1 Focus on abstraction.
The Taos Abstract Artists Collective opens its Spring Exhibition at the Taos Center for the Arts with a reception on Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. Featuring works by 64 abstract artists, the exhibition, which runs through April 20, includes several three-dimensional works, including textiles and installation videos. “It feels like an immersive and sensory experience,” says Lauren Smith, co-founder of the Taos Abstract Artists Collective.
Keep an eye out for garments by Taos-based weaver and fashion designer Josh Tafoya, whose designs have graced Hollywood’s red carpets lately, and a massive installation piece by Henrijs Preiss. “His background is in stage and set design,” Smith says. “He’s influenced by gaming graphics and street art, and this work feels very symbolic.”
The opening party, with food by Suchness Dining Room’s Kevin and Megan Sousa, kicks off the Taos Spring Arts Festival. “It’s going to be a huge event,” Smith says.
2 Shop in the park.
Cue the sunshine. The Downtown Growers’ Market, in Albuquerque’s Robinson Park, opens for the first time this year on Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon with an abundant cornucopia of things to eat, see, and shop.
The 2024 market roster includes fresh, locally grown produce from 50 farms as well as coffee, aguas frescas, pickles, jams, woodwork, paintings, photography, jewelry, and more. Live music, morning yoga, and tons of fun programming happens throughout the season, which runs every Saturday through November 2.
3 Celebrate culture and civil rights.
AfroMundo Fest
Musical performances, film screenings, culinary tastings, and literary events are all part of this festival, which kicks off Saturday at venues throughout Albuquerque, including Outpost Performance Space and the National Hispanic Cultural Center. With the theme Maroons, Rebels, Dreamers & Visionaries, the festival, which continues through April 20, delves into Black stories and histories with participants including Las Cruces-based farmer Shahid Mustafa, Brooklyn-born musician Hubby Jenkins, and Jamaican poet Yashika Graham.
César Chavez and Dolores Huerta Celebration
The National Hispanic Cultural Center and the Recuerda a César Chavez Committee combine efforts to host an annual celebration of the civil rights activists whose efforts helped spur national change in labor laws. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., starting with a keynote address by Dolores Huerta at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, followed by a march through the neighborhood and a celebratory fiesta back at the cultural center.
4 Take a stroll for art.
From April through October on the second Saturday of the month, downtown Gallup hosts the Gallup Arts Crawl, a block party with food trucks, live music, and local businesses staying open late.
A collaboration between local business owners and the Gallup Business Improvement District, the first Arts Crawl of 2024 happens Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m. and features the El Paso-based pyrotechnic acrobats Odd Lab. “We felt the arts crawl could accomplish community building,” says Francis Bee, executive director at the Gallup Business Improvement District. “It’s making Gallup a nicer, friendlier place to live.”
5 Bite into a pecan festival.
Taste everything from pecan pie to pecan tacos at the three-day Las Cruces Pecan Festival. With over 70 vendors, 20 food trucks, live music, and a beer garden at Young Park, the festival offers plenty of new and fun experiences. Read more about the Las Cruces Pecan Festival here.
Read more: For more things to do, check out our online calendar of events.