places in New Mexico

Food Festivals

FEBRUARY

Chocolate Fantasia
Silver City
Join the fun as Silver City celebrates Chocolate Fantasia! Stroll galleries, shops, and greet old friends while sampling gourmet chocolate creations made by local chocolatiers. Local musicians perform at many locations. http://www.silvercity.org/dest_chocolate_fantasia.php

National Fiery Foods and BBQ Show
Albuquerque
The National Fiery Foods & BBQ Show, now in its 21st year, is the largest and most visited show in the world relating to spicy foods and barbecue. Held each March in Albuquerque, New Mexico, it features 200+ exhibitor booths filled with more than 1,000 different products. The show attracts more than 14,000 trade and general public attendees from all over the world.
http://www.fiery-foods.com/index.php

Cuchillo Pecan Festival
Cuchillo
Held the fourth Saturday in February, the Cuchillo Pecan Festival is a celebration of the pecan harvest featuring pecan pie, music, pecan candy, arts and crafts, flavored pecans, BBQ, pecans, and more pecans. Proceeds go to NM Boys and Girls Ranches. Cuchillo is located on Hwy 52 about 15 miles northwest of Truth or Consequences. Contact: 575-743-3201.
http://www.wildcountryfoods.com/upcoming-event.php

MARCH

Taste of Carlsbad
Carlsbad
Come and join the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce for their 8th annual Taste of Carlsbad. Sample culinary delights from over 10 food vendors and wine from local area restaurants. Pecos River Village Conference Center
711 Muscatel Carlsbad, NM 88220

Caballo Eagles Chile Cookoff
Caballo
Caballo Eagles Annual Chile Cookoff is a sanctioned chile competition. Proceeds benefit the Eagles Aerie Charities. Contact Tom Chaney at 915-449-4064 for details.

New Mexico Pork and Brew Barbeque Championship
Bernalillo
This BBQ cook-off competition, held at the Santa Ana Casino features music, entertainment, amusements and of course, good food.
http://www.fiery-foods.com/index.php

JUNE

Elephant Butte Chili Challenge Cook Off
Elephant Butte Lake State Park
Enter the competition and see if your best batch of red or green can win a prize or come on out and vote in the People's
 Choice award. Tasting starts at 11 am. Ice cream and hamburgers are also available.
http://www.elephantbuttechamberofcommerce.com/html/events.htm

Carrizozo Cowboy Days
Carrizozo
A celebration of cowboy life and lifestyles on the range. Events include a parade, chuckwagon dinner, cowboy poetry, music, vendors and more.
http://townofcarrizozo.org/calendar/view_entry.php?id=117&date=20090614

River and Brews Blues Fest
Red River
Awesome blues music, with the Albuquerque Blues Connection as one of our top bands. Micro beer and mouth watering BBQ accompany this event to make it one hot night! Friday night will be an "Open Mic Night". Don't miss Saturday's complete Blues Fest! For more information please contact the Chamber at 575-754-2366 x 1 or call toll free at 1-800-348-6444 x 1.
http://www.redrivernewmex.com/event_detail.aspx?id=189

Red River Fine Art & Wine Festival
Red River
Come experience some of the finest art, wine, music and food from all over the southwest. The Red River Chamber of Commerce is celebrating the 6th Annual Fine Art & Wine Festival, Father’s Day weekend, June 20-21, 2009, in Brandenburg Park. Come experience the picturesque town of Red River, New Mexico, while tantalizing your taste buds with fine wines and delicacies. Partake in exciting live auctions. Peruse some of the most elegant pieces of fine art, pottery and photography. Combine all this with easy listening music and a spectacular mountain backdrop and you’re sure to have a weekend to remember!
Go on line at http://www.redrivernewmex.com for more information.

JULY

Animas River Blues Festival, 
Blues ,Brews & Bar-B-Que!

Aztec
Head to Aztec for the Fourth Annual Animas River Blues Festival, featuring national and local blues bands along with great food and cold brews.
http://www.animasriverblues.com/

AUGUST

Hot Chile Days, Cool Mountain Nights

Red River
This three day event combines live music all weekend and a chile cook-off in the park. Music venues around town include the Top of the Mountain located along the Red River, Brandenburg Park, and the historic Motherlode Saloon. The chili cookoff has four categories: Red Chile, Green Chile, Salsa, and Open.
http://www.redriver.org/

SEPTEMBER

Hatch Chile Festival
Hatch
The Mesilla Valley is the chile capital of the world, and what better way to celebrate than with a chile festival. Sample some of the finest chile while you enjoy food, crafts, an auction, live music and more. Hatch. (575) 267-5050.
www.hatchchilefest.com 



Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta
Santa Fe
The Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta combines outstanding food with wonderful New Mexico wines.
http://www.santafewineandchile.org/

The Whole Enchilada Fiesta
Las Cruces
Las Cruces hosts one big street party complete with food, dancing, a parade and the making of the official world’s largest enchilada! Meerscheidt Recreation Center. (575) 526-1938.
http://www.enchiladafiesta.com

OCTOBER

20th Annual 
Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium
Ruidoso
World's Richest Chuckwagon Cookoff
One of the highlights of the Symposium is the world's richest chuckwagon cook-off (featured on the Food Network's All American Festivals) with prizes totaling $12,000. Competitors are judged not only on their mouth-watering food, but on the authenticity of their wagons and attire.
http://www.cowboysymposium.org/

Red River Oktoberfest
Red River
Oktoberfest in Red River includes microbreweries, vendors, food, German “OOMPAH" polka music, contests, and activities for kids. We will have a beer contest which will involve all the brewers. We will be awarding “Best Amber," “Best Lager," and “People’s Choice." All of Red River is engulfed by the spirit of Oktoberfest with its array of activities that occur at many different locations. If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities, contact the Chamber of Commerce at 575-754-2366 x 1.
http://www.redrivernewmex.com/events.aspx

Oktoberfest: Main Avenue
Aztec
Always the second weekend in October, enjoy a weekend of live music, the Southwest's largest Volkswagen parade, food, fun, games, fine arts, crafts, entertainment, Bier Gartens, and an Art Walk in Downtown Aztec.
http://www.aztecchamber.com/