It's definitely worth taking your kids of all ages. There is something for everyone. Lots of animals, exhibits, food, and music. Nothing is cheap but it is a good experience. It helps if you figure out what you want to do ahead of time so you know the times when various performances will be held. Park and ride is the way to go. read more

I've been to a few state fairs previously but this was my first time at the New Mexico State Fair and I was somewhat excited to see what it had to offer. Overall, I thought the fair was a bit unorganized. It was held at EXPO on San Pedro/Lomas and it was hard to figure out which Gate to enter without having to circle around that large block of area. It would have been nicer if the organizers let us know the proper gates that would be convenient to attend. Also, parking was a bit confusing. There was no sign, whatsoever. You park and just walk around towards the center to find the area to purchase tickets/enter the area..but I wish there were more organizations of handicapped accessible parking and/or even a golf card ride to the entrance (in case you have someone senior/less accessible with you attending as well). Second, prices were pretty high. I understand it's a State Fair so there would naturally be an upcharge. But the regular ticket price of $15 and (if you park close to the fiar of $10) to start is actually quite high. Granted, anyone should take advantage of special admission day that can help bring the prices down to $1-2...that could help a bit. Prices of the vendors in there are..obviously very high. $5 for a bottle of soda, $8 for a cup of elote, $12 for Aqua fresca..and, frank,y $10++ for an entree. I don't think these were extremely high prices..but for...regular fare food quality..I'm not sure if I like to pay that much. I can't imagine how much a family who comes here would pay for members of the family...especially if you have kids and need to feed them food+entertain them with rides! Third, there were some nice shows/music around. I really enjoyed the sea lion shows and thought they were cute. But walking around..I also felt bad for some animals in some camped exhibition/van spage...like monkeys...etc. I honestly feel bad for them being captured/monetized that way. I can't imagine how bad their living conditions may be..unfortunately. Overall, I was glad I attended the state fair in NM finally. But...unless someone new in state who had never been to a fair would like to go..I can't imagine myself wanting to go again any time soon. read more

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It was really fun, I went with my gf and we went on a bunch of rides, and ate. The only thing is that it cost A LOT of money It costs 15 dollars online 20 dollars in person to get in and then it costs 40 dollars to even get on rides. (If you get the wristband for all day.) and we went on a thing (I don't remember what it's called.) but it brings you up and you just slowly keep going forward then you eventually get back down, and you can do loop back if you want but it cost more. We bought that which was $10 for a loop back. Also I got a water, it costs $4. Oh yeah, it costs $20 if you wanna park btw. read more

New Mexico State Fair - On the Ferris wheel - Festivals Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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The fact that it costs $20 to park which is more than the entrance fee of $15 is ridiculous. I don't even want to know what they were charging for the rides. I wasn't impressed with much there. Maybe if I attended Rodeo or the horse races but that might be extra too. I won't be back. read more

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The fair can be fun but expensive. With the price of parking and entry fee it can be pricey for an individual or a family. Even on days where there entrance fee is reduce it costly. Prices for food and games can easily cost you $40.00 to $50.00 per person. I also went to their website to get information and it was confusing and lacked details. It seemed like it was not regularly updated. read more

Expo New Mexico State Fair 2021...Had a relaxing time playing the horses, did win a few races! It was free Parking and $1 day, what a reason to go however, the food was-out-of-line, here where some of the extra money from Covid economic Relief Funds could help the Vendors in toning it down the pricing a little, for example a $8 corndog, $8 for 16oz lemonade, yes the both were tasty and delicious,but kind of hard on the pocket book for families. State Police present was good, and just a Beautiful evening for hearing live music! read more

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It is EXPENSIVE. Ten dollars to park, and entrance admission all over the place, expect to pay more if you want to do any rides or consume anything other than water-fountain water. I went to a concessionaire and paid $5 for a medium-size bowl of cantaloupe, $3 for a cola, and handed her two $5 bills - then she KEPT my change saying "plus tip!" What rude service! I was under the imprression that tips were voluntary. Rides start at about four tickets per ride--around four dollars--and go up from there. Tickets are $21 for 20 tickets. Folks, watch your wallet there, because this all adds up fast. At least seeing the farm animals and antique cars were included in the admission cost. People make the place, so be sure to go with friends or family, though try to go on a promotion or discount day. And for the love of your health, wear sunscreen. read more

New Mexico State Fair - Vendors - Festivals Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

This place Is way too overpriced and the worker didn't want to give me my wristband after I paid for it, bro smell like alcohol, the food way too expensive for what you get, the flashing lights easily could've given someone a seizure would not recommend this shit hole. read more

I'm totally incapable of leaving an unbiased review of the Fair - I LIVE for fairs! Grew up participating in our county fair since I was four. I don't just live for them; I live at them every single Aug/Sept! (Our fair back home got moved to August so it wouldn't conflict with school schedules...) A thing that has made me sad every year since I've been going to NM's State Fair is the lack of participants since it is the *STATE* Fair. I'd like to see every building booming with crops, crafts, and other entries! I urge everyone to try their hand at an amateur competition or two - a photo you took, something from your garden, a drawing you've made... This year tried the fried green tomatoes. Thought they were pretty yucky and I don't know if that's just what friend green tomatoes are, or if that's what travelling carnival fried green tomatoes are. I won't write them off completely til I've had them at a sit-down restaurant or someone's grandma's house! Made up for it with an amazing ear of corn every single day I was there. No complaints here! Splurged on a Dole Whip one day. NEVER AGAIN. Would've been pricey even if it was H-O-L-L-O-W. That's just insulting to your customers! Consider a park and ride from elsewhere as parking/traffic are an absolute mess. I had a pretty ok experience Ubering up there, which probably would've been perfect but we didn't realize we were right in the middle of the parade down Central and it took us a while to figure out how to get around. Parking shuttles and city busses know that schedule so you're less likely to be as inconvenienced by it. read more

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The NM State Fair has always been a favorite Fall activity for me! I recommend downloading the state fair app to buy your tickets (no need to stand in the long lines at the entry gate), review the schedule of events for the day & scope out food venues. We loved the Zuni dancers and flute player in the Indian Village today! Smokey the Bear is roaming around the Fair so be sure to keep an eye out for him to wish him a "happy birthday!" Don't forget to visit the arts & crafts building plus the agriculture areas! Enjoy! read more

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We had a lot of fun tonight at the State Fair and Rodeo. Is it crowded and hard to find parking? Absolutely. The food is crazy expensive and totally fattening and sugary but it was fun! Our big highlight was the seals this year! There was a pool of seals that would do shows. For $20 you could take a picture with the seals and they would come to you and put their heads on your shoulders. I'm a huge animal lover and getting up close and personal with seals is a major one on my bucket list so we totally did it! The major downside was the zip line. Avoid it at all costs! It is NOT safe at all. First the girl running it insulted my weight (I'm quite a bit under the weight limit) and then I hit the ground before the zip line came to a stop. I am very sore and injured. She said people get blisters and other injuries all the time and adults get hurt often on it. Stay far away! I don't know why it is even allowed! The rodeo was amazing pyrotechnics and great performances. We didn't stay for the concert because it was a weeknight. read more

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This is coming from a Cali girl's perspective, so... I was raised on state fairs. I also like going to local county fairs. I've come to the conclusion that a quality state fair has the following things: *typical carnival fare: overpriced junk food, rides, and games. Yes, overpriced. That is just the definition of carnivals, so get used to shelling out $5 for a 30-second ride or $6 for a quarter-pounder-sized previously frozen burger. My friend spent about $20 trying win a Pikachu toy but failed. If you don't like it, then don't buy it. I was allowed to bring my own water bottle in, so surely you can bring your own food and drink in. I also had a blast on the $9 zip line, which I ended up going down backwards! *contests and competitions like horse racing, best animal in show, baking competitions, art shows, etc. I did see several prize animals and passed by a hall with artwork and stitchery, although I didn't go in. *a sense of state pride woven into the fabric of the fair that sets it apart from county and regional fairs. Not just by putting up state flags, but as seen in things like exhibits with state history, culture, facts, Southwestern-style food, etc. California State Fair, for example, has county exhibits where each county highlights its best features. They also feature art and technology made by California middle and high school students. I don't necessarily need a state fair to have county exhibits, just something that showcases its unique features and answers the question of what's so great about that state. Although you do see Southwestern/New Mexican food specialties that you'd never see anywhere else, like the green chile burger and the Indian taco (I made sure to pick up one on my way out) and a few UNM-branded items, I don't get a sense of New Mexican spirit outside of the food. For all I know, it's a fair in another Southwestern state. As a matter of fact, the most damning thing that I saw was Cali-branded merchandise in the vendor's fairs! (see photo) The other disappointment is the way they handle discounted tickets. If you buy the discounted tickets at Walgreens in advance to save yourself money and time at the entrance, well, at least you're saving money. My friend and I and other WG customers had to exchange our WG vouchers for entrance tickets upon arrival, so we had to wait in the same line as the people who just plain needed to buy entrance tickets. The people in front of us in line had even won free tickets on the radio-- but they had to wait in the same line to exchange those radio vouchers for tix. Considerably smaller than the CA State Fair fairgrounds and only slightly bigger than my neighboring county's fairgrounds (Alameda County Fairgrounds), but to be fair, Alameda County has almost as many people as ABQ. I feel that the admissions price is fair; most other fairs I've been to charge that much or more. Traffic is well-managed and I like the free shuttle from the parking lots to the fairgrounds. Those of you who complain that Central gets clogged up, well, try going to a county or state fair anywhere else and see if you do any better. Matter of fact, go sit in CA rush hour traffic and see which one you like better! You just get it on the weekends of the fair, we get it every weekday! Also, you're going to see trashy people at any fair you go to. That's just the nature of fairs. I will admit though, ABQ trash is certainly a new low in terms of trashy. One last thing I really liked about this fair: hand-washing stations at the petting zoo. My siblings and I got a bacterial infection at the CA State Fair petting zoo twenty years ago, and so my mom wrote them a letter. They implemented hand-washing stations there the next year, and I'm happy to see them in other places too. Not excellent, but generally good. read more

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Went to the state fair. SO many people!! Really wanted a turkey leg and a funnel cake. Was disappointed with the turkey leg- over cooked and tough:( For $14, I was hoping for what I've been missing from the midwestern fairs I grew up attending. The venue had a lot of trash laying around which was disappointing, however I did see people working on sweeping up. The dog show was awesome, but cut short due to the thunder storm. Funnel cake ($8) was stringy but delicious. I'm sad that the cost of state fairs keeps going up. Wanted to go on a few rides but the lines were insanely long. read more

New Mexico State Fair - Festivals Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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Thank you YelpABQ, State Fair and Everett!! I have to start this review by disclosing that I received this review as part of a promotion, but I promise that won't keep me from telling you what I truly think. Most of us go to the State Fair and take for granted what we experience, after this visit I'll never look at the rodeo the same again. We documented some of our trip on Snapchat so we could share some of the awesome moments we had, so I hope you check them out and check into the fair! Last year I experienced my first rodeo, totally by accident. We went for the Ozomatli concert ( which you should also check out if you have the opportunity), and my husband suggested we go early and see the rodeo. I wasn't really into the idea but once we got there I couldn't believe what I've been missing out on. So this was only the second rodeo I've been able to experience, and thanks to everyone involved the rodeo might be ruined for me. We had such a great time and the VIP experience was untouchable! Parking was supposed to be free for us at Gate 8, but we were told that it was full and to park at the old bank building. ***TIP*** The State Fair now runs a trolley from the old bank building at San Mateo and Central. Wait for it... FOR FREE!! But don't forget to tip the drivers! It runs until 10pm, so if you plan on staying later make sure you plan accordingly. I mentioned to our State Fair Rep that it would be awesome if it ran until closing and she was surprised that it didn't, so maybe they'll change that in the future. Everett was our tour guide for our Yelp adventure and he was awesome! He introduced us to his sponsored bull rider, Tray, who answered questions for us and after it was all done came and hung out at the Bucking Bar. He did such a great job representing Gold Financial, his sponsor, we have to buy him a beer! Everett also introduced us to Arty Myers, one of the best in the business, and we got to grill him with a bunch of questions as well. Along our tour we also met some of the crew from Justin's sports, who really take care of the Cowboys and all of their sports medicine needs. The Bull Fighters were some of our favorites to meet and totally changed our perspective of "Rodeo Clowns." Even though they are dressed as clowns, they are far from it, they are more like cowboy lifesavers. If it wasn't for them there would be less bull riders in this sport. We even had the pleasure of dining in the VIP lounge with the Cowboys, judges and their families. Families are a huge part of this family as well. The athletes bring their wives, girlfriends, kids and even their dogs along with them. Even though this is a competitive sport, it's like a big family. Our package didn't include viewing the bull riders in action from the ground behind the chutes but Everett was kind enough to let us check it out from there. We had an epic time!! Even though we were spoiled with the VIP treatment, we will all be back to see them again next year with a whole new respect for what they all do. We can't thank everyone enough for the gracious hospitality they showed us and mind blowing fun!! read more

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Tip: Casa de Fruita is THE ONLY place to get the real chile relleno dogs at the fair. Not the chincy corn meal speckled with green chile, but an ENTIRE whole chile wrapped around the dog, dipped in cornmeal and fried. Try it mustard if you haven't already. read more

New Mexico State Fair - This booth here! On the NW corner of the food area. - Festivals Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

Annual tradition for our family to go enjoy several shows (pig races, duck races, lumberjack, magic, sea lions, etc), pig out on some fair food (frybread, green chile cheese curds, cheese fries, smoked turkey legs, etc), see some exhibits (animals, arts & crafts, varying vendors, etc), admire the artisans, and enjoy some rides. Definitely try to get there when it opens as it gets crowded every hour of the day as people stream in to enjoy it as well. read more

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State fair was great. Park and Ride gets a -10. They dumped us off in the middle of the street so had to walk into state fair ground. Homeless people all over the place. Then when we came out after the concert, the streets filled with homeless people, we did not feel safe. Called for ride. Really, Albuquerque, that's pretty poor. And we were not the only ones. Just terrible. The night before we had tried to drive in. Sat in traffic for an hour, could not get into the state fair grounds. Driver's everywhere cutting into turning lane from both right and left....finally just left, missed concert, went and got dinner. Very sad that this could not be better organized. read more

The fair seems to being getting more and expensive. We are here $1 ride night but otherwise the rides average 8 tickets at $1.50 a ticket. Art exhibits are amazing and the vendors have a lot innovative things to sell. I didn't bye much food, but can recommend cinnamon and sugar pecans! read more

New Mexico State Fair - Rides rides rides - Festivals Near Me - Albuquerque, New Mexico

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A waste of my tax payer money. You pay $12 per adult just to get inside! Then you have two wait 30 minutes just to spend more money to buy tickets for rides. Then there's a lot of over weight people who don't move out of the way and just stand in the middle of the walk way. The governor should be ashamed of this state. Also no reason why this fair doesn't last longer- New Mexicans need more things to do so try Edy stay away from crack and meth. read more

So this has never happened before, but while trying to complete my review, Yelp said I had maxed out of the word count so I kind of just wanted to use the update review to sum it up! Basically, this year has been amazing with the fair. I got to do all the basics along with getting to try a couple extra things courtesy of the NM State Fair and Yelp, but honestly this year's experience has topped the others. I have had some top notch food, service and customer service experience! People literally asked how you were and how you were enjoying the fair. I want to thank these people and I can honestly say the customer service has been pretty superior across the board. I have definitely had some amazing experiences ( the Chicarron challenge, the dining, and the other various fun experiences). I am so excited with the happenings and I'm sad to see the fair come to an end. Also I want to thank the fair for recognizing teachers and giving us free admission! We appreciate the fact that we are appreciated! Kudos NM State fair! I can't wait till you come back! read more

My favorite time of the year. The crisp fall morning air, the fresh smell of horses, hay, & apples, screams of excitement from the midway, the parade, the music, the cowboy boot, all the fried food, the snow cones, the sheep showings in the dairy barn, fry bread in the Indian Village, the oversized pumpkins in the agriculture building, the pie contests, the petting zoo, the Smokey Bear goodies, and the natural resources building. I haven't been able to make it to the fair for several years now, but I dream of the day when I can return... read more

As usual, the State Fair was fun and interesting. I find as I get older that I only tend to go every few years now. When I was a girl, I used to go with my grandpa, sometimes several times during the two-week period. Now the state fair is shorter and the visits to it are further and farther apart. I find now that I drift towards the food, knowing exactly which things I want to try. I know which art I want to visit and I know I want to see the flower show, although we didn't happen to make it there this year. It's always fun to look at all of the animals and see the different agricultural enterprises that are happening throughout the state. The State Fair is a great place to get to know what's happening all around the state and in particular, the rural areas. Whether you've never gone or whether it's your fiftieth time, of course I'll always recommend that you go and check out the New Mexico State Fair! read more

The fair seemed to be a bit disappointing this year. I went with my husband, my oldest daughter and my parents. We all agreed that it felt like there were fewer vendors than usual. The prices seemed extra high, $14 for a Turkey Leg? Maybe I've forgotten how expensive it is. I was also pretty bummed that I couldn't find a candy apple. The people I usually buy from inside the old Manuel Luján building didn't have any. The lady said they wouldn't have them til the next day. Did she think I go there every day? Anyways... the 2019 NM State fair left me wanting this year, literally read more

Past time: Riding on rollercoasters or Ferris wheels at different amusement parks across the country always brings me back to our New Mexico State Fair. My memories of my younger days when my sister and I were teenagers and were given permission to walk around the fair alone as if we were grown-ups. Reminiscent of a time when the world was a safe place.  We would walk around and around the midway watching the rides, the colorful lights at night and the passerby's enjoying their foot long green chili corn dogs or their stick of Cotton Candy.  Watching those around us playing the games and interacting with the ever polychromatic CARNIES was always a treat and even better when someone would win a huge stuffed animal or those cool 80's mirrors with your favorite bands like: Def Leppard or Journey.  These memories stay with me always and bring me back to a time of being with my sister.  Family memories are always the best. Current time:   September 2016 is no exception.  Spending the day at the fair with family & friends meeting new people and making new memories to last a lifetime! Winning the State Fair Happy Hour Package couldn't have been more amazing! I saw and did things this year with my choice of 3 people that under any other circumstances would probably have not been possible!  This amazing package started off with a fun UBER ride to the fair, being dropped off directly at the Uber Lounge and then whisked away in a golf cart by our amazing Hostess: Shannon!  Wow is she the best person for this job!  We drove along the backside of the Midway which was quite a treat to see how the Carnies live for the few weeks of the fair.  New Fact:  The NM State Fair has used the same Company for the Midway rides for over 40 years!  Now that is a lasting relationship! Our Host in Villa Hispana was no exception to the amazing delightful night we had.  "Chuck" as we'll call him to keep anonymity at bay, was amazing!  We started off our Happy Hour Portion at the Cantina with a free round of drinks for my group!  From there we were able to relax in the YELP Cabana which were the best seats in the house!  "Chuck" tailored our gathering from the get-go!  As moments passed HE took us up on stage with the band Suavecito!  That was such a fun treat!  We YELPERS got the crowd going!  Getting them up on their feet to dance to rancheras & other Hispanic dances! Our night ended with another round on the house & AMAZING DONUTS for our UBER ride home!! I can't explain in shorter words what a GREAT time we had!  Thank YOU Shannon and Chuck for being an Better than we could imagine:  HOST & HOSTESS!!! For those of you that need info on UBER or my take on it.. please inbox me!! I'll be more than happy to share what a great experience it was!!! read more

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One massive, crucial disclosure to preempt this review: I work for Yelp. I have resided in this city 20 years and if the Fair hadn't reached out and asked me to attend the festivities this year, I likely would never have attended. During all of my time in this city, I'd managed to check out the Fair five times. Some visits were unremarkable, a couple... let's call 'em sketchy. When night descends on Burque's State Fair, the exhibits pale in comparison to the teenagers desperately seeking a dark corner to make out. Droves of 'em. Another disclosure: I grew up chewing on a healthy diet of Midwestern state fairs, which weren't sketchy. I recall wholesome fun, simple pleasures (vanilla ice cream topped with honey and sunflower seeds, all-you-could-drink farm fresh whole milk, local radio station kiosks, politician grandstands, massive sows, folk musicians). Lots of white, flavorless stuff, including the people. This year I came during the daylight, with my lil' kiddo and some friends. I immediately noted that the ride vendor was way better than previous years, like, really solid. You'll need to search this out, but there's a ton of local, classic fair food, like the green chile bacon fried cheese curds, avoid the stands that appear to be out-of-state, they are. And if you follow the schedule of daily events, the entertainment is terrific: free exhibitions, like the sea lion show and drummers, good art, and honestly the best rodeos in the West. If you're sans kids, check out the impressive beer garden. In other words, don't wander around, plan your visit. And don't dog the teenagers, they just wanna have fun. Some things never, ever change. * I just want to note this, for any of you that visit this year: There's a kids ride, I think it's called the Snowball Express-- Snowball something. One of those circular rides where you sit in a little car and go round and round. Anyway, the guy that operated the ride was a riot. He was way, way too invested in being an emcee. As we waited for the seats to fill, he had this awesomely weird phrase. "Yieh-yo! Yieh-yo! The Snowball Express, y'all, the Snowball Express. Come on over, y'all, the Snowball Express. Yieh-yo!" I told my daughter to listen for it. She totally cracked up, again and again. read more

So, I am reviewing for a special event I attended at the fair yesterday. I have some general fair impressions as well, but more specifically I am reviewing my experience yesterday. Could not have been more amazing... Big thanks to Shannon, Candice and Everett for taking such amazing care of us. We were treated like royalty and had such a fabulous time - excellent evening. We were provided dinner, participated in the Exceptional Rodeo, had some free time to walk around the fair on our own, then back to the rodeo for the show. Our cowboy guide, Everett, introduced us to some of the guys riding the bulls and the broncs. We met some of the rodeo clowns, too. Everyone was extremely nice. None of us had any real rodeo experience, so we were a little out of our depth, but each person we met was just as nice as could be. We watched most of the events from up close, behind a fence down where the action was happening. Some of the animals got really close! Gorgeous horses... And we watched the mutton bustin' up close - so awesome! Those little kids were tough as hell. During our free time, we managed to sample some bacon green chile fried cheese curds - ridiculous! Honestly couldn't taste much bacon, and no green chile at all but they were still just delicious. We walked through the always awesome model train exhibit, and the baby animal barn. Didn't really have time to see the real fair animals in the barns, but we'll go back for that. I was deeply disappointed to see the sea lion and wolf shows. I really wish the fair would get it's shit together and stop having exploitive animal shows. There is plenty of other good stuff to entertain people without that kind of crap. I just can't rate them higher, specifically for that reason. In general, the fair is what you want from a fair - fried food, horrible games you can't win but somehow everyone else has gotten a huge stuffed animal from, baby animals to pet, big animals to wander around and look at, music, beer, more junk food, galleries and displays, all kinds of crap for sale and oh yeah - more delicious, bad for you food. Too expensive and crowded, but would it be a state fair if it wasn't? You should go, enjoy, make yourself ill with a deep fried green chile cheeseburger - dream about it all and enjoy the memories. read more

I haven't attended a state fair in years, since I was a teenager. This fair had all of the standard things I've become accustomed to seeing in Illinois: rides, fried food, animals, 4H kids, toy vendors, carnival games, live music, but the NM state fair adds a few things that I haven't seen at a fair before: a beer garden, more than one stage for live music, and really cool tshirts - seriously. The thing that stuck most with me from my time at the fair was this vendor selling shirts and hats with electronic designs that light up - to sound! Picture pulsing music and a bowtie on a tshirt pulsing right along with it - very cool! Everything there was $25, and although I liked it, I can't see much application outside of the club environment. The petting zoo was pretty cool as well, as I saw some animals that I haven't seen at a petting zoo before, such as a llama, alpaca, kangaroo, deer, and miniature pot bellied pigs! Adorable. In addition to the petting zoo, the fair has a lot of kid friendly rides, such as the zipline and these giant bubbles that you can roll around inside. If you have a family, take them to the fair (on a weekday) and if you don't have a family, well, bring yourself to the fair and release your inner child. read more

Wow! How twenty years and the child to adult transition can really change one's perspective on a place. I was looking forward to checking this out and showing my wife the event I'd had such fond memories of as a child. Boy am I thankful that my wife is easy-going. I'll start with the food---a term I'll use loosely--- which is a step below McDonald's. I'd been craving New Mexican food for a while and decided I'd hold out for the fair, since I assumed there'd have to be somewhere inside selling something good. I was tempted to get a green chile cheeseburger but was seduced by the idea of a delicious frito pie. What I got came without onions, lettuce or tomatoes, and tasted like chile from a can. My heart was broken. My wife had a cheeseburger and I can assure you it consisted of the best frozen patty a quarter can buy. She then followed with funnel cake topped with ice cream and all she had to say was, "Six Flags makes it better." That's makes it pretty damn bad, then. Then came the animal exhibits, which seemed a fraction of what I remember. Where were all the cool animals? Oh, that's right, there are no signs, or greeters, or even pamphlets (to my knowledge) to guide visitors? So who knows? Maybe there were some cool exhibits like those I remember as a kid, but we simply couldn't find them. More likely though, is that this event always kind of stunk. I must say I liked some of the New Mexican art (they called it Hispanic) and thought the little Corgi pups near the petting zoo were the cutest thing since ever. In the end, THANK THE LORD we went on free night. Haha. read more

I will start by saying I have not been to the New Mexico State Fair in years. What keeps me away is the traffic. Yesterday, started off with exactly what has kept me away for years. Traffic around the Fairgrounds was horrendous. I threatened to just leave and go home several times, even though I knew that this was a Yelp Experience Event. We had a visitor with us, so we persevered. I found out that there was parking on the weekend with a free trolley ride from the Tax and Revenue building on San Mateo and Central. This was perfect. Once we were out of traffic, life became calm and easy again. The trolley drivers, who are from Wichita Falls, Texas, are great drivers and excellent conversationalists. The drive was slow and happy into the fairgrounds. Dropped off right at Gate 3 to enter! From there it only got better. We were met at the gate by Big Lou, I forget his entire name because it was longer all the words in the dictionary, but Big Lou is an amazing host. He took us through the gates and into the Villa Hispana, where we met an amazing team of people who keep the entertainment going at this section of the State Fair. We were then taken to our private cabana to watch the performers for the evening. The performances for the evening were spectacular. We started off listening to Miguel Timoteo. We were also invited on-stage, as part of the Yelp Experience at the State Fair, what a great honor and fun time! Next up was Gonzola, who had many performers with him. All of them amazing artist. There was also, Mr. Montano who is a certified Jazz great on stage with him. We had dinner at La Hacienda. The food was good. This is the perfect place to eat inside the State Fair that won't break the bank and the food is still quality. We then headed to the Indian Village for fry bread. We shared one between the 4 of us. This was Oh SOOO GOOOD. Good thing the State Fair is only once a year. I could be in trouble with all this food! We then ventured outside the nice setting of these two villages into the heart of the State Fair. Of course the Midway has lots of excitement, rides, and loud everything. Not my setting, but I had to make sure it was still the same as years past! I can verify yes, still exciting and fun! My favorite building to visit is the showcase of new products. This building did not disappoint. What amazing products that are available to make life easier, but all these things come at a price so bring your credit card to this building! All in all this was a great experience, except in the beginning. Use the Park and Ride or parking at San Mateo and Central. The traffic and chaos surrounding the State Fairgrounds is stressful. Easier to park and have someone deliver you to a gate! Loss of one star due to the traffic and chaos. Not really against the experience when one finally arrives and gets into the grounds, but we have to get there some how. It should just be easier with better traffic control at the perimeter. Thank you for the free tickets and food and being part of the Yelp! Experience. read more

State fair is always fun for me. Every year the exhibits and the food seems to get better and better. Even though the prices keep on going up, the food and the exhibits are definitely worth the money for. They seemed to have perfected the crowd management so that there isn't much of a line at popular places to eat and sights. My only complaint is that it seems the games at the fair has not improved much. I remembered there were a lot more variety of fun games to play, but now it is all about making money and not providing the public with games to play. The rides stays the same every year and I keep wondering when are they going to change???? The fair is fun. Everyone should go and try all of the delicious food. However, I probably wouldn't waste my money on playing the games. read more

We were provided a Yelp Elite package which was super awesome and thoughtful of them to offer, and many thanks to Howie for his help in obtaining the package. When we arrived, the package was not ready so we went on a ride around the Fair to collect the things we were being offered. The ride was actually really fun (on the back of a golf cart) so not all was bad. Unfortunately, the vendors gave us some difficulty throughout the day in accepting our "coupons" because apparently the communication had not been clear. We were also told the Kraze Maze and contestants on a game show were part of the package, but were never given any information on that. We did see the Dive Show and that was definitely well executed! There was a brilliant dive with four divers at once from different boards, all landing perfectly without hurting each other. There was also a really really high dive, gosh I was getting scared for the guy, but ba-da-boom, smooth and easy he found his way in. If there had been a little shade over the bleachers, that would have just been grand, but hey, it's New Mexico. We got the new State Fair Beer t-shirts (Cream Ale!) and tried it. Yummy. We also had some super tasty (and HUGE) JR nachos with pulled pork, cheese, beans and sour cream. Holy smokes (yes, it did have a little smoky taste to it :P) It was SUPER hot though, and I can't blame that on anyone or anything. We got worn down kind of quickly though. We did have a nice long sojourn in the Beer Garden where pillows and a fountain made us comfortable and happy. We didn't get to try any rides, but I plan on going back for an evening ride session before the Fair is out. I guess all in all, it was fun to go, and I appreciate the thoughts behind the package, but I guess I was expecting/or wanting more of an itinerary to follow. Thank you though to all who made our fair experience possible! read more

We hit the fair 2 different times this year. Once as part of a special event, and one as regular people. Our experience both times was the same. I've grown up with the fair. As a kid, I lived at the fair because we were there for the horseshows. We don't show there anymore because it's not worth it these days. The turnouts are abysmal. The food is the type of stuff you'd expect to see at the fair; fried everything you can imagine. Hit the Spanish Villa for some yummy things like stuffed sopapillas, or the Indian Village for an indian taco. Everything is event priced, ie: more expensive than you'd pay elsewhere but that is to be expected. The exhibits in the Manuel Lujan building were about the same as they usually are; lots of "as seen on tv" type stuff. There were some good junk food options in there, but it was really crowded and stuffy. I was sad to see the wolf exhibit in there; the animals did not look happy or comfortable. Main Street was packed full of places to eat, things to see. I do wish the fair had less of the sea lions in a tiny swimming pool type shows and more that don't exploit animals. I wish it was more oriented towards the awesome agricultural side of things as State Fairs in other places are, rather than rides and junk. I do have to say that everything (including bathrooms) was cleaner this year. I noticed more people emptying trash, and there wasn't trash in the streets this year. All in all...the fair is much the same. I don't hate it, but I don't love it. read more

Great fun! Lots to see and do even though the Fair has smaller participation and attendance this year, probably due to COVID and the new proof of vaccination requirement. We LOVED the new Conjurer Fortune Machine (on Main Street near the Fine Arts Building) that consists of a live fortune teller housed in a vintage-style mechanical fortune teller booth who ad libs for the individual client. Hang out and watch him for a while - he is hysterical! We really liked the Strolling Piano, a live piano player on wheels who casually, and without missing a beat, motors his way through the food court area. What next?!? We also enjoyed the Hot Glass Academy glass blowing demonstration, Bubba's pulled pork sandwich, and the Mini-Doughnuts. My biggest complaint was the $20 Parking Fee on Fridays and Saturdays. Yikes! read more

It's funny to come across the weird ways to fry food. From fried Oreos to fried Beer, I couldn't think of anything else they couldn't fry. But, hey, we only live once. I liked that there were tons, and I mean tons, of food vendors. I do love food. I only ate at a few places though, because I was craving native american food. I first went to the Navajo Cafe, and ate their "Navajo Burger," which was a hamburger patty, onions, lettuce, tomato wrapped in a frybread. It was delicious, which ran around $7. I devoured it. A place I would definitely try again. Since, i was there all day, from 2pm to 8pm, I ended up eating again. This time, I went to the Pueblo Culture Center booth and had their Indian Burger, which was the same thing as before, but they had green chile with theirs, so I got it on the side. It was delicious, but it was $8.50. I enjoyed it, but it was a bit soggy on the bottom and harder to eat. I like that they had live music playing all around the place, and that they had a "Pavilion Stage" where live bands were playing. I spent my time there, and even went to their "beer garden," but the prices for beers were $6.50-$7. I didn't like that, because I know of a lot of places in town that I could go for a local beer at $3, and even Bud Light at $2. But their Bud Lights were $7. I didn't have any. But I did have an Isotope Amber Ale, which was excellent. All in all, it was a good experience to just indulge in foods I wouldn't eat other than at a place like the fair. I also didn't pay an admission, as they just let me walk in. I did pay parking at a local place down the street for 5 bucks, but that's all I paid to get there, the rest was just money thrown away on food. =p read more

If i was influenced by the fourth dimension this coulda been a better event, but it was fun.... High priced cardiac arrest inducing food is great once in a while right? The ppl eating around me seemed to make that a stapple.. A Rag Tag crowd of obese, toothless, and young but dumb people surrounded me... This is not a find a date location is all im saying.... But after jumping on 6 rides, and not vomitting my delicious 2lbs of fried potatoes i declare VICTORY I mean i saw some of the poorest dressed ppl in my life out there. And the NM Police GANG UNIT was larger than any gang that would have been there... A bit over the top.... Im coming back , not because i should, but namely because i shouldn't... read more

Seriously lacking this year. I heard there were less vendors, less entertainment, and more controversy, but it was seriously hurting this year. I mean don't get me wrong, I really enjoy not having to fight through the crowd. In this case there was no crowd to fight through to get to ... nothing. The bright spot? My sister-in-law's younger sister is the state fair queen. Got to hang out with her and meet some people. And I'm not the rodeo type so she taught me quite a bit. Go check the rodeo stuff on saturday and some of the musicians they brought to Tingley are pretty great! TL;DR: go during the week to people watch, enjoy the rodeo this weekend, go to the concerts at night. read more

I absolutely love the fair, hands down. The New Mexico fair isn't exactly like the other fairs I was used to in my childhood, but we still had a ton of fun! Caramel apples, carnival rides, we even got a wild West portrait taken. Too bad it's only once a year... Will have to wait till next year to go again :( read more

State Fair itself is great, pricey as some have mentioned, $10 parking, $3 dollar Sams/Costco waters, $10 entrance fee per adult. But the Fair itself is fun and should be experienced. As far as some of their sponsors and food vendors: El Mexicano located in the Hispanic Village, ordered their famous Chicharrone Lunch Burrito and I hate to say it but it was disgusting. The chicharrones are raw and pure fat (wish I could post a picture of the chicharrones that were in our burrito), you may want to ask if you can see them to make sure they are fully cooked. I can't speak for the rest of their food and it may be excellent but don't get the chicharrones unless that is the way you prefer them. Hacienda Del Rio is currently one of the big sponsors at the 2018 NM State Fair and their prices on beer and wine are ridiculous. I might understand the prices if the wine were of at least a good quality, but it isn't, cheap screw on/off cap bottles and $10 for a small cup (and only place we found to get wine was at the Hispanic Village). The beer which is about a 10oz cup is $10 and that was the BL. Sad part is they are everywhere in the State Fair. I truly think the State Fair is how they gouge the fair goers and make enough money to keep the failing restaurant in Old Town alive. There are plenty of reviews for the restaurant. read more

So I took the ABQ bus transportation system that took me to the fair and the address they they gave me online through the state fair website wasn't the same parking area. I feel like the Coronado transportation center needed to be more organized and better posted as others made the same mistake and getting back to my car I walked a few extra blocks in the dark. Once I made it to the gate it wasn't very well organized either as people were unsure which line they needed to be in followed by only one individual scanning tickets. After I was inside it was fun but after going through so much in the beginning in the end still made the experience upsetting. I did enjoy seeing both the native Indian art and dances. As well as the Hispanic exhibits and music. However it's super expensive $11 dollars for lemonade with one free refill, I looked at the food winners and tried the crawdad tacos which were phenomenal but contained only 3 corn tacos for $10, followed by getting a cup of corn for 6$. The only positive is I never had to purchase 10-20$ dollars for parking close to the fairgrounds. read more

I know that the state fair is a cultural event where you mix crafts, farming, games, food, rides and performances. However, this fair is lame and expensive. I went with my daughter and spent $17 to JUST get into the fair. We spent a good 3 hours walking in and out of art exhibitions and the farming area. The art was "ok" the food was REALLY bad (we are talking deep fried twinkies) and then you have the carnival and Carnies which makes you just SO thankful for good dental healthcare. I say save your money - go to the zoo, museum and uncle cliffs. Yes, they are in 3 different places but you know what? In the long run you will save money have a better quality experience. read more