Spring is here, folks! It’s going to be a great one—I can already tell. If you’re looking for ways to make your spring even greater, look no further. Below are exciting activities and events happening throughout New Mexico this season:
APRIL
1. Show off your outdoor cooking skills or learn what Dutch oven cooking is all about at the 13th Annual Dutch Oven Cook-Off, Saturday, April 11, 2015, from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the Glenwood Community Park.
2. Experience the beauty of more than 700 Native American tribes from Canada and the United States at the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow, April 23-25, 2015, in Albuquerque at the WisePies Arena (aka the Pit).
3. Take a sunset stroll through the magical White Sands Monument in Alamogordo any evening this spring. Nothing beats watching the moon rise over White Sands, and it’s totally free. Just make sure you check the schedule, as closing times often vary.
4. Go for a family hike up the Black Canyon Trail, located on Hyde Park Road just outside Santa Fe. It’s an easy, well-worn, two-mile trail full of aspens, wildflowers, and beautiful views of the Jemez Mountains. Conclude your hike with a picnic.
5. Explore Albuquerque’s haunted bars, saloons and pubs on a Toast a Ghost! Haunted Pub Crawl, available on select Fridays and Saturdays. You’ll get a little New Mexico history and taste of some “spirits.” Must be 21 or older.
6. Ever walk too fast through a museum? Break the habit by participating in Slow Art Day, a nationwide event held at the New Mexico Museum of Art in Santa Fe.
MAY
1. Celebrate Smokey the Bear’s 70th Birthday in Capitan, May 2-3, 2015. It’s free for all ages and includes a parade, arts and crafts, food, live music and more.
2. If you like bikes, the Aspencash Motorcycle Rally in Mescalero, May 14-17, 2015, is the event for you. There will be a bike ride, poker and a big trade show.
3. Enjoy opening weekend festivities at the Ruidoso Downs Racetrack, which opens on Friday, May 22, 2015.
4. It’s finally warm but not too hot, which is ideal weather for a walking food tour. Food Tour New Mexico guides you to the best restaurants in Santa Fe and Albuquerque, and gives you a taste of what each place has to offer. Tours run all year long, various routes available.
5. Last year was the inaugural Microbrew Festival on the Pecos in Carlsbad, and it was so successful that it’s coming back this year, Saturday, May 9, 2015, 3 p.m. – 9 p.m.
JUNE
1. Be there for the start of the hot air balloon season at Balloons Over Angel Fire, June 19, 2015 in Angel Fire.
2. Attend the Spring Festival & Fiber Arts Fair, June 20-21, 2015, at El Rancho de Las Golondrinas and watch costumed villagers shear sheep and bake bread, mill around the fiber arts marketplace, and let your kids have fun with games and hands-on activities.
3. Check “Hike the La Luz Trail,” off your bucket list. It’s a tough hike in the Sandia Mountains, just outside Albuquerque, but the views are totally worth it. Bring lots of water and snacks.
4. Here’s a random one: the movie business is booming in New Mexico, so try getting cast as an extra in a movie. Hanging out on a movie set might be a fun, new way to spend a weekend. And, you might even meet some famous people. Just keep an ear to the ground for open casting calls.
5. Revel in live music and good food at the Albuquerque Centennial Summerfest on June 16, 2015. The event will overtake Central Avenue downtown from 2nd to 10th Streets and feature dozens of live performances in five pavilions.
If you know of something fun happening in New Mexico this spring, let me know by leaving a comment below!
A New Mexican Perspective
