In Albuquerque, New Mexico, flowers are blooming, temperatures are climbing, and the days are getting longer. Yes, summertime is just around the corner, and in Albuquerque that means a variety of activities available to suit every age, taste, and budget.
For an outdoor musical experience, attend a concert at the zoo or check out the Summer Night Concert Series at the Botanical Gardens. The New Mexico Symphony Orchesta will present Stars, Stripes and the 1812 Overture at 8 p.m. on May 24 and the Lion King & Friends at 8 p.m. on May 31, both at the Rio Grande Zoo. Chair seating is $25 per person, and adult and child (age 7 and under) admission cost $15 and $5, respectively. For more information, please visit www.nmso.org or call 505-881-9590. As part of the Albuquerque Biological Park’s Zoo Music program, musicians from a wide range of genres will perform at the Rio Grande Zoo on June 7, June 13, June 20, and June 25, from 7 to 9 p.m., with gates open at 6 p.m. For the Summer Night Concert Series, the Botanical Gardens will host folk and country acts at 8 p.m. on June 5, June 19, and July 24. Tickets to Zoo Music or the Summer Night Concert Series cost $8 for adults, $4 for seniors, and $2 for children. Additional information is available at www.cabq.gov/biopark or by calling 505-768-2000.
Music aficionados may also enjoy some of the following options:
· Iron Maiden in concert
May 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Journal Pavilion
Doors open at 6 p.m.
www.livenation.com
505-452-5100
· Borealis String Quartet
June 6 at 7:30 p.m. or June 8 at 4 p.m. at Albuquerque Academy’s Simms Center for Performing Arts
Tickets prices range from $20 to 46.
www.cma-abq.org
505-268-1990
· Antares Quartet
June 11 at 7:30 pm at Albuquerque Academy’s Simms Center for Performing Arts
Ticket prices range from $20 to 42.
www.cma-abq.org
505-268-1990
· Mariachi Spectacular
July 9 to July 16
www.mariachispectacular.com
505-255-1501
This summer, the Albuquerque area will also host several events that cater to fans of dance and theater. In May, Cirque du Soleil will perform Saltimbanco at the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho. Tickets cost between $48 and $100. For specific dates and show times, please visit www.santaanastarcenter.com or call 866-443-8849. The Santa Ana Star Center will also present the children’s show “Elmo! Ready for Action” from May 30 to June 1, with ticket prices ranging from $14 to $30. Please see www.sesamestreetlive.com for details. Please call 822-1662 or visit www.cabq.gov/crs for more information. Popejoy Hall at the University of New Mexico (www.popejoypresents.com; 505-277-3824) will feature Monty Python’s Spamalot, a Tony Award-winning musical comedy, on June 10, 11, and 12 at 7:30 p.m. and June 13 at 8 p.m. Tickets range in price form $37.50 to $75. Those who enjoy dance may wish to check out the 22nd Festival Flamenco Internacional de Albuquerque (www.nationalinstituteofflamenco.org), which will run from June 6-15 and include performances, workshops, and a Flamenco Kids Camp for six- to 12-year-olds, or stop by Albuquerque’s 4th Annual Salsa Festival in Old Town on August 16th.
Sports and fitness enthusiasts, too, will have plenty of ways to keep busy in Albuquerque this summer. On June 7, the Albuquerque Century (www.abqcentury.com), a 100-mile cycling ride that welcomes participants of all ages, will begin at 6 a.m. and will cost $35 and $25 for adults and children, respectively. This year’s Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure (www.nmraceforthecure.com), which will include a breast cancer survivor celebration, a 5K run/walk, a one-mile walk, sponsor tents and more, will be June 15 at Balloon Fiesta Park. The Albuquerque Isotopes baseball team (www.albuquerquebaseball.com; 505-883-7800), the triple-A affiliate of the Florida Marlins, will play at home on various dates throughout the summer. Tickets range from $6 to $24 per seat.
Other summer events in Albuquerque include:
· San Ysidro Catholic Parish of Corrales Feast of Its Patron Saint
May 18, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., in Corrales, NM
Free admission
505-270-8786
– 10 a.m.: Mass, in the courtyard of the Historic Old San Ysidro Church on Old Church Road
– Immediately following Mass: fiesta participants and the Parish Spanish Choir sing traditional Spanish hymns; Matachines escort the statue
of San Ysidro from the Old Church to the Parish grounds
– Noon (approximately): Fiesta, with great food, live entertainment, a silent auction, kids’ games, arts and crafts, and a cash prize raffle
· Albuquerque Wine Festival
May 24 – May 26 (Memorial Day weekend), 12 to 6 p.m. at Balloon Fiesta Park
Admission is $15 for adults (photo ID required) and free for those under 21 years of age (must be accompanied by parent or legal guardian)
1-866-4NMWine
www.nmwine.com
· Rails Along The Rio Grande Convention and Train Show
May 29 to June 1 at Marriott Pyramid North
www.neighborhoodlink.com/org/rarg/
·. 2
dukecityshootout.com
505-255-1991
· New Mexico Wine Festival
Aug. 30 to Sept. 1 (Labor Day weekend) at Loretto Park in Bernalillo, NM
www.nmwine.com
·. 5 to 21 at Expo New Mexico
www.exponm.com/fair
505-265-1791
For more help with summer planning, visit the Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau Web site at www.itsatrip.org or the City of Albuquerque Cultural Services Department’s Web site at www.cabq.gov/crs. Both Web sites offer many ideas for how to make this summer one to remember, without ever having to leave town.
