Summer festivals in New Mexico are unlike any other. Here are 11 standout summer festivals to celebrate the enchanting state.
Culture and kitsch, art and food, desert and forests, New Mexico is a state unlike any other, thanks to the blend of tradition, art, culture, cuisine, and the avant-garde. It makes sense that the summer festivals should mirror the same one-of-a-kind sentiment.
Spend June playing with clay and picking cherries. July is made for dancing to live music and testing skepticism at a UFO parade. Cheer on a duck race in August alongside families and friends. And beckon in the fall on Labor Day weekend with the heat of both fire and green chiles. And if all else fails, at least check out the carnival down the road—you know the one, it always happens this time of year when nothing else seems to be going on. Here are 11 festivals to celebrate summer, New Mexico style.
June
Wild West Frontier Festival
Wild West Frontier Festival takes attendees back in time to the 1800s frontier days with character actors, themed vendors, and a chili cook-off. There is also a barn dance, live music, buggy rides, and plenty of fun gimmicks to make it feel like time travel is real. Tickets start at around $15 for adults, and are free for those under 18 accompanied by a paying adult.
Where: Wildlife West Nature Park, Edgewood
When: Jun. 6-7
Silver City Clay Festival
“Difference is not only present, but essential to the beauty of the whole.” Silver City Clay Festival showcases work from several different artists, displaying various walks of life in the showcase called Convergence. Alternatively, Divergence is the other half of the show and focuses on the collaboration of three artists, tracing a shared origin point instead. Clay plays a deep role in the preservation of history and culture, making this festival an homage to both history and art.
Where: Light Art Space, 209 West Broadway, Silver City
When: Jun. 15-21
6th Annual Juneteenth Jazz Arts Festival
Enjoy three days of live music with the 6th Annual Juneteenth Jazz Arts Festival. This free jazz event celebrates Jun. 19, the day commemorating the effective end of slavery. Several performances highlight the music style that was invented by Black Americans directly impacted by June 19, 1865. Added to the list of federal holidays in 2021, this Juneteenth Jazz Festival has not missed a beat in celebrating the day—pun intended.
Where: Branigan Cultural Center, 501 N Main St, Las Cruces
When: Jun. 19-21
Cherry Festival
Celebrate the sweet life on Father’s Day weekend with the Cherry Festival hosted at Nichols Ranch and Orchards. Near Almorogordo with a higher elevation and cooler weather, this mid-June festival features pick-your-own cherries, live music, food vendors, arts and crafts, and of course, a bounty of views. Watch the sunset as you eat a bowl full of freshly picked cherries, surrounded by orchards of cherries, apples, apricots, and other stone fruit. Savor the day and just know that this annual tradition in the Sacramento mountains has been maintained for over 100 years!
When: Jun. 19 through 21
Where: Nichols Ranch and Orchards, 236 Cottonwood Canyon Road, La Luz
July
Roswell UFO Festival
The truth is out there—at the Roswell UFO Festival. Each Fourth of July, the streets of Roswell lean even further into the midcentury incident that brought UFOs to focus. With a parade, delectable food, and a full-on UFO spectacle, this is one of the most unique Fourth of July celebrations in the nation. With this being America’s 250th birthday, expect an even greater show, finishing off with fireworks. Just don’t let the explosive lights distract you from what else is out there, decorating the night sky…
Where: Roswell
When: Jul. 2-4
Fiestas de Las Vegas
Fiestas de Las Vegas is a longstanding tradition that draws quite the crowd from across the state. The free event offers live music, food trucks, and plenty of local vendors to round out this community event. The original Las Vegas—beating Nevada by 70 years—has a great deal of culture and history, and a never-ending supply of energy.
Where: Historic Park Plaza, Las Vegas
When: Jul. 2-5
Las Fiestas de Taos
During Las Fiestas de Taos AKA The Taos Fiestas, locals put aside labor and bask in the leisure of the two holy days, which recognize the feast of St. Anne and St. James. Passed from generation to generation, this Fiesta is a celebration of both culture and tradition. Our Lady of Guadalupe Church officially opens the event on Friday evening with a commemorative mass and procession. Over the weekend, a Fiesta Queen is selected, musical performances launch every hour, and food and wares line the plaza.
Where: Historic Taos Plaza
When: Jul. 17-19
Red River Jamboree
Do you like jam-packed music festivals? Then look no further than the Red River Jamboree! This three day festival features headliners from popular competition shows. Across several stages, a dozen artists perform live to an energetic audience. Tickets start at $24 for single day admission, are free for children 12 and under, and include a free gospel show to all on Sunday. Bring a chair, some sunscreen, and get ready for a memorable show!
Where: Red River, NM, Brandenburg Park
When: Jul. 17-19
August
47th Annual Great American Duck Race
A carnival, a skate competition, a softball tournament, and multiple duck races make up the 47th Annual Great American Duck Race. This four-day weekend event is known as “the no. 1 family event in Luna County and New Mexico.” Sponsored by many local businesses, families, friends, and communities, can cheer on ducks at no charge, with the option to shop with various vendors. This unique and quirky event is one to remember, maybe even one to inspire a new family tradition.
Where: Luna County Courthouse in Deming
When: Aug. 20-23
September
September beckons in fall, yet summer doesn’t really end until Labor Day weekend. Bid summer adieu and usher in the next season with these two major end-of-summer events.
Hatch Chile Festival
No need to tell you how seriously people in this state take green chile—how many of your neighbors or local restaurants have extra freezers dedicated to this culinary staple?! Pizza, ice cream, chocolate—you name it, green chile is added. The Hatch Chile Festival transforms the village of Hatch into a bold celebration of culture, color, and flavor. Simple street corners are turned into a paradise of strung fresh peppers and garlic, ground pepper flakes and powders, and last but not least, the roasting pits that just smell like the transition into autumn.
The park offers rides, local vendors, and classes on how to string your own spicy staples. There are also parades, eating contests, dance performances, and live music. Since 1971, the Hatch Chile Festival has attracted thousands of people over the weekend. With more tourists than there are residents for a few days, the festival is more than a celebration of peppers; it is an important part of the economy that draws national attention.
Where: All of Hatch
When: Sept. 5-6
314th Annual Fiesta de Santa Fe
Fiesta de Santa Fe blends theatrics with spiritual tradition. The pre-show is hosted on Aug. 28 and includes performances and a car show, setting the stage for the centuries-long tradition. Fiesta Weekend officially happens Sept. 11 through 13 with vendors, community, and performances a’plenty. However, September 4 is the burning of Zozobra, a centuries-long tradition. The burning of this 50-foot marionette is a clearing for the whole community, as it is intended to incinerate all worry and gloom.
Tickets start at $30 and give attendees the opportunity to write down their fears, worries, and anxieties to burn with the figure made of wood, cloth, and wire. What a cathartic way to launch into fall.
Where: Fort Marcy Park, 490 Bishops Lodge Rd, Santa Fe
When: Sept. 4
