Above: See the best of the best at a county fair. Photograph by Sergio Salvador.
As David Pike described so affectionately last August (“Hog Wild for County Fairs”), New Mexico county fairs take the ordinary things we grow and make—from raspberry jam to miniature goats, hand-knitted sweaters, and beer—and put them center stage as everyone—preschoolers to grandmas—vies to take home top honors. For spectators, the rewards are guaranteed: foot-long corn dogs, pig races, and chain-saw competitions. Here's a full list of fairs between July and October.
- July 21–23: Eddy County
- July 25–29: Rio Arriba County
- July 30–August 4: Chaves County
- July 30–August 5: Sandoval County
- July 30–August 4: Doña Ana County Expo
- July 31–August 4: Bernalillo County
- August 1–4: Santa Fe County
- August 2–4: Harding County
- August 3–5: Guadalupe County
- August 3–11: Lea County
- August 6–12: Colfax County
- August 6–12: Valencia County
- August 6–11: Lincoln County
- August 7–11: Torrance County
- August 8–11: Union County
- August 9–11: De Baca County
- August 9–12: Los Alamos
- August 8–12: Mora/San Miguel Counties
- August 13–18: San Juan County
- August 14–18: Curry County
- August 15–18: Quay County
- August 21–25: Roosevelt County
- August 22–25: Catron County
- August 23–25: Hidalgo County
- August 23–26: Taos County
- August 30–September 2: Socorro County
- August 30–September 3: Bi-County Fair—Cibola and McKinley
- September 19–23: Grant County
- September 19–23: Otero County
- October 3–7: Luna County
- October 3–7: Sierra County