Calendar of Events

January

New Year's Day. Transfer of canes to new officials and various dances at most pueblos. Turtle Dance at Taos Pueblo (no photography allowed). Call tel. 505/758-1028 for more information. January 1.

Winter Wine Festival, Taos. A variety of wine offerings and food tastings prepared by local chefs take place in the Taos Ski Valley. Call tel. 505/776-2291 for details. Mid-January.

February

Candelaria Day Celebration, Picuris Pueblo. Traditional dances. Call tel. 505/587-2519 for more information. February 2.

Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathlon. Hundreds of athletes come from all over the West to bicycle, run, cross-country ski, and snowshoe up and down this mountain. For information, call tel. 800/748-2142. Mid-February.

Edible Art Tour, Santa Fe. Santa Fe's top chefs and galleries team up to create a gastro-aesthetic feast. For information, call tel. 505/982-1648. Late February.

Just Desserts Eat and Ski, Red River. Cross-country skiers skate from point to point on the Enchanted Forest course, tasting decadent desserts supplied by area restaurants. Call tel. 505/754-2374. Late February.

March

National Fiery Foods/Barbecue Show, Albuquerque Convention Center. Here's your chance to taste the hottest of the hot and plenty of milder flavors, too. Some 10,000 general public attendees show up to taste sauces, salsas, candies, and more, and to see cooking demonstrations at the Albuquerque Convention Center. For information, call tel. 505/873-8680 or go to www.fiery-foods.com. Early March.

Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival. A juried show featuring 200 artists and craftspeople from around the country takes place at the State Fairgrounds in Albuquerque. Call tel. 505/292-7457 for more information, or visit www.riograndefestivals.com. Second week of March.

Chimayo Pilgrimage. On Good Friday, thousands of pilgrims trek on foot to the Santuario de Chimayo, a small church north of Santa Fe that's believed to aid in miracles. For information, call tel. 505/351-4889.

Rockhound Roundup, Deming. Gems, jewelry, tools, and crafted items are displayed and sold at the Southwest New Mexico State Fairgrounds. Call tel. 505/544-8643. Mid-March.

April

Easter Weekend celebration. Celebrations include Masses, parades, corn dances, and other dances, such as the bow and arrow dance at Nambe. Call tel. 505/793-2036 for information.

American Indian Week, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, Albuquerque. A celebration of Native American traditions and culture. For dates and information, call tel. 505/843-7270.

Gathering of Nations Powwow, University Arena, Albuquerque. Dance competitions, arts-and-crafts exhibitions, and Miss Indian World contest. Call tel. 505/836-2810, or visit www.gatheringofnations.com. Late April.

May

Cinco de Mayo Fiestas, statewide. The restoration of the Mexican republic (from French occupation during 1863-67) is celebrated in, among other places, Las Cruces at Old Mesilla Plaza (tel. 505/524-3262) and Truth or Consequences (tel. 505/524-3262). First weekend in May.

Taos Spring Arts Festival. Contemporary visual, performing, and literary arts are highlighted during 2 weeks of gallery openings, studio tours, performances by visiting theatrical and dance troupes, live musical events, traditional ethnic entertainment, literary readings, and more.

Events are held at venues throughout Taos and Taos County. For dates and ticket info contact the Taos County Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Drawer I, Taos, NM 87571 (tel. 800/732-TAOS or 505/758-3873; www.taoschamber.com). All month.

Taste of Santa Fe. Sample Santa Fe's best chefs' recipes, including appetizers, entrees, and desserts at Santa Fe's La Fonda Hotel. For information, call tel. 505/982-6366, ext. 112. Held in May or June.

June

Aztec Fiesta Days, Aztec. Celebrate the arrival of summer with three parades, games, food, arts and crafts, and a carnival. Call tel. 505/334-9551. First full weekend in June.

San Antonio Feast Day. Corn dances at many of the pueblos. For information, call tel. 505/843-7270. June 13.

Rodeo de Santa Fe. This 4-day event features a Western parade, a rodeo dance, and five rodeo performances. It attracts hundreds of cowboys and cowgirls from all over the Southwest who compete for sizable purses in such events as Brahma bull and bronco riding, calf roping, steer wrestling, barrel racing, trick riding, and clown and animal acts.

The rodeo grounds are at 3237 Rodeo Rd., off Cerrillos Road, 5 1/2 miles south of the plaza. Performances are in the evening Wednesday to Saturday; and on Saturday afternoon. For tickets and information, call tel. 505/471-4300 or visit www.rodeodesantafe.org. It takes place sometime around the third weekend in June.

Rodeo de Taos, County Fairgrounds, Taos. A fun event featuring local and regional participants. For information, call tel. 505/758-5700 or, in mid- to late June call tel. 505/758-3974. Third or fourth weekend in June.

Taos Solar Music Festival, Kit Carson Municipal Park, Taos. Sit out on the grass, under the sun, and listen to major players at this event celebrating the summer solstice. A tribute to solar energy, the event has a stage powered by a solar generator and educational displays within a "Solar Village." For information, call tel. 505/758-9191. Late June.

New Mexico Arts and Crafts Fair, State Fairgrounds, Albuquerque. A tradition for 43 years, this juried show offers work from more than 200 New Mexico artisans, accompanied by nonstop entertainment for the whole family. This can be a good place to find Hispanic arts and crafts.

For information, call tel. 505/884-9043 or check online at www.nmartsandcraftsfair.org. Last full weekend in June.

July

Fourth of July celebrations (including fireworks displays) are held all over New Mexico. Call the chambers of commerce in specific towns and cities for information.

Pancake Breakfast on the Plaza, Santa Fe. Rub elbows with Santa Fe residents at this locals' event on the plaza. For information call tel. 505/982-2002. July 4.

Santa Fe International Folk Art Market. This has fast become one of the city's most popular summer events. Artisans from all over the world come to display and sell works ranging from basketry to textiles outside the International Museum of Folk Art. Concerts, dance performances, and children's programs charge the air, while the scent of delectable food wafts about. For tickets call tel. 505/988-1234 or visit www.folkartmarket.org. Early July.

Santa Fe Opera. The world-class Santa Fe Opera season offers contemporary and traditional opera in a stunning indoor-outdoor theater in the hills outside the city. Call tel. 505/986-5955 for more information. July through August.

Taos Pueblo Powwow. Intertribal competition in traditional and contemporary dances. Call tel. 505/758-1028 for more information or go to www.taospueblopowwow.com. Second weekend in July.

Eight Northern Pueblos Artist and Craftsman Show. More than 600 Native American artists exhibit their work at the eight northern pueblos. Traditional dances and food booths; location varies. Call tel. 505/747-1593 for location and exact dates. Third weekend in July.

Fiestas de Santiago y Santa Ana, Taos. The celebration begins with a Friday-night Mass at one of the three Taos-area parishes, where the fiesta queen is crowned. During the weekend there are candlelight processions, special Masses, music, dancing, parades, crafts, and food booths.

Taos Plaza hosts many events and most are free. For information, contact the Taos Fiesta Council, P.O. Box 3300, Taos, NM 87571 (tel. 800/732-8267; www.fiestasdetaos.com). Third weekend in July.

Spanish Market, Santa Fe. More than 300 Hispanic artists from New Mexico and southern Colorado exhibit and sell their work in this lively community event. Artists are featured in special demonstrations, while an entertaining mix of traditional Hispanic music, dance, foods, and pageantry creates the ambience of a village celebration. Artwork for sale includes santos (painted and carved saints), textiles, tinwork, furniture, straw appliqué, and metalwork.

The markets are found at Santa Fe Plaza. For information, contact the Spanish Colonial Arts Society, P.O. Box 5378, Santa Fe, NM 87502 (tel. 505/982-2226; www.spanishcolonial.org). Last full weekend in July.

Apache Maidens' Puberty Rites, Mescalero. This 4-day ceremony concludes with a rodeo and the dance of the mountain spirits. Call tel. 505/671-4494 for more information. July 1 to 4.

Old Lincoln Days and Billy the Kid Pageant, Lincoln. The main attraction is a reenactment of Billy the Kid's escape from the Lincoln jail. There are also a fiddling contest and living-history demonstrations (such as weaving and blacksmithing). Call tel. 505/653-4025 for more information. Last weekend in July or first weekend in August.

Intertribal Indian Ceremonial, near Gallup. Thirty tribes from the United States and Mexico participate in rodeos, parades, dances, athletic competitions, and an arts and crafts show at Red Rock State Park, east of Gallup. Call tel. 800/242-4282. Late July or early to mid-August.

August

Connie Mack World Series Baseball Tournament, Ricketts Park, Farmington. The very best high school players from throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada compete in a 7-day, 17-game series, which is closely watched by scouts from college and professional teams. Call tel. 505/599-1184 for details. Early August.

San Lorenzo Feast Day, Picuris Pueblo. Traditional dances and foot races. Call tel. 505/587-2519 or visit www.santaana.org/calendar.htm for details. August 10.

Pueblo Independence Day, Jemez Pueblo. Participants from many of the Pueblos convene to celebrate the Pueblo Revolt of 1680. Food, art booths, dances, and live music fill the sunny plaza. Call tel. 505/829-3530. Mid-August.

Bat Flight Breakfast, Carlsbad Caverns National Park. An early-morning buffet breakfast is served while participants watch the bats return to the cave. Call tel. 505/785-2232 for details and exact date. Second Thursday of August.

Zuni Arts & Cultural Expo. This 3-day event features arts-and-crafts sales and traditional food and dances. Call tel. 505/782-7238. Second week in August.

Chama Days. A rodeo, parade, and arts-and-crafts fair highlight this mountain-town event. Call tel. 800/477-0149. Second weekend of August.

The Indian Market, Santa Fe. This is the largest all-Native American market in the country. About 1,000 artisans display their baskets and blankets, jewelry, pottery, woodcarvings, rugs, sand paintings, and sculptures at rows of booths around Santa Fe Plaza, surrounding streets, and de Vargas Mall. Sales are brisk. Costumed tribal dancing and crafts demonstrations are scheduled in the afternoon.

The market is free, but hotels are booked months in advance. For information, contact the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, P.O. Box 969, Santa Fe, NM 87504-0969 (tel. 505/983-5220; www.swaia.org). Third weekend in August.

Music from Angel Fire. World-class musicians gather in Angel Fire to perform classical and chamber music. For information and schedules, call tel. 505/377-3233 or go to www.angelfirenm.com. Mid-August to the first week in September.

Great American Duck Race, Deming. Devised in a bar in 1979, this event has grown to include a parade, a tortilla toss, an outhouse race, ballooning, dances, and, of course, the duck race. It takes place on the courthouse lawn ("Duck Downs"). For details, call tel. 888/345-1125 or visit www.demingduckrace.com. Fourth weekend in August.

September

The All American Futurity, Ruidoso Downs, Ruidoso. With a purse of $2 million, this is the world's richest quarter-horse race. Call tel. 505/378-4431. Labor Day.

Chile Festival, Hatch. New Mexicans celebrate their favorite fiery food item with a festival in the "Chile Capital of the World." Call tel. 505/267-5050. Labor Day weekend.

New Mexico Wine Festival. New Mexico wines are showcased at this annual event in Bernalillo, near Albuquerque, which features wine tastings, an art show, and live entertainment. For a schedule of events, call tel. 505/867-3311. Labor Day weekend.

La Fiesta de Santa Fe. An exuberant combination of spirit, history, and general merrymaking, La Fiesta is the oldest community celebration in the United States. The first fiesta was celebrated in 1712, 20 years after the peaceful resettlement of New Mexico by Spanish conquistadors in 1692. La Conquistadora, a carved Madonna credited with the victory, is the focus of the celebration, which includes Masses, a parade for children and their pets, a historical/hysterical parade, mariachi concerts, dances, food, and arts, as well as local entertainment on the plaza. Zozobra, "Old Man Gloom," a 40-foot-tall effigy made of wood, canvas, and paper, is burned at dusk on Thursday to revitalize the community.

Zozobra kicks off La Fiesta. For information, call tel. 505/988-7575. Weekend following Labor Day.

Enchanted Circle Century Bike Tour, Red River. About 500 cyclists turn out to ride 100 miles of scenic mountain roads, starting and ending in Red River. All levels of riders are welcome, though not everyone completes this test of endurance. Call tel. 505/754-2366. Weekend following Labor Day.

New Mexico State Fair and Rodeo, Albuquerque. This is one of America's top state fairs; it features parimutuel horse racing, a nationally acclaimed rodeo, entertainment by top country-singing artists, Native American and Spanish villages, the requisite midway, livestock shows, and arts and crafts.

The fair and rodeo, which last 17 days, are held at the State Fairgrounds. Advance tickets can be ordered by calling tel. 505/265-1791 or visiting www.exponm.com. Early September.

Taos Trade Fair, La Hacienda de los Martinez, Lower Ranchitos Road, Taos. This 2-day affair reenacts Spanish colonial life of the mid-1820s and features Hispanic and Native American music, weaving and crafts demonstrations, traditional foods, dancing, and visits by mountain men. Call tel. 505/758-0505. Last full weekend in September.

San Geronimo Vespers Sundown Dance and Trade Fair, Taos Pueblo. This event features a Mass and procession; traditional corn, buffalo, and Comanche dances; an arts-and-crafts fair; foot races; and pole climbs by clowns. Call tel. 505/758-0505 for details. Last weekend in September.

Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta. This lively celebration boasts 5 days of wine and food events, including seminars, guest chef demonstrations and luncheons, tours, a grand tasting and reserve tasting, an auction, and a golf tournament. It takes place at many venues in downtown Santa Fe with the big event on the last Saturday. Tickets go on sale in early July and sell out quickly. For information, call tel. 505/438-8060 or visit www.santafewineandchile.org. Last Wednesday through Sunday in September.

Stone Lake Fiesta, Jicarilla Reservation, 19 miles south of Dulce. This is an Apache festival with a rodeo, ceremonial dances, and a foot race. Call tel. 505/759-3242, ext. 275 or 277, for more information. September 15.

Mexican Independence Day. A parade and dances take place in Las Cruces at Old Mesilla Plaza (tel. 505/541-2444) and Carlsbad at San Jose Plaza (tel. 800/221-1224 or 505/887-6516). Weekend closest to September 16.

Taos Fall Arts Festival. Highlights include arts-and-crafts exhibitions and competitions, studio tours, gallery openings, lectures, concerts, dances, and stage plays. Simultaneous events include the Old Taos Trade Fair, the Wool Festival, and San Geronimo Day at Taos Pueblo.

The festival is held throughout Taos and Taos County Events, schedules, and tickets (where required) can be obtained from the Taos County Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Drawer I, Taos, NM 87571 (tel. 800/732-8267 or 505/758-3873; www.taoschamber.com). Mid-September (or the third weekend) to the first week in October.

The Whole Enchilada Fiesta, Las Cruces. The world's biggest enchilada (sometimes over 7 ft. wide) is created and eaten. Call tel. 505/524-1968. Late September or early October.

October

Shiprock Navajo Fair, Shiprock. The oldest and most traditional Navajo fair, it features a rodeo, dancing and singing, a parade, and arts-and-crafts exhibits. Call tel. 800/448-1240 for details. Early October.

Rio Grande Arts and Crafts Festival, Albuquerque. This event features artists and craftspeople from around the country. For more information, call tel. 505/292-7457. First and second weekends in October.

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. The world's largest balloon rally, this 9-day festival brings together more than 750 colorful balloons and includes races and contests. There are mass ascensions at sunrise, "balloon glows" in the evening, and balloon rides for those desiring a little lift. Various special events are staged all week.

Balloons lift off at Balloon Fiesta Park (at I-25 and Alameda NE) on Albuquerque's northern city limits. For information, call tel. 800/733-9918 or visit www.balloonfiesta.com. Second week in October.

Taos Mountain Balloon Rally. The Albuquerque fiesta's "little brother" offers mass dawn ascensions, tethered balloon rides for the public, and a Saturday parade of balloon baskets (in pickup trucks) from Kit Carson Park around the plaza. Call tel. 800/732-8267 for more information. Last weekend of October.

November

Weems Artfest, State Fairgrounds, Albuquerque. Approximately 260 artisans, who work in a variety of media, come from throughout the world to attend this 3-day fair. It's one of the top 100 arts-and-crafts fairs in the country. For details, call tel. 505/293-6133. Early November.

Festival of the Cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, near Socorro. People come from all over the world to attend this bird-watching event just an hour and a half south of Albuquerque. Call tel. 505/835-1828. Weekend before Thanksgiving.

Yuletide in Taos. This holiday event emphasizes northern New Mexican traditions, cultures, and arts, with carols, festive classical music, Hispanic and Native American songs and dances, historic walking tours, art exhibitions, dance performances, candlelight dinners, and more.

Events are staged by the Taos County Chamber of Commerce, P.O. Drawer I, Taos, NM 87571 (tel. 800/732-8267; www.taoschamber.com). From Thanksgiving through New Year's Day.

December

Christmas on the Pecos, Carlsbad. Pontoon-boat rides take place each evening, past a fascinating display of Christmas lights on riverside homes and businesses. Call tel. 800/221-1224 or 505/887-6516. Thanksgiving to New Year's Eve (except Christmas Eve).

Winter Spanish Market, El Museo Cultural, Santa Fe. Approximately 150 artists show their wares at this little sister to July's major event. See the Spanish Market in July (above) for more information. Call tel. 505/982-2226. First full weekend in December.

Christmas in Madrid Open House. Even if you never get out of your car, it's worth going to see the spectacular lights display in this village between Albuquerque and Santa Fe on the Turquoise Trail. You'll also find entertainment, refreshments in shops, and Santa Claus. For additional information, call tel. 505/471-1054. First two weekends in December.

Canyon Road Farolito Walk, Santa Fe. Locals and visitors bundle up and stroll Canyon Road, where streets and rooftops are lined with farolitos (candle lamps). Musicians play and carolers sing around luminarias (little fires). Though it's not responsible for the event, the Santa Fe Convention and Visitors Bureau (tel. 505/955-6200) can help direct you there; or ask your hotel concierge. Christmas Eve at dusk.

Christmas Native American Celebrations. Many of the pueblos have winter dances, including the Matachine and buffalo. For more information, contact the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center at tel. 800/776-4405 or 505/843-7270; or go online to www.indianpueblo.org. December 24 and 25.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Fiesta, Tortugas, near Las Cruces. This pilgrimage to Tortugas Mountain and torchlight descent is followed by a Mass and traditional Native American and Hispanic dances. Call tel. 505/526-8171 for more information. December 10 to 12.

Torchlight Procession, Taos Ski Valley. Bold skiers carve down a steep run named Snakedance in the dark while carrying golden fire. For information, call tel. 800/992-7669 or 505/776-2291, or visit www.skitaos.org. December 31.