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Bring to light: Madrid celebrates the holiday season with festive music, activities and more
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Madrid, New Mexico, is giving the North Pole a run for its money with its list of events happening in the village.
Madrid is turning up the lights every weekend through Dec. 29.
“The lights are a huge part of everything here, because the lighting of Madrid goes back to the 1920s and by the 1930s approaching World War II, when real air travel transportation started, the lights were so bright in Madrid that flights either landing or taking off in Albuquerque would literally fly over Madrid so that they could look down and see the lights,” said Michael D. Lancaster, acting director of the Madrid Business Alliance. “This little town of 3,000 people, back then, was brighter than Albuquerque, and this was all put on by the miners every year.”
Bring to light: Madrid celebrates the holiday season with festive music, activities and more
In the past, the village also would build something called “Toy Land.” A self-guided walking tour of Madrid with audio on the history of the village can be found at visitmadridnm.com/self-guided-walking-tour.
“This year, we have special lighting, and they’ve built, sort of an homage to Toy Land, with a lighted placard where you can read about the history and then there are little houses, and it’s part of the future Madrid walk, which is a whole other project that I’m working on,” Lancaster said. “That’s a project partnered with the County of Santa Fe. People can walk to that, walk through the ballpark, take the new stairs and go up to the ballpark parking and be guided by Christmas lights the whole way.”
A crew of people worked every day for more than three weeks to get the lights back up in the village’s public areas. Prizes will be awarded to the businesses and residences with the best light displays.
“Madrid is turning up the lights because it was very big through the ’90s and then began to fade away a little bit,” Lancaster explained. “And then by COVID, it didn’t happen. And when it came back, it was a little less for wear, shall we say. We’ve totally revamped all the lighting and that’s going to be very exciting because people have always loved to come out and see the lighting in our town over the holidays. And also, when they have friends visiting or family, they love to drive through.”
The holiday celebration kicked off with a Christmas parade held on Dec. 7, and continues with special workshops for children and adults. Various art galleries and local businesses will also extend their hours and remain open until 7 p.m. on Saturdays.
A musical series will take place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday.
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“We have Joe West,” Lancaster said. “I don’t know if he’s as popular in Albuquerque as he is up north, but he’s a very well-known producer, impresario, musician, and he has something called the Psychedelic Snack Shack, which is a roving bandstand. It’s actually a food truck where the back has been opened up, and it’s like a stage. It’s actually heated, but they’ve kept a little part of the food truck, so they’ll be actually handing out free hot cider.”
On Saturday, Dec. 14, Busy McCarroll and Susan Hyde Holmes will perform at Moonbow, a herb and gift shop located at 2869 State Highway 14. The next day, on Sunday, Dec. 15, Josh Martin will perform at KMRD, an independent community radio station licensed to Madrid. The Caiti Lord Carolers will roam the heart of Madrid.
“Caiti is a Broadway performer, so she’s known for being in musicals,” Lancaster said. “She’s even been premiered in a film at Cannes, a film called ‘Caiti Blues’ was in Cannes last year, so she will be leading her carolers on the street.”
A children’s ornament making workshop will take place from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Dec. 15, at Johnsons of Madrid, 2843 State Highway 14. Visitors can also participate in art making activities from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Dec. 14 and Dec. 15 at MAD Contemporary, 3 Firehouse Lane.
The weekend before Christmas will feature Westin McDowell at Moonbow on Dec. 21. Julian Dosset will also perform.
On Dec. 22, Teri Lynn Browning and Chris Ishee will perform at Village Greengrocer, 3 Firehouse Lane. The Clan Tynker roving circus act will entertain festival visitors on Dec. 21 and Dec. 22.
The entertainment wraps up with Karina Wilson and Bard Edrington at KMRD on Dec. 28, and Dominuque Khouri at Moonbow and the Super Jam with Joe West and Lori Ottino on Dec. 29.
