Things to do in Santa Fe

141 activities, venues and outings in Santa Fe, from theatres and live music to parks and tours.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first. Showing the top 40 of 141.

Photo: Asaavedra32, CC BY-SA 3.0 (licence)

DoTheatre
Lensic Performing Arts Center
Box-office. A converted movie theater with a pleasant atmosphere. As with most downtown sites, parking can be a pain, but there is a parking garage a block west that's usually OK in the evening.
Do
Santa Fe Opera
The opera house is partially "open air," so that opera goers get attractive views of the Jemez Mountains near Los Alamos as an additional backdrop to what's on stage. The Santa Fe Opera is known around the world for staging American and even world premieres of new works, the operas of Richard Strauss, and promising new artists on their way up (and, to be fair, one or two aging superstars each season who are on their way down, not up). Opera season is the summer, with opening night (tickets are almost impossible to get) usually around July 1 and the last performances in mid-August. (Bring a light jacket/wrap and an umbrella to the later performances; the open-air nature of the house can make August performances nippy and drippy, although seats are protected from the rain.) Many performances sell out well in advance, so book early. (KHFM radio, frequency 95.5 MHz, airs a "ticket exchange" that may be helpful in finding tickets to sold-out performances, if you find yourself in town on the spur of the moment during opera season; they stream their broadcast online, so you can check the ticket exchange even before you arrive.) People-watching here can be as much fun as the opera itself; you'll see folks in the most expensive formal wear sitting next to others in jeans, which is typical of Santa Fe. Dressing up at least a little from jeans is a good idea, though. Pre-performance "tailgate dinners" in the parking lot, as though you were attending a football game or such, are part of the tradition and color; you can bring your own, or see under "Eat/Other/Splurge" below.
DoTheatre
Paolo Soleri Theater
An outdoor amphitheater at the Santa Fe Indian School, popular for events in spring, summer and fall.
DoCinema
Jean Cocteau Cinema
Plays a mixture of Hollywood, classic, and indie films.
Closed · opens noon tomorrow
DoTheatre
Greer Garson Theatre
On the campus of the Santa Fe University of Art and Design; visit the web site to see what's playing there. Comfortable, with good acoustics.
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Santa Fe Film Festival
The web site is usually updated in the fall to reflect the coming offerings.
early December
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Santa Fe International Folk Art Market
A huge gathering of folk artists from around the world showing their work on the Milner Plaza at Museum Hill.
early July
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Santa Fe Indian Market
This annual mid-August event is the most significant Santa Fe festival for tourists and collectors. The entire downtown area is filled with vendors of American Indian arts and crafts, ranging from $10 tourist trinkets on up to breathtaking works of the highest quality. It advertises itself as the world's largest show for Native American artisans, and the description is probably accurate; an artisan who wins one of the top prizes in the juried competitions here is "made" as a significant folk art figure. Lodging is tight in town on Indian Market weekend, so if you're attending, make plans early.
Do
Genoveva Chavez Community Center
Contains three swimming pools, an ice rink, a gymnasium, and a fitness center.
Do
GiG
A spinoff (they describe themselves as a "stepchild") of the Jazz Festival; coffee-house environment with jazz, folk music, etc.
Do
Marty Sanchez Links de Santa Fe
The "municipal" course in town—well, almost in town, as it's off the Santa Fe Relief Route a good eight miles from the Plaza.
Do
Rob and Charlie's
A well-regarded bike shop. They have just about everything you'll need for riding in the area, including recommendations, but unfortunately, they don't have rental bikes.
Do
Santa Fe Country Club
A "semi-private" course that welcomes the public and includes tennis courts; call for tee times.
Do
Violet Crown Cinema
A brand new movie house which plays first-run Hollywood films. All seats are reserved (reserving online ahead of time is recommended) and there is a full-service restaurant and bar in the building, with the option of taking your food into the theater. Food is prepared on order, so if you want to eat while watching the movie, be sure to arrive well ahead of screening.
DoCinema
Center for Contemporary Arts
Armory for the Arts
Mainly theater.
Open now · closes 10 pm
Do
James A. Little Theater
On the campus of the New Mexico School for the Deaf, remarkably enough.
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Santa Fe Wine Festival
At Rancho de las Golondrinas, taste and enjoy some of the finest wines in New Mexico in the beautiful outdoor setting of a living history museum
usually first weekend in July
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Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta
Pairs wines from vintners around the world with the spicy foods for which Santa Fe is known. Winemakers' dinners, special tastings and the Grand Tasting on the Santa Fe Opera grounds make for a vintage weekend! This event is a sell-out for Santa Fe, so lodging is at a premium - reserve early.
late September
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Aspen Santa Fe Ballet
A professional ballet company that splits its time between Santa Fe and Aspen, Colorado. Three or four performances a year, usually at the Lensic.
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Juan Siddi Flamenco Theatre Company
Santa Fe's premier flamenco troupe performing six nights a week June through September.
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Musica Antigua de Albuquerque
Many groups based in Albuquerque do performances in Santa Fe as well; this one specializes in music of the Middle Ages, Renaissance and Baroque, performed with period instruments as well as voices.
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Sangre de Cristo Chorale
One of the best of the many "community-based" choral groups drawing on the enormous pool of skilled singers in northern New Mexico. Two repertoires per year (usually Christmas, with a well-regarded dinner concert, and spring), as well as special events throughout the year.
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Santa Fe Desert Chorale
Fully professional choral music, with summer and winter programs, including works specifically commissioned for the ensemble.
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Santa Fe Pro Musica
Chamber orchestra, multiple performances from September through April.
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Santa Fe Symphony and Chorus
Classical and contemporary works performed September through May, including interpretive lectures and occasional youth concerts.
Do
St. Francis Auditorium
At the New Mexico Museum of Art (see above).
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Farolito Walk
A Christmas Eve walk around the historic areas of downtown Santa Fe, throughout which have been set farolitos, small brown bags filled with sand and a votive candle, to light the way for the Christ Child
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Las Posadas
A pre-Christmas commemoration of Mary's and Joseph's search for lodging taking place outdoors on the Plaza. This event takes place in mid December and is a truly unique experience. The audience "participates" in the play by holding candles and following Mary and Joseph in their search for lodging. El Diablo (the devil) appears on rooftops throughout the plaza and hurls insults at the crowd, which responds in kind. This is a wonderful family event.
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Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival
With a series of internationally known musicians.
July and August
DoPark
The Santa Fe Plaza
The Santa Fe Plaza (Spanish: Plaza de Santa Fe) is a National Historic Landmark in downtown Santa Fe, New Mexico in the style of traditional Spanish-American colonial cities. The plaza, or city square is a gathering place for locals and also a tourist attraction. It is home to annual events including Fiestas de Santa Fe, the Spanish Market, the Santa Fe Bandstand, and the Santa Fe Indian Market.
Built 1612
Do
Garson Studios
Screens a selection of foreign, indie, and art house films.
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Summer Spanish Market
late July
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Winter Spanish Market
early December
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Mountain Man Rendezvous
mid-August
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Rodeo de Santa Fe
late June-early July
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Santa Fe Community Days
mid-May
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Santa Fe Plaza Arts and Crafts Festivals
mid-June and Labor Day weekend
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Santa Fe Women's Ensemble
A 12-voice choral group, performances Christmas and spring.
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Summer Antiquities Show
July
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Winter Antiquities Show
late December

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Santa Fe (CC BY-SA 4.0). Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Place data from Overture Maps. Some descriptions from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).