The annual Fiesta of Cultures will take place at the Coronado Historic Site in Bernalillo, New Mexico, on Saturday, October 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is organized by New Mexico Historic Sites and The Friends of Coronado and Jemez Historic Sites.
Jessica Coyle, Instructional Coordinator Supervisor at Coronado Historic Site, said, "We are so excited to be able to offer a mix of performers, vendors, and demonstrators that show what makes New Mexico such a vibrant place to live."
The program features performances by Jemez Pueblo Dancers, Wilde Bunch LGBTQ+ Square Dancers, Trupthi’s Academy of Dance and Music specializing in East Indian dance, and McTeggart Irish Dance. Attendees can also experience Conservation Carnivale—a science circus—and music by Feliz Peralta with Zydeco, Tejano, and Blues influences. Guided tours of the reconstructed kiva will be provided by site staff along with baking demonstrations using an outdoor horno.
Local artists and craftspeople will participate in a juried show selling art, crafts, and jewelry. Food from regional food trucks will be available for purchase. The Department of Cultural Affairs’ Wonders on Wheels mobile museum will present the exhibit “Eight Sites, One History: Explore the Past at New Mexico Historic Sites” and provide hands-on art activities for all ages.
Admission costs $10 for adults but is free for children 16 or younger as well as Tribal members, New Mexico disabled veterans, foster families in New Mexico, Friends of Coronado and Jemez members, and Museum of New Mexico Foundation members. Tickets can be purchased in advance online at my.nmculture.org/44481/49959 or at the event. A full schedule is available at media.newmexicoculture.org/event/6894/fiesta-of-cultures.
Sponsors include Friends of Coronado and Jemez Historic Sites; Museum of New Mexico Foundation; Town of Bernalillo Lodger’s Tax; Sandia Resort and Casino; Chicky’s Coffee; New Dawn Travels; and Wilde Bunch.
Coronado Historic Site is located near the Rio Grande with views of the Sandia Mountains. It marks the area where Francisco Vásquez de Coronado entered the Rio Grande valley in 1540 while searching for legendary cities of gold but instead encountered Native farming villages. The site interprets the history between Indigenous Tiwa People and Spanish explorers through its visitor center museum and preserved archaeological features including a reconstructed kiva. More information about visiting can be found at nmhistoricsites.org/coronado.
