1 Go out to dinner—or brunch.

This weekend is a great time to visit some of the best restaurants in the Duke City during Albuquerque Restaurant Week. The event welcomes hungry patrons to dine at participating establishments that are offering special prix fixe menus April 17–26. The 2026 roster includes Dorothea, Artichoke Cafe, Ex Novo Brewing, and DWTNR Bar & Lounge. The prix fixe options vary by restaurant, but offerings include brunch for $33 at DWTNR, where diners can choose two options across three courses, with dishes like shishito peppers, green chile cheese smashburgers, and hash brown chilaquiles.

A new exhibition at the Millicent Rogers Museum honors the life and work of Taos Pueblo artist DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo. Photograph courtesy of the Millicent Rogers Museum.

2 Honor a late Indigenous artist.

DeAnna Autumn Leaf Suazo (Diné, Taos Pueblo) created artwork that blended her Indigenous heritage and her love of manga and Japanese characters, creating an immediately recognizable style filled with Native symbolism, whimsy, and joy. A new exhibition on view at the Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos honors her life and artistic legacy. She exhibited work all across the country and was among a cohort of artists who decorated rooms at the Nativo Lodge in Albuquerque before she was tragically murdered in 2021, the same year her first illustrated picture book was published. The exhibition, which runs through March 1, 2027, invites attendees to see her work and remember her bright spirit.

Celebrate the Mother Road at the Albuquerque Rail Yards with classic vehicles, live music, tours, and family-friendly activities. Photograph courtesy of the Wheels Museum.

3 Party for the Mother Road.

A bevy of beautiful cars rolls into the Albuquerque Rail Yards during the Route 66: Roads & Rails Festival on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Hosted by the Wheels Museum, the event welcomes rides of every kind—from cars to trains and bicycles—and invites the entire community to enjoy food and drink vendors, a family-fun zone, tours of the neighborhood, and special exhibits inside the museum, plus live music and dancing.

The Albuquerque Rail Yards were once a bustling center of the city, where workers from 27 nationalities came each day. “This rail site is the reason Albuquerque became a modern place,” says Leba Freed, president of the Wheels Museum.. “Before the railroad, Albuquerque was smaller than Belén. Two thousand men a day worked here, and during the war people worked here 24 hours a day.” This free event celebrates the Route 66 centennial by reminding attendees that the Rail Yards remain an important place. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to enjoy our history and our culture,” Freed says, “and to understand the importance of transportation to the West.”

Join ranger-led night walks and telescope stargazing programs at New Mexico State Parks during International Dark Sky Week. Photograph by Lisa A. Philips.

4 Appreciate the night skies.

New Mexico State Parks are celebrating International Dark Sky Week with a variety of outdoor activities throughout the weekend. Events include the Owl Prowl, a ranger-led wildlife walk at Cimarron State Park starting at 8 p.m. At City of Rocks State Park, near Faywood, arrive at dusk to enjoy the sunset and then stargazing, with a chance to see the night skies through a 14-inch Meade telescope during the Star Party. The weeklong event honoring the wonder of the night sky was started by a high school student in 2003, and has gained international recognition in the two decades since.

The New Mexico History Museum highlights three Indigenous women who successfully opposed a proposed coal-fired power plant on Navajo Nation. Photograph courtesy of the New Mexico History Museum/Carlan Tapp.

5 See the power of Indigenous women.

A new exhibition at the New Mexico History Museum, A Question of Power, tells the story of three women who fought back against a coal-fired power plant planned to be built on the Navajo Nation. Opening Sunday, the exhibition shines a light on the narrative of Molley Hogue, Lucie A. Willie, and Sarah Jane White as they worked to prevent its construction. It features a series of photos and recordings by documentarian Carlan Tapp, who followed the women from 2004 to 2011. These Indigenous women led protests at the proposed site, spoke with media and politicians, and ultimately succeeded in preventing the plant’s construction. See the exhibition through June 27, 2027. 

For more things to do, check out our online calendar of events.