New Mexico October 2008 E-Newsletter Articles

Balloon Fiesta Poster Artist Rhett Lynch Signs Posters at Tourism Department’s Mobile Visitor Information Center

Balloon Fiesta poster

Navajo artist Rhett Lynch stopped by the New Mexico Tourism Department’s Mobile Visitor Information Center at the 37th annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta October 4-12, 2008 to sign limited-edition prints of his 2008 Balloon Fiesta Poster.

Lynch’s "Artist Edition" is limited to 200 prints. Each print will be signed, numbered, and personalized.

“The excitingly diverse, and ever distinctive work is sure to capture the imagination of all our guests and collectors as well,” said Michael Cerletti, Secretary of the Tourism Department. “We encouraged visitors to stop by our Center to meet the artist – and take a tour of our Center, a bright yellow recreational vehicle transformed into a traveling showcase of the best of what New Mexico has to offer. It is a great marketing tool, and gives us unique opportunities to take our message to potential visitors.”

Lynch lives and works in Alameda, New Mexico. In his 30 years as a professional artist, he has found expression in a variety of mediums, from hand-woven tapestries, sculpture, drawings, and monotypes to paintings in oil and acrylic. He has focused on a broad range of subject matter, depicted in realistic as well as abstract manner. He draws from his Indigenous heritage and his work is a testament to the deeply powerful symbols found there. His work attracts a broad range of collectors.

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

The Hot Air Balloon Capital of the world “Launches Dreams” for the 37th annual Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, October 4-12, 2008, at Balloon Fiesta Park.
More than 600 balloons will launch, including eight new special shape balloons. Guests can interact with all of the pilots (including the 43 new Balloon Fiesta pilots) and their crews as they inflate and fly their balloons from the field.  Experience mass ascensions, balloon glows, the Wells Fargo Special Shape Rodeo, fireworks, and the 15th annual America's Challenge Gas Balloon Race.

Aside from the exciting sites and sounds of the Fiesta, venues throughout the city offer an assortment of activities from fine arts & crafts shows and festivals to special cultural entertainment at museums. Visit www.itsatrip.org/balloonfiesta for a complete list of Albuquerque events.

Gondola Club Best Seat in House

If you would like to reserve the best seats in the house for viewing one of the spectacular Mass Ascensions or Balloon Glows, the Gondola Club is your answer.  Last year, 4,500 people reserved space in the Gondola club during the course of the event.    

The Gondola Club experience offers each guest the opportunity to enjoy being a part of the beauty and wonder of Balloon Fiesta as a VIP.  Guests are seated in one of the most picturesque locations at Balloon Fiesta Park where the view from the Gondola Club Hospitality Tent is terrific – day or night.  A Gondola Club VIP package also includes a Gondola Club lapel pin, cashmere scarf, special parking away from the general public, catered buffet meals and shuttles at your disposal.

The Gondola Club menu will offer morning selections complete with an omelet station, pancakes, bacon, fruit and pastries. The dinner menus will include steak, lobster, and pork loin.  And for a true international flavor, favorite foods will be also be featured with a New Mexican night, German night and an Italian night.

For more information prior to Balloon Fiesta, call 505- 821-1000. During Balloon Fiesta, sign up for open sessions at the Gondola Club.

Chase Crew Volunteers Needed

Have you ever wanted to know how a balloon is readied for take off and packed up after landing?

Visit the Chase Crew Registration table October 2, 2008 (9 a.m.-4 p.m.) and  October 3, 2008 (9 a.m.-7 p.m.) in “the Landing” at Balloon Fiesta Park to register or visit the Chase Crew tower located in the southeast corner of the launch field any morning or evening of Balloon Fiesta to register.

During set-up, inflation, and launch, volunteers help unload equipment, assemble the basket, and lay out the envelope.  When the balloon is ready to be inflated, crew will be assigned positions – the crown line, the throat of the balloon, or the inflator fan.

During the chase, the driver drives – keeps his eyes on the road not the balloon. Passengers are responsible for tracking the balloon and keeping the driver informed.

During landing, recovery and pack-up, the pilot’s priorities are safety first and convenience second.  Be prepared to carry equipment out.  Wait for instructions on how to pack equipment – pilots pack their balloons the same way every time.

Mike Stauffer, Communications Director, New Mexico Tourism Department
505-827-7379, mike.stauffer@state.nm.us

New Mexico Museums Partner to Present Historical Exhibit

City Seals

The Palace of the Governors/New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe is partnering with the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History to present the exhibition, “Jamestown, Quebec, Santa Fe: Three North American Beginnings,” at the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History.

A companion lecture series is scheduled in Santa Fe and Albuquerque October 25, 2008 through March 1, 2009:

New Perspectives on North America – the Views from Jamestown, Quebec and Santa Fe is an overview of the founding of three cities by three empires on the North American continent. Barbara Clark Smith - exhibition curator and co-author of a companion publication - is curator of the division of politics and reform for the National Museum of American History.
The lectures are planned Saturday (October 25, 2008), 3 p.m., at St. Francis Auditorium in Santa Fe; and Sunday (October 26, 2008), 1 p.m., at the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History

Findings from the Jamestown Excavation: New Light on the Founding of Jamestown is the topic of the lecture given by William Kelso, director of archeology for the Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities Jamestown Rediscovery project. He is one of America’s foremost archeologists in Early American history and author of “Jamestown Rediscovery, 1994 – 2004 and Jamestown, the Buried Truth.”
The lectures are planned November 15, 2008, at 3 p.m. at St. Francis Auditorium; and November 16, 2008, at 1 p.m., at the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History

The Founding of French North America, a discussion of French contributions to early North American history, is led by William Moss, Chief Archeologist of Quebec City. Moss coordinates the archeological heritage efforts for the UNESCO World Heritage City of Quebec and has published widely about historical archeology of the French in both English and French.
His lectures are January 24, 2009, at 3 p.m. in St Francis Auditorium; and January 25, 2009, 1 p.m., at the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History.

Santa Fe: Multiple Impressions, Multiple Beginnings is the topic of a lecture given by David J. Weber, Dedman Professor of History and Director at the Clements Center for Southwest Studies at Southern Methodist University. Weber authored the essay on “Santa Fe in Jamestown, Quebec and Santa Fe: Three North American Beginnings” and is author of many other publications, including “The Spanish Frontier in North America and The Mexican Frontier, 1821-1846.” As the Santa Fe author for the Jamestown, Quebec and Santa Fe exhibition catalog, Weber will provide the audience with an overview of Santa Fe’s early beginnings on February 28, 2009, at 3 p.m. in the St. Francis Auditorium; and March 1, 2009, at 1 p.m., at the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History

“This exhibition and lecture series will give visitors a broad perspective of the settling of the United States,” said Dr. Frances Levine, director of the Palace of the Governors/New Mexico History Museum in Santa Fe. “People tend to think of Jamestown, Quebec and Santa Fe as isolated incidents. But each is part of a larger story. The colonization of North America was not just a westward movement from a single starting point.”

The Santa Fe lectures are supported in part by a grant from the Santa Fe 400th Anniversary. The exhibition and lectures at the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History are made possible in part by a grant from the New Mexico Humanities Council.

The Palace of the Governors is a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs.

For more information, contact David Rogers, Public Relations Coordinator for the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, at 505.476.1162.

Festival of the Cranes Takes Flight at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

Cranes

The 21st annual Festival of the Cranes November 18-23, 2008 offers something for everyone: from backyard birders to bird experts, from amateur photographers to pros.

The Festival of the Cranes is an event people love to attend each year. Activities include refuge tours; bird, biology, geology and art workshops; keynote speakers; and much more. The Festival highlights the world renowned Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, which is in its 69th year of managing the refuge for the benefit of wildlife and their habitat.

Tours are offered to introduce areas and topics not commonly available during the year. Birders will be out from dawn to dusk on and off of the Bosque. There is even a birding tour on Elephant Butte Lake. The management of local National Wildlife Refuges will conduct groups and explain in detail the operation of each refuge. During the Historic Socorro Open House photo galleries and historic buildings will be open for your inspection. New Mexico Tech and the scientific community will also have displays and tours.

Lectures are offered for a variety of wildlife related subjects. Most lectures are given at the Macey Center in Socorro. Lecture topics include photography, bird identification and wildlife painting. Workshops are conducted in the field or special facilities.

On Saturday and most of Sunday the main Promenade at the Refuge will be filled with exhibits and demonstrations. This is where you will see animals up close, very close. Animal rescue groups will display mammals and birds along the perimeter of the Promenade. In the Visitor Center and the art and exhibitors tents, you will find educational activities as well as items for sale.

“The Bosque del Apache, located along El Camino Real and New Mexico’s most important waterway, acknowledge the beauty of our landscape,” said Michael Cerletti, Secretary of the New Mexico Tourism Department. “The weekend’s festivities offer something for nearly everyone. It is an opportunity not to be missed.”

Since 1994, the Friends of the Bosque del Apache have supported the biological, educational, and research activities of the Bosque del Apache. They promote Refuge events, conduct workshops and programs, provide labor for special projects and support the Refuge in thousands of ways each year.
For more information on the annual Festival of the Cranes, call 505-835-2077 or visit www.friendsofthebosque.org/crane

 

Coronado State Monument Offers Fiesta of Cultures

NMSP logo

In celebration of New Mexico’s multi-cultural heritage, Coronado State Park near Bernalillo will celebrate the “Fiesta of Cultures” Saturday (October 25, 2008), 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

The Fiesta will feature numerous demonstrations of the skills handed down through generations by craft artists, weavers, spinners, quilters, tin workers, blacksmiths, flint-knappers and potters. 

Celebrate Kuaua’s history (1300 to 1600 AD), Coronado’s visit (1540-1542), and the arrival of American homesteaders and traders to the Rio Grande Valley (late 1800s) via the Santa Fe Trail. 

“History will come alive for you,” said Michael Cerletti, Secretary of the New Mexico Tourism Department. “This event promises not only a festive occasion with good food and entertainment, but also a true learning experience while observing the crafts, habits, and historical traditions of our ancestors. Enjoy the panorama of the river, the cottonwood bosque, and the entire breadth of the Sandia Mountains while you gain a fascinating insight into the area’s cultural heritage.”

In addition, there will be musical entertainment and fun activities specifically for children.  A food court will offer lunch and snacks.

Admission to the event, sponsored by the Friends of Coronado State Monument, is free.  However, if you wish to visit the Kuaua Pueblo ruins or examine the original Kiva Murals, the usual Monument admission fees apply ($3 for adults; and free for ages 17 and younger).

Coronado State Monument is s located on State Road 550 about one mile west of I-25 (Exit 242).

Contact Emily Sue Shields, Publicity Chairman for the Friends of Coronado State Monument, 505-771-8139 orEmilysuetom@aol.com

Rio Rancho’s annual Pork & Brew Named among Nation’s Top Events by American Bus Association

Pork and Brew booze

Rio Rancho’s annual Pork & Brew BBQ State Championships is one of the best 100 events in the nation for 2009, according to the American Bus Association.

Rio Rancho’s sixth annual Pork & Brew BBQ State Championship – complete with live entertainment, fun jumps, pig races, kids corral, and, of course, food galore – is set for March 27-28, 2009, at the Santa Ana Star Center in the Rio Rancho City Center.

“The Pork & Brew has quickly become one of New Mexico’s favorite annual events,” said Michael Cerletti, Secretary of the New Mexico Tourism Department, “entertaining both family and friends year after year. The folks in Rio Rancho are to be commended for their efforts in creating such a popular attraction.”

Inclusion in the Top 100 list, published as a supplement to the September/October issue of Destinations magazine, means Rio Rancho’s Pork & Brew “offers excellent entertainment value to both tour groups and individual travelers from around the world,” said ABA officials.

With the release of the American Bus Association’s 2009 Top 100 Events in North America, ABA celebrates 27 years of the Top 100 Events. What began as a way for motor coach operators to incorporate new product into their itineraries has grown to one of the most sought-after lists by travel professionals and the general public.

The Pork & Brew is sponsored by the Rio Rancho Convention & Visitors Bureau, and is a fully sanctioned Kansas City BBQ Society event - one of the top 10 events on the Society calendar.  With more than 30,000 in attendance last year, Pork & Brew has become one of the largest two-day events in New Mexico. Winners go on to participate in Kansas City, KS at the Nationals. 

Times are noon-9 p.m. Friday March 27 and Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. March 28.  For those interested in judging at the next Pork & Brew at the Main Tent at the Santa Ana Star Center contact Art Perez at 888-746-7262 or email aperez@ci.rio-rancho.nm.us. 

For a complete schedule of the 2009 event, visit http://www.rioranchonm.org/PDF/PDF_porknbrew/PorkNBrewRioRanchoNM2008.pdf

Cultural and Physical Landscape of Walatowa Featured in Indian Pueblo Cultural Center Exhibition

IPCC logo

The works of six renowned sculptors from the Pueblo of Jemez is the focus of a new exhibition at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center at 2401 12th St. NW in Albuquerque through January 31, 2009.

The works featured in the exhibit include bronze, clay and stone sculptures created by Estella Loretto, Clifford Fragua, Laura Fragua-Cota, Adrian Wall, Joe Cajero, Jr. and James A. Vigil.  All sculptors are award-winning artists.

 “The exhibition portrays the strong connection of each artist to the ever-evolving creative process, their homeland and the spiritual realm,” said curator Amy Johnson.

The featured sculptors will provide presentations and demonstrations as part of the accompanying programming scheduled throughout the fall and winter.Podcasts of the artists will be available to view on the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center website www.indianpueblo.org in October.

The sculptures featured in this exhibition will be available for sale with a generous percentage of the proceeds directly benefiting the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center’s exhibitions and programs.

For more information contact Tazbah McCullah, tmccullah@indianpueblo.com or 505-724-3519; or Amy Johnson, ajohnson@indianpueblo.org or 505-724-3546

Annual Dixon Studio Tour on Tap

Dixon scene

The 2008 Dixon Studio Tour, an annual major art event in northern New Mexico since 1982, is November 1 and 2, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. both days.

Dixon, nestled in the Embudo Valley where the Rio Embudo flows into the Rio Grande, has been long known for its rich Native American and Hispanic heritage, productive farm lands and pastoral beauty. During the last 30 years many artists moved to the valley to pursue their artistic talent and a simpler way of life.

Twenty-six years ago two of these artists decided that there was a need for more connection with the buying public in a more intimate setting than the craft fairs and the galleries provided. The first year of the Dixon Studio Tour was a great success. People love to wander among the orchards and visit the more than 50 studios and local businesses offering a full spectrum of contemporary and traditional fine art and crafts.

The local community has also been included with the formation of "The Mercado," which takes place at the public school and features many home-grown and homemade local products. A recent addition, the "Collected Works" show, features work by each of the artists on the tour. The show opens with a public reception at 7 p.m. October 31.

For more information visit http://www.dixonarts.org/map/dixonmap08.pdf or contact Jeanne Treadway at
info@dixonarts.org or 575-579-4574

Las Cruces Celebrates Musical Heritage

Mariachis yeah!

The Las Cruces International Mariachi Conference Concerts and Festival is November. 5-9, 2008

Don’t miss this opportunity to see young performers with amazing talent on Friday, November 7, 2008, 7:30 p.m., at the Pan American Center on the campus of New Mexico State University. Mariachi groups, vocalists, and Folkloric Dance groups will perform at this popular student concert. For more information call the LCIMC office, 575-525-1735
Student Audition Information

The exciting cultural event of the year in the regional Southwest, the Spectacular Concert, a performance of international recording artists joined by world-renowned Mariachi groups, is Saturday, November 8, 2008, 7:30 p.m., also at the Pan American Center.

This concert showcases more than 750 workshop students in performance with world-class musicians and dancers, highlighted by featured entertainers know the world over.
 For more information call the LCIMC office, 575-525-1735

The AARP Mass is Sunday, November 9, 2008, 9:30 a.m. More than 7,000 people annually attend the beautiful sacred Mariachi Mass, with Bishop Ricardo Ramirez presiding. This special celebration of the ritualistic Mass attracts diverse segments of the community, as they attend this non-denominational and cultural event. Workshop students and local and regional music and dance groups participate in the mass. Mariachi Cobre provides liturgical music at the mass

Parque Festival, a colorful mix of Mariachi music, Folkloric Dancers, New Mexican foods, family activities, spectacular Charreada exhibitions, Hispanic arts, hands-on art and recreational activities for children, and vendors offering traditional Hispanic wares in a festive atmosphere, is  Saturday and Sunday, November 8-9, 2008, at Young Park. Join in the celebration of the New Mexican culture of good food, great entertainment, and the cultural arts.

Visit http://www.lascrucesmariachi.org/index.php

Deputy Secretary Jennifer Hoffman offers up a new blog.

Deputy Secreatry Jen Hoffman

Deputy Secretary Jen Hoffman, the newest addition to the New Mexico Tourism Department staff, has started a bi-monthly blog at: http://newmexico.org/jensblog Through her new blog, Jen hopes to reach industry partners and potential visitors alike and drive more visitors to the New Mexico Tourism Department website.  As Jen tours New Mexico in her efforts to promote the land of Enchantment, she will document some of the special events and features of our state.  If you would like to share a potential blog topic with Jen, feel free to do so at Jennifer.Hoffman@state.nm.us.

http://newmexico.org/jensblog

Three-peat: New Mexico Returns with Float in Tournament of Roses Parade Sponsors Sought in Tourism Department’s Efforts to Promote New Mexico

New Mexico Tourism Department Secretary Michael Cerletti is pleased to announce New Mexico will once again participate with a float in the Tournament of Roses® Parade in Pasadena, California on New Year’s Day 2009. The theme of the 2009 Parade is “Hats off to Entertainment.”

“The response the state received from the Tourism Department’s appearance in the 2008 Tournament of Roses® Parade and the media efforts we sponsored primarily targeting the Southern California travel market was tremendous,” Secretary Cerletti said. “We now know that this is an incredibly effective way to reach potential visitors to New Mexico from all around the country and all over the world.”

It is estimated the exposure offered New Mexico following this year’s appearance – especially considering the publicity generated as winner of the Grand Marshal’s Trophy – was significant. Nearly 40 million Americans in 16.5 million households tuned in to watch the parade on nine national and international television networks, including NBC, ABC, HGTV and the Travel Channel. The Parade was also broadcast live in 150 countries and territories worldwide.

The Grand Marshal’s Trophy is given “for excellence in creative concept and design” and is one of the top three awards given each year. It is also the first award earned by the State of New Mexico in only its second appearance in the Tournament of Roses® Parade. Among the float’s riders was Miss New Mexico 2008, Jenny Marlowe, who was featured in interviews prior to the parade on Fox Channel 11 and KTLA Channel 5 in Los Angeles and nationally on the Travel Channel.

The float was designed by award-winning float designer Raul Rodriguez and built by Fiesta Parade Floats of Pasadena, Calif. under contract with the Tourism Department. Fiesta Parade-built floats won four of the top five trophies given in the parade. The Department will again contract with Fiesta Parade Floats and the float will be designed by Raul Rodriguez, who is currently working on possible concepts.

Appearance in the Tournament of Roses® Parade gives the $5 billion New Mexico Tourism industry a unique opportunity to become a major player in the Southern California market – where prospective tourists are plentiful, but advertising is prohibitively expensive.

California consistently ranks first or second in the number of domestic visitors to New Mexico annually, along with Texas.
 “It is important that the New Mexico tourism industry does everything it can to take advantage of unique opportunities to reach potential visitors,” Secretary Cerletti said. “Our successful return to the Tournament of Roses® Parade is just one such effort.”

Nearly 100 New Mexico volunteers traveled by plane, car and antique car caravan to California to work on the 2008 float and take part in the festivities surrounding the float’s appearance.

“Sponsors who helped make it all possible were Isleta Resort and Casino, New Mexico State Parks, the City of Roswell, ‘Caddies and Vettes’ in Roswell, El Pinto Foods, ESPN, and the Santa Fe Brewery,” Secretary Cerletti said. “We are hoping that New Mexico’s tourism and business communities will again seize this unique marketing opportunity.”

To that end, the Tourism Department is offering four levels of sponsorship in this promotion:

  • Oscar: $20,000 – This sponsorship includes the business name in every promotional publication in which the department participates in connection with the 2009 Tournament of Roses Parade; four tickets to the 2009 Tournament of Roses Parade; four tickets to the 2009 Rose Bowl Game; two jackets featuring a Rose Bowl logo and date on them; access to media functions, and other events connected with the Parade (i.e., volunteer party); distribution of collateral at all events; and magnetic signs with the business name and logo on our mobile visitor information center that will be parked at all the events.
  • Tony: $10,000 – This sponsorship includes the business name in every promotional publication in which the department participates in connection with the 2009 Tournament of Roses Parade; four tickets to the 2009 Tournament of Roses Parade; four tickets to the 2009 Rose Bowl Game; and access to media functions and other events connected with the parade (i.e., volunteer party).
  • Emmy: $5,000 – This sponsorship includes the business name in every promotional publication in which the department participates in connection with the 2009 Tournament of Roses Parade; two tickets to the 2009 Tournament of Roses Parade; two tickets to the 2009 Rose Bowl Game; and access to media functions and other events connected with the Parade.
  • Grammy: In-kind (product used in New Mexico promotions) – Depending on the value of the in-kind contribution, this sponsorship may include two tickets to the 2009 Tournament of Roses Parade and access to media functions and other events connected with the Parade.

The media events mentioned above will target the home states of the two teams competing in the 2009 Rose Bowl Game and the Southern California market.  Pre-game media events include radio contests and ticket giveaways and events involving travel writers in the Southern California market; business name and logo in the Tournament of Roses Parade program; advertising and possibly advertorial (depending on sponsorship level) in “Hello New Mexico,” which will be specifically produced by New Mexico Magazine to be included in the pre-game editions of the Los Angles Times and distributed at all Southern California promotional events.

Added Deputy Secretary Jen Hoffman, “Prospective sponsors should feel free to contact me directly and I will be happy to meet with them personally to answer any questions or discuss suggestions they may have to again make this a win-win situation for the sponsor, the State of New Mexico and its tourism industry.”

For more information regarding sponsorships, contact Deputy Secretary Hoffman, 505-827-6674, or jennifer.hoffman@state.nm.us