NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Check out community events around New Mexico from August 4 – August 10.
Albuquerque
Aug. 4-6 – Burque Rock City 2023 – Head to Launchpad to experience a large rock fest. This three-day event will feature a wide variety of bands. Tickets start at $129.
Aug. 4-6 – New Mexico Games Pickleball Tournament – Head to the Manzano Mesa Outdoor Pickleball Courts to participate in singles and doubles tournaments. Those who are playing will compete for prizes. There is a fee to play but spectators are free.
Aug. 4-10 – U-Pick Produce and Flowers – Big Jims Farms will allow attendees to pick local produce and flowers through October 2023. Individuals can attend the farm for free but will have to pay for items picked. There will also be farm tours, markets, farm animals, and more.
Aug. 4-10 – Albuquerque Vegan Chef Challenge – Throughout the month of August the second annual will be taking place. A variety of local restaurants will be featuring a vegan menu item. Those who are participating are encouraged to vote, comment and post photos of their meals.
Aug. 5-10 – Art Resale Show – Locally owned Weems Gallery & Framing will be reselling their art each day. Guests can view and purchase pieces they like.
Aug. 4 – ABQ Artwalk – The Albuquerque Artwalk brings together various local artists, businesses, and more. The event is free to attend and runs from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Aug. 4 – Food Truck Fridays – Every Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., food trucks will be set up along Civic Plaza. The event will include a variety of food trucks, live music, and a sitting area to dine.
Aug. 4 – La Familia Grower’s Market – Visit Dolores Huerta Gateway Park from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for food trucks, produce, and live music. The event is free to attend.
Aug. 5 – 5th Annual Burque Niño’s Block Party – Visit Fusion Meadows Theatre to celebrate a block party. Proceeding from the event will be going to a local non-profit. Tickets start at $20 and the event runs from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Aug. 5 – The Mac & Cheese Fest – The Balloon Fiesta Park is home to the fest. Attendees can enjoy mac n cheese bites from local chefs, eateries, and more. There will be live music and drink samples as well. The event is for guests 21 and over only. Tickets are $25.
Aug. 5 – Westside Summerfest – The Westside Summerfest will be from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. happening at the Ventana Ranch Community Park. Attendees can enjoy live music. food trucks and more. The event is free to attend.
Aug.5,9 – Read to the Dogs – Each Saturday and Wednesday from 1 to 2 p.m. attendees can learn how to read or advance their skills to therapy dogs. Children can pick any book they’d like and read along. The event is free to attend and occurs at the East Mountain Branch Library.
Aug. 5 – Downtown Grower’s Market – Albuquerque’s longest-running farmers market, in its 26th year, takes place each Saturday in Robinson Park starting at 8:00 a.m. Vendors bring fresh food, jewelry, crafts, and more to the event. This year’s grower’s market will run through Nov. 4.
Aug. 6 – Yoga and Brunch at El Pinto – Each Sunday in August head to El Pinto to enjoy a yoga class. Attendees will also get a $10 coupon to use at the restaurant. The class starts at 9 a.m.
Aug. 6 – The Rail Yards Market of Albuquerque operates on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Aug. 8 – Tasty Tuesdays – Head to Hyder Park to enjoy a variety of food trucks, vendors, and music. The event is free to attend. The park event runs from 4:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
New Mexico
Aug. 4-10 – Pottery Experiences (Hand Building or Wheel) – Head to Santa Fe, N.M. to work with Santa Fe artists on pottery making. Attendees can get one to two-hour sessions on how to create the pieces. Tickets are $125 per person.
Aug. 4-6 – Elephant Butte Balloon Regatta – Visit Elephant Butte, N.M. to check out over 20 hot air balloons rising around the lake. The three-day event will feature the launch of the balloons and attendees can even ride a balloon. Tickets and prices vary.
Aug. 4-6 – 2023 Up & Over 10K Trail Run – Take a trip up to Taos, N.M. to take part in a 10K trail run and a couple of other athletic events. There will be a variety of groups to compete in and there will be awards given to the top three finishers.
Aug. 4 – Roadrunner Emporium New York Avenue Street Festival – In Alamogordo, N.M. head to a DJ Block party. Attendees can enjoy dancing, a beer garden, food trucks, and more. The event runs from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. for free.
Aug. 4 – 9th Annual Maverick Ranch Rodeo – Cimarron, N.M. is home to a working team of cowboys & cowgirls. Attendees can watch a variety of rodeo events. Admission is $5 and children under six are free. The event kicks off at 10 a.m.
Aug. 4 – First Friday at the Galleries – Head to Silver City to visit the art walk. Attendees can purchase unique arts and crafts. The event is free to attend and runs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Aug. 5 – Candlelight Tours – Visit Watrous, N.M. to take a trip back in time as guides will take you on a historic lantern-lit tour to “meet” some of the personalities of Fort Union. Reservations are required but the event is free to attend. The event starts at 7:30 p.m.
Aug. 5 – Los Jardineros Annual Garden & Home Tour – Head to Taos, N.M. to view local area gardens and homes. There will also be artists working and other events. Tickets are $25 per person.
Aug. 5 – Saturday Cooking Classes – Open Kitchen, LLC, will host cooking classes every Saturday. This weekend they will focus on preparing “cozy soups.” Classes are $115 plus tax. Classes take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Aug. 5 – Sierra County Farmers Market – Truth or Consequences, N.M. is home to this farmers market. The market runs each Saturday until October 2023. Individuals can enjoy the market for free from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. There will be produce, baked goods, live music, and more available for purchase.
Aug. 5,8 – Santa Fe Farmers’ Market – Voted one of the “Top Ten Farmers’ Markets” by Sunset Magazine, the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market is one of the oldest, largest, and most successful growers’ markets in the country – serving more than 150 farmers and producers in Northern New Mexico. Open Saturdays and Tuesdays from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Aug. 10 – The Rodeo at Tamaya – Visit Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M. for a rodeo. The event will be hosted at The Stables at Tamaya. Attendees can enjoy live barrel racing, and a variety of events Tickets range from $10 to $25+.
Aug. 10 – Downtown Maker’s Market – Farmington, N.M. kicks off the first day of its Downtown Maker’s Market. The market will be held every Thursday until October. The market will be downtown where a variety of vendors will be selling items like produce, food, decor, and more. The event runs from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Albuquerque Notices
🔶 KRQE Cares: Providing shoes for kids – KRQE Cares has been distributing new shoes to students at Title One schools since 2015. These efforts would not be possible without generous donations from our KRQE News 13 viewers. Donate anytime online, here.
🔶 Albuquerque ranks No.1 for ‘creeper’ concerns on ‘Nextdoor’ app – The Nextdoor app gives locals a place to chat, swap goods, and discuss creepers, apparently. A new study of posts and comments on the app reveals what Albuquerque locals are talking about. Here’s a hint: It’s not how friendly their neighbors are.
🔶 Albuquerque Public Schools return to classroom with new calendar – Students around Albuquerque headed back to school Thursday morning. This is the first year of the new Albuquerque Public School calendar that mandated extra class time for students.
🔶 Carousel incident, bus crash, whistleblower: A look at City of Albuquerque settlements – The City of Albuquerque shelled out nearly $2 million in the first three months of this year. The money was used to settle lawsuits against the city. View the article to take a look at some of the biggest cases in the latest report and how much the city agreed to pay can be.
🔶 ‘It’s their time right now’: Scorpions in Albuquerque – Albuquerque Reddit users have been posting online about an influx of scorpions in the metro area. According to Jason Schaller, curator of Entomology with the ABQ BioPark, the scorpions found in Albuquerque will most likely be either the lesser stripe tail scorpion or the striped bark scorpion, and neither poses a serious threat to people or pets.
🔶 How to prevent stormwater pollution in Albuquerque during monsoon season – Despite it being the driest start to monsoon season on record in Albuquerque, rain can come at any time before the season ends on Sept. 30. Last year, the National Weather Service in Albuquerque issued a record 249 flash flood warnings during the monsoon, nearly doubling the previous high. In the case that heavy rain does occur this year, there are steps residents can take to prevent stormwater pollution in the Rio Grande.
🔶 Albuquerque shifting landfill and waste collection two hours earlier due to heat – Extreme summer heat is forcing the city of Albuquerque to shift landfill and waste collection hours. The city’s Solid Waste Management Department announced that starting Friday, July 21, the open hours at the Cerro Colorado Landfill and waste collection pick up will shift two hours earlier. The changes will last until August 20.
🔶 Albuquerque officials concerned over increase in water waste – The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority is already seeing an uptick in water waste violations. They also noted the two worst months are still ahead.
🔶 Local artist wins Sugar Skull Fun Run honor – Bernalillo County has announced the artist whose work will be represented in this year’s Sugar Skull Fun Run. Morgan Loven is a local artist and photographer whose artwork includes skateboards, tattoos, business logos, and promotional material.
🔶 ABQ Ride summer route partnership with New Mexico Wilderness Society – ABQ Ride is now introducing a summer route promotion in partnership with the New Mexico Wilderness Society. For the next several weeks, ABQ RIDE will promote a weekly route, each leading to a different destination. These include places like BioPark, Route 66 Open Space, and other places throughout Bernalillo County.
🔶 Albuquerque crews focus on keeping Bosque clean – Keeping the Bosque clean was a recent priority for the city. Albuquerque police say city crews cleaned up 17 illegal camps in the Bosque during a recent operation.
🔶 Albuquerque residents can apply for discount on their internet bill – Locals who need help covering the cost of internet can apply for federal assistance. Those who qualify can get up to $30 per month off their internet bill. The discounts are part of a nationwide program overseen by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). To apply, go to this link.
🔶 Highest-rated restaurants with outdoor seating in Albuquerque, according to Yelp – Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated restaurants with outdoor seating in Albuquerque using data from Yelp. Rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews.
New Mexico Notices
🔶 PNM allocates $250K to combat summer heat cost strain – With the days of high heat this summer, many New Mexicans are seeing a rise in their electricity bills. The Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) is trying to combat the financial stress caused by this by offering a new PNM Summer Heat Bill Help Fund.
🔶 New Mexico cannabis sales seem to just keep rising – Once again, statewide recreational cannabis sales have passed the previous record. July sales topped out at over $34 million in cannabis purchases. The numbers come from New Mexico’s Cannabis Control Division. They’ve been tracking sales data since retail sales began in April 2022.
🔶 List of haunted places in New Mexico – Around the world and the United States there are a variety of locations and places that are classified as haunted. Here in New Mexico, there is no shortage. View the list here.
🔶 BCSO conducting sobriety checkpoints throughout August – The Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting sobriety checkpoints throughout August. Starting Tuesday, August 1 through August 31, deputies will be looking for anyone driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
🔶 Over 100,000 New Mexicans no longer have suspended driver’s licenses – Earlier this year, New Mexico lawmakers passed a law to let New Mexicans keep their driver’s licenses even if they failed to appear in court. Now, the state says over 100,000 people have been given back the ability to drive.
🔶 Public comment wanted on planned New Mexico highway improvements – New Mexico is planning on addressing over 1,300 transportation projects across the state. The public will be able to make comments on some proposals until August 25, 2023.
🔶 Upgrades coming to six airports in New Mexico – The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is putting over $9 million towards airport upgrades in New Mexico. The bulk of the funding will go towards runway lighting repairs at the Albuquerque Sunport.
🔶 New Mexicans used mental health crisis line over 21,000 times in first year – It’s been one year since the rollout of the mental-health-focused 988 helpline in New Mexico. Data shows that thousands of people are using the service. From the rollout a year ago to May of 2023, the helpline took more than 21,000 calls, texts, and chats, according to the Human Services Department. They estimate those connections may have aided in saving the lives of over 4,700 New Mexicans who needed help.
🔶 Governor announces expansions to New Mexico PreK programs – The largest expansion to New Mexico’s PreK programs has been announced. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham made the announcement at the White House States Convening on Child Care which brought together almost 100 state legislators.
🔶 Permit applications open for sandhill crane and pheasant hunts in New Mexico – Applications are now being accepted for special sandhill crane and pheasant hunting permits in New Mexico. Applications can be made through the online portal of the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish’s website here or by calling 1-888-248-6866. The deadline to apply for these special permits is 5 p.m. on Wednesday, August 16.
🔶 Where can you get the best tacos in New Mexico? – Tacos are a main staple in the typical New Mexican diet, and while there are many taco shop options, it can be hard to know which places are the best. Based on Google reviews, KRQE News 13 compiled a list of some New Mexico taco spots – all of which have at least 4.5 stars and 500 reviews on Google.
🔶 Rio Rancho police taking applications for Citizens’ Academy – Applications are now open for Rio Rancho Police Department’s Citizens’ Academy. The academy offers an opportunity to learn about the inner workings of the agency. Those looking to apply need to do so online at this link or in person at 500 Quantum Rd NE Rio Rancho, N.M. by September 5, 2023.
🔶New Mexico’s Carson National Forest implements fire restrictions – The U.S. Forest Service is implementing Stage 1 fire restrictions across the Carson Nation Forest. The hope is to prevent wildfires. Violations of fire rules can end with a misdemeanor and fines of up to $5,000, according to the Forest Service.
🔶New Mexico Open bowling tournament to feature world-renowned competitors – Since its conception in 2004, the New Mexico Open bowling tournament has continued to grow in both competition and prize money. A total of 12 states, along with Canada and Mexico, will be represented at this year’s event with a total of 192 competitors. The competition will be fierce as it features plenty of accomplished bowlers.
🔶 New Mexico’s Lincoln National Forest starts fire restrictions – With the increasing risk of wildfires, the Lincoln National Forest is starting Stage 1 fire restrictions as of June 28, 2023. If caught violating the restrictions, visitors can face fines and even jail time.
🔶 Gross Receipts Tax drop goes into effect July 1 – Changes to the state’s Gross Receipts Tax are going into effect on July 1. The statewide portion of the tax will drop to 4.875%. The rate drop was signed into law by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham in 2022 and will be the first GRT rate reduction in 40 years. The rate was previously 5.125%.
🔶 Rough pavement alert: Contractor runs out of asphalt for I-25 repaving in Santa Fe – A one-mile section of I-25 is going to remain “rough” for a while. The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) says the contractor doesn’t have the asphalt to finish the road for now.
🔶 Arcosa in Belen to create 250 jobs – The Albuquerque Regional Economic Alliance is a nonprofit organization whose mission leads strategies designed to grow and diversify the economic base of the greater Albuquerque Region. In March, the company Arcosa chose a location in the Belen/Valencia County area for a new wind-tower production facility. This manufacturing facility will create roughly 250 jobs, with production to begin as soon as next year.
