Visit Las Cruces Live

The Farmers & Crafts Market of Las Cruces has been welcoming and and bustling with local arts, crafts, musicians and growers since 1971. Visit Las Cruces featured Market Manager Karin Bradshaw who celebrated and lauded the nationally top-rated market as VLC podcast host Ed Carnathan talked with her on the Downtown Plaza. The main street plaza is where the Wednesday market sets up. On Saturdays the downtown portion of the street is blocked off for vendors, musicians, food trucks -- and more -- to offer their hand-made goods with the growers offering their wide range of locally-sourced commodities.

Southwest Expeditions not only offers various river, biking and hiking tours, but they offer experiences of paranormal encounters. Owner/operator of Southwest Expeditions David Crider invited Visit Las Cruces to the former Doña Ana County Courthouse to talk about tubing, kayaking and canoeing down the Rio Grande. He also spoke of the biking, hiking and historical tours he offers to explore Las Cruces and the Southern New Mexico regions. And ... he described the thrill of crossing paths with ghosts who frequent the courthouse where one can experience and possibly bump into a spirit on a paranormal journey Southwest Expeditions offers.

Not only can one check out and purchase collectible trading cards at the upcoming Southwest Card and Collectibles Show, but there will be over 140 tables to of the best action figures, TCG, comics, Hot Wheels, and other collectibles to peruse and look over when it opens on July 18. Visit Las Cruces spoke with Noah Fisher and Jakob Atwell who are putting on the show at the Las Cruces Convention Center. They were letting everyone know that not only can one find their favorite Star Wars figurines, but to come and experience everything the show offers, including giveaways. And best of all, admission is free!

This year's ¡mira! celebration will be bigger with an additional day added and more activities, vendors, and music when the festivities kick off April 24 at the Downtown Plaza. Visit Las Cruces Event Manager Liz Vega talked about what the fourth annual event will be featuring, so take a few minutes to listen and watch what's coming to downtown Las Cruces April 24-25.

The Las Cruces International Film Festival has what festival director Ross Marks calls, the "Sundance of the Southwest." Visit Las Cruces caught up with him at the Rio Grande Theatre where he talked about this year's festival and the highly respected, prolific actors Steve Zahn and Michael Rooker coming to attend. 

Where does one go for their chile fix when visiting Las Cruces? The Chile Pepper Institute! Not only does the research facility offer numerous different chile seeds, chile cookbooks, and other chile wares and knickknacks for everyone who visits, but one also learns all about the plant, how other varieties were developed, and what it offers. April Beauchemin, program specialist at the institute, details what the New Mexico State University facility provides and develops with their research, experiments, and products.

The just-opened Taylor-Mesilla Historic Site in the town of Mesilla showcases the artwork collected over the years by Mesillero J. Paul Taylor. Alexandra McKinney and Emily Wilson of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs showcased the newly opened state historic site as they talked about what the place along the Mesilla Plaza offers to all who stop by to visit the house where Taylor and his family lived before the educator, politician and influential man died.

Calling all book lovers to the Southern New Mexico Book Festival! Frank Lopez sat down with Visit Las Cruces to talk books and a festival celebrating them. The festival will have over 40 authors discussing their wordsmith, how to pubish, give workshops, sign their books, and much more. It will be happening on Saturday, Oct. 11, at the Doña Ana Community College East Mesa Branch from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

This year's Southern New Mexico Pride celebration kicks off on Wednesday, Sept. 24 and will continue with various activities and events unit Sunday, Oct. 5. Visit Las Cruces talked with Raquel Garzon and Raquel Madrigal to find out when and what the "Twelve Days of Pride" is as they sat down to educate and provide more information on Pride culture and its jubilation, including the Pride Parade.

New pickleball courts, bowling alleys, laser tag, 3-D theaters, golf simulators, bumper cars and more will soon be available under one roof in Las Cruces. Kevin McGrath sat down with Visit Las Cruces to wet the fun-filled appetites of the people of Southern New Mexico when he described what is currently under construction at the old Kmart building along Bataan Memorial West. Elite Family Entertainment is what the place will be called that will offer not only the actives mentioned, but will also include a merry-go-round, party rooms, virtual reality, a resturant and more to be opened in the not-to-distant future.