Spotlight On: CABQ Community Centers
Not sure what to do with the kids while school’s out? Need an activity for visiting family and friends? Or perhaps you just need a break from holiday stress? Look to the 20 community centers around town that are open this month for a variety of arts and crafts classes and more. (There are 22 CABQ community centers, but two of them are currently closed for renovations.) Center memberships are free and easy to get. Try making polymer jewelry at Los Duranes, West Mesa, or Westgate Community Centers; Westgate also offers creative writing, ukulele, and piano classes. “I encourage everyone to get online, find what’s available, and take advantage of so many great options for the whole family,” says Cristin Chavez-Smith, Division Manager of Community Recreation & Educational Initiatives (CREI). She adds that family paint nights, paper quilling, and watercolor classes are also popular. “It’s so fun to try something new, but you also never know what will spark a new hobby.”
Spotlight On: Anderson Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum
Balloon Fiesta may be over, but winter months are an excellent time to visit the Balloon Museum. Let your imagination drift away from cold weather and explore the world through the eyes of a balloonist! Take your time with the permanent exhibitions, and be sure to check out what’s new—such as “Ed Yost: Forever Pushing the Envelope,” an exhibition dedicated to the man known as the Father of Modern Hot Air Ballooning. Plus, every Wednesday (except for Christmas Day), the museum hosts Stories & Music in the Sky, a free program centered around singing, storytelling, dancing, and more that’s ideal for children up to age 6 and their caregivers. A stop at the gift shop is always fun too; featuring work by local artists including Malcolm King, Amy Baca Lopez, Zahra Marwan, and others, the shop is a perfect place to stock up on holiday presents. On Saturday, Dec. 21, from 10:00 AM until 3:00 PM, float over to the Sid Cutter Pavilion at Balloon Fiesta Park for the Upside Holiday Market. General admission is $5; kids ages 12 and under are free.
5 Things To Do in December
Twinkle, Twinkle, Dinosaur
Less trolling, more strolling this holiday season! As the sun goes down from Saturday, Nov. 30 through Monday, Dec. 30, bundle up, gather your favorite people, and head to the 27th Annual River of Lights at the Albuquerque Botanic Garden, named by U.S. News as one of “The 28 Best Christmas Light Displays + Tours for 2024.” More than 700 unique, hand-welded light displays sparkle along a 1.6-mile loop with plenty of rest stops offering hot chocolate and other treats. Children two and under are free; tickets otherwise range from $8 to $28.
Sing Along with Jo and the Gang
If it’s got Christmas in it, it counts as a Christmas play. See Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 classic novel about the March sisters reimagined as a musical at Musical Theatre Southwest from Dec. 5 through Dec. 22. General admission tickets are $28. With women’s rights and gender roles (still) being a leading topic of societal conversation, Alcott’s wit and astute observations through the voices of her characters feel remarkably contemporary.
Dancing is for Every Body
On Thursday, Dec. 12, MerryMakers, a program through CABQ, will host their Annual Holiday Dance from 7:00 to 10:00 PM at the Albuquerque Convention Center. In partnership with Therapeutic Recreation, MerryMakers creates a safe and inclusive space for people of all abilities to celebrate music and movement. This year’s event, which is expected to have more than a thousand partygoers, will feature live music from local band LoPhat. Can’t make it to this one? No problem—shimmy, shake, and saunter your way over to the Cesar Chavez Community Center on Friday, Jan. 10, or keep an eye on the center’s event calendar for additional dance party dates.
Have the Best Kind of Meltdown
This month, Meltdown Studio, the Old Town-based jewelry studio that opened in 2006 by Lauren Tobey, features six different jewelry-making classes ideal for personalizing a gift or making yourself something for being so good. Be warned, though: these classes sell out fast! In case that happens, you could always gift a future class to your favorite DIY person or organize a group class so you and your besties can all have matching adornments. Or, if you just want to shop Tobey’s designs, stop by the studio (901 Rio Grande Blvd NW, 87104) for the Holiday Pop-Up on Sunday, Dec. 8 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Festive refreshments and pieces from other studio designers will be for sale as well.
Red, Green, and Everything in Between
The 10th Annual Rail Yards Holiday Market happens on the second weekend this month, Dec. 14 and 15 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Shop jewelry, crafts, home goods, clothes, food products, and plenty of other gift options from more than 400—yes, 400!—local vendors. Entry is free, and each day will have different events and features. To make things even more fun, skip parking headaches and catch the free shuttle from the zoo; it runs from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
