The Bobcat Paw

New Mexico is the Land of Enchantment and for good reason. From its vast, serene deserts to its tall mountain peaks, there are endless adventures at every turn. During the autumn months, the need to wind down from summer activities only increases. Santa Fe prides itself on good weather and aims to support a host of different events. Here is a list of 7 of the Best Fall Festivities in Santa Fe. 1. Santa Fe Indigenous Peoples Day This exciting and important three-day event is hosted every year in Santa Fe. As a tribute to the ancestors that claimed the land in Santa Fe, there is an abundance of fun and education at this event. The main goal is for the community to remember and honor the valued Native American neighbors. From Saturday, October 12th through Monday, October 14th at the Downtown Santa Fe Historic Plaza, you can enjoy performances and stories like the Buffalo Dance Group, Youth Hoop Dancers, storytelling of the Indigenous History of O’gah Po’oge, and more! Visit...

Founded by Spanish colonists in 1610,  Santa Fe, New Mexico is the oldest state capital in the USA. With its rich background, Santa Fe has lots of charm for history enthusiasts. From museums to old cathedrals, Santa Fe has plenty of opportunities for vacationers with a love for history. If you’re looking for historical sites and landmarks, you should include Santa Fe on your bucket list. Here are a few must-see sites when touring this city: 1. Santa Fe Plaza The Santa Fe Plaza is at the heart of the city and is home to a mixture of Native American and Spanish influences. Tour the plaza - one of the oldest parts of Santa Fe - where community events are common. From pop-up markets, farmers’ markets, and concerts, the plaza is a hub of events and activities. You’ll get a taste of the modern Santa Fe along with a taste of old. Both tourists and residents alike spend a great amount of time in the plaza. Aside from a host of community events, the plaza is also surrounded...

Everyone needs a getaway every once in a while. If you’re hoping to add a dash of art and culture to your upcoming vacation, one of the best places to find this is Santa Fe, New Mexico. This family-friendly and art-filled destination is historically known as the hot spot to discover art of all shapes and sizes including art shows, performances, fiestas and more. Before you get your travel agent on the phone, check out these recurring events happening in Santa Fe to see which one sounds like the best option for you to visit. Art Festivals and Markets Native Treasures: Indian Arts Festival If you’re hoping to witness high-quality and professional art featured from a variety of artists far and wide, then this is a must-see. The Native Treasures Indian Arts Festival not only showcases art to look at but features pieces that can also be purchased. Each contributing artist has been hand-selected and invited by the members of the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture (MIAC). Once...

Summertime in Santa Fe is a wonderful time to enjoy the full beauty of the Southwest with mountains, valleys, rivers, and prairies. Enjoy outdoor activities before coming back into town for local attractions. Here are some of our favorite things to do in and around Santa Fe in the summertime: photo courtesy of  santafe.org Santa Fe Plaza Ever since the city's 1610 founding, the Santa Fe Plaza has served as the focal point for city life, offering shops and restaurants, bullfights and fandangos, and a gathering place for both locals and visitors. There are still many of the old buildings standing, which act as reminders of the city's rich history and you can still attend Spanish and Indian markets, just like in older times. The Plaza is recognized as a National Historic Landmark and is something that should be on every summertime itinerary. Santa Fe Farmers Market Only about a mile away from Santa Fe Plaza, the Farmers Market is open all year round to offer loca...

There are so many great outdoor activities to do in Santa Fe that it's impossible to list them all in any single article. This is just a brief sampling of our favorites to get you started. Most of these activities are open all year round, thanks to our beautiful weather. image courtesy of SantaFe.org Pueblo Feast Days There are nearly 20 pueblos in the northern region of New Mexico, and each one of these communities has its own annual Feast Days and Religious Events. Most of them allow respectful visitors to observe and partake in the fun so that an understanding can be gained of traditional tribal culture and history. This is a wonderful way to learn about the area natives, and how they have lived for centuries before the arrival of others. Ski Santa Fe Our area provides challenges for experienced skiers as well as great introductions for newcomers. Offering some of the highest elevations for skiing in the United States, Ski Santa Fe has a base elevation of 10,350 f...

To help plan your Santa Fe vacation with family, the sampling of family-friendly activities described below will give you a good idea of the kinds of adventures available in the area, and at least provide the basis for your own research. Whether you're looking for laid back Santa Fe attractions or for more active participation, there are endless ideas for engaging every member of the family, so that all will be enchanted by the beauty, the excitement, and the inviting atmosphere of the Southwest. El Rancho de las Golondrinas This is one of the best family activities you'll find in the region, because it amounts to an outdoor living history museum, with numerous buildings and artifacts restored from the 18th century, and living historians dressed in period costume. Visitors can witness the daily routines of Spanish ranch inhabitants of the time, grinding corn, making leather, and even producing various objects made of metal. Santa Fe Farmer's Market The whole f...

At the start of the new year, this is the best time to think about travel plans. Santa Fe offers events and festivals all year ‘round. Some of these festivals are related to art, some to celebrations of food and drink, some to music, and some are staged to celebrate Native culture or other ethnic cultures. In truth, there are so many Santa Fe, New Mexico activities and festivals offered, that it might be hard to choose which sounds most appealing, but a few of the most popular are described below. Santa Fe Indian Market For almost 100 years, this festival has been staged as a celebration of Native artists from around the region, from other parts of the U.S., and even from Canada. The works of more than 1,000 artists are on display at this festival, which routinely attracts at least 150,000 visitors from all around the globe. A particular highlight of this festival is that visitors have the opportunity to mingle and converse with the actual artists and make all purchases direct...

The Bobcat Inn        New World Cuisine is the new exhibit coming to the International Folk Art Museum in December. It will feature the histories of Chocolate,Mate,y Mas. (and more). The exhibit will run from December 9 through January 3rd,closing on the 4th. The museum is closed on Mondays and also Christmas Day and New  Years day.         This exhibit will show the earliest cultural mestizaje (mixing) of foods to take place in the Americas.This will highlight foods that were brought over from Europe via Spain and Asia via the Spanish.Chocolate and Mate are the two foods that are being featured and will trace the history of these two drinks and show how they became so popular during the colonial period as well as today.Mate is prepared by heating water and adding mate powder or leaves  and then straining it. It is drunk from a shared gourd or vessel with a silver straw. Sharing mate is a ritual and has it's o...

The Bobcat Inn      I had the wonderful opportunity to witness two unique artist Andrew Garcia ,Silversmith and jeweler and Manuel Chavez , a very talented leather moccasin artist this week. Robbie O'Neill has started a new business called Cultural Treasurers here in Santa Fe. She organizes small groups to visit and talk with Native Americans about their art, history, culture, food and family in their home setting at different pueblos.      We met Robbie at the Ohkay Owingeh Hotel and then followed her to the Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo where we first visited with Andrew Garcia who is a fifth generation artist in this pueblo. He said he watched his grandmother make pottery and learned the art of being a silversmith on his own. He taught classes at the Institute of Indian Arts on Cerrillos Road and has a very facinating story. We watched him intricately cut out a deer pendant and use natural stones to ornate the pendant and then buff and polish it. ...

If you are familiar with Santa Fe at all, you know of our Native American, Mexican, and Spanish roots.  Designated as a Creative City by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, Santa Fe is recognized as a cultural melting-pot that supports and promotes our residents' creative art products, and hosts a variety of events to showcase this very creative side of our city.  In this spirit, we invite you to be our guests between August 13-19, 2012 during this year's Santa Fe Indian Market ! Hosted by the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA) at the downtown Santa Fe plaza, this prestigious Native arts market and festival is now in its 91st year.  This event is technically much more than a "simple" crafts and folk art fair:  this week-long series of events includes programs, lectures, films , readings, book signings, art awards, live performances, auction gala, and more are all part of one big celebration culminating in the Market...