7 Cultural Events In New Mexico You Shouldn't Miss

Imagine standing in a field on the outskirts of Albuquerque at dusk, breath misting into the October air, watching as the bright glow of hundreds of flames lifted flocks of colorful bubbles into the air. It’s a beautiful sight, and one you won’t soon forget.

There’s one thing for which the small town of Hatch, New Mexico is best known. And if you really want to learn what it’s all about, plan a visit during their annual Hatch Chile Festival in late summer.
 

The terroir of the region contributes to the Hatch chile’s unique flavor profile, and the crop is shipped all over the world every harvest season. At the festival, you’ll get to sample classic dishes that feature the chile as an ingredient, and of course grab a plate of rotisserie-roasted peppers to eat on their own.

Roswell bombards visitors with little green men at all times of year, making the most of that infamous story of the UFO that allegedly crashed near the city in 1947. But the extraterrestrial extravaganza rises to a fever pitch during July.

Each August, 175,000 people converge on Santa Fe Plaza, a Spanish Colonial-style public space created when the city was founded in 1610. Here, more than 1,000 Native American artists representing cultures from around the Southwest and the country showcase their work in what’s considered the largest event of its kind.

Santa Fe visitors explore and shop at the plaza year-round, but if you can make it during the Indian Market in August (or the smaller winter iteration in late November), you’ll no doubt leave with a truly remarkable memento of your time in New Mexico.

This entry is a welcome reminder that New Mexico is home to excellent skiing and some pretty solid wines. Find both at the Taos Winter Wine Festival in January. Carve tracks down one of America’s premier ski mountains during the day, and then taste some of the state’s finest vintage wines paired with gourmet dinners.

Albuquerque's annual Gathering of Nations Pow Wow is one of the largest meetings of Native American community members in North America. It’s open to the public and features music and dance performances, an artisan market and street fair, and a variety of great food. The best part: Gathering is a nonprofit working to preserve and propagate traditions and provide scholarships for Native American students.

Held around the same general time as the Indian and Spanish markets, the International Folk Art Market steps beyond the rich cultural heritage of New Mexico to showcase artistic traditions from all over the world. Eighty-seven countries have been represented by attending artists since 2004. It’s just one of many reasons why Santa Fe has been designated a UNESCO City of Folk Art.