Peak Parties
Along with off-the-hook skiing and riding, great dining opportunities and endless family adventures, New Mexico resorts offer special events and festivals throughout the year. Whether you visit around the holidays, during spring break, or in between, come prepared to party on the mountain!
By Amy Engle
October:
As the first flurries of autumn cover the slopes, kick off the pre-season with one of the great skiing traditions with
Oktoberfest celebrations at
Red River, Angel Fire or Ski Apache’s Enjoy fabulous German food, traditional German and local craft brews, music, arts and other family-friendly activities.
November:
Along with marking the traditional opening for many resorts, Thanksgiving time is also the one and only chance you’ll have to experience the singular event that is
Red River’s Frozen Turkey Races! This icy poultry plunge is held on Gold Rush Hill at high noon, and features children and adults zooming down the mountain on frozen turkeys.
December:
There’s no better place to spend the holidays than on the slopes. At
Sipapu Ski & Summer Resort, the Christmas Eve party includes finger food, cookie decorating and tree trimming. Over at
Red River, the
Christmas Eve Fireworks and Torchlight Parade kicks off with the Holiday Celebration Rail Jam and is followed by a grand finale of fireworks.
Taos also celebrates in style with torchlight parades for both Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
January:
An antidote to the post-holiday blues,
Angel Fire’s Powderkeg Mountain Festival features live music, games, and lodging specials. And for the over-21 set, the
Taos Winter Wine Festival features more than 75 different wines from 30 participating wineries and great food from ten of Taos Ski Valley’s finest restaurants.
February:
From the historic streets of downtown to the slopes of Santa Fe Mountain, the
Santa Fe Winter Fiesta celebrates the season with daily special events focusing on Santa Fe’s rich culture, outdoor opportunities, and arts scene. Oh, and did I mention discounted lift tickets?
More February family fun can be found at
Sipapu’s February Fun Fest. This President’s Day weekend celebration includes a giant snow castle, a costume contest, parade, treasure hunts, games, prizes and more!
Laissez les bons temps rouler (Cajun for “let the good times roll”) at one of the many Mardi Gras celebrations that bring Cajun country to New Mexico slopes for a week each year.
Red River will celebrate “Mardi Gras in the Mountains” February 16-21, 2012, with a parade, live Creole music, and spicy Cajun cooking.
March:
Up at
Taos,
March madness kicks off with a fireworks display and torchlight parade to celebrate founder
Ernie Blake’s Birthday, and continues with the
Taos Spring Beer Festival.
When the last snows are finally beginning to melt their way into a glorious mountain spring, it’s time to break out the beachwear, sunscreen and cardboard for
Sipapu’s Hawaiian Days and annual Cardboard Derby. Whether you race or spectate, this hilarious mix of arts, crafts and friendly competition is bound to become a favorite family event.
At
Red River, the celebration continues with
Beach Week, a weeklong party featuring a brewery showcase, hula contests, and the wild and chilly “Penguin Plunge.” For the ultimate in family fun, check out
Pajarito Moutain’s historic Skiesta.
April:
And although every snow sport enthusiast wishes the white stuff could stick around forever, there comes a time when we must all resign ourselves to the inevitable melt. So what do you do when all that glorious powder turns back into liquid H2O? Ski it, of course! Closing day at
Taos,
Angel Fire and many other resorts is the date for wild and wooly
End of Season Pond Skim events in which participants ski or ride down the hill and then attempt to skim across temporary (and ice cold!) ponds set up at the base of the mountain. n
