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Aliens, Monsters, and Good Ol’ Summer Fun in New Mexico
Spike that dopamine with these summer jollifications around Santa Fe, New Mexico.
May 17, 2023
New Mexico is more than just a hot desert perfect for testing atom bombs, hosting alien survivors, and parking RV chemistry labs. This is the land of enchantment – filled with a vibrant mix of cultures, home to the famous and delicious green chile, and also the stomping grounds of Meow Wolf. We’ve assembled a list of upcoming summer events and festivals in New Mexico to cure the itch for far-out experiences. Get your sunglasses ready – summer vibes and good times are ahead with these events that will rock your summer!
June
Adulti-Verse Pride
June 1
Our adults-only (21+) evening at House of Eternal Return will kick off Pride month with a special 21+ celebration at Meow Wolf's Adulti-Verse! Dance it out to DJ sets from Sterodirt, get lucky at drag bingo (hosted by Saints Ball), and show your support at The Mountain Center's button-making station.
Albuquerque Artwalk
June 2 & July 7
Find rare art and explore independent artists and organizations block-by-block on the first Friday evening of the summer months in downtown Albuquerque. Be prepared to find extremely unique gems and perspectives from local artists and get acquainted with the vibrant art scene of New Mexico.
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Planet Taz: Queer Prom
June 14
The kind of prom we all wish we would have had – join Meow Wolf and the Santa Fe Human Rights Alliance (HRA) for an inclusive and all ages Queer Prom at House of Eternal Return. Our theme is “Galatic Y2K” to honor the memory of our beloved Meow Wolf employee and HRA board member Shontez ‘Taz’ Denise Morris. So put on your best metallic platforms and get ready to stomp out the dance floor in style!
Currents Festival
June 16-25
The Currents New Media Festival is an incredible 10 days of artistic innovation showcasing various facets of cutting-edge technologies. Make sure to stop by and interact with the latest art in virtual and augmented reality, robotics, and immersive installations at the Santa Fe fairgrounds.
Santa Fe Pride
June 24 10:00am - 12:00pm
Walk with us and the Transgender Resource Center of New Mexico in the Santa Fe Pride Parade that goes around the historic Santa Fe Plaza. This year’s theme will be the same as Planet Taz: Queer Prom’s: Galatic Y2K.
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UFO Festival Roswell
June 30-July 2
Starting in June and crash landing into the beginning of July, this festival celebrates our galactic homies (aka. aliens) in the world(s)-renowned town of Roswell, New Mexico – home of 1947’s Roswell Incident. This festival will have alien chases, parades, and plenty of weirdos from outer space to party with.
July
Full Moon Hike in White Sands
July 2
Soak in the magical beams of the first full moon after the summer solstice while hiking through the dunes of White Sands. Located just outside of Alamogordo, New Mexico, the White Sands Missile Range is covered in white dunes made from gypsum crystals. Pro tip: it’s worth bringing a sled of some kind.
International Folk Art Market
July 6-9
Santa Fe’s annual International Folk Art Market is the world's largest market for folk art, with thousands of artists representing over a hundred nations. This festival is a way to showcase and celebrate unique cultures, traditions, and points of view while also supporting independent folk artists. This year’s event will take place at The Railyard for the first time.
Los Alamos ScienceFest
July 7-18
She blinded us all with science! The Los Alamos ScienceFest throws science a party with concerts, markets, games, and activities in downtown Los Alamos, New Mexico. This year’s theme is focused on “Energy” in all variations of STEAM.
NM United x Meow Wolf
July 22
This is the dimension where the art world and sports can happily coexist. One night a year, New Mexico’s soccer team, United, opens the portals to a Meow Wolf takeover of the stadium in Albuquerque. The energy of this night could sufficiently fuel a trip to meet some of your new friends from outer space that you made at the UFO Festival. Guests are encouraged to participate in a costume contest and pre-game activities, including a creation station to embellish flags and costumes, and there are a lot of prizes to win. Each year a new limited and collectible jersey is released and it’s always a night to remember.
*Pro tip: when the opposing team makes a blunder, it is customary to chant “pobrecito” (Spanish for “poor thing”).
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Lavender in the Village Festival
July 22-23
Ooooh…lavender.
Monster Battle
July 25
Calling all monsters and freaks from every dimension to join us in a clash for the ages. Meow Wolf’s annual Monster Battle takes place on the Santa Fe Plaza featuring a costume battle for prizes and adorably ferocious dance-offs to live sets from The Muse and Spoolius. House of Eternal Return’s community space Rainbow Rainbow will be hosting costume creation stations for monstering up your costumes prior to the battle. It’s a fun time for all walks of life and a free event for all ages.
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Salsa Festival Extravaganza
July 29
Deming, New Mexico hosts a day of fun activities including a tortilla toss, a jalapeño-eating contest, and a cookoff featuring salsa, red, and/or green chile dishes. They encourage all guests to come and “savor the flavor of New Mexico”.
These events are guaranteed to level up your life meter and create new neuropathways to enhance your summer. Please remember, don’t eat yellow sand at White Sands, and don’t believe the “puppies in the spaceship” line. Have fun!
Share image artwork by Kevin Vigil / Mr. Melty “Porter the Pilot of Hyperloops and All Floating Portals”
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