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Pueblo Feast Days, New Mexico

New Mexico's 19 Pueblos and wide swathes of tribal lands offer visitors an unrivaled glimpse into Native American culture, both historical and contemporary. Very often, access to these pueblos comes in the form of feasts days, dance ceremonies, festivals, and many other special events. Below you’ll find about 100 ways to explore this essential element of this region’s cultural history. (Learn more about pueblo etiquette)

Pueblo feast days in New Mexico usually take place on the same date every year, while other special events take place during specific weekends throughout the year. Please note that event dates can change and/or be closed to the public with little or no notice. Many dances and events are scheduled based on the decisions of pueblo leaders, and scheduling can be inconsistent from year to year. “It’s up to the tribal war chiefs to decide what dances are going to be held and when,” according to one pueblo visitor center representative.

When planning to attend a pueblo event, contact the visitor center or pueblo office beforehand. Find a complete list of pueblo telephone numbers and websites below.

January

1st


6th

  • King's Day Celebration in honor of new tribal officers: Antelope, Buffalo, Deer dances – Most pueblos
  • Evening Firelight Dances (Occasional) – San Ildefonso Pueblo | http://www.sanipueblo.org/


23rd


25th


February

2nd

  • Candelaria Feast Day – Picuris Pueblo, San Felipe Pueblo


First Weekend

  • Governor's Feast Day and various dances – Old Acoma Pueblo


Second Weekend

  • Deer dances – San Juan Pueblo


End of the Month


March

19th


April

Easter Weekend Dances

  • Many Pueblos


Every Fourth Weekend

  • Gathering of the Nations (One of the country’s largest powwows) – Albuquerque Convention Center


May

1st

  • St. Phillip Feast Day – San Felipe Pueblo


3rd


Memorial Day Weekend

  • Jemez Red Rocks Arts and Crafts Show – Jemez Pueblo


June

First Saturday in June

  • Blessing of the Fields – Tesuque Pueblo


13th

  • San Antonio Feast Day (various dances) – Sandia Pueblo, Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, Picuris Pueblo, Taos Pueblo, Santa Ana Pueblo


24th

  • San Juan Feast Day – Taos Pueblo
  • St. John the Baptist Feast Day – Ohkay Owingeh


July

4th

  • Celebration of the Waterfall – Nambe Pueblo


14th

  • St. Bonaventure Feast Day – Cochiti Pueblo


Second Weekend in July

  • Annual Intertribal Powwow – Taos Pueblo


Third Weekend in July

  • Little Beaver Celebration with pro-Indian and open Rodeo, powwow, pony express race, parade, dances, and more – Jicarilla Apache | http://www.jicarillaonline.com...


25th


26th


August

First Week

  • 4th

    • St. Dominic Feast Day – Santo Domingo Pueblo


    9th


    9th - 10th


    10th


  • 12th

    • St. Clare Feast Day – Santa Clara Pueblo


    15th


    Third Week


    September

    First Week


    2nd

    • St. Stephen Feast Day – Acoma Pueblo


    4th

    • St. Augustine Feast Day – Pueblo of Isleta


    8th


    Labor Day Weekend


    14th - 15th


    19th


    25th


    29th

    • San Geronimo Eve Vespers – Taos Pueblo


    30th

    • San Geronimo Feast Day with dances, races, pole climb, arts and crafts fair – Taos Pueblo


    October

    First week


    4th

    • San Francisco de Assisi Feast Day – Nambe Pueblo


    11th


    Second Weekend


    17th


    November

    12th

    • San Diego Feast Day – Tesuque Pueblo, Jemez Pueblo


    27th


    Last week of November


    December

    First Week


    12th

    • Our Lady of Guadalupe Feast Day – Pojoaque Pueblo
    • Bow and Arrow, Comanche and Buffalo Dances – Tesuque Pueblo
    • Matachina Dances – Jemez Pueblo


    24th

    • Procession of the Virgin Mary – Taos Pueblo
    • Christmas Eve Midnight Mass and Dance – Tesuque Pueblo
    • Christmas Eve Mass and Buffalo, Deer, and Antelope Dances – Nambe Pueblo
    • Sundown Torchlight Procession of the Virgin Vespers and Matachina Dances – Picuris Pueblo | http://www.picurispueblo.org/9...
    • Luminarias display (2,000 paper bag lanterns line the road leading to Acoma Pueblo) | http://www.acomaskycity.org/ma...


    25th*

    • Various Dances and Matachinas Dance – Taos Pueblo
    • Matachina Dances – Picuris Pueblo, Ohkay Owingeh | http://www.picurispueblo.org/9...;
    • Various Dances – Jemez Pueblo, Laguna Pueblo, San Felipe Pueblo, San Ildefonso, Santa Clara Pueblo, Tesuque Pueblo, Zia Pueblo
    • *Many pueblos offer Christmastime events. Please see our phone list at the bottom of the page to contact specific pueblos.


    25th - 28th

    • Traditional Dances inside San Esteban del Rey Mission on the mesa – Acoma Pueblo


    25th - 29th


    26th

    • Turtle Dance – Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo
    • Buffalo Dances – Jemez Pueblo


    28th

    Phone Numbers and Websites

    Acoma: 1-800-747-0181 | http://www.skycity.com

    Cochiti: 505-465-2244 | http://www.pueblodecochiti.org

    Isleta Pueblo: 505-869-3111 | http://www.isletapueblo.com

    Jemez Pueblo: 575-834-7235 | http://www.jemezpueblo.com

    Laguna Pueblo: 505-552-6654 | http://www.lagunapueblo.org

    Nambe Pueblo: 505-455-2036 | http://nambepueblo.org/

    Ohkay Owingeh: 505-852-4400 | http://www.ohkayowingeh-nsn.gov/membe...

    Picuris Pueblo: 575-587-2519 | http://www.picurispueblo.org/

    Pojoaque Pueblo: 505 819 2276 | http://www.pojoaque.org

    Sandia Pueblo: 505-867-3317 | http://www.sandiaPueblo.nsn.us

    San Felipe Pueblo: 505-867-3381 | http://www.indianpueblo.org/19...

    San Ildefonso Pueblo: 505-455-2273 | http://www.sanipueblo.org/

    Santa Ana Pueblo: 505-867-3301 | http://www.santaana.org

    Santa Clara Pueblo: 505-753-7330 | http://www.indianpueblo.org/19...

    Santo Domingo Pueblo: 505-465-2214 | http://www.santodomingotribe.com

    Taos Pueblo: (575) 758-1028 | http://www.taospueblo.com/

    Tesuque Pueblo: 505-983-2667 or 505-455-2467 | http://www.indianpueblo.org/19...

    Zia Pueblo: 505-867-3304 | http://www.zia.com/home/zia_info.html...

    Zuni Pueblo: 505-782-4481 | http://www.ashiwi.org

    Here’s a link to a good list of contacts for tribal government offices from the New Mexican Indian Affairs Department. | http://www.iad.state.nm.us/pue...

    This list was compiled from independent sources and information on www.newmexico.org and http://www.indianpueblo.org.