Five Things to Do This Weekend

1 Travel the world at the movies.

The Santa Fe International Film Festival brings cinematic genius from around the world to Santa Fe. The film fete shows a variety of films in venues like the Lensic Performing Arts Center, Jean Cocteau Cinema, and the New Mexico History Museum through Sunday, October 22. The festival features 300-plus hours of programming, with entries from more than 100 visiting filmmakers from around the world. With a hefty $100,000 prize bank distributed throughout the awards categories, the festival presents a strong New Mexico program of films. This includes Texas Music Revolution, directed by Troy Paff on Thursday at 8 p.m., Diné filmmaker Kymon Greyhorse’s I Am Home on Sunday at 10 a.m., and San Ildefonso Pueblo member Charine Pilar Gonzales’s short River Bank (Pō-Kehgeh) on Sunday at 2:40 p.m. Get tickets to individual screenings and events here. 

2  Honor the arts.

The Governor’s Awards for Excellence in the Arts shines a light on artists from throughout the state who represent the Land of Enchantment’s rich creativity and talent. In 2023, the selections include visual artists Paula Castillo and Judy Tuwaletstiwa, composer Raven Chacon (Diné), author J.C. Cervantes, sculptor Mark Ian Saxe, fashion designer Patricia Michaels (Taos Pueblo), and arts contributors Jim Harris and Judy and Ray Dewey.

Works from these artists are featured in an exhibit in the Governor’s Gallery of the Roundhouse in Santa Fe, opening Friday with a reception at 2 p.m. An awards ceremony takes place in St. Francis Auditorium at the New Mexico Museum of Art at 5 p.m. The exhibition is up until December 29.

3 Take off for an air show.

The Las Cruces Air & Space Expo brings a day of high-flying fun to the Las Cruces International Airport on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Performers include Jive Kirby, Stephen Covington, Chuck Coleman, and Undaunted Air Shows. The world’s first and only armless pilot, black belt, scuba diver and cyclist Jessica Cox will join as a special guest. Plus, there will be plenty of on-the-ground demonstrations, STEM activities, and up-close views of spacecrafts, airplanes, motorcycles, and muscle cars.

4 Get funky with fermentation.

The inaugural Albuquerque Fermentation & Fungi Fest takes over FUSION in Albuquerque on Sunday from noon to 6 p.m., with tastings, brews, food, live music, workshops, and local farmers. Hosted by the Downtown ABQ MainStreet Arts & Cultural District, the fest provides an opportunity to meet local growers, try locally brewed beers, workshops, and to learn about fermentation, fungi, and their benefits.

“Both fermented products and fungi have this kind of mystical science behind them,” says Danielle Schlobohm, director at DowntownABQ. “It’s food, but science, and also health. A lot of these things contribute to better gut health.” There will be a kids’ area with educational activities, a sourdough bread baking competition, beer and wine, and fungi-focused food from Street Food Institute, Mi Young’s Farm, and The Mouse Hole Cheese Shop.

5 Scare up some fun.

With Halloween just less than two weeks away, it’s time to celebrate with creepy tours, fall festivals, and trick or treat hunts. Here are a few Halloween-related things to hop into this weekend.

Fright Night & Espooky Mercado

Scary movies, tasty Halloween treats, a scary makers’ market, and creepy fun abounds at the National Hispanic Cultural Center on Friday from 4 to 11:30 p.m. Early on, Friday Night and Espooky Mercado scares up family-friendly activities like carnival games, bat puppets, and candy bag decorating. Starting at 8:30 p.m., it transforms into “más espooky” with a series of screenings of Nocturna at 7 p.m., From Dusk ’Til Dawn at 8, Bird Boy at 9, and Dracula at 10:30 in theaters at the Roy E. Disney Performing Arts Center. Costumes are welcome, and attendees will meet the cultural center’s new mascot, a jaguar that represents the spirit and strength of Hispanic culture.

Brews & Boos

The Painted Lady Bed & Brew in Albuquerque has a wild history of knife fights, shootouts, and hauntings. Built in 1881, the property formerly served as a brothel and saloon, grocery, and housing. Take a spooky tour on Friday at 1:30 p.m., which includes historic photos, stories about paranormal experiences at the inn, while you sip on a complimentary beer. Get your ticket here.

Halloween Fall Festival

A haunted house, a trunk or treat, games, crafts, and a bounce house are part of the Halloween Fall Festival at the Manzano Mesa Multigenerational Center in Albuquerque on Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. Extra points if your costume scares someone.  

Trick or Treat Trail

Get your costume and head to Fort Stanton Historic Site on Saturday to trick or treat, see haunted spaces, and take flashlight tours through the grounds. Starting at 5 p.m., the historic site hosts a Halloween-themed evening with two haunted houses, one in building 13, open to all ages, and another more terrifying haunted experience in the Nurse’s Quarters, open to those over age 12.

Read more: For more things to do, check out our online calendar of events.