads up this all-day world music event from noon to 11:30pm at the Colfax County Airport in Angel Fire. Albuquerque favorite Red Light Cameras shares the stage with “the new face of Angola world music” Vivalda Dula, soulful Latinx group Nohe & Sus Santos and others. This one covers it all, from blues to Latin rock to folk to Afropop. A full food court, craft beer garden and arts festival will keep the rest of your body busy while your ears are meaningfully engaged. Advance tickets ($35) are available now via brownpapertickets.com. (angelfireresort.com/event/festival-eclectica)
Summer Guide 2019 August 16
Music From Angel Fire, Taos For 36 years now, the village of Taos has brought world-class chamber musicians to our state to promote the joys of classical music. From Aug. 16 to Sept. 1, more than a dozen concerts take place all over northern New Mexico (Angel Fire, Taos, Las Vegas, Raton, Eagle Nest). Renowned American composer Richard Danielpour is this year’s special guest. The music of Schubert, Brahms, Mendelssohn and various other dead dudes will be featured, of course. For the more contemporarily minded, there’s a jazz concert featuring the works of Pat Metheny and Alec Wilder. The full fest schedule is online now, and tickets go on sale soon.
Summer Guide 2019 August 16
Taos Vortex, TaosSanta Fe’s mega-successful art collective/tourist destination/interactive museum heads to Taos for a weekend of music and art. This immersive three-day experience in Kit Carson Park features live music by Lykke Li, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Flying Lotus 3D, Calexico, Iron & Wine, CocoRosie and more than 30 other performers. Organizers also promise adventure, experimental interactions and a “Pussy Power House.” Full weekend passes ($179 to $229 with or without camping) and single-day tickets ($79 to $99) are going fast! (taosvortex.com)
Summer Guide 2019 August 17
Questa Studio Arts Tour, QuestaNow in its fourth year, the Questa Studio Arts Rour takes place on Aug. 17 and 18 from 10am to 5pm. Work by more than 30 artists and craftspeople will be on display, allowing visitors the opportunity to snap up everything from oil paintings to homemade soap, jewelry to glassworks. While there, shoppers are invited to take in the beautiful high-altitude scenery, hike in the Carson National Forest and check out local restaurants. (questaartstour.com)
Summer Guide 2019 August 22
The Great American Duck Race, Farmington From Aug. 22 through 25, take advantage of the opportunity to witness the finest thoroughbred ducks as they race for glory in southern New Mexico. A skate competition (for humans), a “Duck Royalty Pageant,” a slow pitch tournament, a hot air balloon mass ascension, a community barbecue, an outhouse race, a carnival and the “Great American Tortilla Toss” are just some of the highlights during this weekend of duckery. Food, arts and crafts and live music fill in the gaps. (demingduckrace.com)
Summer Guide 2019 August 30
The Burning of Zozobra, Santa Fe This trademark New Mexico event traces its history back 95 years. Towering, 50-foot marionette Zozobra (aka Old Man Gloom) is stuffed full of people’s handwritten regrets and set on fire at sundown on Friday, Aug. 30, the first night of Labor Day weekend-slash-the unofficial end of summer. This cathartic immolation leaves hyped-up revelers happier and (theoretically) less burdened by worldly concerns. Gates open at 3pm at Fort Marcy Park. Entertainment starts at 7pm. Tickets (still just $10) go on sale on July 4. For an extra $10, visitors from Albuquerque can add a round-trip Rail Runner ticket for added convenience. (burnzozobra.com)
Summer Guide 2019 August 31
The Hatch Chile Festival, HatchHead over to the Hatch Municipal Airport from Aug. 31 through Sept. 1 to sample some of the best chile that our state has to offer. Vendor booths, artists, musicians, a carnival, beer tents and—of course—a “chile roaster garden” will be waiting for you there. Will there be a chile-eating contest? You bet your burning lips there will be! Admission is $20 per carload, so bring some friends! (hatchchilefest.com/events)
Summer Guide 2019 September 13
Elephant Butte Balloon Regatta, Elephant Butte From Sept. 13 through 15, check out the 39th annual slow-motion balloon/boat race through the air and water of Elephant Butte. It starts at dawn with a traditional mass ascension. This is followed by a unique relay race in which boat captains hand off batons to balloon pilots. The day ends at dusk with an evening balloon glow. Admission is free with the State Park entrance fee. (ebbr.org)
