1 Line up for new art.

Terran Last Gun (Piikani) present a series of ledger drawings in Terran Last Gun, an exhibition opening Friday at Hecho Gallery, in Santa Fe. The exhibit, which runs through April 2, includes 18 new works and a gallery wall mural. “It really complements the work and acts as something to draw people in and further explore the space,” says Last Gun. “It’s going to create an experience and mood.”

An Institute of American Indian Arts graduate, Last Gun uses strong color play and geometric forms that draw on his printmaking practice and his Indigenous history. “A lot of that stems from my culture and my nation, looking at our painted lodges and working with some of that visual vocabulary,” says Last Gun, whose father was also a ledger artist. “It’s a continuum, but it’s also growth and development.” Catch Last Gun’s artist talk on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Led by Daniel Castro, the Lienzo Charro El Pedregal perform rope tricks during Cowboy Days. Photograph courtesy of the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum.

2 Lasso a good time.

The 23rd annual Cowboy Days saddles up at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, in Las Cruces, with activities, demonstrations, and live music on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The event celebrates farming history and culture with trick roping exhibitions, equestrian activities, chuck wagon cooking, blacksmithing, horseshoeing, and craft booths. Linda McDaniel and her working dogs show off their herding talents at 10 a.m., noon, and 3 p.m. The Castro family performs trick roping and traditional charreada in full costume at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Neal McCowan serenades the food truck court from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m.

“I really like the demonstrations on horseback,” says Craig Massey, Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum director of public relations. He also recommends the Parade of Breeds, in which livestock manager Greg Ball trots out various cattle breeds, from Angus to longhorn, and discusses their history and characteristics. “There’s so much to see on our 47-acre property.” 

Turn up the heat at the National Fiery Foods and BBQ Show. Photograph by Heijo Reinl/Unsplash.

3 Crank the Scoville scale.

Prepare for a spicy weekend as the National Fiery Foods and BBQ Show heats up Sandia Resort & Casino in Albuquerque. Heat lovers can sample and buy more than 1,000 products, check out barbecue and cooking demos, and watch as culinary pros compete in bracket-style 505 Food Fights. Started by Dave DeWitt and his wife, Mary Jane Wilan, in 1988, the show is one of the biggest displays of peppery bites in the country. Don’t miss goodies from La Posta Chile Company, Wild West Pickles, Texas Toffee, Sauce Leopard, Pop Pop’s Italian Ice, Oso Rojo Hot Sauce, MisoHeat, and more.

David Yang performs with the Taos Chamber Music Group for "A Love Affair." Photograph courtesy of the Taos Chamber Music Group.

4 Make your heart flutter.

The Taos Chamber Music Group takes inspiration from poetry, art, and letters for its A Love Affair concert at the Harwood Museum on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. The program includes Libby Larsen’s Black Birds, Red Hills, inspired by her love of New Mexico’s high desert and Georgia O’Keeffe’s paintings, as well as Valerie Coleman’s Fanmi Imen (Human Family), which includes a poem by Maya Angelou.

Nancy Laupheimer, Taos Chamber Music Group director and a flutist who performs with the ensemble, says the unique combination of poetry, letters, artworks, and music makes this concert stand out. “The fact that so many things are part of the performance is exciting,” she says.

Vanessa Alvarado is one of 30 female artists featured in "Unfinished Business" at the Doña Ana Arts Council gallery. Photograph courtesy of the Doña Ana Arts Council.

5 Show up for women artists.

The spotlight shines on perseverance in the new Unfinished Business: Women’s Power of Persistence exhibit at the Doña Ana Arts Council gallery. Curated by Mary Diesel, the exhibition features 30 women from New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Texas who work in mediums ranging from sculpture to fiber art.

“I think it’s really important to a acknowledge the contributions of all women during Women’s History Month,” says Penny Peace, gallery manager at Doña Ana Arts Council. Keeping in line with DAAC’s mission, Unfinished Business, which opens with a reception Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. and runs through March 29, represents a diverse group of artists, both emerging and established. “The response from the artists has been almost overwhelming, and the response from the community has been outstanding.”

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