1 Comb through Hair Story.
Form & Concept gallery opens Rosemary Meza-DesPlas’s deeply personal exhibition, My Hair Story: from Brunette to Gray, on Friday with a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. In the 22-year retrospective, which runs through August 31, DesPlas uses her own hair to create embroidery works that speak to feminism, sexism, and the tired stereotypes ascribed to many women. “They do not pander to polite sensibilities,” says Spencer Linford, communications director at Form & Concept in a press release. “They are frank, raw, and unapologetically human.” In addition, Meza-DesPlas presents an artist talk on Saturday at 1 p.m.
2 Let freedom ring.
Farmington kicks off the Fourth of July holiday with its annual Freedom Days celebration beginning Friday. The weeklong event includes a gem and mineral show, ice cream socials, live musical performances, and a fireworks display. “The beautiful thing about Freedom Days is that it’s organized by a group of nonprofits,” says Ingrid Gilbert, assistant director at Visit Farmington.
The San Juan County Gem & Mineral Society’s annual show features a glittery display of gems, minerals, jewelry, and more Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Also, the Four Corners Musical Theatre Company presents the classic Damn Yankees at the Sandstone Amphitheatre Friday through Sunday at 8 p.m.
The community celebrates the 100th anniversary of the Farmington Fire Department at Brookside Park on Tuesday. “We will have activities and a fire department spraydown,” Gilbert says. Bisti Bay Water Park hosts the Firecracker Fun Festival on Tuesday and the community fireworks display, set off from Sullivan Hill, lights up the town on Wednesday at 9:25 p.m. “They’re choregraphed to a soundtrack which you can listen to on 94.9 FM KWYK,” says Gilbert. Freedom Days culminates with the July Jamboree July 4 from 6 to 9 p.m. at Civic Plaza. See a full schedule here.
3 See Po’Pay shine.
A new mural highlighting Po’Pay, Ohkay Owingeh leader of the Pueblo Revolt, debuts at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center on Friday with a reception from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Art Through Struggle Gallery. Painted by Indigenous duo NSRGNTS, Leah “Povi Marie” Lewis (Laguna Pueblo/Taos Pueblo/Zuni Pueblo/Hopi/Diné) and Votan Henriquez (Maya/Nahua), the mural is composed of seven panels in the kawaii style, which takes inspiration from Japanese anime and aesthetics.
4 Have fun on the frontier.
Grab your boots, get your hat, and head to Magdalena for a full weekend. A three-for-one concert features rockers Buttercup, innovative country artist Garrett T. Capps, and country rock fusion ensemble Sunjammer at Warehouse 1-10 on Friday at 7 p.m. On Saturday, the Frontier Festival brings the Wild West to the rodeo grounds with a junior rodeo and roping, chuckwagon dishes, pioneer life demonstrations, an artist market, historical reenactments, a mock gun fight, and more from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
5 Show your pride.
Get ready to party during Santa Fe’s Pride on the Plaza celebration with activities, performances, and tons of fun all day Saturday. The fest starts with a parade stepping off in style from the Lamy Building parking lot at 10:30 a.m. The party continues with live music on the plaza, including DJ sets and performances from G. Precious, the Nacha Mendez Trio, DJ The Muse, CoCo Caliente, and more. Pride After Dark keeps the good vibes going at the Lodge at Santa Fe at 8:30 p.m. An After Burn event takes over the Mystic on Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m., where water games, bathing suits, and DJ FlightPhonic are on tap.
Read more: For more things to do, check out our online calendar of events.