Page 42 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Southwest USA & National Parks

40  INTRODUCING THE SOUTHWEST THE SOUTHWEST THROUGH THE Y EAR  41

Downs Racetrack. Quarter Lincoln County Cowboy
Fall Winter Public Holidays
horse race with prize money Symposium (second weekend)
The autumnal forests and in excess of $2 million. Ruidoso. A celebration of life Christmas in the Southwest New Year (Jan 1)
mountains of the Southwest Grand Canyon Music Festival in the Old West, with cowboy is celebrated in traditional Martin Luther King
are striking, ablaze with brilliant (late Aug–early Sep) Grand poets, storytellers, and musicians American style, with lights Jr Day (third Mon in Jan)
yellows, reds, and golds. Fall Canyon Village. Fine chamber as well as country dancing. decorating almost every Presidents’ Day (third Mon
is one of the best seasons for music, from baroque to classical, Helldorado Days (third building and tree. The ski in Feb)
touring and sightseeing because jazz, fusion, and crossover. weekend) Tombstone. The season stretches from mid-
the temperatures become New Mexico State Fair (mid- festival features re-enactments, November to early April in the Easter Sunday (variable)
cooler and more comfortable. Sep) Albuquerque. One of the parades, a carnival, music, region’s many resorts. Skiing, El Cinco de Mayo (May 5)
largest state fairs in the nation, and street entertainment. snow-boarding, and ice-skating Memorial Day
September with rodeos, carnivals, exhibits, Moab Ho-Down Bike and Film are all popular. (last Mon in May)
Navajo Nation Fair and Rodeo and music. Festival (last week) Moab. Moun- Independence Day (Jul 4)
(early Sep) Window Rock. The Flagstaff Festival of Science tain bike guided tours, movies, November Pioneer Day (Jul 24 – Utah)
largest Indian fair in the US, this (late Sep) Flagstaff. Ten days workshops, and a hill climb. Festival of the Cranes (mid- Labor Day (first Mon in Sep)
is a week-long event featuring of events, including field trips Nov) Socorro. Festival held
a parade, extreme bull-riding, and interactive exhibits, at during the November A skier descending the Ridge in Taos Columbus Day
races, traditional song and museums and observatories. migration of whooping cranes Ski Valley (second Mon in Oct)
dance, and arts and crafts. Las Fiestas de Santa Fe (Sep) to the Bosque del Apache Veterans Day (Nov 11)
Hatch Chile Festival (early Santa Fe. Celebration of culture Wildlife Refuge (see p222). Desert Botanical Garden (p86). Thanksgiving (fourth Thu
Sep/Labor Day weekend) Hatch. and history with mariachi There is festive music and in Nov)
Cooking, music, and arts and music, dance, parades, food, December telescopes for stargazing. Christmas Day (Dec 25)
crafts in the center of the and art. La Fiesta de Tumacácori (first Canyon Road Farolito Walk
chile-growing industry. weekend) Tumacácori. Festival (Dec 24) Santa Fe. Candle-lit
Tombstone Showdown (Labor October held on mission grounds to tour of Canyon Road with
Day weekend) Tombstone. Albuquerque International celebrate the Native American carol singing and bonfires.
Includes a parade, an 1880s Balloon Fiesta (early Oct) heritage of the upper Santa Fiesta Bowl Festival and
costume contest, street Albuquerque. More than Cruz Valley. Parade (late Dec or early Jan)
entertainment, re-enactments, 500 balloons take part in Old Town Stroll (first Friday) Phoenix. College football at
and mock shootouts. this stunning event (see p272), Albuquerque. The town’s ASU Sun Devil Stadium.
The All-American Futurity which is the largest of its kind Calf roping at Lincoln County Christmas festivities begin in
(early Sep/Labor Day) Ruidoso in the world. Cowboy Symposium the Old Town with a parade, January
lighting of the tree, live music, Ice Festival (early Jan) Ouray. The
and food stalls. world’s largest ice climbing event
LAS VEGAS PHOENIX Average daily Climate Parade of Lights (early Dec) (half competition, half party),
maximum The climate varies Lake Mead Marina. Fifty boats high in the Colorado Rockies.
39/102 40/104 temperature across the region. show off their special light Tucson Area Square Dance Festival
°C/°F 27/81 29/81 °C/°F 28/82 30/86 Phoenix and the decorations to thousands of (mid-Jan) Tucson. The festival
20/68 25/77 18/64 southern areas have
16/61 Average daily spectators, a tradition that attracts thousands of dancers. Saguaro Cactus illuminated by
7/45 8/46 12/54 13/55 minimum hot and dry summers has been going since 1975. Tucson Gem and Mineral Show Christmas lights
4/39 and mild, sunny
0 0 temperature winters, whereas such Las Noches de Las Luminarias (late Jan-Feb) Tucson. Open to
-2/28 (Dec) Phoenix. Thousands of visitors, this is one of the biggest San Ildefonso Pueblo Feast
11 12 10 8 12 13 10 8 Average daily areas as Southern Utah, luminarias line the paths at the gem and mineral shows in the US. Day (late Jan) San Ildefonso
Northern Arizona, and
hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hours of sunshine Northern New Mexico Pueblo. Ceremonial dances
8 13 8 18 10 25 10 20 have snowy winters commemorate this feast day.
mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm Average monthly that are colder due to
rainfall
month Apr Jul Oct Jan month Apr Jul Oct Jan their higher elevation. February
Tubac Festival of the Arts (early
Feb) Tubac. A highlight of the
town’s calendar, and one of the
GRAND CANYON SANTA FE MOAB most important arts and crafts
(SOUTH RIM) festivals in southern Arizona.
37/99
29/84 PGA Phoenix Golf WM Open
°C/ºF °C/°F 27/81 °C/°F 23/73 (late Jan–early Feb) Phoenix. The
16/61 18/64 17/63 22/72 18/64 PGA’s largest annual tournament.
12/54 15/59 14
3/37 5/41 2 3 4/39 5/41 5/41 4/39 Silver Spur Rodeo (mid-Feb)
0 0 0 Yuma. Along with the rodeo,
-1/30 -7/19 -8/18 -8 this festival features arts and
11 11 9 8 10 10 9 7 10 10 9 6 crafts and Yuma’s biggest parade.
hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs hrs La Fiesta de los Vaqueros (late
26 45 27 33 27 61 31 18 19 20 30 17 Feb) Tucson. A rodeo and
mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm mm assorted cowboy events, plus
month Apr Jul Oct Jan month Apr Jul Oct Jan month Apr Jul Oct Jan the country’s largest non-
Marching band at the Fiesta Bowl Festival and Parade motorized parade.
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