Festivals
Signature events celebrating local art, food, and culture.
Things to do
Events
Festivals, fiestas, rodeos, markets, seasonal events, and local celebrations.
Fiestas
Community celebrations rooted in long-standing traditions.
Rodeos
Classic rodeo events in small towns and larger arenas.
Seasonal Events
Holiday markets, winter lights, and shoulder-season happenings.
Markets
Farmers markets and artisan pop-ups featuring local makers.
Events worth planning around
A hand-picked shortlist rather than a full calendar. 6 of 47 have confirmed dates, and each of those says where the date came from and when it was checked. The rest show the time of year they usually fall, and say so. Listings are cross-checked against the public New Mexico True (NewMexico.org) events calendar.
Plan a trip around it
Big enough to build an entire trip around. Book lodging early.
New Mexico State Fair
September 10–20, 2026
EXPO New Mexico - Home of the State Fair, Albuquerque
Dates confirmed via NewMexico.org on 2026-08-30
Worth it for the rodeo, the Indian Village, and an indefensible amount of fried food.
Santa Fe Renaissance Faire
September 12–13, 2026
El Rancho de las Golondrinas, Santa Fe
Dates confirmed via NewMexico.org on 2026-08-30
Jousting, armored combat, and a Fairy Village across the colonial rancho at Las Golondrinas. It sells out every year, so buy ahead.
Visit el rancho de las golondrinasOfficial siteListing on NewMexico.org
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta
October 3–11, 2026
Balloon Fiesta Park, Albuquerque
Dates confirmed via NewMexico.org on 2026-08-30
Book lodging months ahead and go for a weekday Dawn Patrol if you want smaller crowds.
Festival of the Cranes
December 2–5, 2026
San Antonio
Dates confirmed by ZiaBound on 2026-08-29
Be at the flight deck before sunrise for the fly-out. It is the whole point.
Visit bosque del apache national wildlife refugeOfficial siteListing on NewMexico.org
Burning of Zozobra
Friday before Labor Day (dates not yet announced)
A 50-foot marionette full of written-down gloom gets torched. Bring a jacket.
Fiestas de Santa Fe
Weekend after Zozobra, in September (dates not yet announced)
One of the oldest community celebrations in the country. Pair it with Zozobra the week before.
Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial
August (dates not yet announced)
Running for a century. Powwow, rodeo, and one of the best jewelry markets in the Southwest.
Hatch Chile Festival
Labor Day weekend (dates not yet announced)
Go hungry, and buy a roasted sack to take home.
International Folk Art Market
Second weekend in July (dates not yet announced)
Artists from dozens of countries at Railyard Park. Buy the first thing you love; it will be gone later.
Roswell UFO Festival
Early July, around the Fourth (dates not yet announced)
Peak roadside Americana: alien parade, costume contests, and the whole town leaning in.
Santa Fe Indian Market
Third weekend in August (dates not yet announced)
Arrive at dawn on Saturday if you intend to buy; the best work moves fast.
Santa Fe Opera Season
Late June through late August (dates not yet announced)
Open-sided theater with the sunset behind the stage. Tailgating in the lot beforehand is the tradition.
Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta
Late September (dates not yet announced)
Five days of winemaker dinners; the Grand Tasting sells out fastest.
Taos Pueblo Pow Wow
Second weekend in July (cancelled)
Held on Pueblo land, with strict photography and conduct rules. The 2026 gathering was canceled, so confirm with the Pueblo before planning around it.
Trinity Site Open House
One Saturday in October (dates not yet announced)
The only days the first atomic test site opens to the public. Enter at Stallion Gate off US-380 and confirm the date with White Sands Missile Range first.
Worth it if you are nearby
Excellent additions if you already have plans in the area.
Red River Oktoberfest
October 9–11, 2026
Town of Red River, Red River
Dates confirmed via NewMexico.org on 2026-08-30
Pair it with a drive over the Enchanted Circle while the aspens are gold.
Truth or Consequences Fiesta
May 7–9, 2027
Downtown Truth or Consequences, Truth or Consequences
Dates confirmed via NewMexico.org on 2026-08-30
The town throws a parade every year to celebrate renaming itself after a game show. Soak in the hot springs afterward.
Visit truth or consequencesOfficial siteListing on NewMexico.org
Albuquerque Twinkle Light Parade
Early December (dates not yet announced)
Nob Hill goes dark and a mile of lit-up floats rolls down Central.
All American CowboyFest
Around Labor Day weekend (dates not yet announced)
Cowboy poetry, chuckwagon cooking, and Western music around the Ruidoso Downs racing season.
Canyon Road Farolito Walk
Christmas Eve (dates not yet announced)
Half a mile of adobe walls lined with farolitos, bonfires, and carolers. Free, and packed.
Christmas Eve at Taos Pueblo
Christmas Eve (dates not yet announced)
Vespers, bonfires, and a procession. Photography is prohibited; treat it as a ceremony, not a show.
Christmas on the Pecos
Late November through December (dates not yet announced)
A pontoon boat ride down the Pecos past riverfront yards decorated to absurd standards. Reserve ahead and dress far warmer than you think you need to.
Clovis Music Festival
April (dates not yet announced)
Celebrates the Norman Petty Studios, where Buddy Holly cut his hits. Tour the studio while you are there.
Contemporary Hispanic Market
Same weekend as Traditional Spanish Market (dates not yet announced)
The looser, modern counterpart one block over on Lincoln Avenue.
Corrales Harvest Festival
Late September (dates not yet announced)
Small-village harvest weekend with a pet parade, right on the edge of Albuquerque.
Festival Flamenco Alburquerque
June (dates not yet announced)
One of the largest flamenco festivals outside Spain, with dancers flown in from Andalusia.
Globalquerque!
September (dates not yet announced)
New Mexico's world music festival, held at the National Hispanic Cultural Center.
Great American Duck Race
Late August (dates not yet announced)
Deming races actual ducks, crowns a Duck Queen, and takes all of it seriously.
Las Cruces Chile Drop
New Year's Eve (dates not yet announced)
New Mexico's answer to the ball drop: an 18-foot illuminated chile pod.
Las Cruces International Film Festival
Early spring (dates not yet announced)
Anchored by NMSU, with a strong regional and border-cinema slate.
Light Among the Ruins
Holiday season; confirm the date first (dates not yet announced)
Farolitos light the Gisewa Pueblo village and the San José de los Jémez mission ruins after dark. Jemez Historic Site does not always run it, so check before driving up.
Mariachi Spectacular de Albuquerque
July (dates not yet announced)
A week of workshops that ends in a full showcase concert.
Music from Angel Fire
Late August into September (dates not yet announced)
Chamber music in mountain venues around Angel Fire, Taos, and Raton.
National Fiery Foods & Barbecue Show
Early March (dates not yet announced)
Hundreds of hot sauce and salsa makers under one roof at Sandia Resort. Pace yourself and take the free water seriously.
New Mexico Renaissance Celtic Festival
Two weekends, late March into April (dates not yet announced)
A multi-weekend ren fest at Wildlife West Nature Park in Edgewood. The same organizers run Wild West and Pirate/Viking festivals later in the year.
Pie Town Pie Festival
Second Saturday in September (dates not yet announced)
A town of a few dozen people, a pie-eating contest, and a very long drive. Worth it.
Red Rock Balloon Rally
Early December (dates not yet announced)
Balloons launching between sandstone walls at Red Rock Park. Smaller and stranger than Balloon Fiesta.
River of Lights
Late November through December (dates not yet announced)
The BioPark light display. Buy timed tickets in advance; walk-ups rarely work.
Ruidoso AspenCash Motorcycle Rally
Mid-May (dates not yet announced)
Thousands of bikes in a small mountain town. Book a room early or stay in Alamogordo.
Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival
July through August (dates not yet announced)
Concerts in the St. Francis Auditorium and the Lensic across six weeks.
Santa Fe International Film Festival
October (dates not yet announced)
Small enough that you can actually talk to the filmmakers afterward.
Santa Fe Plaza Holiday Lighting
Late November / early December (dates not yet announced)
The Plaza lights up and the Palace of the Governors opens its doors for the evening.
Silver City Blues Festival
Memorial Day weekend (dates not yet announced)
Free, outdoors, in Gough Park. Pair it with a run up to the Gila Cliff Dwellings.
The Paseo
September (dates not yet announced)
Projection and installation art takes over the Taos Historic District after dark.
Tour of the Gila
Late April / early May (dates not yet announced)
A brutal five-stage pro road race through the Gila high country.
Traditional Spanish Market
Last full weekend in July (dates not yet announced)
Santeros, tinwork, and colcha embroidery on the Plaza. Runs alongside the Contemporary Hispanic Market.
White Sands Full Moon Nights
Full-moon evenings, roughly May through October (dates not yet announced)
The park stays open past sunset on full-moon nights. No ticket or reservation is required; some evenings have a program, others are simply extended hours on the dunes.