6: Pro Chef Heads Fair's Award-Winning Volunteer Program
6: Main Street Theme Days
8: State Fair Beer Goes Blonde
8: 2024 New Mexico State Fair Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge Contestants
10: Theme Days: Behind the Scenes
11: Welcome to the 2024 New Mexico State Fair!
14: Fair Hopes Bidders Steer Junior Livestock Auction to Another Record Sale
16: Spectaculars
18: Live Horse Racing Post Times
19: Art Director Prioritizes Inclusion and Artist Rights
20: Staging Fair Events Involves Lots of Stars, Little Sleep
22:
Photo credit to Nathaniel Paolinelli for all fair photography.
Thursday: 10:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Friday & Saturday: 10:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
GENERAL ADMISSION:
Adults (age 12-64): $15
Seniors (age 65 & up):
$10
Children (age 6 – 11): $10
Children 5 & under: FREE
PARKING:
Check website for pricing.
BIKE VALET:
Free Bike Valet: 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. daily
Located just south of Villa Hispana (via Gate 4, enter from San Pedro between Copper & Lomas)
MIDWAY HOURS:
Monday – Friday: Open at 2:00 p.m.
Saturdays & Sundays: Open at 10:00 a.m.
WHEELCHAIR AND STROLLER
RENTALS:
Rentals available at Gates 1, 4 and 8. All rentals require a valid driver’s license and a fee.
SENSORY STATION:
The Sensory Station provides a safe space for our special needs Fair guests to de-escalate, and provides low-key and helpful sensory input activities. The Sensory Station is located inside the Youth Hall and is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m
PARK AND RIDE:
Pick up from Coronado Mall:
Bus Only Ticket: $10
Bus + Adult Admission: $25
Bus + Child Admission: $20
Bus + Senior Admission: $20
Children 5 and under: FREE
From Coronado Center to State Fair: Saturdays – 2 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Sundays 2 p.m. – 8 p.m.
From State Fair to Coronado Center: Saturdays – 2:30 p.m. – midnight Sundays – 2:30 p.m. - midnight
Dear Visitors,
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2024 New Mexico State Fair. This annual event has been a cherished tradition for generations, bringing together families and friends to experience the very best food, culture, and entertainment that our state has to offer. Whether it’s your first State Fair or your 50th, we are thrilled to have you join us! We are committed to providing a safe and enjoyable event for all our visitors and are confident you will have a fantastic time.
This year, we proudly present an outstanding rodeo-concert schedule representing one of the best entertainment lineups in the Fair’s history. Before you head to the rodeo or after attending the Jo Dee Messina, Brad Paisley, Cole Swindell, Josh Turner or Becky G concerts in Tingley Coliseum, make sure to visit one of our other stages to enjoy free live music from the talented musicians that call our great state home.
In addition to our exceptional musical performances, the New Mexico State Fair offers a wide array of attractions and activities. From thrilling carnival rides, to food vendors offering a taste of New Mexico's unique flavors, there is something for everyone. Our agricultural exhibits, livestock shows, and arts and crafts displays are a testament to the rich traditions and talents of New Mexicans.
As you explore the fairgrounds, I encourage you to take in all the sights and sounds that make this event special. Whether you're cheering on a rodeo competitor, experiencing cultural performances at Villa Hispaña or Indian Village, or simply enjoying a funnel cake with friends, the New Mexico State Fair is an opportunity to create lasting memories.
Thank you for being part of the 2024 New Mexico State Fair. We look forward to celebrating with you and sharing in the joy and excitement that this fair brings. The State Fair never grows up and it never grows old. Here's to another year of exceptional music, unique culture, delicious food, thrilling rides, and unforgettable moments!
Yours truly,
D an Mourning General Manager
To You r Table
Stop by the Agriculture Building during the State Fair to choose from a large selection of New Mexico Products to support our farmers, ranchers, and agribusinesses.
State Fair Special Events
Enjoy a cold New Mexico Beer or Wine during Happy Hour Everyday from 3p.m.-7p.m.
Beef Jerky Showdown ► Sept. 5th | 4p.m.-7p.m.
The Original Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge ► Sept. 9th | Noon Setup
Have a NM product ready to hit the shelves? Join our logo program to get elevated. Find out more at elevateNMag.com
Pro Chef Heads Fair's Award-Winning Volunteer Program
By Autumn Gray
Though Kathleen Mansmann had planned to retire when she moved from Washington, D.C., to Albuquerque, doing absolutely nothing was not what she’d had in mind. Yet, zilch is exactly what she did for about two years since her arrival coincided with the pandemic shutdown. By the time New Mexico decided it was safe for residents to emerge, Mansmann was eager to work again. The New Mexico State Fair hasn’t been the same since.
First, a little background: Mansmann is a professional chef who trained at Maryland-based L’Academie de Cuisine. The culinary institute was considered one of the nation’s top cooking schools for decades until its closure in 2017. Mansmann worked in D.C.-area restaurants and with a fine dining catering company with which she served guests at a presidential inauguration. She also volunteered at an area homeless shelter, conducted nonprofit fundraising, and served as development director for Texas Public Radio before coming to Albuquerque.
In other words, she had a history of making things happen –and convincing others to help her.
So, when Mansmann answered an ad seeking someone to man a NM State Fair information booth in 2021, the Fair might have known that Mansmann’s foot in the door was going to leave a pretty large print.
Since filling the want-ad spot, Mansmann has created a volunteer initiative that resulted in an increase in Fair volunteers from about 25 people in 2021 to near 700 in 2023 – a jump of 2,700 percent. She began by recruiting people from the City of Albuquerque, then from the Rotary Club of Albuquerque, and most recently through Albuquerque Public Schools (APS), after a presentation about the opportunity to APS directors.
Student sports teams and social clubs volunteer to conduct general maintenance and cleaning of the fairgrounds in exchange for $1,000 that the Fair gives to the represented organizations. In its first year, the program attracted students from four schools, earning $9,000 for their clubs. Last year, involvement grew to 650 youths from 13 schools, with a payout to them of $32,000. Students use the money for field trips, sports equipment, bus rental, and more. One high school with a culinary program was able to purchase jackets they needed for working in the kitchen.
The volunteer program is so well-organized and engaged with the community that the Western Fairs Association awarded the NM State Fair first place for its program in 2023 among all the fairs it represents in the Western U.S. and Canada.
Mansmann’s goal for 2024 is 1,000 volunteers through more corporate involvement.
“My plan is to designate different days at the Fair as corporate volunteer days,” said Mansmann, who is now the community outreach coordinator for EXPO New Mexico. (EXPO is a multiuse venue that hosts hundreds of events every year, including the state’s annual fair.)
(continued on next page)
September 5
Law Enforcement Appreciation Day
September 6
Firefighters Day, Smokey Bear Day
September 9
Senior Day
September 10
Military & Veteran Appreciation Day
September 11
Pathway to College & Career Day
September 12
Gathering of the Counties Day, NM True Day
September 13
Science and Technology Day, Environment Appreciation Day
Kathleen Mansmann
Pro Chef Heads Fair's AwardWinning Volunteer Program
(continued from previous page)
In addition, Mansmann has taken it upon herself to add a high school culinary competition to the fair, based upon the iconic annual Chile Cheeseburger Contest. Kicking off this year, it will be composed of eight teams of four to six people each, from eight schools. Students will compete on a variety of aspects, including food safety and food transport, as well as their skill at making a beef green chile stew and a dessert of their choice. Judges will be from the local culinary industry, prize money will be given out, and there will be a People’s Choice Award.
“This has been a personal goal of mine, and I’m thrilled to see it’s finally going to happen,” Mansmann said. “We’re touching every part of the state with this. Kids are coming from everywhere.
“I’ve seen the level of expertise among the students, and I’m amazed.”
In addition to Mansmann’s official responsibilities involving volunteers, she is also charged with hiring staff for Fair information booths and conducting community outreach year-round for EXPO and the Fair.
“It’s all “a fluke,” she said.
State Fair Beer Goes Blonde
By Autumn Gray
The term “barrel racer” takes on new meaning at the New Mexico State Fair this year, as that’s the name of the 10-day event’s official beer for 2024. Corralesbased Ex Novo Brewing Co. has produced Barrel Racer Blonde Ale, identifiable by its striking gold and navy cowgirl graphics running across a white can.
“When we thought about the State Fair, we thought a long time about it, probably overthought it, putting all of our beer nerdom into this,” said Ex Novo sales manager James Gregory, who works alongside his brother, Joel Gregory, the brewery’s founder and owner. “Ultimately, we decided, ‘Let’s do something everyone can drink and everyone can enjoy - something light and crisp, since in September, it is still hot. So, this year is a blonde ale, and hopefully it’s pleasing to the masses.”
The New Mexico State Fair was a pioneer among fairs when it first partnered with a brewery to create a co-branded beer on a custom label nearly a decade ago, said fair general manager Dan Mourning.
The exclusive agreement with Ex Novo was made in 2023 for a two-year period. Last year, Ex Novo produced an American pilsner called Dusty Spur.
In addition to being sold at the fair, the official State Fair beer is available in stores statewide until inventory runs out. The limited edition, which annually comprises about 1,000 cases, usually doesn’t stick around past October, James Gregory said.
Amid the microbrewery scene in the Albuquerque area, Ex Novo is relatively young. Joel Gregory moved the business to Corrales in 2019, after opening it in Portland in 2014. The
Corrales location includes the brewery, a tap room, and a beer garden. The Portland location no longer exists.
Today, the brothers, who grew up in Corrales and are barely into their 40s, have just opened a tap room in downtown Albuquerque at 701 Central Ave. SW, in the former Firestone Tire building. The 11,000-square-foot site includes a patio and restaurant.
The brothers’ careers are a departure from the path they set out on, both having earned degrees in electrical engineering.
Joel worked as an engineer in Portland before hopping over to craft beer. James left a position as a physician assistant to help his brother when he returned home.
“I wanted a chance to build something from the ground up,” James said.
This will mark the ninth year that the fair has had an official drink. La Cumbre Brewing Co. kicked things off with a cream ale in 2015. Marble Brewery later crafted a hazy pale ale, and Canteen Brewhouse put out a German-style pilsner. Tumbleroot Brewery & Distillery created a blue corn lager and an “angry mule” made with red chile for the 2021 fair and a vodka-spiked strawberry lemonade for 2022.
To qualify as a State Fair beer, the product must be new and unique to the brewer’s current offerings. It is also preferred that the beer incorporate local ingredients, such as New Mexico hops or barleys.
“It should represent the agriculture of New Mexico,” Mourning said. “That’s the whole point. That’s why we started it. There’s an agricultural component to brewing beer, and we want to recognize that.”
Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge Contestants
Effingbar & Grill – Bernalillo County
Savoy Bar & Grill – Bernalillo County
Craft Republic – Bernalillo County
Big Mike's Burgers & More – Valencia County
Sparky’s Burgers, BBQ & Espresso – Dona Ana County
Isleta Grill – Isleta Pueblo
Grill at the Monte Carlo – Taos County
Slate Street Billiards – Sandoval County
Downshift Brewing Co. – Lincoln County
Del's Family Restaurant – Quay County
Theme Days: Behind the Scenes
By Autumn Gray
Craig Vencill worked in the film industry before being recruited to help out with the New Mexico State Fair almost 25 years ago. Other than the absence of a camera, he doesn’t see a whole lot of difference between the two jobs.
“The State Fair is kind of like a big movie production with all the behind-the-scenes stuff,” he said. “People don’t have any concept about the amount of work that goes into it. Like all the credits in a movie, it’s the same with the State Fair. It just doesn’t happen in its own. The devil’s in the details. What could possibly go wrong?
“About 1,000 things.”
As the fair’s Main Street Days coordinator, it’s Vencill’s job to ensure that all the parts of the daytime events fit together like a live jigsaw puzzle – the logistics of each piece inevitably affecting everything else.
While every day starts at 5:15 a.m. and ends in the late afternoon, no day is the same. Each is defined by a different theme. For instance, there’s Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, Firefighters Day / Smokey Bear Day, Healthy Living & Seniors’ Day, Veterans Day / Military Appreciation Day, and Science & Tech Day. Weekends see a variety of car shows. Plus, Vencill oversees the Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge, which is so wildly popular that it ought to have its own “day.”
“Lack of sleep is also a common theme with the fair,” Vencill said. “But there’s something special about being here extremely early and the sun coming up and the guy selling burritos.”
That quintessential New Mexico aura has people eagerly lining up before State Fair gates open at 9 a.m. Vencill’s daytime
events tend to attract older people, families, and busloads upon busloads of children from schools statewide.
The first day of the Fair is traditionally Law Enforcement Appreciation Day, which provides education on what county, city, state, and national authorities do, as well as a bit of recruitment information, and some show-and-tell for children. For example, they might see a bevvy of FBI hardware or get a peek inside a local officer’s law enforcement vehicle.
When the firefighters have their day, the Isleta Fire Department often sets up a portable swimming pool against a backdrop of a tree that looks to be on fire. Children get to aim hoses at it. During the fair’s four car show days, visitors see everything from Model T Fords from the turn of the 20th century, Flathead V8 motorcars from the middle part of the century, antique
(continued on Page 12)
Craig Vencill
Welcome To The 2024 New Mexico State Fair!
Governor
Michelle Lujan Grisham
Dr. Carol Cloer Bloomfield
Eric Serna Chairman, NM State Fair Commission Santa Fe
Benny Roybal Secretary-Treasurer Española
Walter Adams Las Vegas
Tony Casados Tierra Amarilla
Larry Chavez, Sr. Albuquerque
Theme Days: Behind the Scenes
(continued from Page 10)
cars, hot rods, and custom vehicles that run the gamut from lowriders to modified cars. There is also a variety of tractors on display, brought in by New Mexico farmers.
“All the owners want kids to climb on top of their tractors and get a lot of pictures,” Vencill said, adding that everyone gets to vote on their favorite. Official judging also happens in each car show.
Every September 11 during the fair, Vencill coordinates a special 9/11 ceremony with a national anthem singer, bagpipes, and a keynote speaker talking about the significance of the date, why it’s important to remember, and what it means to be an American.
“We do it right smack in the intersection of Main Street,” Vencill said. “The whole place kind of pauses for that moment.”
It’s a stark contrast to the sizzling energy around what’s arguably the fair’s hottest competition – the NM Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge, which began in 2009. Vencill said it’s probably his favorite of all that he oversees because this event is the “original” green chile cheeseburger competition, which is often copied.
The only requirement of the eight restaurants that participate is that they use New Mexico green chile. “It can be from Hatch, Chimayo, we don’t care,” Vencill said. “Everything else is their own secret ingredients.”
Asked why he continues to work for the fair when he could be employed by the booming local film industry, he said, “The State Fair is like green chile - you get addicted to it and keep coming back.”
Fair Hopes Bidders Steer Junior Livestock Auction to Another Record Sale
By Autumn Gray
Youths participating in the New Mexico State Fair’s Junior Livestock Auction last year set a new record for money raised, with $710,000 in gross sales. That was up 16 percent from the previous year of $610,000 in an event that not only puts cash in the denim pockets of the state’s youngest ranchers but also teaches them business and life skills.
The auction is the culminating event for student champions from around the state who raise livestock in New Mexico Future Farmers of America (FFA) and 4-H. It represents months, if not years, of time and effort spent breeding, raising, training, and grooming their show animals. Special care is taken to condition animal hair, provide livestock with daily walks, ensure living quarters have proper air flow and temperature settings, and that the animals receive appropriate nutrition. Many youths split their earnings between a college fund and a kitty to support their projects for the next year.
“These kids work incredibly hard caring and nurturing their animals to prepare for the sale,” said State Fair general manager Dan Mourning. “This record-breaking sale is a testament to their hard work and illustrates the community’s dedication to programs such as FFA and 4-H.”
The Junior Livestock Show and Sale has long been a tradition at the New Mexico State Fair and continues to be the premier showcase for the state’s finest livestock, involving about 1,500 steer, swine, goats, and sheep. It attracts about 500 youth exhibitors from around the state. This year’s show is set for September 6-14 in the Junior Livestock Pavilion on the north end of the yards and in the beef and swine barns, with the auction scheduled for September 13.
Rooted in hands-on learning experiences in areas such as STEM, agriculture, economics, and civic engagement, both the FFA and 4-H provide opportunities for young people to develop leadership and management skills, self-esteem, effective communication skills, and a sense of personal responsibility. The largest youth organization in the country, 4-H is composed of 7 million youth members, with more than 30,000 of them in New Mexico. Both the 4-H program, for ages 7 to 18, and FFA, involving ages 12-21, are rooted in learning by doing.
Those who attend the State Fair Junior Livestock Show will have the opportunity to see New Mexico youth competing in a public speaking contest, exhibiting agricultural projects, participating in an agricultural science fair, and/or showing their livestock to judges in an arena. Judges evaluate animals not only on muscle mass, overall appearance, and health but also on the child’s showmanship, attentiveness to the animal, and attentiveness to the judge.
“It’s more than just about showing livestock. It’s an educational event for the kids, and they make friendships for a lifetime with other children from around the state,” said Erin Dorsey, Livestock Operations manager for the fair. “These youths are the future of our agricultural industry.”
The goal for the livestock exhibitors is to place in the top 30 percent at the Livestock Show. Those who place well go on to the Junior Auction, a fast-paced event where participants lead their animal into a show ring with an auctioneer standing on a block in front of judging tables.
“It’s a bidding process,” Dorsey said. “If you don’t want to buy an animal, don’t wave at somebody because you might just get that bid.”
Sales of the best animals can result in tens of thousands of dollars for the youth and his or her family. The Grand Champion Steer normally brings the highest dollar value, between $15,000 and $20,000. Caleb Ramsey of Otero County earned $25,000 for his Grand Champion last September.
The Livestock Show is also an education for the public. Attendees not only learn about the care of the animals and all the different species and breeds of livestock but also about where food comes from and about the agricultural economy.
“Community support had been really good the last couple of years,” Dorsey said. “I’m hoping our sale does at least $700,000 again. A lot depends on the weather and how hard the economy has been hit.”
About 100 animals are sold at the auction to buyers from around the state, she said. Bidders vary from corporations, to agricultural insurance companies, to individual ranchers and farmers.
“This is our future,” Dorsey said. “We’re supporting our future.”
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Art Director Prioritizes Inclusion and Artist Rights
By Autumn Gray
In the shadows of the New Mexico State Fairgrounds’ concerts, rodeos, and other year-round entertainment hunkers a vault worthy of a James Bond-style art heist film. Since 1954, the chamber has housed a permanent collection of New Mexico fine art, which today totals 260 pieces. For the last 25 years, Ramona Vigil Eastwood has been the primary decision-maker behind the paintings selected for inclusion in the historic record.
Eastwood began as a volunteer with the NM State Fair in the late 90s. She has been its art director since 1997, and a selftaught jewelry designer for about five decades, participating in juried art shows across the western part of the country.
“The committees would pick and choose their favorite people, bypassing the artists that should have won,” Eastwood said of the industry’s political nature. “I felt that if people weren’t representing the artist correctly, then maybe I could be the person advocating for them.”
Indeed, as she travels New Mexico, Eastwood says, she carries information about the fair’s art contests to hand out to artists she meets: “I want to use it for a springboard for them so they get recognized and make themselves a big name in the art world.”
Eastwood operates seven art galleries during the fair, attracting artists from across the state to enter pieces for competition: The Fine Art Gallery is open to anyone 18 years old and older; the Hispanic Arts Gallery, which requires participants to be at least one-quarter Hispanic descent; the Native American Indian Art Gallery, which has the same genetic prerequisite in addition to requiring a Census card; the Nonprofessional Gallery, which is open to anyone 19 and older; a Youth Gallery that accepts entries from children under age 18; a photography section that accepts photos from all ages; and an African American Gallery, which Eastwood created, requires participants to be at least one-quarter African American descendant; and School Arts, where teachers submit student art from around New Mexico.
“When I started, I made a lot of changes, one being a (free) preview night of the arts throughout the art galleries the night before the fair officially opens,” she said. “I like to say, ‘I am the official opener of the State Fair!’”
Eastwood ensured the Hispanic Gallery, which had been open to anyone, was limited to artists of Hispanic descent. She also saw to it that all artists, not their agents, received award money. She is still trying to ensure all ethnic backgrounds are represented and is now on a mission to open an Asian community art space as soon as possible.
In addition to overseeing the gallery spaces, Eastwood advises Fair management about which art submissions she believes will increase in value and be worth purchasing for the permanent collection. Only one piece per year is chosen. The collection’s inaugural painting was an oil called “Trail Life” by George Dick, a wildlife and Western painter who studied at the University of New Mexico.
The collection’s pieces do get seen by the public. Eastwood rotates them out, placing some in the Fine Art Gallery during the fair and exhibiting some at the Albuquerque SunPort’s heavily-trafficked underground tunnel.
“That way people who are coming to be at the fair can have a taste of it in the airport,” she said.
“Sometimes I’ve been hanging the art, and people say, ‘Oh my gosh, that was my grandfather’s (art).’ I’m representing their family members, and that makes me happy that I’m doing that.”
This year, Eastwood is also in charge of a Home Art section for bakers, quilters, flower arrangers and other creative arts hobbyists, as well as the County Booths and Agriculture section, which showcases a broad range of agricultural products, such as pumpkins, honey, chile and tomatoes, from various areas of the state.
Before coming to the Fair, Eastwood was the art director for the Amapola Gallery in Albuquerque. She has been president of the Contemporary Hispanic Market in Santa Fe since 2006. She has also been a recipient of the All That Glitters New Mexico Jewelry Designer Award for jewelry making.
Now in her early 70s, Eastwood isn’t considering retirement from fair life. “I’ll keep doing it as long as I can. I love what I do,” she said.
Ramona Vigil Eastwood
Staging Fair Events Involves Lots of Stars, Little Sleep
By Autumn Gray
Sabrina Garza, 46, has spent half her life working at the New Mexico State Fairgrounds, even spending the night there more times than she can count.
“I’ve never liked a desk job,” the events manager said. “Where else can you have a horse show, a dog show, a concert, and an arts and crafts show at the same time? There’s something that happens every single weekend that’s different.”
Soon after graduating from New Mexico State University with a degree in business administration and marketing, Garza took an internship helping the events coordinator with bookings, prepping Tingley Coliseum for acts, and finalizing contracts. “Fax machines were the way to go back then,” she said.
Today, her job is made easier with digitization, but it still requires considerable national travel – often to Nashville - to meet with agents and get A-list concert performers to the New Mexico State Fair.
“That process can take months just to get an offer accepted or denied,” she said.
For this year’s fair, her concert lineup includes Jo Dee Messina on September 6, Becky G on Sept 7, Brad Paisley on Sept. 12, Cole Swindell the following night, and Josh Turner rounding things out on the 14th.
“As soon as we finish one fair, were already starting to book the next one,” she said.
In addition to the concert series, Garza is responsible for overseeing staff that schedule and maintain the fair’s stages, including Villa Hispana, Indian Village, the Chevron Pavilion and the African American Pavilion. She is also the primary point of contact for the PRCA rodeo and is in charge of the Sensory Station. In fact, it was Garza who years ago worked with the Autism Society to launch the station, an award-winning, firstof-its-kind safe space for guests with auditory disabilities to deescalate during regular fair hours.
The rest of the year Garza oversees four coordinators, who help
her run about 200 events annually. Their days can start as early as 6 a.m. and not end until 2 or 3 in the morning.
“Half the time, it’s not even worth driving home,” she said of many concert nights. “We just hang out here and try to get a little shut-eye.”
While some may look upon her work with global music and rodeo stars as glamorous, Garza says she is not a “fan girl” and really isn’t interested in the limelight.
“I wish I had more time to get out on the grounds to see specific events,” she said. “I wish I could check out the livestock or the pig races.”
Sabrina Garza
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Finalists For The 2024 Unique Foods Contest
• Item: Street Taco Grilled Cheese
Hand-diced and seasoned carne asada with fresh Monterey jack cheese and house-made green chile on sourdough, grilled to toasty perfection.
• Concessionaire:
- Cheese Love Grill - Heritage and Main Street
• Item: Conductor’s Corn Dog
A 100% all-beef Nathan’s ¼ lb hot dog hand-dipped in scratch-made, top-secret corn dog batter. Fried to a delicious golden brown before it’s split open and topped with cheddar cheese sauce, smoked bacon, fried cheese curd and Hatch green chile.
• Concessionaire:
- Gravy Train - Food Court
• Item: Deep Fried Carne Asada Taco
This Taco is Stuffed with fresh grilled carne asada and Monterey jack cheese. The taco is then dipped in a special batter and deep-fried to perfection. Served with homemade spicy salsa.
• Concessionaire:
- Quesada’s Mexican - Heritage and Main Street
• Item: Dessert Chimichanga
Sweet chimichanga made with a flour tortilla and filled with cream cheese wrapped in smoked bacon, deep fried to a golden brown and smothered in cinnamon sugar, strawberry and chocolate sauce.
• Concessionaire:
- Fried Fantasy - Food Court
• Item: Belgian Waffle Green Chile Cheeseburger
All beef patty grilled to perfection served on a Belgian waffle garnished with pickle, lettuce and tomato. The sandwich is then drizzled with green chile maple syrup and dusted with powdered sugar.
• Concessionaire:
- Rex’s - South of Natural Resources Building
2024 New Mexico State Fair Sponsors
The New Mexico State Fair Would Like to Thank Our Valued Sponsors:
Big R Stores
Chevron
Just Squeezed
Melloy Nissan
Pacific Office Automation
Sysco
Premier Distributing
Pace Audio
PG Enterprises
Drop-Dead Pest Control
Wrangler
B & R Construction
Downs of Albuquerque
Johnny Boards
Ramada By Wyndham
Southwest Safety Services
Group West (Ford)
Zia Graphics
Creamland Dairy
GreenTree Inn Albuquerque
Houston Auto
Justin Brands
UNM Truman Health Services
Frank's Supply
Mattress Firm (Lujan A)
Mattress Firm (Lujan B)
Dairy Max
Rachel's Best Soaps
American Home Furniture
HCN Global (La Red Hispana)
Pattern Energy
Sheraton Uptown
Chalmer Ford
New Mexico Music Commission
Farm Credit Mid America (Rural 1st)
Comfort Inn & Suites
Days Inn & Suites
Native Café
Holiday Inn & Suites
786 Catering Co
Hotel 505
New Mexico Gas Company
One Easy Marketing DBA GDV Club
Law Giant
Parnall Law
Sunbelt Equipment Rentals
Blue Compass RV
U.S. Coast Guard
Cabela's
Pueblo of Sandia
Crowne Plaza Hotel
The Querque Hotel
Giving Home Health Care
NM Synthetic Turf
Albuquerque Marriott Pyramid North
Crystal Springs Bottled Water
Lesmen's Pro Audio & Lighting
NM Hispanic Heritage Committee
Chevron
Ram Motors RV & Truck
Tawney, Acosta, Chaparro Law
Don Sushi
Ramona's Mexican Café
New Mexico Gas Company
2024 Media Partners:
September 5
New Mexico Barrel Racing Free With Admission
September 12
Brad Paisley w/Chevron PRCA Rodeo
Box Seat $125, Floor $100
(*no rodeo admission*), Chair Back $85, Bench Seat $55
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Home & Creative Arts Events
Preview of the Arts, All Art Galleries
September 4, 6p.m. - 8p.m.
Roger Martinez, NM Legend Folklore Book Writer, Hispanic Arts,
September 6-7 & 13-14, 10a.m. - 6p.m.
Home Arts:
September 6, Candy Contest, 1:30p.m.
September 8, Fashion Style Show, 2p.m.
September 9, Cookie Contest, 1:30p.m.
September 10, Chile Contest, 1:30pm
September 11, Cake Contest, 1:30pm
September 12, International Food Contest,1:30pm
September 13, Bread Contest, 1:30pm
September 14, Junior Baking, 1:30pm
September 14, Pie Contest, 1:30p.m.
Creative Arts:
September 14, Lego Competition, 1p.m.
Horse Show Schedule
Thursday, September 5
Arabian Show/Indoor/8a.m. - 5p.m.
Sandra Welch Test Strategy Clinic/ Outdoor/8a.m. - 4p.m.
Buckles & Belles Drill Team Demo/Indoor/6p.m.
Friday, September 6
Arabian Show/Indoor/8a.m. - 5p.m.
Western Dressage Show/Outdoor/8a.m. - 3p.m.
Draft Pull/Indoor/7pm
Saturday, September 7
4-H Horse Show/Indoor/8a.m. - 3p.m.
Dressage Show/Outdoor/8a.m. - 3p.m.
Jumper Schooling/Indoor/4p.m. - 10p.m.
Sport Horse In-Hand/Outdoor/3p.m. - 5p.m.
Sunday, September 8
Hunter/Jumper Show/Indoor/8a.m. - 5p.m.
Arabian Show/Outdoor/8a.m. - 5p.m.
Cheval De Pas Rescue Demo/Indoor/6p.m.
Monday, September 9
Exceptional Show/Indoor/8a.m. - 5p.m.
Cassandra Reid Liberty Demo/Indoor/6p.m.
Tuesday, September 10
Buckaroo Balance Clinic/Indoor/8a.m. - 4p.m.
Lidia Taylor Working Equitation Clinic/ Outdoor/8a.m. - 4p.m.
Cassandra Reid Liberty Clinic/Indoor/4p.m. - 7p.m.
Wednesday, September 11
Mules, Donkeys, Minis/Indoor/8a.m. - 4p.m.
Lidia Taylor Working Equitation Clinic/ Outdoor/8a.m. - 3p.m.
Coon Jumping/Indoor/6p.m.
Thursday, September 12
AQHA, All Breed, Color Breeds/ Indoor 8a.m. - 12p.m./Outdoor/1p.m. - 6p.m.
Working Equitation Show/Outdoor/8a.m. - 4p.m.
Friday, September 13
AQHA, All Breed, Color Breeds/ Outdoor/8a.m. - 6p.m.
Ranch Rail Pleasure Stakes/Indoor/7p.m.
Saturday, September 14
Versatility Ranch Horse/Indoor/8a.m. - 6p.m.
Freestyle Reining Stakes/Indoor/7p.m.
Sunday, September 15
Versatility Ranch Horse/Outdoor/8a.m. - 6p.m.
Vaulting Show/Indoor/8a.m. - 11a.m.
Youth Gymkhana/Indoor/1p.m. - 7p.m.
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