Many argue summer is the best time to visit The City Different. The city is in full bloom, the weather is near perfect, and there is oh so much to do. If you are planning a trip to Santa Fe this summer, don’t miss these must-see markets, festivals, and exhibitions.
LOCAL ARTISAN MARKETS
throughout the summer
Santa Fe Artists MarketRecognized internationally as a top art market in the United States, Santa Fe absolutely delivers as THE destination for world-class visual arts, with a long tradition of also celebrating, supporting, and economizing local artists’ creative life and process. There are also scores of chances to buy pieces directly from local artists, like a Native potter, taught by generations of family indigenous to Santa Fe, or a Hispanic woodcarver from Dixon, New Mexico or a fine art painter with a penchant for landscapes, who works in a mountaintop studio. Show the local Santa Fe area artists some love—plan your trip around a recurring summer market, such as Railyard Artisan Market, the Santa Fe Artists Market, the Northern New Mexico Fine Arts and Crafts Guild or Santa Fe Society of Artists. For more ideas, read our blog calendar promoting local artisan events.
EL RANCHO DE LAS GOLONDRINAS FESTIVALS
throughout the summer
El Rancho de las Golondrinas opens the doors for the busy season on its 200 rural acres with the 21st Annual Santa Fe Spring Festival on June 13 and 4. Expect sheep-shearing, live entertainment, horno breadbaking, Pueblo pottery and dance, and more. As we move into summer, there are ever more opportunities to enjoy this former paraje (or stopping place) for those traveling the Camino Real in the early 1700s. The Santa Fe Wine Festival intrigues your tastebuds July 4 and 5, showcasing the best of New Mexico wines. August 8 and 9, check out the 8th Annual Santa Fe Beer & Food Festival, where you are bound to sample some new suds and flavors.
SWAIA NATIVE FASHION WEEK
May 7 & 8
Tira Howard Photography
In its third year, SWAIA Native Fashion Week takes their stylish excitement to the Eldorado Hotel, where Indigenous designers feature their work at the two-day Native Creative Market and you get to meet them, including Patricia Michaels (Taos Pueblo), Himikalas Pamela Baker
(Squamish/Kwakiutl/Tlingit/Haida), and Lauren Good Day (Mandan/Hidatsa/Arikara Nation).
SUMMER SCENE (FREE Live Music & Movies)
June 4–September 3, 2026
Photo credit: Adrift A Dream Photography
Nearly every day of the summer you can experience a live performance from a local and/or national musical act via the programming brought to you by the Summer Scene. On the historic Plaza, enjoy the grass and the trees while listening and grooving. Or check out the lineup at the Railyard amid food trucks, brewpubs, and plenty of parking. Performances at SWAN Park and Reunity Resources. Movies, too! Such an uplifting time!
CURRENTS NEW MEDIA FESTIVAL
June 12–21, 2026
CURRENTS New Media Festival heads back to its original home at El Museo de Cultural Santa Fe, June 12–21, 2026. At this art and technology extravaganza, expect immersive and expansive art experiences in new media for all ages—animation, virtual and augmented realities, interactive installations and video, multimedia performances, experimental documentaries, workshops, and moreǃ
69th SANTA FE OPERA Season
July 3–August 29, 2026
Madame Butterfly, Santa Fe Opera, photo by Curtis Brown for the Santa Fe OperaNo other opera house in the world can offer the mixture of world-class performers and breathtaking scenery as the Santa Fe Opera. In its 69th year, the 2026 season features five operas: Madama Butterfly, The Magic Flute, Eugene Onegin, Rodelinda, Lili Elbe. Plan ahead and participate in the pre-opera tailgating parties, where traditional picnic accoutrement are traded in for the elevated revelry of silver platters, candlesticks, and charcuterie.
SANTA FE ART WEEK
July 9–9, 2026
Step into Santa Fe's casual vibe and delight in stimulating art and culture, fantastic food, and historic architecture during the Santa Fe Art Week celebration! The 22nd annual International Folk Art Market kicks off the week on July 9 with a community celebration and artist welcome on the Railyard Plaza and the Market begins in the evening on July 10 at Railyard Park! Art Santa Fe opens on July 9 at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center and runs through Sunday, July 12. Beyond this, during Santa Fe Art Week, there will be dozens of art experiences and events, openings and shows, art talks, and workshops in galleries and studios across Santa Fe’s beautiful art districts through Sunday, July 19.
22nd ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL FOLK ART MARKET
July 9–12, 2026
The International Folk Art Market draws 148 master artists from 53 countries around globe to the world’s largest international folk art gathering. In 2026, come celebrate 22 years of this rich and bustling event, once again gracing the multi-acre Railyard Park. Purchase one-of-a-kind, handmade pieces ranging from pottery and rugs to clothing, jewelry, and so much more. Linger for the music, the food, and all of the wonderful people you'll meet. Purchase your tickets today!
44th ANNUAL DESERT CHORALE SUMMER FESTIVAL
July 12–19, 2026
Three rich and distinct choral programs make this festival one of the largest events of its kind in the country and what the Dallas Morning News calls "a top-notch, 24-voice group… comprising the crème de la crème of professional choral singers from coast to coast…” Choose from Renaissance Splendor featuring Europe's musical masterpieces; Homecoming, celebrating our 250th birthday as a nation with American roots music, and, finally, Rachmaninoff's All-Night Vigil, featuring 15 movements of unaccompanied signing. You can't go wrong with one or all!
53rd SANTA FE CHAMBER FESTIVAL
July 19–August 24, 2026
Celebrating 53 years, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, called "the most prestigious chamber music festivals in the world..." by the New York Times, presents dozens of artists (many of whom make their Festival debut!) in more than 40 concerts, held at St. Francis Auditorium in the New Mexico Museum of Art and the Lensic Performing Arts Center. Highlights include Bassist Edgar Meyer, violinist Daniel Phillips, and New York Philharmonic Principal Cellist Carter Brey reuniting to play Meyer’s String Trio No. 1—a work they premiered together at the Festival in 1986; Kirill Gerstein and Katia Skanavi performing piano duets by Schubert, Kurtág, and Rachmaninoff, plus Bartók’s Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion with New York Philharmonic Associate Principal Percussionist Daniel Druckman and Mike Truesdell; and guitarist Meng Su giving an all-Bach recital. among many others that are equally as special! Get your tickets today!
74th TRADITIONAL SPANISH MARKET
July 25 & 26, 2026
One of the summer’s most anticipated events for locals and visitors alike, Traditional Spanish Market celebrates its 74th year. Taking place on the Plaza, the market presents the work of more than 200 Hispanic artists, defined by 19 different categories that represent the Hispanic “artistic traditions of New Mexico and southern Colorado through historic, modern, and contemporary periods,” including colcha embroidery, hide painting, painted bultos, straw applique, and more. Live music, demonstrations, and authentic foods round out this celebratory weekend.
40th CONTEMPORARY HISPANIC MARKET
July 25 & 26, 2026
Prepared to celebrate its 40th year, the Contemporary Hispanic Market has once again hand selected artists to participate in the juried art show that is held each July in the cultural heart of Santa Fe on the historic Plaza. To be considered for the market, artists are required to be part Hispanic and a full-time resident of New Mexico. Find traditional carvings of wood or stones peppered along the rows of booths, and individual expression in the mediums of painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography, furniture, jewelry, ceramics, weaving, and more. Free!
WHITEHAWK ANTIQUE INDIAN & ETHNOGRAPHIC ART SHOW
August 6–9, 2026
Come see the collection of American Indian and international tribal art not found anywhere else in the world at the Whitehawk Antique Indian & Ethnographic Art Show (August 6–9).
Bringing together more than 130 of the world’s most knowledgeable experts, visitors will see thousands of select historic art objects from Native American and other indigenous cultures from around the world, the best of the best of textiles, pottery, jewelry, beadwork, woodcarving and much more.
104th SANTA FE INDIAN MARKET
August 15 & 16, 2026
Celebrating its 104th year, the Santa Fe Indian Market continues to deliver on its reputation as the largest and most prestigious juried Native arts show in the world. More than 1,000 artists representing more than 200 tribes come together on the historic Santa Fe Plaza to display their traditionally handcrafted art. And save some of your budget for Free Indian Market, showcasing more than 600 artists on the green and shady Federal Courthouse Park, where they say, "Helping the Elders and their families is our purpose."
102nd ANNUAL BURNING OF ZOZOBRA
September 4, 2026
Happy 102nd, Zozobra! This one-of-a-kind cultural experience is believed to cleanse the city of sad thoughts and gloom of the past year. Residents and visitors alike are encouraged to write down their worries and woes, which are then stuffed into a 50-foot-tall marionette. In a theatrical and choreographed show, Zozobra is set on fire amid fireworks and the cheers of the crowd. This event also traditionally marks the kickoff to the Fiestas de Santa Fe, Sept 5-13.
TEWA NANGEH/TEWA COUNTRY
through November 1, 2026
At the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, don't miss Tewa Nangeh/Tewa Country, on exhibition until November 1. This presentation brings O’Keeffe’s art and personal objects into dialogue with newly created artworks by contemporary Tewa artists to highlight themes of sacred spaces, belonging, identity, and ownership. Through storytelling and cultural exchange, the project will create a platform for learning about the past, present, and future of Tewa land, and the complexities of O’Keeffe’s own presence in New Mexico.
Get a taste of The City Different! Order your Official Santa Fe Visitors Guide now or browse our deals and specials to help you plan your next trip to Santa Fe.
