Above: Check out the fireworks display on Elephant Butte Lake this Independence Day. Photograph by NMTD.

7/4 SHATTERING THE SKIES
Elephant Butte Lake State Park will be home to one of the biggest fireworks displays in the state on July 4. Beginning at dusk, the sparks fly from Rattlesnake Island, reflecting off the water and across the entire lake.

7/6 TAOS JAM SESSION
Miami meets East L.A. in an outdoor concert featuring the Mavericks and Los Lobos, July 6 in Taos’ Kit Carson Park. Both bands are Grammy winners and genre hoppers with at least three decades on the airwaves.

7/13 SCIENCE FAIR
Los Alamos MainStreet presents ScienceFest Discovery Day on July 13 at Ashley Pond. Interactive activities, tours, and exhibits celebrate science, plus they’ll have tasty bites and live local music.

7/20 SHOTS! SHOTS! SHOTS!
For five years running, the Las Cruces Tequila, Taco & Cerveza Festival has filled downtown Las Cruces with tequilas to sample, taco trucks, and live lucha libre wrestling. On July 20, expect a day of Mexican food and beverage revelry.

7/26 CRYSTAL CHANDELIERS
On July 26, Charley Pride comes to the Inn of the Mountain Gods stage in Mescalero. A self-taught guitar player, Pride became the first black singer to perform at the Grand Ole Opry. Fans of old-school country can count on his baritone voice and at least of a few of his 26 chart-topping hits.