NMHS | October 2024

Celebrate New Mexico’s cultural diversity at Fiesta of Cultures at Coronado Historic Site
The annual Fiesta of Cultures: All Cultures of New Mexico at Coronado Historic Site is a family-friendly event celebrating New Mexico’s enchanting diversity of cultures. Held on Saturday, Oct. 19, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Fiesta of Cultures features cultural performances, live animals, a community ofrenda/offering display, kiva tours, and food and art vendors, and is presented by New Mexico Historic Sites and The Friends of Coronado and Jemez Historic Sites.

"New Mexico's cultural landscape is as vibrant and rich as it is complex and deep-rooted,” said Katrina Gallegos, regional site manager for Coronado and Jemez Historic Sites. “Fiesta of Cultures explores this reality through dance, food, demonstrations, and tours. Alongside our stalwart Friends group, we welcome the community to our site and invite people to immerse themselves in ‘history where it happened.’”
The event includes cultural performances by The Wilde Bunch Square Dancers, an LGBTQ+ square dance group from Albuquerque, Pueblo Enchantment Dancers from Acoma Pueblo, Van Hanh Vietnamese Lion Dancers, and Son Como Son Cuban salsa band. The event will also feature animal demonstrations from Llama del Sol and On a Wing and a Prayer bird rescue, tours of the site’s reconstructed kiva, and a community ofrenda, or offering, display for visitors to share photos to remember loved ones who have passed on. Visitors can shop from a juried show of local vendors who specialize in art, crafts, and jewelry. Food trucks, including Manko: Native American Fusion, will be available in the parking lot.

Fiesta of Cultures is open to the public and admission is $10 per person and free to Friends of Coronado and Jemez members, Museum of New Mexico Foundation members, Native/Tribal affiliations, disabled veterans, and foster families. Tickets are available for advanced purchase online at https://my.nmculture.org/32482/32490 or at the event.

For a full schedule of activities visit https://media.newmexicoculture.org/event/6290/.

Fiesta of Cultures is sponsored by the Friends of Coronado and Jemez Historic Sites, Museum of New Mexico Foundation, and The Pueblo of Santa Ana - Tamaya. Artist demonstration sponsored by The Wilde Bunch. Additional support provided by the Town of Bernalillo Lodgers’ Tax Grant. Small business support from Metal the Brand, Kakawa Chocolate House, and The Range Café.

About Coronado Historic Site
Coronado Historic Site and the ruins of Kuaua Pueblo are located in Bernalillo, with the scenic Rio Grande and Sandia Mountains to the east. In 1540, Francisco Vásquez de Coronado entered the Rio Grande valley somewhere near this site while searching for the fabled Seven Cities of Gold. Instead of treasure, he found a dozen Native farming villages. The site shares the complex history between the Indigenous Tiwa People and the Spanish explorers. Visitors can learn more about this history at the Visitor Center Museum, as well as explore the footprint of the Kuaua ruins, a reconstructed kiva, and ancient Kuaua kiva murals. Learn more at nmhistoricsites.org/coronado.