To celebrate the unique arts, music, cuisine, history, culture, and outdoor recreation offerings in Las Cruces, Visit Las Cruces has partnered with various community organizations to host the first annual Las Cruces City Fest (LCCF), from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, May 30, 2020 in Downtown Las Cruces.
All activities will be free to the public. The LCCF will offer a variety of family-friendly activities which will span the Plaza de Las Cruces, the Rio Grande Theatre, Klein Park and many downtown businesses.
“The Las Cruces City Fest was created to highlight all of the things that make Las Cruces an extraordinary destination,” said Visit Las Cruces Interim Executive Director Rochelle Miller-Hernandez. “The diverse activities and vendors were carefully curated to highlight and share the authentic southern New Mexico experience.”
The LCCF will feature musical performances by local and regional artists, cooking demonstrations, short lectures on history and art, and information about outdoor recreation activities. The festival will also feature a wide range of food and shopping opportunities, and a beer garden.
Since the event will take place at multiple venues, the activities and performances will rotate venues throughout the day to give attendees an opportunity to enjoy all the diverse experiences the festival has to offer.
“We wanted the LCCF to not only draw regional and national tourists, we also wanted the festival to be a community-wide celebration of the rich cultural heritage, talented artisans, and welcoming community we have here in Las Cruces,” Miller-Hernandez said. “We’re hoping this event will be a regional and national tourism draw for years to come.”
In addition to the ongoing activities, the festival will provide attendees with opportunities to explore the state-authorized Las Cruces Arts and Cultural District (ACD), whose boundaries span roughly from Mesquite Street to Water Street and Picacho Avenue to Amador Avenue.
The district features some of the city’s most distinctive arts and cultural assets including: museums, galleries, theaters, restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, retailers, public art projects, and at least 100 homes or buildings built from 1870 to the 1950’s. Some of those homes and buildings are listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the State Register of Cultural Properties.
The ACD is set within the original town that was founded by Don Pablo Melendres and platted in 1849 by U.S. Army surveyors, led by Lt. Delos Sackett, using rawhide rope, according to the Las Cruces Arts and Cultural District plan.
For information, or to get involved with the event, email Liz Vega at Elizabeth.vega@las-cruces.org or call Visit Las Cruces at 575/541-2444.