Above: Mary J. Blige and Nas (not pictured) will be coming to the 505 on August 20th. Photograph by Alamy Stock Photo.
8/2 NATIVE GATHERING
The Gallup Inter-Tribal Ceremonial is a multi-day event celebrating tribes from across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Catch a powwow, rodeo, or craft market.
8/3 EAT HISTORY
Eat and drink your way through history at Panza Llena: Corazón Contento; New Mexico Food and Beer Festival, at El Rancho de las Golondrinas, where historians will illuminate centuries of culinary innovation in New Mexico.
8/17 FOLK NIGHT
Nuevo Mexico Profundo stages a night of music and prayer at the Gothic-style adobe church of San Rafael, in La Cueva, featuring alabados from local Penitentes, a history recited by author Frank Graziano, and the traditional acoustic music of Lone Piñon. All proceeds will help preserve historic churches.
8/20 THROWBACK JAMS
Nas, one of the greatest rappers of all time, and Mary J. Blige, queen of hip-hop and R&B, give nostalgic nineties kids the soundtrack of an entire decade at the Isleta Amphitheater, bringing it all back with hits like “Real Love” and “If I Ruled the World.”
8/24 BIG BLOOMS
An ode to the bloom, Mountainair’s annual Sunflower Festival celebrates its 24th year of art and music in the Manzano Mountains.
8/3 GREEN THUMBIN
Haven’t perfected your skills of gardening in the arid Southwest? A raised-bed gardening and composting class at the Open Space Visitor Center, in Albuquerque, teaches growers the basics of mulching, irrigating, and fertilizing. You, too, could transform an ailing backyard into the next Fertile Crescent with these skills.