Springtime in New Mexico, with its cool mountain temperatures, incredible colors and deep-blue sky, is an outdoor-lover’s paradise, highlighted by unique festivals and cultural activities that beg for attention. As Secretary of the New Mexico Tourism Department, I welcome you to New Mexico, a place like no other.
Michael Cerletti
The Billy the Kid Tombstone Race is June 13, 2009, beginning at 6 p.m., at the Fort Sumner High School
football Field.
The tombstone, which marks Billy the Kid’s grave at Fort Sumner, has almost as much history as the famous outlaw himself. The stone has been stolen three times since placement by a historical society in the 1940s, and once spent 27 years under a boxcar in Texas following a theft. After its most recent disappearance, the tombstone’s recovery in California was shown on national television.
If you think history is boring, the New Mexico History Museum, opening in historic downtown Santa Fe on Memorial Day Weekend 2009 will have you shelving that notion right alongside the dust-covered history textbooks banished to the attic.
On Sunday, May 24, 2009, the 96,000-square-foot, world-class cultural institution will open its doors to the public to unveil a state-of-the-art, immersive interactive exhibition set to cast new light on how history can be learned. It also will redefine the modern history museum. The multi-media environment will bring to life the complex, colorful and legendary stories of the 47th state in the Union, stories that began long before the Pilgrims set sail on the Mayflower for American shores.
An estimated 25,000 players and spectators will gather over Memorial Day Weekend to watch flag-football teams from across the country battle it out on 25 fields at the Cielo Grande Recreation Area in Roswell, New Mexico.
The annual Roswell "Hike It & Spike It” is May 22-24, 2009. A charity event, proceeds will benefit the United Way of Chaves County.
The new National Museum of Nuclear Science & History opened its doors April 4, 2009. This “new” museum has served as a national resource through its collections and programming for 40 years. Formerly the National Atomic Museum, which opened in 1969 and was chartered by Congress in 1991, the new museum will continue to serve as a repository and steward of nuclear-related historical items and remain a Smithsonian affiliate.
The new location at 601 Eubank Blvd. SE in Albuquerque includes a newly constructed 30,000-square-foot building and 12 acres of exterior space. For the first time in more than seven years, the public will be able to view the historic aircraft, nuclear missiles, and other large artifacts belonging to the museum, as those items have been moved from their location on Kirtland Air Force Base to the new site.Wildlife West Nature Park Offers Family Fun, Education
Wildlife West Nature Park, located just 20 minutes east of Albuquerque in Edgewood, is 122 acres dedicated to native wildlife and ecology.
Wildlife West Nature Park began in 1992 as a not-for-profit all volunteer effort to create a new approach to combining habitat restoration, recreation, and environmental education for children and adults. After 30,000 hours of volunteer labor, it opened in August of 1994 with a functioning wetlands project and several nature trails for bird watching. Major new habitat has been added nearly every year throughout the park's history.
As a result of average winter snowpack in our northern and Colorado’s San Juan Mountains and the predicted average runoff from those regions, reservoir levels are projected to be good in much of New Mexico for the Memorial Day and Independence Day holidays.
“Elephant Butte, Navajo, Heron, El Vado, Abiquiu, Caballo, and Ute Reservoirs are anticipated to hold water volumes similar to if not higher than last year,” said Interstate Stream Commission Director Estevan López. “Rafting on the Rio Grande and Rio Chama should be good into early June, if not longer. Water recreation in those areas should be great for much of the summer. At the same time, moderate drought conditions are developing in the southern and far eastern parts of New Mexico and more rain is needed to bring the area reservoir levels up.”
American Eagle will begin new service between Dallas and Santa Fe beginning June 11, 2009. American Airlines had been considering air service between the cities ever since the Santa Fe airport was upgraded to accept regional jets last year. The new route will be available for booking through American's SABRE global distribution system starting on March 15, 2009.
Don’t forget to mark your calendar:
May 2009 Events
16 Vintage Valley Car Club Show, Roswell - 575-622-3991
22-24 Riverfest, Farmington – 800-448-1240
22-25 Memorial Day Motorcycle Rally, Red River – redriver.org
23 Ruidoso Downs Racetrack opens – www.ruidownsracing.com
June 2009 Events
1-6 Pioneer Days & PRCA Rodeo, Clovis – clovisnm.org
12 Carrizozo Cowboy Days – townofcarrizzo.org
12-14 Summerfest, Los Lunas – 505-352-3596
13 Pueblo Feast Days, Ohkay Owingeh, Sandia, Santo Domingo, and Taos pueblos – indianpueblo.org
Elephant Butte Chili Challenge – 575-894-3264
19-20 Chama Music Festival – www.newmexico.org
20 Albuquerque Folk Festival – www.abqfolkfest.org
Juneteenth Celebration, Clovis – www.clovisnm.org
20-21 Heritage Days, Portales – 800-635-8036 or www.portales.com
23-24 Pueblo Feast Days, Ohkay Owingeh, Santa Ana, Santo Domingo and Taos pueblos – indianpueblo.org
25-27 Raton Rodeo – 575-445-3689
26-27 Tatum 100-Year Celebration – 505-398-2011