Veterans Day, the Taylor-Mesilla Historic Site and the Capitol Christmas Tree: 7 events this week

I was at a certain bath and lotion store this weekend, sniff sampling their winter line and lamenting that I just wanted to smell like a Christmas tree for the holidays. And if you always wondered if the U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree smells like peak holiday-ness, you get your chance to find out this weekend. Or check out one of these other fir sure options.

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Oh! Christmas tree

The U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree is making a stop in Albuquerque from 4-6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, as “Silver Belle” makes its way from Nevada’s Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest to our nation's capital. You can meet foresters, enjoy live music, take photos of the 53-foot red fir and more. Balloon Fiesta Park is located at 4401 Alameda Blvd. NE. Visit uscapitolchristmastree.com for more information.

Just myth behaving

The inaugural Bigfoot Bash is coming to Rio Grande Social from 5:30-8 p.m. Monday, Nov. 10. Expect Bigfoot and other cryptid-related activities, including a raffle and Bigfoot calling contest. Proceeds go to the YMCA of Central New Mexico. To register and make a donation, visit nmbigfootbash.com. Rio Grande Social is located at 10127 Coors Blvd. NW.

‘From Countryside to Concert Hall’

The award-winning Telegraph Quartet will be performing at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9, as part of the Placitas Artists Series. The program will include “American Mirror, Part 1” by Derrick Skye; String Quartet No. 2 by Béla Bartók and Ludwig van Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 7 in F Major, Op. 59 No. 1. Tickets are $30 at placitasartistsseries.org. Las Placitas Presbyterian Church is located at 7 Paseo de San Antonio in Placitas.

Honoring those who serve

The 2025 Veterans Day Parade will set off from USS Bullhead Memorial Park, 1606 San Pedro Drive SE, at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11. The parade route will go down West Loop Road to San Mateo and Gibson boulevards before traveling east on Gibson to Louisiana Boulevard. From there, the parade will go north on Louisiana before ending at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial Park, 1100 Louisiana Blvd. SE. Music will be provided by the Dukes of Albuquerque Concert Band and the New Mexico Chile Flight Team will perform a flyover.

Great eight!

Celebrate the opening of our state’s eighth historic property from 10 a.m. to 4 pm. Saturday, Nov. 8, with the Taylor-Mesilla Historic Site’s grand opening fiesta. Once the ribbon has been cut, eventgoers can take a tour of the historic site and enjoy live music and dance performances. The Taylor-Mesilla Historic Site is located at 2350 Calle Principal in Mesilla.

Baile!

Yjastros: The American Flamenco Repertory Company, with guest artists from Mexico and Spain, is bringing "Flamenco Fandanguero: Primos de la Raza Cósmica" to Albuquerque and Taos. The performance illuminates the link between flamenco and son jarocho. "Flamenco Fandanguero" starts at 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, and 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9, at the National Hispanic Cultural Center; and 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14, at the Taos Center for the Arts. Tickets to the Albuquerque shows are $27-$109 at nhccnm.org, and $30-$60, plus fees, for the Taos show at tcataos.org. The NHCC is located at 1701 Fourth St. SW, and the TCA is located at 145 Paseo Del Pueblo Norte in Taos.

Music from Ukraine

Ukrainian music group Kurbasy is coming to New Mexico for two concert events. Kurbasy will play at the Outpost Performance Space, 210 Yale Blvd. SE, at 7:30 p.m Saturday, Nov. 8, and at 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9, at the San Miguel Chapel, 401 Old Santa Fe Trail in Santa Fe. Tickets for the Albuquerque show are $22-$33, and $28-$49 for the Santa Fe show at ampconcerts.org.

Veterans Day, the Taylor-Mesilla Historic Site and the Capitol Christmas Tree: 7 events this week

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