From House To Home

The season of celebration is upon us. Between now and the end of September, at least a dozen festive events will take place in the Las Cruces area.

One of the region’s oldest festivals started 38 years ago as a thank-you barbecue for chile harvesters in Dona Ana County and grew into the Hatch Chile Festival.

“It’s all about farmers selling and people buying their annual stock of fresh green chile,“ says festival chairman Marcia Nordyke. For two days, from sunrise until long past sundown, the smell of roasting green chile perfumes the air.

Veterans will leave with two, three, or more 50-pound burlap bags filled with fresh or roasted green chile. Newcomers might settle for a grocery sack full or eat their green chile on site, sampling dishes offered by vendors.

Laid-back fun served on the side includes a parade, crowning of the Chile Queen, live music, arts and crafts booths, chile eating contest, and carnival rides. This year’s dates are August 30 and 31. Admission is $5 per vehicle. For details, visit www.hatchchilefest.com.

Plan ahead a few months, and you could have a nice selection of wines to pair with all that beautiful chile.

Held at the Southern New Mexico State Fairgrounds just west of Las Cruces, The Southern New Mexico Wine Festival is the perfect place to discover your favorite New Mexican wine.

Festival attendees (with a photo ID and a $13 ticket) come to taste wines produced by more than a dozen New Mexican wineries.

“A lot of people come with their families and bring lawn chairs and blankets to set out on the main grassy area at the fairgrounds,“ says Dawn Starostka of Helping Hands Event Planning. Kids run and play (supervised youth under 21 attend for free). Grown-ups sample wines and browse arts, crafts, food, and jewelry booths. Everyone enjoys exceptional live music. Vendors serve food and non-alcoholic beverages.

With wine, there’s always something new to learn, so the “University of Wine” tent is a popular spot. Offering mini-sessions on everything from basic terminology to the joy of cooking with wine, Starostka says, “college was never so much fun.“

This year’s dates are May 24-26. Starostka encourages attendees to purchase advance tickets online at www.snmwinefestival.com.

Other Events To Check Out

May 3-4: Cinco de Mayo Fiesta, Mesilla Plaza. Traditional fiesta honoring Mexico’s second revolution, Mexican music, food, and dancing. (575) 524-3262, www.oldmesilla.org

May 15: Blessing of the Field (formerly La Fiesta de San Ysidro), New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum. Celebrate New Mexico’s 3,000-year-old farming heritage, with farming demonstrations, an evening dance, mariachi music, folklorico dancers, and a blessing of the fields. (575) 522-4100, www.frhm.org

July 3-4: Fourth of July Electric Light Parade, Celebration, and Fireworks; free events at Meerscheidt Center and around town. (575) 528-3170, (575) 541-2200, www.las-cruces.org

August 22-24: Deming Duck Festival, various Deming locations. Enjoy duck races, arts and crafts, food, entertainment, and duck mall. www.demingduckfestival.com

August 30-September 1: Harvest Wine Festival, Southern New Mexico State Fairgrounds. It’s all here—grape stomping, wine tasting, live entertainment, arts and crafts vendors, children’s activities, hourly wine seminars. (575) 522-1232, www.wineharvestfestival.com

September 27-October 26: Mesilla Valley Maze, 3855 West Picacho Ave. Take part in hayrides, arts and crafts, harvest food treats, and you-pick flowers and produce. (575) 526-1919, www.mesillavalleymaze.com

September 13-14: Diez y Seis de Septiembre Fiesta, Mesilla Plaza. Celebrate Mexican Independence Day with folklorico dances, mariachi music, food, and games. (575) 524-3262, www.oldmesilla.org, www.mesillavalleymaze.com

September 20-21: White Sands Balloon Invitational. Experience balloon launches, glows, and events over the white gypsum dunes of White Sands National Monument. (575) 430-7585, 800-826-0294, www.nps.gov/whsa

September 20-21: Tularosa Basin Wine and Music Fest. After the beautiful balloon launches in the morning, visit the Alameda Zoo in Alamogordo for wine tasting, crafts, and live music. (575) 522-1232

September 26-28: The Whole Enchilada Fiesta, Meerscheidt Recreation Center. Enjoy a street party with entertainment, food, dancing, parade, and the making of the official world’s largest enchilada.