The town is starting to fill up with tourists. ‘Tis the season in Santa Fe and there’s a ton of stuff going on around the area from now until mid-October.
If you read Tidbits, you know Santa Fe has great food. Now the world will know. The City Different is a finalist for Best Food in Rand McNally’s Best of the Road 2012. Two of my Twitter buddies, Rick Griffin (@RickGriffin) and Sandi McKenna (@SandiMcKenna). Collectively, they’re known on Twitter as @MidlifeRoadTrip. Perhaps they’ll be the team selected to come here on their cross-country blogging odyssey for Rand McNally. I’m a guest therapist in their weekly Twitter chat #NUTS Mondays at 1:30pm MDT. You can follow the questions each week on @santafetraveler. The other winning teams are @freshtraveler, @teamtwo 4theroad @MikesRoadTrip @roadbros and @rogue_riders. We’ll update you on the Best of the Road after the teams get their assignments in Washington DC on June 15th. They get a month to travel cross country completing the six-city assignments Rand McNally gives them between DC and Seattle. We wish them all luck.
Some annual events coming up:
Music:
Santa Fe Opera has a great season planned, photo/Robert Reck courtesy Santa Fe Opera
The 56th season of The Santa Fe Opera opens on June 29th and runs through August 25th. They have five diverse operas planned for the season.
Another long-standing annual music event that brings visitors from around the US and even the world is the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival. Its 40th season will run from July 15th through August 20th.
A savvy traveler can plan their visit to include both these august music traditions in the same visit.
The New Mexico Jazz Festival, which takes place both in Santa Fe and Albuquerque is July 13th through 29th.
Music on the Hill and Santa Fe Bandstand are two more summer music staples. Both are free of charge.
Markets:
International Folk Art Market on Museum Hill in Santa Fe, photo/Steve/Collins
Santa Fe has three well-known and well-attended summer markets. The kick-off event is the International Folk Art Market, Thursday, July 13th through 15th. There’s full schedule information on their website.
Next is Spanish Market, a celebration of the Hispanic traditional arts that have been passed down in families for generations. This 2012 event, July 30th and 31st, marks the venerable market’s 61st year. Contemporary Spanish Market is a showcase for artists of Hispanic descent working in non-traditional mediums.
The last major market of the summer is the Santa Fe Indian Market, the largest event of its kind in the world. The juried event showcases Native American art and handcrafts from North America. 2012 marks their 91st year.
There are many more events over the summer, some annual and some unique. Stay tuned to Tidbits in the coming weeks and we’ll write about them.
More annual events:
About five years ago, our grandsons were here for El Rancho de los Golondrinas’ Spring Festival and Children’s Fair. They loved it. Take your family out to the living history village southwest of town on Saturday, June 2nd and Sunday June 3rd and find out why. The event runs from 10am to 4pm both days. Enjoy demonstrations of New Mexico colonial traditions such as sheep shearing, weaving and blacksmithing as well as fun family activities including archery, arts and crafts, face painting, tin stamping, and more. Kids will love the menagerie which includes mini horses, a wolf and a rare white buffalo on Saturday. There will be wagon rides, food, traditional New Mexican handcrafts for sale and more. Admission is $8 for adults. Seniors (62 and over) and teens (13-18) are $5 and children 12 and under are free.
Father Dimitri Pappas dances at 2011 festival, photo/Kerry Tramontanas courtesy Santa Fe Greek Festival
St. Elias the Prophet Greek Orthodox Church presents the 15th annual Santa Fe Greek Festival at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center Friday, June 15th and Saturday, June 16th from 11am to 9pm. The event showcases Greek music, dance and food. Many local restaurant owners of Greek descent will prepare traditional dishes, offering favorites including: Souvlaki, Gyros, Spanakopita, Dolmades and more for sale. For more information visit their website or contact Violet Santikos-Frank at 505-577-4742.
Free movies:
For the second year, Heath Concerts will present free movies in the Railyard this summer. The first one, Rango, is on Friday, June 1st. Movies begin just after sunset. Flying Star Café, on Market Street in the Railyard, will donate 20% of proceeds from food sales from an hour before the film to an hour after to Heath to help finance the free series. Here’s the full film schedule. And they’ll also be offering free concerts throughout the summer.
Art:
James Stephens refurbished cowboy boots will be at Cowgirl Red in Madrid, photo/courtesy Cowgirl Red
Madrid is a former mining town turned funky arts village. On Saturday, June 2nd, Cowgirl Red, one of the town’s galleries, opens their new show Resurrected Boots and the Art of the Cowboy Boot, a group exhibition. Works in the show include hand dyed and refurbished boots by James Stephens, paintings by Jack Pressler and Spencer Kimball and mixed media by Melinda Bon’ewell. A collection of vintage cowboy boots dating back to the 1920’s will also be on display. The show runs through September 1st. Gallery hours are Friday through Sunday from 11am to 5pm.
Greta Young's interactive "Dancing Heads" 6/8 at Axle Contemporary photo/courtesy Axle Contemporary
Santa Fe’s quirky gallery on wheels, Axle Contemporary has another unusual show for you. On Friday and Saturday, June 8th and 9th, artist Greta Young presents Art in a Dark Van. Young will seal all the van’s windows and door with dark curtains and will cover the walls and floor with drawings and sketches. Flashlights, provided to visitors on entry, will illuminate the art in the dark van. According to Axle, “The flashlight-wielding participant becomes an integral component of the artwork/performance, in an interactive dance that forces an intense engagement and focus on details, and an alternative art experience. “ The event is at the Railyard’s shade structure from 5 to 7pm both days. Drum group Agalu will perform outside the mobile gallery.
Upcoming concerts and music events:
June 6th through 9th the first Santa Fe Marimba Festival brings Marimba bands from around the world. Some local groups will also perform. Besides performances, workshops are scheduled.
The annual Thirsty Ear Festival also starts on Wednesday, June 6th, but lasts a day longer ending on Sunday, June 10th.
Lyle Lovett is in the lineup at the 2012 Taos Solar Music Festival, photo/courtesy Taos Solar Music Fest
The Taos Solar Music Festival, Saturday, June 30th and Sunday, July 1st brings some big names to the small town. On Saturday Lyle Lovett, Los Lobos and the The Del McCoury Band perform. Sunday brings festival favorite. Michael Franti with his group Spearhead. Also on Sunday’s bill; Sonny Landreth and Mat Kearney.
Full information for these festivals can be found on their respective websites.
Odds and ends:
Santa Fe’s Lensic Performing Arts Center will be closed for improvement from June 15th through July 5th reopening July 6 with comedians Hal Sparks and John Fugelsang’s Politics, Sex and Religion Tour.
Santa Fe’s historic hotel, La Fonda on the Plaza, has named Ed Pulsifer as their Director of Sales and Marketing. Pulsifer was formerly Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Heritage Hotels, operators of seven boutique hotels in the southwest.
Don’t forget the annual Santa Fe Botanical Garden Tour takes place on the next two Sundays. June 3rd, tour The Iconic Eastside. On the 10th, they offer Solitude and Perfection. Both are from 1 to 4pm. Ticket information can be found on their website.
One of the things that makes New Mexico unique is the pueblo heritage. The Eight Northern Pueblos hold traditional sacred dances throughout the year and many are open to the public. On Wednesday, June 13th, the Taos Pueblo celebrates San Antonio Feast Day with the Corn Dance. Here’s a calendar of dances and events at the pueblos.
If you have any suggestions on what to do in Santa Fe or local news to share with us, let us know. And remember, The Santa Fe Traveler is a great resource for planning your perfect trip to The City Different no matter what time of year.
What’s your favorite Santa Fe summer activity or event?
