1 Watch Indigenous culture shine.

The 101st Gallup Inter-Tribal Indian Ceremonial brings a slew of celebratory events to Gallup August 4–13, including an art market, dance performances, pow wows, parades, a Navajo song and dance presentation, a rodeo, a Kiowa Gourd dance, and the crowning of Miss Gallup Intertribal Ceremonial 2023. Performers and artists come from Indigenous communities throughout the country to attend, creating a stunning display and celebration of culture.

“The ceremonial gives people a better understanding of who we are as Natives,” says Kyle Tom, president of the association which oversees the event. “It’s an opportunity to learn. We have the platform to educate.” The parade alone features more than 400 performers, and the rodeos have over 1,000 entries.

“Our amphitheater event is one of the best-kept secrets of the ceremonial,” Tom says. “Every 30 minutes a different tribe takes the stage to talk about their creation stories and culture, and to perform.” Catch that next weekend on Saturday and Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m. Most events are focused around Red Rock Park, so you can see the market, and other offerings in one day. The ceremonial kicks off this weekend and runs through next weekend. See a full list of happenings here.

The Cleveland Roller Mill is one of three historic mills included in the Places with a Past walking tour. Photograph by Tony King

2 Take a tour of the past.  

For 31 years, the Las Vegas Citizens’ Committee for Historic Preservation has hosted the Places with a Past walking tour. The daylong event takes folks on a trip through time with visits to some of the most famous historic homes and spaces in both Las Vegas and Mora. Both places have rich and interesting histories, which include the establishment of the railroad and Montezuma Castle, now the site of United World College’s only United States campus. The tour allows attendees access to amazing places they might otherwise not get to see, including three historic mills in Mora. You can purchase tickets for the tour at the Las Vegas Citizens’ Committee for Historic Preservation office or online. It begins Saturday at 9 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m.

Taos celebrates Pride with a roller disco party, drag show, and Pride in the Park. Photograph by Unsplash/Sophie Emeny.

3 Show your Pride.

Pride week in Taos brings a host of celebratory events, including a roller disco party on Friday evening and Pride in the Park on Saturday. The Taos Pride Roller Disco party happens at the Taos Youth and Family Center, and is a family-friendly event that invites everyone to don a pair of skates and boogie from 6 to 9:30 p.m. On Saturday, Pride in the Park kicks off at noon, featuring performances from drag queens, local bands like Katy P and the Business, vendors selling handmade goods, and information booths with educational materials. The park party goes until 5 p.m. To continue the prideful activities into the evening, head to the Alley Cantina to catch another event, The Gayest Drag Show Ever, which starts at 9 p.m. and features drag performers hailing from Santa Fe and Lubbock, Texas. See Taos Pride’s website for a full list of events and locations.

Hops get loaded into a harvester at the Santa Fe Beer and Food Festival at Las Golondrinas Photograph by Steve Gleydura

4 Enjoy a locally brewed cold one.

El Rancho de las Golondrinas hosts the fifth annual Santa Fe Beer & Food Festival on Saturday and Sunday. The festival features brewers from throughout the Land of Enchantment, including Bosque Brewing Co. and Marble Brewery, along with live entertainment from Boomroots Collective, Chuscales Flamenco, The ZigZags, and many more. Shop around at a local makers’ market, with goods ranging from ceramics to soaps to jewelry, and nibbles from food trucks including Fusion Tacos and Poki Tako. This is a popular event and tends to sell out, so nab your ticket here ahead of time if you want to guarantee your spot.

David Olivant's "Eye Witness, Early Retroglyph," is a part of his solo show at Strata Gallery. Photograph courtesy of David Olivant.

5 See a gallery’s new space.

Strata Gallery celebrates its new location on Santa Fe’s Lincoln Avenue this Friday alongside the reception for artist David Olivant’s solo exhibition, Whether or Not Something Bad Has Happened. Olivant, who is also the president of Strata Gallery, presents a collection of mixed-media paintings created with pieces of his older works that are collaged into new images.

Olivant starts with high-resolution images of his sculptural works, printed in large format. “Then I change them using paint, pencil, collage, and different media,” he says. “They become new in the process.”

Whether or Not… includes more than 30 works set in the gallery’s new 1,200-foot space. The largest piece in the exhibition was completed just a few days before the opening. Olivant says he’s inspired by the struggles facing the world. “Given the situation of the planet right now, it’s difficult for me not to go in that direction,” he says. “My work has always been expressionist and existentialist.” See it through September 1.  

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