For the perfect Fall getaway, head to Santa Fe County where the warm days are bathed in golden sunlight and the cool nights are filled with stars. There’s really no better place to be when Autumn arrives, thanks to the blazing colors of fall foliage and the unique festivals full of family fun. Get into the spooky season with Sky Railway’s Halloween-themed Fright Train, and gather with ghostly spirits who have spellbinding tales to tell from New Mexico’s past at a premiere living history museum. Take part in a new, and popular tradition honoring Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Make your way to Santa Fe County this season and experience the magic of Fall.
Fall Colors
Nature paints the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in glorious fall colors, turning aspens into shimmering shades of gold, orange and crimson. For one of the best viewing spots, head to Hyde Memorial Park, where an easy hike on Aspen Vista Trail offers sweeping views of fantastic fall foliage. The Dale Ball Trails also offer excellent spots for panoramic views of fall foliage along a network of trails that wind through the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. These trails offer some of the best hiking opportunities in the country, according to Travel + Leisure and Shermans Travel.
Fabulous Fall Festivals
Autumn in New Mexico is filled with time-honored traditions —making ristras by stringing together pods of dried red chiles, creating crafts out of corn husks, stomping grapes, and picking out the perfect pumpkin from a pumpkin patch. All of these activities and more are part of the fun at the 52nd Annual Harvest Festival at the celebrated living history museum El Rancho de las Golondrinas. New Mexico’s longest-running harvest festival also serves up food and drink and arts and crafts from local vendors. Fun for the whole family! Be sure to buy tickets in advance before they sell out.
Saturday, October 5 and Sunday, October 6; 10 a.m.- 4 p.m.
santafenmtrue.com/events/52nd-santa-fe-harvest-festival
Celebrate the wonders of wool at the 41st Annual Mountain and Valley Wool Festival at the Santa Fe County Fairgrounds, where a juried market features dozens of artists with their wool, fiber, yarns,
fiber arts-related tools and equipment and artistic fiber creations. Take in demonstrations of spinning, dyeing and sheep shearing and meet the sheep, alpacas, goats and angora rabbits who provide the material for so many works of art. The festival also features a silent auction, food vendors and live music.
Saturday, October 5 and Sunday, October 6
Ghostly Gatherings & Ghoulish Fun
Dress up in your spookiest costume and climb aboard Sky Railway’s Fright Train for a journey deep into the dark and a ghoulishly fun time. Be on the lookout for haunted performances along the track as you travel the historic Santa Fe Southern branch line. Groove to the sounds of live music and take part in a spirited costume contest as you sip Halloween-themed beverages in this adventure for ages 18+ only. Get tickets early for this adventure as they will sell out.
October 18-20, October 25-27; and October 31
A few ghosts from New Mexico’s rich and remarkable past are waiting for you at the 7th Annual Santa Fe Spirits of New Mexico, hosted by the living history museum El Rancho de las Golondrinas. They'll appear as you gather around campfires and on lantern-lit paths, eager to share their riveting tales. Food and libations will keep you alert and on guard during this family-friendly experience, the only event the museum presents after dark. Don’t delay in getting tickets as this event always sells out.
Saturday, October 26, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.
santafenmtrue.com/events/7th-annualsanta-fe-spirits-of-new-mexico
Take part in a colorful celebration on the Santa Fe Plaza honoring loved ones who have passed on. Inspired by festivities in Mexico, Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a vibrant blend of mariachi music, hundreds of marigolds, colorful masks, decorative skulls, and community altars, or ofrendas. Visit a glow-in-the-dark face painting booth so you’ll be ready to shine when you join the evening candlelight parade. Throughout the day, food trucks serve signature Mexican cuisine and when night falls on Saturday, the Santa Fe Plaza lights up with a candlelight parade, enhanced by glow-in-the-dark lighting. As numerous bands take the stage at the Plaza Bandstand, celebrants dance away the sorrows of their loss.
Friday, November 1, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday, November 2, noon to 10 p.m.
Celebrating Local Harvest
Dine out during the annual Local Harvest Restaurant Celebration, when Santa Fe’s nationally recognized chefs will curate special lunch, dinner or both lunch and dinner menus that substantially reflect product sourced from local land producers. The restaurants will acknowledge the participating farms and ranches on their menus. Make your reservations through the restaurants’ customary reservation services. The annual event benefits the nonprofit Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute.
September 17 through September 20
Fresh Farm Fare
Reunity Resources, a five-acre farm, is focused on community connection and environmental education. Reunity’s farm stand is a great place to shop, brimming with local produce, condiments, baked goods and other fare. The farm winds up the season with the 2024 Fall Fest, a lively celebration of the harvest season with fresh farm food, music, activities and more.
The Fall Fest takes place Saturday, September 28 and Sunday, September 29, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The farm stand is open in September on Fridays, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.; and Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. October hours are Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Music in the Mountains
The Santa Fe Opera’s 67th Festival Season has wrapped after another feast of stellar summer performances, including the world premiere of The Righteous and a spectacularly reviewed Der Rosenkavalier. Opera buffs are already anticipating the 68th season’s repertory, which will feature a new production of Puccini’s La Bohème, directed by James Robinson, and a revival of 2021’s popular production of Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro, directed by Laurent Pelly. In addition, Wagner’s Die Walküre, will be presented by the Santa Fe Opera for the first time in a new production by director Melly Still. Other opera-related revelry includes Opera Tailgating, Preview Dinners, Prelude Talks, Tours and more.
June 27 through August 25, 2025
Adventure Field Guide to Highlight Gravel Bike Trails
For outdoor adventurers heading to Santa Fe County, planning is even easier with the launch of the Santa Fe County Gravel Adventure Field Guide—a handy booklet highlighting gravel bike trails in the area, as well as a variety of attractions, history, and information about surrounding communities. The pocket-sized booklet features a wealth of information about the land, culture, and traditions of Santa Fe County, along with in-depth information on trails. Cyclists can utilize an interactive GPS navigation function while on trails and access route maps, distance, elevation and terrain of each trail.
For more information on where to get a copy, visit SantaFeNMTrue.com
Upcoming Events
Outdoor Origami
Surround yourself with whimsical, origami-inspired flying birds, butterflies, flowers and other striking outdoor monumental sculptures in Origami in the Garden, created by Santa Fe artists Kevin and Jennifer Box. The work is part of FLORIGAMI, the Box’s new traveling exhibition located along the historic Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway (Highway 14).
Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., now through November
santafenmtrue.com/events/origami-in-the-garden-sculpture-garden
Opera in the Park
Bring a picnic to Railyard Park and sit back and enjoy a free screening of Donizetti’s The Elixir of Love, presented by the Santa Fe Opera. No tickets required. Seating opens at 4 p.m. and the performance starts at 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, September 15
santafenmtrue.com/events/opera-in-the-park-by-the-santa-fe-opera
New Mexico Beer Fest
Enjoy live music and samples from seven New Mexico breweries at the first annual Lamy Beer Fest presented by Nuckolls Brewing Company and Sky Railway. Skip the drive and take Sky Railway’s round-trip train from Santa Fe to Lamy, available to passengers, 21 and older.
Saturday, September 21 starting at noon
santafenmtrue.com/events/lamy-beer-fest
Toast to Grapes & Chile
Santa Fe Wine & Chile Fiesta returns for five fun-filled days of wine dinners, auctions, guest chefs, demos and the celebrated Grand Tasting. Sample food from more than 60 restaurants and 90 winery partners.
Wednesday, September 25 through Sunday, September 29
santafenmtrue.com/events/santa-fe-wine-and-chile-fiesta-2024
Oktoberfest, New Mexico Style
Oktoberfest gets a New Mexican twist at The Bridge at Santa Fe Brewing Company’s Oktoberfiesta, with live music, food, games, activities and more. The celebration of outdoor recreation supports New Mexico non-profits
Saturday, October 5, noon to 6 p.m.
A Celebration of Film
Five days and nights of 160 premiere film screenings, industry panels and programming for filmmakers and audiences make the16th Annual Santa Fe International Film Festival a must-see for film-lovers.
Wednesday October 16 through Sunday, October 20, various venues
santafenmtrue.com/events/the-16th-annual-santa-fe-international-film-festival
Music by Night
The indie-pop trio Cannons takes the stage at Santa Fe Brewing to perform their fusion of deep house music, indie-electronic, and '80s synth-pop on their The Heartbeat Highway Tour. The synth-pop band Glass Spells opens.
Friday, October 18, 6:30 p.m.
Lee Greenwood
Grammy-winning country music icon Lee Greenwood plays Hilton Santa Fe Buffalo Thunder, joined by special guest Johnny Lee.
Saturday, October 19, 8 p.m.
hiltonbuffalothunder.com/entertainment.html
Please drink responsibly and always choose a designated driver.
Make your way to Santa Fe County for glorious fall adventures! We can’t wait to see you. For more information, visit SantaFeNMTrue.com and be sure to follow us on social media.