What's New in Albuquerque?
Check out the New Mexico Events & Attractions
Each season, the Albuquerque Convention & Visitors Bureau updates our visitors and friends regarding new and exciting changes and additions to our many Albuquerque, New Mexico tourist attractions. We also provide our community with updated information on Albuquerque, New Mexico events. For a review of recent news, please link on the articles below. Albuquerque rankings and media coverage are also updated regularly.
Gruet Winery comes back to New Mexico with a slew of awards and medals
2011 was a great year for New Mexico’s Gruet Winery. After attending competitions all along the west coast, Gruet wines were named ‘Best in Class,’ ‘Best Buy’ and awarded numerous medals. Gruet wines earned Best in Class honors at the San Francisco International Wine Competition and at the International Spirits and Wine Competition. Medals were awarded to eight different Gruet wines at the Beverage Testing Institute, Los Angeles International Spirits and Wine Competition and the American Fine Wine Competition, to name a few. Bill St. John, a writer for the Chicago Tribune, had nothing but praise for Gruet Winery, “For my money, the best sparkling wine made in this country, however, comes from the most unlikely of places, near Albuquerque, N.M. Gruet is the name.” For the full list of awards click here. Read about Gruet Winery’s release of their brand new wine, the 2010 Chenin Blanc, here.
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta® celebrates 40th!
Oct 1-9, 2011 and Oct 6-14, 2012
From a modest beginning in 1972 of 13 balloons launching from a shopping mall parking lot, the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta has grown to 500+ balloons and hundreds of thousands of guests at Balloon Fiesta Park each fall.This year will mark the 40th time that the Balloon Fiesta has filled Albuquerque’s crystal blue skies. The Balloon Fiesta is the premier international ballooning event, powered by the perfect October climate and a phenomenon called the "Albuquerque Box," (a combination of weather patterns and geographic landscape, the box allows balloonists to control and even retrace their adventure).
The place to be in October is at Balloon Fiesta Park. The 200 acres of grass and booths will be filled with balloons and vendors selling everything from traditional New Mexican food to Balloon memorabilia. Each year balloon teams from around the world participate in the event and news coverage originates from more than 50 countries. It has become the most photographed event in the world. Join in the special celebration this year - media registration will begin in August.
Visit the website for details www.BalloonFiesta.com and follow on twitter for updates
@BalloonFiesta.
Foodies have a chance to win a culinary vacation to Albuquerque
The flavors of New Mexican cuisine are one of the most memorable parts of a visit to Albuquerque, and they keep people coming back time and again. Restaurant meals, wine tasting, beer making, farmers markets, cooking classes, tequila sampling and more come together to create a distinctive New Mexican cuisine. The flavors of the red and green chile permeate all types of dishes from traditional enchiladas and tamales to non-traditional pizza, chocolate and even beer! We are offering a chance to win a trip to indulge in all of these tastes for yourself. Please spread the word about our four-day, three-night getaway with accommodations at Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Cultural Center plus a host of meals and culinary experiences throughout the destination.The entry deadline is September 30th.
More details and sweepstakes entry: www.ItsATrip.org/foodtrip or view view complete media release.
New Mexico's St. Clair Winery Mimosa now featured by national retail chain plus national awards
National retailer Cost Plus World Market has selected St. Clair Winery's Mimosa for a sales program in over 248 stores nationwide. A blend of fresh-squeezed orange juice and crisp, sparkling Brut, the Mimosa is now distributed in 28 states, and the national promotion planned by Cost Plus World Market will bring the taste of New Mexico wine to the entire nation very soon.
St. Clair wines have increasingly been recognized nationwide. At the recent San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, St. Clair's Gewurztraminer was named the "Best White Wine" in the nation. St. Clair is headquartered in Deming in Southern New Mexico, and their wines are available in many locations throughout the Southwest, including at the St. Clair Winery and Bistro locations in Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Farmington. www.southwestwines.com
View details on the media release.
Be a part of Route 66 on July 23rd in Albuquerque: celebrate the historic route with music, food, shopping, a race and more
Arts, live music, family-friendly entertainment and food come together in the 2nd annual Route 66 Summerfest. Festivities will take place throughout the day on Saturday, July 23rd in Albuquerque’s Nob Hill district. The signature event will kick off with a 5k run at 8:00a.m. Throughout the day and into the evening, local musicians, artisans, classic cars, and culinary specialists will entertain visitors of all ages throughout the walkable Nob Hill neighborhood. The festival will wrap up with internationally renowned jazz musician Maceo Parker through a partnership with New Mexico Jazz Festival.
View event details on the release.
Quiet Waters Paddling Adventures and New Mexico Jeep Tours team up for outdoor recreation package
Quiet Waters Paddling Adventures has partnered with New Mexico Jeep Tours to offer adventure tours, which allow participants to explore all that central New Mexico has to offer from the Rio Grande Valley to the deserts and canyons.While on the river, outdoor enthusiasts will see wildlife and breathtaking mountain scenery, and from the Jeep ride they have the opportunity to discover ghost towns and ancient pueblo ruins.
View details in the media release.
New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science DynaTheater gets a digital upgrade with world's first 4K double projection system
The New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science is proud to unveil a significant digital upgrade at its DynaTheater. The DynaTheater, known for its immersive geometry, will be a flagship theater for partners D3D Cinema, Barco, and Dolby as it will introduce the world’s first 4K Double Projection System. The system features two new projectors, new digital surround sound, and a new five-story white screen. The white screen minimizes the poor viewing attributes associated with the silver screens necessary for other 3D systems and enhances the brightness of the projection system.
View complete release
New Mexico celebrates centennial in 2012
Celebrations across the state of New Mexico will honor the state’s 100th birthday throughout 2012, which will kick off in August in Las Cruces. Rainbow Ryders will unveil the official New Mexico Centennial Balloon in late June. Updates are available at http://www.nmcentennial.org
Summer specials and deals
The city is blessed with a mild, dry climate, which makes summertime very comfortable. Visitors enjoy an array of summer concerts, festivals and markets. Please share these current savings on lodging
packages and discount coupons with your readers/viewers online.
Follow us on Twitter at @see_albuquerque for other deals and specials.
Albuquerque in the national spotlight
- Forbes ranked Albuquerque as one of the 16 top U.S cities to retire 2011
- 1st on MovieMaker Magazine's list of the 10 Best Cities to Live, Work & Make Movies in 2010
- 15th on Byways magazine list of the Top 50 Motorcoach Destinations of 2010
- 9th on Business Courier of Cincinnati list on Green Cities, 2010
- 6th on Men's Health's list of the Top 10 Leanest Cities in the US 2010
- 7th Best City for Arts, AmericanStyle magazine 2010
- 7th on Livability.com's list of the Top 10 Surprisingly Great Food Cities
- Yahoo! Travel listed Albuquerque as one of the Best Made-Over US Towns Worth a Visit
- 17th on Bicycling magazine's list of America's Top 50 Bike-Friendly Cities 2010
- 13th Least Expensive Destination for Business Travelers, Business Travel News 2010
- 3rd on Livability.com's list of Golf's Best Kept Secrets: 10 Great Golf Cities 2010
- No. 6 on Outside magazine's Best Cities in America 2009 list
- 2nd Best City of 2009 according to the Kiplinger’s Personal Finance Top 10 Cities, July 2009
- Huffington Post: Featured as one of the 10 Best Cities for Local Food, 2009
- USA 101: A Guide to America's Iconic Places, Events and Festivals (book): Albuquerque is one of the 10 Greatest Places to Find True Ameriana, 2009
See more rankings: www.itsatrip.org/albuquerque/top-rankings/
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