Ancient Way Fall Festival Features Creativity, Tradition of Northwest New Mexico

Discover one of New Mexico's best-kept secrets - the celebration of community, culture and scenic beauty of the Ancient Way Arts Trail in the Zuni Mountains - during two Ancient Way Fall Festival weekends, October 2, 2010, and October 9, 2010.October 2 at El Morro includes a combined Ancient Way Arts Festival, as well as the Ramah Farmers Market & Harvest Festival that features local arts, food, crafts, music, traditional dances and the opportunity to meet artists directly.

October 9 at Zuni Pueblo features a Fall Arts Market with traditional dances, along with the annual Human/Horse Relay and the Ansele:mo Run. Also on October 9, at El Malpais Information Center (18 miles east of El Morro National Monument), visitors have the opportunity to see Ramah Navajo Weavers Association members demonstrate the traditional wool processes that go into making a beautiful Navajo weaving; see the rare ancestral Navajo-churro sheep that grow the wool for Ramah Navajo weavings; and purchase quality, one-of-a-kind weavings. The weavers' demonstration will be held in conjunction with the Center's annual open house and book sale.

“Fall is when the pine-covered sandstone mesa country of west central New Mexico is most beautiful - the days are cool and sunny and the flowers are at their peak,” said Michael Cerletti, Secretary of the New Mexico Tourism Department. “The folks along State Road 53, from Grants to Zuni, open their doors for an 80-mile-long party. I cannot think of a more fascinating and fun-filled way to spend a couple of fall weekends.”

Cultures as varied as Navajo, Zuni, Hispanic, Anglo and Mormon create works of world-class reputation. The route itself in the southern link of the state's most recently designated scenic byway, the Trail of the Ancients Byway.
 
In recognition of this region’s uniqueness, the New Mexico Arts Division (a division of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs) has designated the Ancient Way Arts Trail from Gallup to Zuni to Grants as the state's first multi-art trail, with some 30 participating sites representing more than 650 artists. The trail also serves as a portal to the thousands of active artists and dozens of art businesses and trading posts.

For more information about top events in New Mexico take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in New Mexico.

For more information on the Ancient Way Fall Festival visit www.ancientwayartstrail.com

Silver Jubilee for Historic Helena’s Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival

Listen closely and you can hear it .... the soulful sounds of a guitar and the brusque voice of the bluesman, proclaiming all the wrongs he has faced. It’s the blues and it has become the heartbeat of the Arkansas Delta, a region that is no stranger to hardship. You hear that adversity in the music .... and it reaches into the depths of the listener’s soul. It’s the blues – a powerful, lyrical lullaby for anyone who has faced pain or tragedy or just had a really bad day.

Each October, thousands from throughout the world flock to historic downtown Helena as the music takes over – giving visitors a three-day, down-home, soul-baring musical history lesson. The Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival (formerly known as the King Biscuit Blues Festival) has become one of the largest blues festivals in the world. This year (from October 7 to 9) the world-renowned event celebrates its 25th anniversary.

The festival is adding a special event this year, Warm-Up Wednesday. In the past, activities and music have always started on Thursday afternoon. According to Munnie Jordan, festival director: “We want our visitors to get a behind-the-scenes look at how the festival comes together.” So Wednesday, October 6, the festival area will have a “test run”.

The festival encompasses the majority of the historic town’s Cherry Street, the same street that blues legends Sonny Boy Williamson, Robert “Junior” Lockwood and Robert Johnson once strolled on their way to becoming musical legends.

For more information about top events in Arkansas take a look at the Top Events USA selection of the annual main festivals and events in Arkansas.

For more detailed information and a complete lineup for the 25th annual Arkansas Blues and Heritage Festival, visit www.bluesandheritagefest.com.