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
An exceptional exhibition of 58 rarely seen paintings by the legendary artist, LeRoy Neiman - on loan from a private collection - will be featured in an exhibition entitled "A Season with the Paintings of LeRoy Neiman" at the Hubbard Museum of the American West in Ruidoso Downs May 23-September 13, 2009.
Neiman is arguably one of America's most popular living artists. Known for his brilliantly colored semi-abstract paintings of sporting events and leisure activities, Neiman has perfected an energetic style that seems to explode with dramatic intensity. His unique talents have made his work so admired that he has brought art into the lives of millions of Americans.
The International Sculpture Objects & Functional Art Fairs (SOFA) in Chicago and New York has announced that a new edition of SOFA will be launched June 11-14, 2009 in Santa Fe at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center.
SOFA is working with the Santa Fe Gallery Association and area arts organizations to connect out-of-town collectors with the thriving local arts scene. Opening Night, June 10th, will benefit the New Mexico Museum of Art’s inaugural Design Collection.
In July 1947, New Mexico rancher W.W. "Mack" Brazel saddled up his horse and rode out with the son of neighbors Floyd and Loretta Proctor to check on the sheep after a fierce thunderstorm the night before. As they rode along north of Roswell, Brazel began to notice unusual pieces of what seemed to be metal debris, scattered over a large area. After dragging a large piece of it to a shed, he took some of it over to show the Proctors. They told him he might be holding wreckage from a UFO or a government project.
Santa Fe is home to the world-renowned Santa Fe Opera, which stages its performances in a spectacular open-air amphitheatre located in the rolling hills outside the city, with views of the surrounding Sangre de Cristo and Jemez mountains. Stunning sunsets and brilliant starry skies generally prevail throughout a season that runs July 3-August 29, 2009
Click to see a list of just some of the events that will entertain visitors to the Enchanted Circle this summer. For a complete list of events, visit www.taossummeroflove.com
Don’t forget to mark your calendar:
June 2009 Events
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
July 2009 Events
2-5 4th of July Fiesta, Las Vegas - lvsmchamber.org
Electric Parade, Las Cruces - 575-528-3170
3-5 Santa Fe Trail Balloon Rally, Raton - 575-445-3689
4 Smokey Bear Fun Run, Capitan - 575-354-2273
World’s Greatest Lizard Race, Lovington - 575-396-5311
International Santa Fe Trail Balloon Rally - 575-445-3689
Wine Festival, El Rancho de las Golondrinas - 505-471-2261
11-12 July Jamboree Arts & Crafts Fair, Cloudcroft - 866-874-4447
Santa Fe International Folk Art Market - www.folkartmarket.org
11-16 San Juan River Balloon Rally, 505-632-0880
14 St. Bonaventure Feast Day, Cochiti and Santo Domingo pueblos - indianpueblo.org
17-19 Fire & Ice Bike Rally, Grants - fireandicebikerally.com
18-19 Little Beaver Celebration, Jicarilla Apache Reservation - newmexico.org
19-25 National High School Finals Rodeo, Farmington - 800-448-1240
24-25 Chama Cowboy Days - 575-756-1085
25 Santiago Day Corn Dance, Taos Pueblo - taospueblo.com
St. James Feast Day, Santo Domingo Pueblo - 505-465-2214
25-27 Zia Art Festival, Ruidoso - ruidosnow.com
26 Santa Ana Feast Day, Taos and Laguna pueblos - indianpueblo.org
25-26 Traditional Spanish Market, Santa Fe - 505-982-2226
Contemporary Spanish Market, Santa Fe - elmuseocultural.org
26-27 High Country Arts & Crafts Festival, Eagle Nest - 505-344-2420
31 St. Anne’s Feast Day, Laguna and Santo Domingo pueblos - indianpueblo.org
31-8/1 Guadalupe County Fair - 575-472-3652