Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
37
Albuquerque International Balloon
Fiesta,
Albuquerque, NM. The world's
largest balloon rally, this 9-day festival
brings together more than 750 colorful
balloons and includes races and con-
tests. Balloons lift off from Balloon
Fiesta Park (at I-25 and Alameda Blvd.
NE) on Albuquerque's northern city
limits. Call
&
800/733-9918,
or visit
www.balloonfiesta.com. Second week
in October.
Arizona Exposition & State Fair,
Phoenix, AZ. Featured are rodeos, top-
name entertainment, and ethnic food.
Call
&
602/252-6771,
or go to www.
azstatefair.com. Mid-October to early
November.
Helldorado Days,
Tombstone, AZ.
Attendants of this festival can check out
an 1880s fashion show, beard contest,
reenactments, and street entertainment.
Call
&
888/457-3929
or 520/457-
3929, or go to www.tombstonechamber.
com. Third full weekend in October.
Cowboy Artists of America Annual
Sale & Exhibition,
Phoenix, AZ. The
Phoenix Art Museum hosts the most
prestigious and best-known Western-art
show in the region. Call
&
602/257-
1222,
or go to www.phxart.org. Late
October to mid-November.
Moab Ho-Down Festival,
Moab, UT.
Mountain-bike races, hill climbs, and
related events are featured. Call
&
888/
677-4688.
Late October to early
November.
N
OVEMBER
The Comedy Festival,
Las Vegas, NV.
Some of the world's top comics and
comedy troupes perform at this festival,
and the event also includes workshops,
film festivals, and more. The primary
host hotel is Caesars Palace. Call
&
800/634-6661,
or go to www.the
comedyfestival.com. Mid-November.
Festival of the Cranes,
Bosque del
Apache National Wildlife Refuge, NM.
People come from all over the world to
attend this bird-watching event just an
hour and a half south of Albuquerque,
near Socorro. Call
&
575/835-1828,
or go to www.friendsofthebosque.org.
Weekend before Thanksgiving.
Christmas on the Pecos,
Carlsbad,
NM. Pontoon-boat rides take place
each evening, past a fascinating display
of Christmas lights on riverside homes
and businesses. Call
&
800/221-
1224
or 575/877-6516, or visit www.
christmasonthepecos.com. Thanksgiving
to New Year's Eve (except Christmas
Eve).
Yuletide in Taos,
Taos, NM. This holi-
day event emphasizes northern New
Mexican traditions, cultures, and arts,
with carols, festive classical music, His-
panic and Native American songs and
dances, historic walking tours, art exhi-
bitions, dance performances, candle-
light dinners, and more. Call
&
800/
732-8267,
or visit www.taoschamber.
com. From Thanksgiving through New
Year's Day.
D
ECEMBER
National Finals Rodeo,
Las Vegas, NV.
The Super Bowl of rodeos is held at
17,000-seat Thomas & Mack Center of
the University of Nevada, Las Vegas
(UNLV), and attended by about
200,000 people. On the line is $5 mil-
lion in prize money. In connection with
this event, hotels book country stars
into their showrooms, and a cowboy
shopping spree—the
NFR Cowboy
Christmas Gift Show,
a trade show for
Western gear—is held at Cashman
Field. Order tickets as far in advance as
possible (
&
702/895-3900;
www.nfr
experience.com). First 2 weeks of
December.
Pueblo Grande Museum Indian Mar-
ket,
Phoenix, AZ. This is the largest
market of its kind in the state, with more
than 300 Native American artisans. Call
&
877/706-4408
or 602/495-0901, or
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