1 See landscapes anew. 

The Albuquerque Museum unveils works by eight artists who have been inspired by New Mexico’s landscapes in its new exhibition Abstracting Nature, opening Saturday. Rather than recreating the surface likeness in landscape portraits, these artists express their visions and interpretations of earth with carefully selected natural ephemera like pigments, glass, adobe, silk, and clay. See Ghost Spell by Joanna Keane Lopez, her homage to her ancestral home in Socorro; a striped pastel piece by the late Agnes Martin, whose colors recall her experiences in the desert; and glass and clay orbs presented in a meditative and organized form sitting in a bed of sand by artist Judy Tuwaletstiwa, among others. Abstracting Nature kicks off with a panel discussion at 2 p.m. on Saturday and remains on view through October 12. 

Pick-up men Ty Atchison (left) and Dalton Ward (right) secure a bronc. Photograph courtesy of the Rodeo de Santa Fe. Photograph courtesy of Summer Logan.

2 Saddle up to the pros. 

Ropin’ and ridin’ comes to the City Different during the annual Rodeo de Santa Fe, which started in 1949. It includes events through Saturday night, with something for the whole family. From mutton busting to barrel racing and bull riding, the hundreds of cowboys and cowgirls who participate are experts in their craft, and some are even world champions. Grand entry is at 7 p.m. each night. 

Fun for all ages can be had at Los Alamos's ScienceFest Discovery Day. Photograph courtesy of ScienceFest.

3 Nerd out on science.  

Los Alamos’s annual celebration of STEM, ScienceFest involves a slew of activities and local businesses June 20 through 28. The main event, Discovery Day, takes over Ashley Pond Park on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Under the Catalysts & Currents theme, Discovery Day features a solar car race, an electric car show, interactive STEM experiences, and food and drinks. Attendees can join the fun and pick up a solar car kit at the PEEC booth. There’s a concert and market Friday, and next weekend’s Discovery After Dark offers fun activities for adults from 4 to 9 p.m. on Saturday at locations throughout town. Find a full schedule online with events during the week too.

Yjastros dancers Isabella Nuanez (facing the camera) and Ysabela Trujillo perform the caña. Photograph courtesy of Thaïs Coy. Photograph courtesy of Thaïs Coy.

4 Attend the country’s biggest flamenco festival. 

The 38th annual Festival Flamenco Alburquerque promises to be the biggest yet, with flamenco artists converging on the Duke City from around the world, including the renowned Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía, hailing from Spain and the birthplace of the dance form. The festival, which opens Friday and runs through June 28, offers classes for both novice and experienced dancers, dinner-theater shows at Tablao Flamenco, and performances featuring a cohort of dancers from different companies on stage at the National Hispanic Cultural Center. Read more about the fest and the family who has worked to build a flamenco community for generations in our June story. 

"Oops, Blurt" by Inga Hendrickson is part of the larger "Surface" show at the Harwood Art Center. Photograph courtesy of the Harwood Art Center.

5 Discover promising artists.

The Harwood Art Center in Albuquerque celebrates emerging New Mexico artists in its annual exhibition, SURFACE, with a reception on Saturday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. This year’s cohort includes painter and book maker Desara Boehm, who lives in Lamy and uses landscape as a language to communicate memory, time, and place; Diné artist Maya Perez, whose works are inspired by the diversity of her own culture; and oil painter and teacher Geo Evans, who studied art at the University of New Mexico. 

Each year, the Harwood selects one artist to receive the SURFACE Solo Exhibit Award. The 2025 honoree is Inga Hendrickson, whose photography often graces the pages of New Mexico Magazine. In her exhibition, Oops, Blurt, she explores material existence and human connection in a series of works made specifically for this project. Both portions of SURFACE are on view through July 26.

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