The colorful, music-filled procession around the museum’s campus to bless the animals, orchards and vineyard will be led by Bishop Ricardo Ramirez. The procession begins about 10 a.m. Admission to participate in the procession is free.

The Las Cruces Catholic School Praise Band will be part of the procession and the Las Cruces Catholic School Ballet Folklorico Colores de Cristo group will perform dances after the procession.

A plant sale at the museum’s greenhouse will also take place during the day.

For more information, please call (575) 522-4100. New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM 88011 www.nmfarmandranchmuseum.org.

The bureau will be hosting an open house Thursday, May 10, from 11:30 am – 1:30 pm at the CVB located at 211 N. Water Street.  Stop by and enjoy snacks and refreshments and pick up a free bottle of free sun screen in honor of National Skin Cancer Awareness Month. 

Tourism is the second largest private sector industry in New Mexico, generating $6 billion in spending from visitors annually.  State-wide, tourism employs over 110,000 New Mexicans of all ages and skill levels, and generates over $62 million in tax revenue throughout the state. In Las Cruces, visitors spend about $63 million annually, providing over three million dollars in tax revenue for the city. 

“Tourism is everyone’s responsibility,” said CVB executive director Philip San Filippo.  “No matter if you are at home or way, what you say about Las Cruces and how you treat current and potential visitors will determine what they will tell their friends about us and if they will want to come back and visit.”

The CVB will also be drawing attention to National Skin Cancer Awareness Month by giving away free sun screen all week at the CVB.  The bureau’s new “Stay Sunny” advertising campaign, focuses on the things you can do in Las Cruces because of the great weather, and National Skin Cancer Awareness Month is opportunity to remind people of the importance of properly using sun screen while enjoying all those great things.

“We have such great year-round weather in Las Cruces,” said San Filippo. “No matter if you are hiking, biking, golfing or attending one of our annual events, we just want everyone to remember the benefits of sun screen and to wear it correctly.”

The CVB will have a booth at the Farmer’s and Crafts Market on Saturday, May 5, where they will be handing out Las Cruces information as well as free sun screen and tips on sun safety and how to properly apply and use sun screen.   

For more information about National Tourism Week or National Skin Cancer Awareness Month, contact the Las Cruces Convention & Visitors Bureau at (575) 541-2150, or by email at cfaivre@las-cruces.org.

This exhibition will be on display from Friday, May 4 through Saturday, June 30, 2012. Objects, images, and uniforms are on loan from the Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest and private collections.

The first Girl Scout troop in Las Cruces formed in 1926. The eight girls in the original troop included Gloria Hayner, Josephine Lucero, Ada McBride, Lucy McBride, Peggy Reiter, Karen Reiter, Lucinda Roberts, and Charlotte Stern. Katherine Holt led the troop. By the end of 1927, Las Cruces had four troops. The original troop continued until 1932. Today, the Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest serves over 10,000 Girl Scouts in West Texas and southern New Mexico.

The Branigan Cultural Center is located at 501 North Main Street. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 9am to 4:30pm. For more information, contact the Branigan Cultural Center at (575) 541-2154 or visit the Center’s website at www.las-cruces.org/museums.

For more information, please call (575) 522-4100. New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road, Las Cruces, NM 88011 www.nmfarmandranchmuseum.org.

Doors Open: 6:30 PM
Starts: 7:00 PM

One of the great things about southern New Mexico is not only the beautiful deserts, but the fact that a daytime getaway to a scenic mountain hike is always within reach. From Las Cruces one can travel in almost any direction and find a trail nearby to hike.

A short drive to the east takes you to the majestic Organ Mountains that tower over the Mesilla Valley. Here, one can find all kinds of trails to explore. The hikes here range from short and easy to longer, more complex trails for the experienced hiker.

Organ Peak towers overLas Cruces at an elevation of 8,990 feet. The peak is accessible by a trail, but it is very difficult and recommended only for experienced hikers. For those seeking a more leisurely hike, there are many more trails around the Organ Mountains to explore.

Dripping Springs offers over four miles of easy hiking with a great view of Las Crucesto the west. A hike there can take you to small canyons, springs and the legendary La Cueva, a shallow cave where a hermit once lived in the 1800s.

A drive on Highway 70 through the San Agustin pass to the other side of the Organ Mountains takes you to Aguirre Springs Recreational Area, a great place to spend the day exploring and enjoying a view of the Tularosa Basin.

The Pine Tree Loop at Aguirre Springs is a little over four miles, but it takes the hiker from a scene of desert to mountain pine trees before circling back down to the trailhead. Throughout the hike, one can see the jagged peaks of the Organ Mountains in one direction, and the sands of White Sands in the other.

Camping is also available at Aguirre Springs to those who prefer an overnight stay with their hiking. The campsites are clean and have places for a fire and shaded tables for a picnic lunch.

For the more experienced hiker, a short trip northwest of Las Cruces will take you to the Robledo Mountains. Most of the trails in the Robledos are only accessible with a four wheel drive vehicle. The trails of these mountains give the hiker a sense of isolation as they explore the limestone formations.

Once covered by a massive inland sea, the Robledos are also famous for the discovery of dinosaur tracks left during the Paleozoic era. Though the trackway monument is protected, guided hikes are sometimes available.

Robledo Peak is the highest point of this range, and climbs to over 2,000 feet above the nearby Rio Grande. The peak remains mostly isolated as very few people make the trip up to hike it. Hikers should remain cautious as the trails can be somewhat difficult, and there are few people around most of the time.

Picacho Peak, located just seven miles west ofLas Cruces, is a small, ancient, dormant volcano. The peak is surrounded to the east by Picacho Hills Country Club and a small residential community. The west mesa offers a spectacular view of the Mesilla Valley, especially at sunset. The relatively easy hike begins on the east side of the mountain, and takes the hiker on an incline through desert terrain.

For a daytrip getaway, it is easy to see that the areas surrounding Las Cruces can offer beautiful scenery, plenty of exercise and the illusion of being a million miles away.

“This year we have a program that’s completely packed with performances by at least 15 groups and individuals,” said Andy Albertson, the Cultural Center’s Curator of Education. “Day of Dance offers a veritable trip around the globe with dance styles from five continents represented on one stage, all within just three hours.”

This year’s program will feature a performance by the Branigan’s resident Ballet Folklorico group as well as demonstrations of the following dance styles: Hellenic Greek, Flamenco, Tap, Gypsy, Middle Eastern, Peruvian, Indian, Appalachian, Belly, Jazz, Irish Jig, Country Line and Native American.

The Branigan Cultural Center began sponsoring Day of Dance in 2006 to present culturally diverse dance forms found in the Las Cruces region. In addition to its health benefits, dance is an affordable, culturally diverse activity.

International Day of Dance was initiated in 1982 by the International Dance Council, under the auspices of UNESCO, as a forum for bringing together international, national and local organizations with a passion for dance.

Day of Dance is free and open to the public. Attendees are free to view the entire program or drop in any time between 10am and 1pm. Doors to the theater will open at 9:30am.

The Rio Grande Theater is located at 211 N. Main Street, in downtown Las Cruces. While Main Street is closed on Saturdays for the Farmers’ Market, parking is available in several municipal and private lots downtown, as well as on the residential side streets near the theater.

For more information on Day of Dance, please telephone the Branigan Cultural Center at (575) 541-2154 or visit the Center’s website at www.las-cruces.org/museums.

The Centennial Caboose will be on display for viewing as restoration efforts begin on this historic piece of rolling stock. In addition to the caboose, the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad are bringing equipment that will be available for viewing (no rides) on Saturday. All of the railroad’s rolling stock will only be available for viewing from 10 am to 4 pm on April 21.

Inside the museum, we will have Harvey Girl reenactors from the Railroad and Transportation Museum of El Paso and model trains running. Outside we will have Model A’s, a Barbershop Quartet, vendors and education booths.

Prior to Saturday’s big events; Friday, April 20, is Students’ Day with special tours by appointment for groups and activities for the kids throughout the day.

The Museum is regularly open Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 9 am to 4:30 pm. Event is free and open to the public. The Railroad Museum is located at 351 N. Mesilla Street (at Las Cruces Ave.). For information, please see http://museums.las-cruces.org or call 575-647-4480.

Invited presenters include Curandera/healer/herbalist/midwife Doña Enriqueta Contreras from Oaxaca, México, Dr. Marta Moreno Vega, Yoruba priestess from New York, Catalina Delgado Trunk, Papel Picado and altar artist, and Esther Yazzie-Lewis, Navajo Earth Activist, founder of the Diné Spiritual Land Recovery Project. Navajo Medicine Man, Ben Willie, will give the final blessing of the festival on Sunday, April 22

A special Oaxacan Mole Fest Festival Fundraiser will take place on Thursday, April 19 with Oaxacan chef, Pilar Cabrera. Ms. Cabrera runs the world famous La Olla Restaurant in Oaxaca, México.

The Festival artists/writers/healers are deeply involved with their communities and its healing. They will join us to share their vision of a world united. The Border Book Festival is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit literary, literacy and arts organization that is housed in the historic Frietze Store in Mesilla that dates from the mid 1800s.

New Mexico’s longest running book fair began over 20 years ago with readings, book signings and a small literary festival at the Holy Cross Retreat House. The event evolved into the nationally renowned and much loved Border Book Festival, which moved to Mesilla in 2004. Since then the BBF has opened the Cultural Center de Mesilla and Galería Tepín, a multicultural gallery space.

Writing and artwork will be gathered for JORNADA, a bilingual English/Spanish book that will feature poetry, essays, stories and artwork from our featured presenters as well as various invited writers and artists whose work resonates with our theme. A special exhibition of Catalina Delgado Trunk’s papel picado will take place at Galería Tepín during the festival. Her art piece, Dancing at the Portal, will be featured on the festival poster.

Festival highlights include An Afternoon Gathering for Women/Sanación con Sabiduría/Una Tardeada Para Mujeres with Doña Enriqueta Contreras who will offer a look at Zapotec Principles of Living. She will also offer a workshop called Home Remedies and the Importance of a Basic Herbal Home Kit/Remedios

Caseros y La Importancia de Una Canasta Básica en Nuestros Hogares. In this 3- hour workshop with Doña Enriqueta Contreras, we will learn how to assemble a home remedy kit.

Dr. Marta Moreno Vega will give a Plática/Talk/Reading, When the Spirits Dance, on Yoruba teaching on Saturday, April 21. The festival will also screen her documentary, “Cuando los Espíritus Bailan Mambo”/”When the Spirits Dance Mambo.” A triumphant voyage of faith and power, the film traces the role of sacred African thought and practices in the formation of Cuban society, culture and music in a 90-minute documentary is a tribute to the spiritual energy that traveled from West Africa to Cuba and New York.

The “Picasso of Paper,” Catalina Delgado Trunk, who is considered one of the top world paper artists will offer present a Talk/Plática on The History & Evolution of Día de Muertos in México & Its Healing & Cultural Traditions as well as two Papel Picado “Cut Paper” workshops during the festival weekend.

A panel of artists/healers and scholars will discuss the Future of Our Shared Journey and What Lies Ahead. Invited featured scholars are Dr. Arturo Madrid, Professor of Literature at Trinity University, author of In the Country of Empty Crosses: The Story of A Hispano Protestant Family in Catholic New Mexico, Margarita Návar, healer and author of Zapotec Woman of the Clouds, a biography of Doña Enriqueta Contreras and Dr. Antonia I. Castañeda, Professor Emeritus in the Department of History at St. Mary’s University and editor of Gender on the Borderlands: A Frontier Reader.

Special festival guests include Diana Campoamor, Director and CEO of H.I.P., Hispanics in Philanthropy, based in San Francisco and Lourdes Portillo, documentary filmmaker, whose film, Señorita Extraviada, won the Ariel, the equivalent of an Academy Award, in México. It is the story of the disappeared young women in Juárez, México.

As ever, music interacts with powerful workshops, stellar readings, and good food at the festival. Musical groups include Oussa Bossa, a Brazilian Jazz Group, Verónica Carmona, Mexican singer and César Iván, Flamenco guitarist.

A Plant exchange will take place during the weekend in front of Galería Tepín. If you want to donate seeds or plants, please contact the BBF.

The festival will end Sunday, April 22 with a Blessing of the Spirits: A Gathering of the Healers and a Talk/Plática by Esther Yazzie Lewis on her work with the Diné Sacred Land Recovery Project and her book, The Navajo People and Uranium Mining. Ben Willie, a Navajo medicine man, from Tohijille, New Mexico, will offer the final festival ceremony.

Please visit the Festival participants websites at:
http://donaenriquetacontreras.com/
http://www.martamorenovega.com/
http://www.calaca-arts.com/artist.htm
http://www.laolla.com.mx/chef.html

Please contact the Border Book Festival for more information.
575-523-3988.
bbf@borderbookfesival.com
www.borderbookfestival.org

“This will be a dynamic event with lots of opportunities for families to learn about the diverse world of archaeology,” said Andy Albertson, the Branigan’s Curator of Education.  “We have a packed program planned with exciting hands-on activities and demonstrations offered by partners from all over the region.”

Participants will be able to make yucca bracelets, grind corn, start a fire, weave fabric, create paint, coil a clay pot, meet archaeologists, watch flint-knapping and learn about native wildlife.  There will also be a book display related to archaeology and several archaeologists and preservationists on hand to share their knowledge with participants.

The partners working with the Branigan Cultural Center to present Archaeology Day include the Bureau of Land Management, Asombro Institute for Science Education, the City of Las Cruces, the Museum of Art, the Museum of Natural History, the Thomas Branigan Memorial Library, the US Forest Service, as well as several individuals working in the archaeology and historic preservation fields. 

The Branigan Cultural Center is located downtown next to the Museum of Art at 501 N. Main Street.  Admission to the program and galleries is free.  Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 9 am to 4:30 pm. For more information, contact the Branigan Cultural Center at (575) 541-2154 or visit www.las-cruces.org/museums.