by Maria Manuela on
1 Crank up the music.
Rock out at Western New Mexico University, in Silver City, on Saturday, when the Mavericks perform at 8 p.m. The rock and alt-country band has been around since the 1980s; their first all-Spanish album, En Español, is set to release in August. “They are such a big name,” says Alexandra Tager, director of cultural affairs at WNMU. “People keep calling and asking, ‘Is it the real Mavericks?’”
Gates open at 5:30 p.m. and opening act McKinley James takes the outdoor stage at 6:30 p.m. There will be eight food trucks and a bar. “People can expect three hours of world-class music and dancing and community engagement,” Tager says. Online ticket sales end at 3 p.m. on Thursday, but there will be some available at the door until the concert sells out.
2 Honor the Earth.
Celebrate Earth Day at the Los Alamos Nature Center with party Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Earth Day Festival includes live musical performances by Recycleman and the Hill Stompers, food from Manko: Native American Fusion and Muy Salsas, games, hands-on activities, more than 40 booths, and screenings of a series of short films in the planetarium.
“There are local makers and artists selling their wares, and a wide variety of organizations, like the local parks,” says Beth Cortright, operations manager at the Pajarito Environmental Education Center. “We will have one plant seller with seedlings to jumpstart your summer garden.”
It’s a family-friendly event, with lots of hands-on fun. “The entertainment is definitely a highlight,” Cortright says. “Recycleman has these recycled instruments he lets people play, and they do group activities and make music together so it’s fun and interactive for all ages.”
3 Learn about wolves.
Get to know Mexican grey wolves at the Museum of Nature & Science in Las Cruces on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon. The lecture “Animal Encounters” will help you to identify their tracks, sounds, and the calls they make, as well as to gain a better understanding of their important role in the delicate desert ecosystem of the Chihuahuan Desert.
“The Mexican grey wolf is one of the rarest subspecies of grey wolves,” says Lea Flores, interim curator of living collections at the museum, who notes that at last count, New Mexico had more than 270 grey wolves in the wild. “We want to encourage conservation and protection of these animals that are so vital to our ecosystem.” Get a trading card featuring the Mexican grey wolf, see real examples of their skulls and teeth, and hear recordings of their calls.
4 Toast to outdoor recreation.
Santa Fe Brewing Co. hosts the second annual Spring Runoff event on Saturday to support their nonprofit initiative aimed at outdoor recreation. “We want to focus on things that matter to New Mexicans,” says Evan Wrons, senior marketing manager at Santa Fe Brewing Co. “It aligns with our culture as a brewery.”
Look forward to two stages featuring performances from DJ Dynamite Sol, the Boomroots Collective, Rock Bottom, the Little Tulips, and others, plus a bonanza of interactive options. “We will have bull riding, mini-golf, fly-fishing demos, a climbing wall, axe throwing, and a youth skate clinic,” Wrons says. “It’s really a full day of activities.”
It starts at noon and goes until 8 p.m. There’s a suggested donation at the door, which goes toward supporting the brewing company’s nonprofit supporting outdoor recreation.
5 Join in the journey.
Sacred Journeys IV, a collaborative performance of music and dance by Festival Ballet Albuquerque, premieres at the National Hispanic Cultural Center this weekend. Robert Mirabal (Taos Pueblo), a Grammy-winning musician, collaborates with Patricia Dickinson Wells, artistic director at Festival Ballet Albuquerque, and Jock Soto, a renowned dancer from the New York City Ballet based in Eagle Nest, to create the unique performance which combines aspects of classical and contemporary dance.
“We have two new songs with entirely new choreography,” says Dickinson Wells. “One is called ‘An Kha Na.’ It’s a lot about mothers and the earth and water and flowers. The other is ‘1,000 Miles,’ and it’s loosely based on servicemen away from the pueblo.” Performances take place Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m.
Read more: For more things to do, check out our online calendar of events.