January - 15th Annual Mesilla Valley Balloon Rally
Over 90 unique and colorful balloons fill the skies over the Mesilla
Valley. Brown Farm Field. (505) 526-7528. www.mvbr.com
February - Annual For the Love of Art Month
Mesilla Plaza and Community Center. Book fair, including book vendors,
Storytelling and children’s parade highlight week’s events. (505) 524-3262,
ext. 117.
April - Trinity Site Tour
The Trinity site is the location of the first atomic bomb explosion on
earth. The site is open to the public twice a year. White Sands Missile
Range. (505) 678-1134. www.wsmr.army.mil
April
- Annual Frontier Day
Take a trip back in time with a visit to Fort Selden State Monument as they
honor the civilians and soldiers who lived at the fort and protected the
residents of the Mesilla Valley after the Civil War. Among the groups
honored are the Buffalo Soldiers who, were some of the first soldiers
assigned to the Fort. Fort Selden State Monument. (505) 526-8911,
800-429-9488. www.nmculture.org
April - 13th Annual Border Book Festival
This unique festival brings together authors from around the world. Live
performances, food, fun and lots of reading. Various locations. (505)
524-1499. www.borderbookfestival.org
April - La Viña Blues & Jazz Thing
A weekend of good music and good wine hosted by New Mexico’s oldest
winery. La Viña Winery, La Union. (505) 882-7632. www.nmwine.com
May - Cinco de Mayo Fiesta
A traditional Mexican fiesta honoring Mexico’s second revolution. Experience
traditional Mexican music, food and dancing on the historic Old Mesilla
Plaza. (505) 524-3262. www.oldmesilla.org
May - Annual La Fiesta de San Ysidro
A celebration of New Mexico’s 3,000 year-old farming heritage, featuring
farming demonstrations, mariachi music, folklorico dancers, and a blessing
of the fields, all capped off with an evening dance. New Mexico Farm & Ranch
Heritage Museum. (505) 522-4100.
www.frhm.org
May - Southern New Mexico Wine Festival - The Vintners' Splash
Visitors can sample wine from the many New Mexico wineries as well as enjoy
live entertainment and local vendors. Southern New Mexico State
Fairgrounds. (505) 522-1232. www.nmwine.com
July - Annual 4th of July Electric Light Parade, Celebration and
Fireworks
Commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, Las
Cruces celebrates with a parade of floats decorated with electric
lights. Experience live entertainment throughout the day plus a spectacular
fireworks display at night. All events are free and open to the public.
(505) 528-3170, (505) 541-2200. www.las-cruces.org
September & October - Mesilla Valley Maze
It's the most fun you can have in a corn field. Bring the kids and those
that are
"kids at heart" to
the rural fun of the Mesilla Valley Maze. Take a
hayride out to the pumpkin patch to look for the perfect Jack-O-Lantern,
then discover the many twists and turns amazingly cut into a corn
field. Saturdays and Sundays. 3855 West Picacho Avenue. (505) 526-1919. 9. 9. www.mesillavalleymaze.com
September - Hatch Chile Festival
The Mesilla Valley is the chile capital of the world, and what better way to
celebrate than with a chile festival. Sample some of the finest chile while
you enjoy food, crafts, an auction, live music and more. Hatch. (505)2675050. www.hatchchilefest.com
September - Hillsboro Apple Festival
Located only an hour north of Las Cruces, Hillsboro is famous for apples.
Sample everything from world class apple pie to apple juice, caramel apples
and much more. There are also arts and crafts for the whole
family. Hillsboro. (505) 895-5686
September - New Mexico Wine Harvest Festival
Celebrate New Mexico's wine harvest with grape stomping, wine tasting, live
entertainment (including up and coming country music star Tim Murphy on
Sunday). Festival features arts and crafts vendors, children's activities,
hourly wine seminars and a great relaxed atmosphere. Southern New Mexico
State Fairgrounds, 11 miles west on I-10 exit 132. 12 noon - 6 pm each day
$13 adults 21 and older, under 21 free but must be accompanied by parent or
legal guardian. $3 discount for active duty military on Monday. (505)
522-1232.
www.nmwine.com
or
Dawn@HelpingHandsEvents.com
September - White Sands Balloon Invitational
A collection of colorful balloons filling the air over the white gypsum
dunes of White Sands National Monument. (505) 430-7585, 800-826-0294. www.nps.gov/whsa
September - Diez y Seis de Septiembre Fiesta
Mexican Independence Day! Join the village of Mesilla as they commemorate
Mexico’s independence. Be sure to catch folklorico dances, mariachi music,
authentic Mexican cuisine and have a really good time. Old Mesilla
Plaza. (505) 524-3262. www.oldmesilla.org
September - The Whole Enchilada Fiesta
We have a chile festival and an apple festival, why not an enchilada
fiesta! Downtown Las Cruces hosts one big street party complete with food,
dancing, a parade and the making of the official world’s largest enchilada!
Meerscheidt Recreation Center. (505) 526-1938. www.twefie.com
October TBA - X Prize Cup
An event where everyone can come, experience space and be part of the next
generation of spaceflight. You can watch the next generation of space
vehicles fly, talk to astronauts, see the vehicles up close, fly simulators,
learn about the technology, the curriculum available at all levels of
education, know about the careers available in the contemporary space
industry and begin to dissolve the myth that you will never travel to space
in your lifetime. (310) 587-3355. www.xprize.org
October - Southern New Mexico State Fair & Rodeo
The Southern New Mexico State Fair has something for everyone; a midway, an
auction, food, music, livestock shows and a cowboy rodeo. Southern New
Mexico State Fairgrounds. (505) 524-8602. www.snmstatefair.com
October - Trinity Site Tour
The Trinity site is the location of the first atomic bomb explosion on
earth. The site is open to the public twice a year. White Sands Missile
Range. (505) 678-1134. www.wsmr.army.mil
October - 6th Annual Mesilla Jazz Happening
Mesilla Valley Jazz Happening will be swinging into historic Old Mesilla at
the Mercado Plaza and on the Historic Plaza. The Plazas will host free live
jazz music at two venues. A special Wine Garden at each venue featuring
eight New Mexico Wineries will provide wine tasting. Horse drawn wagons will
offer free transportation between the Mercado and the historic plaza. Old
Mesilla Plaza. (505) 524-3524, (505) 524-3262, (505) 523-6700. www.oldmesilla.org
October
- Cowboy Days
Nothing says the old west like the cowboy, and the New Mexico Farm & Ranch
Heritage Museum honors the western legend with a weekend festival complete
with roping and riding demonstrations, “cowboy food”, dancing, and cowboy
poetry. New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum. (505) 522-4100. www.frhm.org
October - La Viña Wine Festival
This festival is the oldest wine festival in New Mexico and features food,
entertainment and of course, wine produced by New Mexico’s oldest winery. La
Viña Winery, La Union. (505) 882-7632. www.nmwine.com
October and November - Dia de los Muertos
Celebrate the Day of the Dead with lots of music and food. Join the
candlelight procession as the dead are remembered. Homemade altars are on
display and a giant pinata is broken open. Old Mesilla Plaza. (505)
647-2639. www.oldmesilla.org
November- Annual Renaissance ArtsFaire
Spend a weekend with Kings and Queens at the 35th Annual Renaissance
ArtsFaire. Local, state and regional artisans gather to participate in a
juried art show and exhibition. Only the highest quality arts & crafts are
for sale accompanied by live theater, dancing, music and food, all presented
with a Renaissance theme. Young Park. (505) 523-6403. www.zianet.com/daac
November - International Mariachi Conference & Concert
A week-long educational conference culminating with one spectacular concert
featuring internationally known mariachi performers. Parque Festival at
Young Park features entertainment and cultural activities. New Mexico State
University Pan American Center and Young Park. (505) 525-1735. www.lascrucesmariachi.org
December - Christmas Carols and Luminarias on the Plaza
The historic village of Old Mesilla is aglow with thousands of luminarias
and caroling.
(505) 524-3262. www.oldmesilla.org
April
- Annual Frontier Day
October
- Cowboy Days