With elk bugling during misty mornings and aspen leaves turning shades of gold, fall is a magical time in the Jemez Mountains. Come celebrate the season at the Valles Caldera Fall Fiesta. The 2024 event will run from Saturday, October 5, through Sunday, October 13, from 10 am to 4 pm. Each day will have different ways for you to connect with this volcanic landscape. The event and entrance into the park are both free. This year, we will be hosting most of the events up in the Cabin District, which is located about 4 miles down the park's gravel entrance road. Daily activities will include:
Details about each activity can be found in the daily schedule below and/or on our Calendar of Events. We look forward to seeing you at Valles Caldera National Preserve! Daily ScheduleClick on the dates below to view the daily event schedule. 9:00 am Park opens to vehicular traffic
10:00 am Fall Fiesta booths open in Cabin District 11:00 am Opening Address: Jorge Silva-Bañuelos, Superintendent of Valles Caldera National Preserve Kick off Valles Caldera Fall Fiesta with a public address by Jorge Silva-Bañuelos, superintendent of Valles Caldera National Preserve! Jorge Silva-Bañuelos is a native New Mexican and 19-year federal employee. Before his appointment as superintendent, he served as executive director for the Valles Caldera Trust where he was responsible for day-to-day administration and management of the Valles Caldera National Preserve. Before coming to the Valles Caldera Trust, Silva-Bañuelos was special assistant to the assistant secretary for Fish and Wildlife and Parks at the Department of the Interior (DOI) (2012-2014). In that role, he gave policy guidance on operations, management and budgets of the NPS and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. He also worked on several high-profile issues for the DOI, including Interior’s bison conservation initiative, the DOI working group on Indian water rights settlements, and Interior’s recommendation to the White House to designate the Río Grande del Norte National Monument in northern New Mexico. Silva-Bañuelos previously served on the staff of the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (2007-2012), advising Chairman U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) on public lands and natural resource policy. Silva-Bañuelos earned a bachelor’s degree in international relations and Spanish from the University of San Diego. In 2001 he completed a semester of intensive language and cultural immersion studies at Nanzan University in Nagoya, Japan. He also is a graduate of the inaugural class of the President’s Leadership Workshop, a six-month development program sponsored by the White House. 12:00 pm Ranger-guided hike2:00 pm Flute performance by Marlon Magdalena, Pueblo of Jemez Marlon Magdalena is a Native American artist, educator, and performer from the Pueblo of Jemez, New Mexico. He performs with Native American style flutes of his own making and some made by others. He is also the Instructional Coordinator at the Jemez Historic Site where he educates the public about the Jemez People. 4:00 pm Fall Fiesta booths close5:00 pm Vehicular traffic closed beyond Entrance Station for "After Hours in the Caldera" 10:00 pm Park closes 9:00 am Park opens to vehicular traffic
10:00 am Fall Fiesta booths open in Cabin District 10:00 am Nature-writing workshop: Dr. Jennifer Armstrong Jennifer Armstrong, Ph.D., has taught writing since 1998, exploring areas as diverse as developmental English and documentary expression. She especially enjoys designing activities that encourage reflection and a deeper connection to nature and the self. Jennifer has led workshops in Yellowstone National Park and Valles Caldera National Preserve and is participating in this year's Write Out, a program of place-based writing sponsored by the National Writing Project. 11:00 am Guest speaker: Dr. Kirt Kempter - "The Geology of Valles Caldera, New Mexico"Kirt Kempter is a geologist and large-format photographer based in Santa Fe, New Mexico. A Fulbright Fellow, his research into plate tectonics has led him around the world—from volcanic fields in Costa Rica and Mexico to the frosty landscapes of the Canadian Rockies and Iceland. Kirt’s publications include numerous academic articles and geologic maps, and his panoramic images are on display at several museums and national parks, such as the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum and the visitor’s center at Death Valley. Kirt has conducted fieldwork on a National Geographic-funded project and, over the past decade, led many National Geographic Expeditions trips to the western US national parks. He received his doctorate in geology from The University of Texas at Austin. 12:00 pm Ranger-guided hike2:00 pm Cultural demonstration by Yellowman Fine Art Yellowman is a Native American self-taught artist whose career spans over 50 years. Based out of New Mexico, he has built a career on his integrity to his craft and subject matter depicting the beauty of the Native American people and cultures. His subject matter spans beyond his own tribe; he has studied the unique history of indigenous peoples across the Americas. 5:00 pm Vehicular traffic closed beyond Entrance Station for "After Hours in the Caldera" 10:00 pm Park closes 9:00 am Park opens to vehicular traffic
10:00 am Fall Fiesta booths open in Cabin District 11:00 am Guest speaker(s): Drs. Rachel Loehman and Nancy Karraker - "The Future of the Endemic Jemez Mountains Salamander" This talk presents an overview of the biology and ecology of one of New Mexico's two endemic, terrestrial salamanders - the Jemez Mountains salamander - and ongoing threats to populations and habitats. Drs. Karraker and Loehman have been conducting research on these topics for the past eight years, and will share a summary of their projects and recent findings. 2:00 pm Cultural demonstration: Flint knapping with Dave Chavarria Dave Chavarria is a beading and flint knapping artist from the Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico. As a young boy, Dave would hunt arrowheads outside his family home in Santa Clara. He always wanted to learn how to make them, but no one in the village knew how — it was, in many ways, a lost art in his community.Years later, Dave struck up a conversation with someone at work while waiting in line in the cafeteria one day. The conversation evolved to the two men talking about flint knapping, which eventually led to Dave finally learning the craft.Today, Dave hand carves knives out of mahogany, obsidian, and other materials found in the southwest near Santa Clara. He also creates deerskin sheaths and pouches with intricately beaded designs.The smaller pouches (neck pouches) can take up to 6 hours each to make, and they are traditionally used to carry tobacco, medicine, or items used for protection. The larger pouches are called Strike a Light Bags. Plains Indians would carry paraphernalia in the strike a light bags to carry their flints, pipes, and other items they’d need to start a fire or light a pipe. 4:00 pm Fall Fiesta booths close5:00 pm Vehicular traffic closed beyond Entrance Station for "After Hours in the Caldera" 10:00 pm Park closes 9:00 am Park opens to vehicular traffic
10:00 am Fall Fiesta booths open in Cabin District 11:00 am Guest speaker: Dr. Adam W. Dean - "An Environmental History of Valles Caldera" Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, Adam Dean earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in environmental history at the University of Virginia. Prior to joining the National Park Service at Valles Caldera in 2023, he was an associate professor of history and department chair at Lynchburg College, a liberal-arts school. Publications include a 2015 book on the establishment of Yosemite state park and Yellowstone national park as well as articles on 19th-century environmental history. Ranger Adam recently worked with Hemish pueblo elders and tribal historians to produce a self-guided audio tour on Hemish history in Valles Caldera. 2:00 pm Cultural demonstration: Flint knapping with Dave Chavarria Dave Chavarria is a beading and flint knapping artist from the Pueblo of Santa Clara, New Mexico. As a young boy, Dave would hunt arrowheads outside his family home in Santa Clara. He always wanted to learn how to make them, but no one in the village knew how — it was, in many ways, a lost art in his community.Years later, Dave struck up a conversation with someone at work while waiting in line in the cafeteria one day. The conversation evolved to the two men talking about flint knapping, which eventually led to Dave finally learning the craft.Today, Dave hand carves knives out of mahogany, obsidian, and other materials found in the southwest near Santa Clara. He also creates deerskin sheaths and pouches with intricately beaded designs.The smaller pouches (neck pouches) can take up to 6 hours each to make, and they are traditionally used to carry tobacco, medicine, or items used for protection. The larger pouches are called Strike a Light Bags. Plains Indians would carry paraphernalia in the strike a light bags to carry their flints, pipes, and other items they’d need to start a fire or light a pipe. 4:00 pm Fall Fiesta booths close5:00 pm Vehicular traffic closed beyond Entrance Station for "After Hours in the Caldera" 10:00 pm Park closes 9:00 am Park opens to vehicular traffic
10:00 am Fall Fiesta booths open in Cabin District 11:00 am Guest speaker: Storm Usrey - "Living with Black Bears and Cougars" Storm Usrey is the Conservation Education Manager with the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF). He has been employed with NMDGF for almost 19 years and has served in the following previous positions: Conservation Officer, Field Training Officer, and Resident Game Bird Biologist. 12:00 pm Ranger-guided hike2:00 pm Cultural demonstration: Traditional willow basket weaving by Andrew Harvier Andrew Harvier, from the Northern NM Indigenous Pueblos of Santa Clara and Taos, and Tohono O’odham (Papago) Indian Nation, AZ, will provide instruction and offer participants a brief history of willow basket weaving and basic knowledge traditional willow style weaving. Participants will be provided with adequate willow materials to complete a 5” to 6” woven platter/plaque, or a 4” to 6” woven turtle which they will take home. 4:00 pm Fall Fiesta booths close5:00 pm Vehicular traffic closed beyond Entrance Station for "After Hours in the Caldera" 10:00 pm Park closes 9:00 am Park opens to vehicular traffic
10:00 am Fall Fiesta booths open in Cabin District 11:00 am Guest speaker: Dr. Robert Parmenter - "A History of Scientific Discovery at Valles Caldera" Dr. Bob Parmenter recently retired from a 21-year career of scientific inquiry and resource stewardship at Valles Caldera National Preserve. Over his tenure at Valles Caldera, he served as Chief Scientist and Chief of Science and Resource Stewardship. He established a premier research and restoration program in partnership with 40 federal, tribal, state, academic, and non-profit organizations. Because of his passion for science in parks, Valles Caldera is in the top 4% of the entire National Park System for the number of partner-led research projects currently underway. 12:00 pm Ranger-guided hike 2:00 pm Cultural demonstration or performance TBD 4:00 pm Fall Fiesta booths close 5:00 pm Vehicular traffic closed beyond Entrance Station for "After Hours in the Caldera" 10:00 pm Park closes 9:00 am Park opens to vehicular traffic
10:00 am Fall Fiesta booths open in Cabin District 11:00 am Guest speaker: Dr. Matt Martinez, Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo - "Geographies of the Sacred" Former Ohkay Owingeh Governor Herman Agoyo once remarked, “To us, these petroglyphs are not the remnants of some long-lost civilization that has been dead for many years…they are part of our living culture. What is stored in the petroglyphs is not written in any book or to be found in any library. We need to return to them to remind us of who we are and where we came from, and to teach our sons and daughters of it.” This talk will draw upon landscapes and rock images that reflect movement and living histories. Despite an ongoing misrepresentation of being non-literate, Indigenous people have always been skilled at documenting stories. Tewa people view themselves within a larger ecological system interconnected to all things living. Mesa Prieta or Tsikwaye is one example of a vast landscape comprised of more than 100,000 petroglyphs and archaeological features that date back thousands of years. Located on the northern Rio Grande region, this place is embedded in stories that are foundational to sharing New Mexico histories and beyond. 2:00 pm Cultural demonstration: Traditional willow basket weaving by Andrew Harvier Andrew Harvier, from the Northern NM Indigenous Pueblos of Santa Clara and Taos, and Tohono O’odham (Papago) Indian Nation, AZ, will provide instruction and offer participants a brief history of willow basket weaving and basic knowledge traditional willow style weaving. Participants will be provided with adequate willow materials to complete a 5” to 6” woven platter/plaque, or a 4” to 6” woven turtle which they will take home. 4:00 pm Fall Fiesta booths close5:00 pm Vehicular traffic closed beyond Entrance Station for "After Hours in the Caldera" 10:00 pm Park closes 9:00 am Park opens to vehicular traffic
10:00 am Fall Fiesta booths open in Cabin District 11:00 am Guest speaker: Raffi Andonian - "Oppenheimer and the Bomb: Approaching Contested Histories" The atomic bomb is one of the most recognizable symbols and contested legacies of American and world history, revisited in pop culture again by the recent blockbuster film Oppenheimer. With so many perspectives and emotions, how can we approach these complex stories in a meaningful and constructive way? Rather than blanket answers with clearly defined edges and stark contrasts, we will outline a blueprint of questions to help us consider these sites with multiple perspectives, providing a framework for dialogue and integrated stories. 2:00 pm Cultural demonstration: Handcrafted pottery from Santa Clara Pueblo with Madeline Naranjo Madeline Naranjo will be demonstrating the art of traditional pottery-making on October 12-13 at 2:00 pm at Valles Caldera National Preserve's Ranger Station. 4:00 pm Art in the Park: Plein Air Hike with artist-in-residence Izzy Anderson Calling all artists and creatives! All skill levels and mediums welcome! Join artist-in-residence Izzy Anderson for a sunset hike and plein air paint-out on the Cerro La Jara Loop on Saturday, October 12, in conjunction with Valles Caldera Fall Fiesta. Participants should bring their own plein air painting supplies. Total trail distance is 1.4 miles, and elevation change is negligible. 5:00 pm Vehicular traffic closed beyond Entrance Station for "After Hours in the Caldera"10:00 pm Park closes 9:00 am Park opens to vehicular traffic
10:00 am Fall Fiesta booths open in Cabin District 10:00 am Nature-writing workshop: Dr. Jennifer Armstrong Jennifer Armstrong, Ph.D., has taught writing since 1998, exploring areas as diverse as developmental English and documentary expression. She especially enjoys designing activities that encourage reflection and a deeper connection to nature and the self. Jennifer has led workshops in Yellowstone National Park and Valles Caldera National Preserve and is participating in this year's Write Out, a program of place-based writing sponsored by the National Writing Project. 11:00 am Guest speaker: Elmer Torres, San Ildefonso Pueblo - "Passport to Pueblo Country"Elmer Torres is a tribal member of Powohgeh Owingeh (Tewa) “Where the Water Cuts Through." He and his wife, Deborah, are the owners of "Passport to Pueblo Country," a local business that offers guided tours of northern New Mexico's cultural landscapes. Elmer is a native Tewa speaker, tribal elder, and traditional leader. He is also a former Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and Tribal Council member for San Ildefonso Pueblo. 12:00 pm Ranger-guided hike2:00 pm Cultural demonstration: Handcrafted pottery from Santa Clara Pueblo with Madeline Naranjo Madeline Naranjo will be demonstrating the art of traditional pottery-making on October 12-13 at 2:00 pm at Valles Caldera National Preserve's Ranger Station. 5:00 pm Vehicular traffic closed beyond Entrance Station for "After Hours in the Caldera" 10:00 pm Park closes Cultural Demonstrators and ArtisansFrom 10:00 am to 4:00 pm each day of the event, visitors to the Fall Fiesta Artisan Village will have opportunities to interact with the local artists and cultural demonstrators listed below. Note: Every artisan will not necessarily be present every day of the event, but the majority of them will be present on the weekends.
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Last updated: October 10, 2024