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2008 Events
February 1-29 - Annual For the Love of Art Month
Mesilla Plaza and Community Center. Book fair, including book vendors, Storytelling and children’s parade highlight week’s events. (575) 524-3262, ext. 117.
March 8-9 - Cowboy Days Gun-fight
Nothing Says the Old West like the cowboy, and the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum honors the western legend with a weekend festival complete with roping and riding demonstrations, “cowboy food,” dancing, and cowboy poetry. New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum. (575) 522-4100. www.frhm.org.
April 5 - Trinity Site Tour
The Trinity site is the location of the first atomic bomb explosion on earth. The site is open to the public twice a year. White Sands Missile Range. (575) 678-1134. www.wsmr.army.mil
April 18-20 - 14th Annual Border Book Festival
This unique festival brings together authors from around the world. Live performances, food, fun and lots of reading. Various locations. (575) 523-3988. www.borderbookfestival.org
April 19-20 - 22 20th Annual Frontier Days
Take a trip back in time with a visit to Fort Selden State Monument as they honor the civilians and soldiers who lived at the fort and protected the residents of the Mesilla Valley after the Civil War. Among the groups honored are the Buffalo Soldiers who, were some of the first soldiers assigned to the Fort. Fort Selden State Monument. (575) 526-8911, 800-429-9488. www.nmculture.org
April 26-27 - La Viņa Blues & Jazz Thing
A weekend of good music and good wine hosted by New Mexico’s oldest winery. La Viņa Winery, La Union. (575) 882-7632. www.nmwine.com
May 3-4 - Cinco de Mayo Fiesta
A traditional Mexican fiesta honoring Mexico’s second revolution. Experience traditional Mexican music, food and dancing on the historic Old Mesilla Plaza. (575) 524-3262.
www.oldmesilla.org
May 15 - Blessing of the Field (Formerly the La Fiesta de San Ysidro)
A celebration of New Mexico’s 3,000 year-old farming heritage, featuring farming demonstrations, mariachi music, folklorico dancers, and a blessing of the fields, all capped off with an evening dance. New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum. (575) 522-4100.
www.frhm.org
May 24-26 - Southern New Mexico Wine Festival
Visitors can sample wine from the many New Mexico wineries as well as enjoy live entertainment and local vendors. Southern New Mexico State Fairgrounds. (575) 522-1232. www.nmwine.com
July 3-4 - Annual 4th of July Electric Light Parade, Celebration and Fireworks
Commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, Las Cruces celebrates with a parade of floats decorated with electric lights. Experience live entertainment throughout the day plus a spectacular fireworks display at night. All events are free and open to the public. (575) 528-3170, (575) 541-2200. www.las-cruces.org
August 30-31 - Hatch Chile Festival
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
August 30 - September 1 - New Mexico Wine Harvest Festival
Celebrate New Mexico's wine harvest with grape stomping, wine tasting, live entertainment (including up and coming country music star Tim Murphy on Sunday). Festival features arts and crafts vendors, children's activities, hourly wine seminars and a great relaxed atmosphere. Southern New Mexico State Fairgrounds, 11 miles west on I-10 exit 132. 12 noon - 6 pm each day $13 adults 21 and older, under 21 free but must be accompanied by parent or legal guardian. $3 discount for active duty military on Monday. (575) 522-1232. www.nmwine.com or Dawn@HelpingHandsEvents.com
September 20-21 - White Sands Balloon Invitational
A collection of colorful balloons filling the air over the white gypsum dunes of White Sands National Monument. (575) 430-7585, 800-826-0294. www.nps.gov/whsa
September 13-14 - Diez y Seis de Septiembre Fiesta
Mexican Independence Day! Join the village of Mesilla as they commemorate Mexico’s independence. Be sure to catch folklorico dances, mariachi music, authentic Mexican cuisine and have a really good time. Old Mesilla Plaza. (575) 524-3262. www.oldmesilla.org
TBA - Mesilla Valley Maze
It's the most fun you can have in a corn field. Bring the kids and those that are "kids at heart" to the rural fun of the Mesilla Valley Maze. Take a hayride out to the pumpkin patch to look for the perfect Jack-O-Lantern, then discover the many twists and turns amazingly cut into a corn field. Saturdays and Sundays. 3855 West Picacho Avenue. (575) 526-1919.
www.mesillavalleymaze.com
September 26-28 - The Whole Enchilada Fiesta
We have a chile festival and an apple festival, why not an enchilada fiesta! Downtown 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. www.enchiladafiesta.com.
October 1-5 - Southern New Mexico State Fair & Rodeo
The Southern New Mexico State Fair has something for everyone; a midway, an auction, food, music, livestock shows and a cowboy rodeo. Southern New Mexico State Fairgrounds. (575) 524-8602. www.snmstatefair.com
October 4 - Trinity Site Tour
The Trinity site is the location of the first atomic bomb explosion on earth. The site is open to the public twice a year. White Sands Missile Range. (575) 678-1134. www.wsmr.army.mil
October 4-5 - 7th Annual Mesilla Jazz Happening
Mesilla Valley Jazz Happening will be swinging into historic Old Mesilla at the Mercado Plaza and on the Historic Plaza. The Plazas will host free live jazz music at two venues. A special Wine Garden at each venue featuring eight New Mexico Wineries will provide wine tasting. Horse drawn wagons will offer free transportation between the Mercado and the historic plaza. Old Mesilla Plaza. (575) 524-3524, (575) 524-3262, (575) 523-6700. www.oldmesilla.org
October 18-19 - La Viņa Wine Festival
This festival is the oldest wine festival in New Mexico and features food, entertainment and of course, wine produced by New Mexico’s oldest winery. La Viņa Winery, La Union. (575) 882-7632. www.nmwine.com
TBA - X Prize Cup
An event where everyone can come, experience space and be part of the next generation of spaceflight. You can watch the next generation of space vehicles fly, talk to astronauts, see the vehicles up close, fly simulators, learn about the technology, the curriculum available at all levels of education, know about the careers available in the contemporary space industry and begin to dissolve the myth that you will never travel to space in your lifetime. Location TBA. (310) 587-3355. www.xprize.org
October 25-26 and November 2 - Dia de los Muertos
Celebrate the Day of the Dead with lots of music and food. Join the candlelight procession as the dead are remembered. Homemade altars are on display and a giant pinata is broken open. Old Mesilla Plaza. (575) 647-2639. www.oldmesilla.org
November 1-2 - 37th Annual Renaissance Arts Faire
Spend a weekend with Kings and Queens at the 36th Annual Renaissance ArtsFaire. Local, state and regional artisans gather to participate in a juried art show and exhibition. Only the highest quality arts & crafts are for sale accompanied by live theater, dancing, music and food, all presented with a Renaissance theme. Young Park. (575) 523-6403.
www.zianet.com/daac
November TBA - International Mariachi Conference & Concert
A week-long educational conference culminating with one spectacular concert featuring internationally known mariachi performers. Parque Festival at Young Park features entertainment and cultural activities. New Mexico State University Pan American Center and Young Park. (575) 525-1735. www.lascrucesmariachi.org
December 24 - Christmas Carols and Luminarias on the Plaza
The historic village of Old Mesilla is aglow with thousands of luminarias and caroling. (575) 524-3262. www.oldmesilla.org
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