Local libations: 'Reds, Whites and Brews Happy Hours' showcase local craft beer and wine at NM State Fair

New Mexico continues to garner accolades for its craft beer and wines.

Eventgoers at the New Mexico State Fair will be able to enjoy a wide variety of offerings from award-winning local wineries and breweries during the “Reds, Whites and Brews Happy Hours” at the New Mexico State Fair through Sunday, Sept. 15, at Expo New Mexico, 300 San Pedro Drive NE. Happy hours, from 3 to 8 p.m., will take place at the remodeled Agriculture Building, west of the Manuel Lujan commercial building and south of the livestock barns, according to a New Mexico Department of Agriculture news release.

Local libations: 'Reds, Whites and Brews Happy Hours' showcase local craft beer and wine at NM State Fair

“The happy hours will help entice fairgoers to embark on an adventure of supporting local products – that adventure starts with a pit stop in the courtyard to enjoy a state-crafted beverage, and leads into a world of family fun and agricultural learning inside the Country Store and throughout the Agriculture Building,” Jeff Witte, New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture, said in the news release.

The happy hours are made possible by the New Mexico Wine and Grape Growers Association and the New Mexico Brewers Guild. Chris Goblet, New Mexico Wine executive director, said fairgoers can expect an elevated presence of locally crafted beverages at this year’s fair, according to the news release.

“September is synonymous with the New Mexico State Fair, and the ‘Big Show’ always delivers an enthusiastic audience,” Goblet said in the news release. “For nearly a decade, I have been organizing local craft beer and wine events in partnership with the New Mexico Department of Agriculture to help create a celebratory atmosphere. This year, we are taking happy hour to another level with the installation of a permanent wine bar inside the Country Store,” said Goblet. “The wine bar will allow us to sample the best wines from the State Fair Wine Competition from noon to 3 p.m. daily, prior to happy hour events featuring live music in the courtyard.”

The New Mexico Department of Agriculture will partner with Taste NM for the second year in a row to bring back the popular Country Store that will feature new attractions including single-serve ice cream and T-shirts and hats for purchase, according to the news release.

The Country Store will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. through Sunday, Sept. 15. Fairgoers will be able to experience interactive walk-through exhibits in the south wing of the Agriculture Building, which will feature game show-style trivia about some of New Mexico’s most well-known crops, according to the news release. Visitors also will have the opportunity to step inside a state-of-the-art milk carton installation that functions as a photo booth at the Country Store.

“The Country Store and NMDA’s displays within the Agriculture Building have been a highlight of the fair for many years,” Witte said. “I invite all fairgoers to explore the new attractions at the Country Store and within the Agriculture Building. It’s your one-stop shop to experience everything that makes New Mexico agriculture so great. Come see us, shop, play and enjoy.”