Red River Torchlight Procession

Red River is one of Northern New Mexico's only resort towns which was not originally built as a resort. The area was a gold mining camp high up in the Sangre de Cristos, and was founded as Red River City in 1895. The rugged character of the people who once populated the mining camp is evidenced today by the heart and attitude of this little town.

Red River is a tiny town that does everything in a BIG way. The whole town comes out to celebrate every holiday they can think of, and when they're done with those, they create even more! A July 4th parade and annual Blues Festival? Ah ... that's typical. How about an annual biker's rally, a six day Mardi Gras celebration with over 50 events, and a snowman building competition? Or perhaps you'd like to try your luck fishing for a tagged trout worth $10,000 in the Fishing Derby, or enter the Chile Cook-Off? And that's only the beginning. Just about any time you visit Red River, you'll find the town happily preparing for or participating in one of their fun events.

An ongoing winter event in Red River is the Torchlight Parade, which is held most Saturdays at nightfall throughout the ski season. Locals and visitors alike gather at the base of the mountain to watch the ski patrol snake down the slopes, torches in hand. Fireworks punctuate the mountain dance, with "Oohs" and "Ahhs" as accompaniment.

In this video, you can watch as a small point of light on the mountain becomes a graceful snaking dance:

See the Red River Torchlight Parade Video

The crowd is so enthusiastic, you might need to turn the volume down!

Prior to the Torchlight Parade is the Saturday Night Rail Jam. Skiers and snowboarders show off the latest tricks and stunts. Everyone is invited to participate in this freestyle show, and this is something the kids will definitely want to check out. The fun begins Saturday evenings at approximately 5:30 p.m. at the bottom of the Platinum Chair at the Red River Ski Area.

And remember, in Red River, no matter the weather, there's always snow on the slopes!

Click here for more on events at the Red River Ski Area

The Snow Man Cometh

In the mountains north of Taos, NM, locals and visitors alike keep watch for snow. This has been an annual occupation for many years in Red River, where most locals ski, and skiers, boarders and bladers come for family vacations, weekend getaways and spring break. But this year, there's a new purpose in their keen observance ... it's the first ever (and annual) Cover Red River with Snowmen competition, sponsored by Resort Realty and Red River Vacation Rentals.

This is a winter-long event, and being the first, there may not be many snowmen wearing top hats ... perhaps resulting in more snowmen in 10 gallon hats and a greater population of “snow women” this year! In the future, locals will have time to lay in supplies. But Diane Smith, of Red River Vacation Rentals, has been providing visitors with a basket of the basics, including said top hat, carrots and charcoal, as well as “snow people” building instructions.

It's a La Niña year, meaning less snow and more beautiful sunny days. But we have recently been blessed with a big snow storm and a large population of "snow folk" may suddenly appear. As with other fun events in Red River, “Covering Red River in Snowmen” will probably become a much anticipated winter activity. And just think of what fun it will be to take a drive through Red River to go "snow folk" spotting!

Click here for more about Red River Vacation Rentals