The Town of Mountainair will bloom with art, music and family fun Saturday as it hosts its 25th annual Sunflower Festival, a free community celebration that draws visitors from across New Mexico.
The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at multiple outdoor locations throughout downtown Mountainair, located at the intersection of highways U.S. 60 and N.M. 55, about 75 miles southeast of Albuquerque.
Events will be spread across three main areas: Monte Alto Park on Main Street will feature arts and crafts vendors, children’s activities, a selfie station and a sunflower hat and costume contest. Food vendors will set up in Mustang Square on Broadway and Summit, while the Manzano Mountain Art Council building will host a raffle, treasure sale, T-shirt sales and a beer and wine garden.
The festival will showcase more than 50 fine arts and crafts vendors in what organizers describe as a juried show, meaning artists must apply and be selected to participate. The show prohibits imported goods, mass-produced items and factory-made products to ensure authenticity.
Live music will be performed throughout the day on two stages, with scheduled performances including Michael Rascon, Night Moves, Alvin Suazo Y La Razon, and Promocz & The Bosque Boys. A special raffle drawing for an artisan gift basket filled with local treasures will be held at 4 p.m., with proceeds supporting the art council’s mission.
The event is sponsored by the Manzano Mountain Art Council with assistance from the Town of Mountainair and Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument, and is made possible in part by funding from the New Mexico Music Commission.
The festival is free and open to all ages. For more information, contact the Manzano Mountain Art Council at MMACevents@gmail.com or 505-847-5068.
