Annual Festivals and Fairs across New Mexico
Great American Duck Race
The annual Great American Duck Race in Deming offers tons of family fun. Every August this event features fast duck race competitions, Duck Dances, a softball tournament, a carnival, hot air balloons, barbecues, parades, craft vendors and nonstop entertainment. Most Duck Race activities take place at or near McKinley Duck Downs (the Luna County Courthouse Park) unless otherwise noted.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta™
For more than three decades, guests from all over the world come to Albuquerque each October to celebrate ballooning at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta™. This is the largest ballooning event on earth, the most photographed event on earth, and the largest annual international event held in the United States.
The New Mexico skies are painted as hundreds of balloons lift off from Albuquerque's Balloon Fiesta Park. Nothing rivals the power of Mass Ascension on crisp early mornings as these graceful giants leave the ground to take their place in the cerulean desert sky. For ballooning fans worldwide, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta™ is a pilgrimage. There's something for everyone to enjoy . . . whimsical special shapes filled with equal parts of hot air and wonder, and Balloon Glows that create a magical night landscape for spectators to wander. The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta™ will leave you awestruck and wanting more.
Festival of the Cranes
Taking place during migrations each December, the annual Festival of the Cranes offers something for everyone: from backyard birders to bird experts, from amateur photographers to pros. The Festival highlights the world-renowned Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, one of the most spectacular national wildlife refuges in North America. Activities include refuge tours; bird, biology, geology and art workshops; keynote speakers; and much more. Members of the Audubon Council of New Mexico, the Central New Mexico Audubon Society, the American Birding Association and the Friends of the Bosque Board will be on hand at the observation decks around the Bosque tour loops to assist visitors with questions and to share their birding expertise and scopes.
Roswell UFO Festival
In early July 1947, a mysterious object crashed on a ranch 30 miles north of Roswell. The Roswell Army Air Field (RAAF) issued a statement claiming to have recovered a crashed “flying disk,” and an article ran on the front page of the Roswell Daily Record. The next day, however, the RAAF changed its statement to say that the object was a weather balloon. The statement sparked immediate controversy and has continued to be a topic of debate. MainStreet Roswell, Roswell Parks and Recreation, Roswell Museum and Art Center, the Roswell Runners Club, and Roswell Lodgers Tax invite UFO enthusiasts and skeptics alike to join in the celebration of this “debate,” of the Roswell Incident at the UFO Festival. Taking place each 4th of July weekend, events include guest speakers, authors, live entertainment, a costume contest, a pet costume contest, parade, car show and contest.
Las Fiestas De Taos
The People of Taos have celebrated the Feast of St. Anne and St. James for centuries. The “Taos Fiestas” give the locals a respite from work and time to enjoy the leisure of these sacred days. Fiestas are a celebratory tradition passed down through the generations to preserve the unique history and culture of the Taos people.
Today the Fiestas have a plethora of activities included in the celebration. There are musical and dance performances on the Plaza, a Fiesta Queen crowing and a commemorative Mass and procession from the church on Friday evening. There is food, drink and curios available from the many vendors throughout the Plaza’s streets.
Fiestas de Santa Fe
The cry of “Viva la Fiesta” has been reverberating through the streets of Old Santa Fe every autumn for 302 years. The sound generates a curious blend of thanksgiving, revelry and pride in the hearts of Santa Feans who celebrate Fiesta annually, typically each September, to commemorate Don Diego De Vargas’ peaceful reoccupation of the City of Holy Faith in 1692. Many Santa Fe locals recognize the Burning of Zozobra, a 50 ft. puppet symbolizing Old Man Gloom, as the start of the festivities.
HATCH CHILE FESTIVAL
As summer cools down, the Village of Hatch heats up! Every Labor Day weekend, visitors from all over the U.S. head to Hatch for the annual Hatch Chile Festival—a celebration of their world-famous crop. Festival goers can enjoy chile samples, artisan wares, parades, food, carnivals, music, and more.
New Mexico State Fair
Held each September, the New Mexico State Fair remains one of the largest fairs in the nation, with PRCA rodeo and nationally known country-western recording stars, and the Indian and Spanish villages - all the makings for a fantastic family experience! The New Mexico State Fair offers livestock exhibits and competitions of all kinds to local farmers, ranchers, and 4H club members, while school children from all over the state look forward to seeing their artwork displayed in one of the exhibit halls. Stop by the midway and checkout the excitement of rides and games of skill. The snacks are plentiful, and the exhibit halls are packed with the finest arts, crafts and livestock that New Mexico has to offer.
Ruidoso Aspen Cash Motorcycle Rally
Each May, more than 35,000 motorcycles roar into the Ruidoso Valley for the annual Ruidoso Aspen Cash Motorcycle Rally.
Sponsored by the Golden Aspen Rally Association, the rally features a parade, food and beverage, poker runs, field games, giveaways, & the crowning of the Golden Aspen Rally Queen and King.
Silver City CLAY Festival
Taking place every summer in Silver City, New Mexico since 2012, the Silver City CLAY Festival gathers together artists, educators, entrepreneurs, families, youth, adventurers, and life-long learners to explore clay in its many forms as well as its impact on our history, present, and future. CLAY features hands-on workshops, exhibitions, tours, lectures, Gallery Night, CLAYFest Market, youth activities, and more. The festival intends to foster an entrepreneurial spirit that engages local businesses, artists, and the global community in a unified enthusiasm for clay leading to rural economic sustainability.
Gathering of Nations Pow Wow
The Gathering of Nations is North America’s largest Pow Wow! More than 3,000 indigenous, Native American, and Indian dancers and singers representing more than 500 tribes from Canada and the United States come to participate annually.
All are welcome to this family-friendly event to come see colorful Native American Pow Wow dancing, to hear the songs, and become enlightened with emotional happiness. Browse aisles of shopping through the Indian Trader’s Market, enjoy the best of native foods, a horse & rider parade, and some of the best in Native American music performances and entertainment on Stage 49.
Santa Fe International Film Festival
Each October, the Santa Fe International Film Festival(SFiFF) presents one of the top film competitions in the United States, with the year’s most sought-after films and momentous filmmaker events. SFiFF hosts receptions, industry events, filmmaker Q&As, parties, and panels, including the industry, finance, and distribution panels, as well as SFiFF Student Day. At the festival, viewers will enjoy touring Santa Fe’s arthouse movie theaters, like George R. R. Martin’s Jean Cocteau Cinema, the Violet Crown, the Center for Contemporary Arts, and the historic Lensic.
CloudTop Comedy Festival
CloudTop Comedy Festival returns to Santa Fe this spring, May 9-12. The festival features over 50 comedians and includes headliners Chris Estrada, Liza Treyger, Nikki Bon, and Calvin Evans. Numerous regional and local comedians will perform in the fest, including New Mexico favorite Zach Abeyta. Taking place within the Santa Fe Railyard, the festival includes themed showcases, support from local vendors and more.
CloudTop Comedy Festival is a nonprofit focused on enriching Santa Fe’s arts and culture offerings for residents and tourists alike, along with the city’s nightlife. CloudTop offers several programs to make the festival available for all Santa Feans to enjoy. These include free comedy shows each day of the festival along with opportunities to earn festival passes in exchange for volunteering. Wristbands and single tickets are on sale now!
WMNU ¡Fiesta Latina!
Western New Mexico University acknowledges the deep roots New Mexico shares with Mexico. The territory of New Mexico gained statehood in 1912, yet the people living in the border regions and beyond continue to be influenced by these roots in all aspects of culture– art, food, music, language, and customs. As a Hispanic Serving Institution, Western New Mexico University and WNMU ¡Fiesta Latina! aim to highlight those connections by creating fun, engaging, educational experiences for folks living in or visiting the borderlands to enjoy.
WNMU ¡Fiesta Latina! is a cultural event that seeks to recognize, celebrate, and assist in the preservation of New Mexico’s connection with its Mexican heritage, customs, and traditions. The four-day outdoor festival on the beautiful Silver City campus features a juried artisan mercado showcasing the traditional folk art of more than 35 artisans from throughout Mexico, Latin music and dance performances, food and drink, children’s activities, hands on crafting workshops, films, demonstrations and more.
