Santa Fe, New Mexico

Fall for Santa Fe

What makes fall in Santa Fe so special? It’s a glorious season showcasing the high desert at its best. For me, it’s the heady aroma of roasting green chiles and burning piñon in the air. The weather is still warm, but there’s a crisp chill in the night air. The leaves on the mountain aspens are turning a rich yellow and the sky is crisp and blue. The streets are less crowded; summer visitors have returned home. I wish I could stop time and keep it like this all year, but… I’m letting the secret out. It’s the perfect time to visit.

Besides the usual … fabulous shopping, world class art in the galleries and museums and wonderful food, there are some fun events to lure you here. Here of five things to do in the fall in Santa Fe.

1) Burning of Zozobra and Fiestas de Santa Fe

If you’re a fan of fire and fun, come to the annual Burning of Zozobra. Old Man Gloom, as he’s nicknamed, is a fifty-foot high puppet made from sticks, chicken wire and cloth. Local art legend Will Shuster came up with the idea in 1924 and with the help of a few others including renowned puppeteer, Gustav Baumann, built and burned the first Zozobra. It caught on like a house on fire and the rest, as they say, is history. Have cares and woes you want to get rid of? Put them on paper and they can go inside Old Man Gloom. After an evening of music and fun, Zozobra is set on fire to loud cheers as everyone’s cares and woes go up in smoke. If you miss it, rest assured, Zozobra will return the following September to be burned again. It’s a highlight of fall in Santa Fe.

This wildly popular event is the unofficial kick-off to Fiestas de Santa Fe, the oldest fiesta in the United States. Started in 1712, it commemorates the reconquest of Santa Fe by the Spanish. They fled during the successful Pueblo Revolt of 1680 and returned in 1692 led by Don Diego De Vargas. The events Friday, Saturday and Sunday include a religious procession with La Conquistadora (the oldest statue of the Blessed Virgin in the USA) at its head, the knighting of De Vargas and Coronation of La Reina de Santa Fe (the Queen of Santa Fe) and the popular Fiesta Melodrama. There are also two parades. The Children’s Pet Parade (Desfile de los Ninos) is always fun and funny and for floats, bands and folks in costume, you can’t beat the Historical/Historical Parade. For a good view, arrive early. As with Zozobra, f you don’t make it this year, it will be back same time next year.

2) The Santa Fe Farmers’ Market

The Santa Fe Farmers’ Market is still going strong in fall. Colorful crops fill the booths waiting for you to take them home for a feast. If you’re visiting and can’t cook at your lodging, take home dried powdered chile, local jams or a ristra (hand-strung dried red chile peppers) to help you remember your time in Santa Fe or to give as gifts. It’s great to meet and talk to local farmers. Santa Fe takes the idea of farm to table seriously. You can also find produce from the Farmers’ Market on menus at local restaurants. The Santa Fe Farmers’ Market has a permanent home in the trendy Railyard District. The market is open Saturdays throughout the year. Fall hours are 7am to noon through the end of September, from 8am to 1pm in October and 9am to 1pm for the rest of the fall season. They also have a Thursday market from 4 to 7pm through the end of September that features Cook with the Chef where a local chef uses the foods from the market.

3) Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta

And speaking of chile, if you’re a food and wine aficionado, mark the annual Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta on your calendar. It’s five days of wine and food events including wine dinners, wine seminars, cooking classes and tastings. Restaurants feature wine dinners, generally pairing with a specific winery, sometimes with a distributor. Chefs create wonderful, mouthwatering menus to pair with the grape. Everyone wants to fill their restaurant; the more enticing the menu and the wine, the better the chances for attracting diners. The highlight of the event is the Grand Food and Wine Tasting at the Santa Fe Opera on Saturday from 1 to 4pm. Local chefs cook signature dishes and wineries offer pours. Shuttle service is offered so you don’t have to worry about how much you imbibe. This wildly popular tasting event always sells out so buy your tickets early. They go on sale in July.

4) Santa Fe Renaissance Fair

El Rancho de los Golondrinas is a living history museum, set on the lands of a Spanish Colonial era hacienda. The site, open from April through October, offers visitors the chance to experience life as it was in New Mexico hundreds of years ago. Weekends during the season, docents demonstrate life skills from a bygone day. From June through September, weekends bring special events and festivals that will educate and amuse. One highlight of the fall season is the Santa Fe Renaissance Fair held at the end of September. Go back in history to a time when life was hard, plague was not uncommon and very few had creature comforts. Don a period costume and join the fun or just come as you are. You’ll discover a country fair with street buskers, jesters, jugglers, sword fights, belly dancers, vendors, food and more. Get into the spirit- grab a turkey leg and join the fun.

5) Pueblo Dances and Feast Days

One of the things that attracts people to Santa Fe is its rich history and Native American culture. For the ultimate Pueblo experience, attend their traditional dances and/or feast days. While these are spread throughout the year, there are many from September through Christmas. If there are dances scheduled while you’re there, go. Pueblo life has come into the 21st century in many ways, but the dances remain unchanged.

Because of the Spanish influence in the southwest, the Pueblo peoples’ traditions have become entwined with those of the Catholic Church. Many of their dances are held on Saints’ days and Christian holidays and are considered sacred religious ceremonies. Bring your memory; cameras (and even cell phones) are not allowed.

And of course, always in season in Santa Fe is shopping, dining, galleries and museums and day trips into the high desert and the past. Now a special destination all throughout the year, if you want to see Santa Fe at its best, think about booking for fall.

Author’s note: The Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta, held the first two weekends of October, is the largest ballooning event in the world. Grab your camera and head for Santa Fe, a great base for the festivities. Driving down to Balloon Fiesta Park should be hassle-free if you avoid the first weekend.