Fine Art & Wine Festival

What started out as a wet, chilly weekend turned into something absolutely beautiful! The 2009 "Fine Art & Wine Festival," put on by the Red River Chamber of Commerce, was another huge success thanks to the artists, wineries, volunteers, and attendees. Friday night's welcome reception at Mountain Treasures was delicious... and not just because all of the vintners brought bottles of their favorite wines. Alli Connor, Red River's resident wine expert, did a great job talking to everyone about the different types of wine at the reception, and Steve Garrett, Mountain Treasures own little treasure, prepared scrumptious hors d' oeuvres that were enjoyed by all (pulled pork sandwiches with apple butter on puffed pastries... YUM!).

Saturday turned out to be typical spring weather in the mountains, but we were surprised at how many people braved the rain and wind to come out to the festival (we think the seven wineries may have contributed to the bravery of attendees). Gabrielle Louise was as cute as a button with a dynamite voice and songwriting skills, and Phillip, Mandy, and Ben were crowd pleasers as usual. We are so blessed to have such amazing talent right here in our little valley! The art was beyond compare - sculptors, painters, photographers, potters... you name it, we had it. Magnificent artist, Ed Sandoval, was here again from Taos to judge our juried show, and multiple Red River businesses contributed awards for the winners.

As things started to wind down at the park Saturday afternoon, thirty people hopped on board the Red River Trolley for our first ever progressive wine dinner. From Sundance, to Capo's, to Timbers (stuffed filet mignon), and Onota Bakery, guests were treated to a dinner beyond compare with wines to match. Considering the smiles of contentment we observed, we gather the progressive dinner was a huge success. The Chamber is considering putting together the progressive wine dinner on a regular basis, so stop by their office in Town Hall if you'd like more information.

Sunday was a day for the books in Red River. The sunshine finally came out and warmed up the town to about 70 degrees. A new crowd of people ventured out to Brandenburg Park to enjoy the music, art, wine, and food (we couldn't help but notice how many people also took advantage of Red River being one of the most dog-friendly communities in New Mexico). Fold out chairs and blankets were all over the park while people soaked up some sun and enjoyed the ambiance. As children enjoyed the grass on their bare feet and adults enjoyed the wine on their palates, you could see smile after smile until the last note was played Sunday afternoon.

Festivals like "Fine Art & Wine" are one of the best reasons to live in Red River... or at least visit a lot more often.

"River & Brews" Blues Fest

We sure did have a good time at the "River & Brews" Blues Fest this weekend. I think we're all pretty pleased with the attendance for the first year (over 400 people), and I know we're happy with the music. Johnny Mack made the trip up to Red River a little early to join in the open mic Friday night at the Lift House. He played with Red River favorites Jeff Fagan and Fritz Davis, along with a few other blues aficionados that wanted to join in. It was a packed crowd and everyone really seemed to enjoy the Lift House as Red River's newest music venue! Tijerina, Albuquerque Blues Connection, Johnny Mack, and Bugs Henderson all played on the outdoor stage Saturday on the face of the mountain. Santa Fe Brewing Company was well represented, as was West Texas BBQ (pulled pork sandwiches... YUM!). There were a few unpleasant wind gusts later in the afternoon, but the rain held off and everyone had a great time. Later that night some of the more hard core blues fans made it out to the Bull o' the Woods Saloon for an encore performance from the Albuquerque Blues Connection. They are definitely a favorite and we hope to see them back again this summer!

Now we're preparing for the Fine Art & Wine Festival this weekend. Black Mesa Winery, Santa Fe Vineyards, Tularosa Vineyards, Ponderosa Valley Vineyards, Falcon Meadery & Winery, Wines of the San Juan, and St. Clair Vineyards will all be here this year, as will some of the most talented artists, photographers, and potters in the southwest. Gabrielle Louise, and incredible vocalist and musician from Colorado, will be performing at the festival on Saturday, and we'll have Philip Brooks, one of our fabulous Red River musicians, playing Saturday & Sunday. Hope you can make it!

2009 - 2010 Vacation Guide

Red River's new vacation guide is now available to view as a .pdf at RedRiver.org.

Start planning your vacation now!

Hospitality Showcase

We were so excited last night to find out that the Red River Ski Area has started blogging too (follow them at www.redriverskiarea.blogspot.com) - just one of the MANY things we discovered at the Community House's Hospitality Showcase. At the beginning of both summer and winter the Community House puts on an informational presentation for those of us that live here, aimed at making sure we know about the great (and new) activities in Red River. We heard folks talk about the fish stocking program, the shoot-outs at Frye's Old Town, the daily activities the Community House is doing, the trails available for hiking & mountain biking, the ATV trails, the scenic summer chair lift, horseback riding, and more. We also learned about new stuff this summer - "Mommy & Me" and an expansion of the arts & crafts program (using recyclable materials) at the Community House, history tours of Red River on the trolley (I think we're most excited about this), guided segway tours, a new blues event in June, the NM Green Chile State Championship in the August. It was a full night of information (and the free burgers didn't hurt either). If you're ever in town in early-June please stop by and join us for the Hospitality Showcase to make new friends and get great insight into what keeps Red River going!

The weather has been playing tricks on us this week. We all know it's the summer season, but we've been getting rain every afternoon. While our flowers are ready for some sunshine, the rain is keeping the days cool and the forest green. The Copper Chair is going to be open for weekend rides up to the top of the mountain beginning June 12th, then open full-time June 26th. This will be the first time the Copper Chair has been operating during the summer (since the Red Chair is being replaced), so we're all looking forward to seeing the ski area from a new perspective. In addition to the beautiful scenery, one of our favorite things about riding the chair up is the chipmunks at the tip. Bring your camera and catch these guys in action... smiles guaranteed!