New Mexico State Fair
{{Short description|Annual state fair in Albuquerque, NM}}
{{Infobox recurring event
| name = New Mexico State Fair
| logo =
| image = New Mexico State Fair 2010.jpg
| caption = New Mexico State Fair in 2010
| location = Expo New Mexico
300 San Pedro NE
Albuquerque, NM 87108
United States
| years_active = 1881–1910 (Territorial Fair)
1911–1916, 1938–1941, 1945–2019, 2021– (State Fair)
| dates = 07–17 September 2023.
| attendance = 475,318 (2022){{cite web | title=State Fair visits at pre-pandemic levels | website=Albuquerque Journal | date=October 18, 2022 | url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2541230/state-fair-visits-at-prepandemic-levels-ex-it-was-so-great-to-see.html | access-date=December 11, 2022}}
| genre = State fair
| website = [https://statefair.exponm.com/ Official website]
}}
The New Mexico State Fair is an annual state fair held in September at Expo New Mexico (formerly the New Mexico State Fairgrounds) in the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico. The event features concerts, competitions, rodeos, carnival rides, games, farm animals, horses, agriculture, art of the American Southwest, New Mexican cuisine, and New Mexico music. The Tingley Coliseum is on the fairgrounds.
History
The fair was first held in October 1881 under the direction of Elias S. Stover.{{cite news |title=The Territorial Fair |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54189522/the-santa-fe-new-mexican/ |accessdate=June 26, 2020 |work=Santa Fe New Mexican |date=October 13, 1881 |via=Newspapers.com}} Originally referred to as the territorial fair, it became a state fair in 1911 in anticipation of New Mexico's upcoming statehood.{{cite news |title=First State Fair Is Started Off with Whoop by Governor |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54259378/albuquerque-journal/ |accessdate=June 27, 2020 |work=Albuquerque Journal |date=October 10, 1911 |via=Newspapers.com}} The original fairgrounds, also known as Traction Park, were southwest of Old Town Plaza and were promoted as a year-round destination by the Albuquerque streetcar company in order to boost ridership on their line.{{cite news |title=Fair Grounds Christened "Traction Park" |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54202278/albuquerque-weekly-citizen/ |accessdate=June 26, 2020 |work=Albuquerque Citizen |date=April 15, 1905 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |title=Traction Park to Pass Out of Existence Soon |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54202936/albuquerque-morning-journal/ |accessdate=June 26, 2020 |work=Albuquerque Journal |date=December 1, 1918 |via=Newspapers.com}} In 1917, the fair was canceled and replaced with a "great patriotic demonstration" marking the recent U.S. entry into World War I.{{cite news |title=Great Patriotic Demonstration Will Take Place of State Fair This Year |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54188788/albuquerque-journal/ |accessdate=June 26, 2020 |work=Albuquerque Journal |date=September 13, 1917 |via=Newspapers.com}} Subsequently, the State Fair was not held for several years.
The fair was reinstated in 1938 at its current location on Central Avenue in the International District. The new fairgrounds were built in 1936–38 with Works Progress Administration funding which was secured in part due to the efforts of Governor Clyde Tingley.{{cite news |title=State Fair Plant Begun |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54213212/albuquerque-journal/ |accessdate=June 26, 2020 |work=Albuquerque Journal |date=May 28, 1936 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |title=City In Festive Mood For Opening Of State Fair |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/17714364/1938-state-fair-opens-today/ |accessdate=June 26, 2020 |work=Albuquerque Journal |date=October 9, 1938 |via=Newspapers.com}} Leon Harms, formerly the founder of the Marion County Fair in Kansas, laid out the grounds and managed the fair from its inception until 1958.{{cite news |title=Ex-State Fair Manager Leon H. Harms Dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54260921/albuquerque-journal/ |accessdate=June 27, 2020 |work=Albuquerque Journal |date=December 27, 1966 |via=Newspapers.com}} The first state fair in 1938 attracted about 64,000 visitors. By the 1960s, attendance had grown to over 500,000 visitors annually, and the grounds included "83 structures of varying sizes". The fair was originally held in October but was moved up to mid-September in 1960 in hopes of having better weather.{{cite news |last1=Gordon |first1=Dave |title='Cinderella' Story Can Be Applied To N.M. State Fair |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54244953/albuquerque-journal/ |accessdate=June 27, 2020 |work=Albuquerque Journal |date=September 2, 1962}}
World War II interrupted the fair from 1942 to 1944, and it resumed in 1945, when it was uninterrupted for the next 75 years until 2020. In 2020, the fair had to be cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In August 2021, the Governor's office announced the state fair would require proof of vaccination for attendance, with some exceptions for religious or medical reasons.{{cite web |url=https://www.leacountytribune.com/2021/08/27/nm-state-fair-vaccination/ |title=New Mexico State Fair to Require Vaccination |last=Duerrmeyer |first=Tia |date=August 27, 2021 |website=Lea County Tribune |access-date=August 30, 2021}}
The 2020 State Fair was canceled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news |last1=McKay |first1=Dan |title=NM cancels 2020 State Fair |url=https://www.abqjournal.com/1470212/nm-cancels-2020-state-fair.html |accessdate=June 26, 2020 |work=Albuquerque Journal |date=2020-06-26}} When it reopened in 2021, it saw record low attendance due to strict restrictions.{{cite web | last=Romero | first=Leah | title=State fair attendance: Albuquerque dips, Las Cruces gains | website=Las Cruces Sun-News | date=October 19, 2021 | url=https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/2021/10/19/nm-state-fair-sees-drop-attendance-year-while-snm-state-fair-saw-increase-las-cruces-albuquerque/8522346002/ | access-date=December 11, 2022}}{{cite web | title=2021 New Mexico State Fair attendance down from 2019 | website=KRQE NEWS 13 | date=October 16, 2021 | url=https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/2021-new-mexico-state-fair-attendance-down-from-2019/ | access-date=December 11, 2022}}{{cite web | title=Attendance at New Mexico State Fair down 41% in 2021 | website=KOB.com | date=October 19, 2021 | url=https://www.kob.com/archive/attendance-at-new-mexico-state-fair-down-41-in-2021/ | access-date=December 11, 2022}}{{cite web | title=State Fair sees 41% attendance decline in 2021 | website=Albuquerque Journal | date=October 15, 2021 | url=https://www.abqjournal.com/2437995/2021-state-fair-attendance-down-41.html | access-date=December 11, 2022}} In 2022, attendance was back to normal due to state restrictions being lifted.
Grounds
Image:Expo new mexico fairgrounds main st.jpg
The New Mexico State Fairgrounds are located in eastern Albuquerque between Central Avenue, Lomas Boulevard, San Pedro Drive, and Louisiana Boulevard, and cover approximately {{convert|210|acres|ha}}. The facilities have been branded as "Expo New Mexico" since 2003.{{cite news |last1=Linthicum |first1=Leslie |title=Same Fairgrounds, New Name |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54253869/albuquerque-journal/ |accessdate=June 27, 2020 |work=Albuquerque Journal |date=April 26, 2003 |via=Newspapers.com}}
The original adobe fair buildings were built by the WPA between 1936 and the early 1940s. Surviving buildings from this period include the Agricultural Building, Fine Arts Building, Horse Barn, and Cattle Barn.{{cite news |title=Here's How the State Fair Grounds Are Now Laid Out |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54239378/albuquerque-journal/ |accessdate=June 27, 2020 |work=Albuquerque Journal |date=September 8, 1939 |via=Newspapers.com}} The Agricultural Building was listed on the New Mexico State Register of Cultural Properties in 1988.{{cite web | title=State and National Register Spreadsheet | url=http://www.nmhistoricpreservation.org/assets/files/registers1/SR%20NR%20Excel%20Database%20v%20June%202019.xlsx | publisher=New Mexico Department of Historic Preservation | accessdate=May 29, 2020 | format=Excel }} Tingley Coliseum, an 11,800-seat indoor arena, opened in 1957.{{cite news |title=There's Nothing Too Big for State Fair's New Coliseum |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/54256163/albuquerque-journal/ |accessdate=June 27, 2020 |work=Albuquerque Journal |date=September 6, 1957 |via=Newspapers.com}}
Expo New Mexico is the site of New Mexico's Merci Train boxcar, which was a gift from France in 1949. The boxcars were filled with gifts and distributed to each of the 48 U.S. states at the time, along with a 49th car that was shared by Hawaii and the District of Columbia.{{cite web |title=Box Car Lawn & Stage |url=https://www.exponm.com/p/venues/all-venues/box-car-lawn--stage |publisher=Expo New Mexico |accessdate=June 27, 2020}}
Security and law enforcement are handled by the New Mexico State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Albuquerque Police, and the Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office, along with private security guards.{{cite web | last=Leggett | first=Shellye | title=Beefed up security at New Mexico State Fair grounds | website=KOAT | date=September 5, 2019 | url=https://www.koat.com/article/beefed-up-security-at-new-mexico-state-fair-grounds/28918984 | access-date=December 11, 2022}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://statefair.exponm.com/ New Mexico State Fair official website]
- [http://www.virtualalbuquerque.com/VirtualABQ/StateFair/ The New Mexico State Fair at VirtualAlbuquerque.com]
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{{Coord|35|4|58.5|N|106|34|29.1|W|region:US|display=title}}
Category:Culture of New Mexico
Category:Tourist attractions in Albuquerque, New Mexico
Category:Festivals in New Mexico
Category:Festivals established in 1881
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