Communities from across Taos County will come together for “Cultural Treasures, a Celebration of Place” on Thursday, October 8, 2026, from 3 to 7 p.m. at Taos County Plaza and the Historic County Courthouse. The public is invited to an afternoon honoring the people, places, traditions, and stories that make Taos County special.

Inside the renovated courthouse, each participating community will host a room sharing its history and culture through displays, recorded histories, art, literary works, food bites, and shared traditions. The gathering will also introduce the Cultural Treasures Project’s public, interactive cultural asset map.

Outside on the Plaza, music and dance will include Tios Mios, featuring violin and traditional dance instruction; Los Comanches de la Serna; local dance and drumming group, 1680; and dancers from Picuris. Other highlights include poet Olivia Romo, weaving demonstrations, adobe making, information about the Trampas Land Grant, a model of Tio Vivo, and a car show featuring the T.A.C.O. Car Club.

Guests can enjoy free traditional food, including horno-roasted corn from Futuros Ancestral and the Hacienda de los Martinez, green chile stew and homemade tortillas prepared by the Taos High School Culinary Program, and food bites at community exhibits, while supplies last.

Young visitors can join the fun with a special Cultural Treasures Passport, collecting stamps as they explore the community exhibits and opportunities to win prizes. 

“Spending these past 2+ years working alongside people throughout Taos County—listening to their stories and learning what they value, what they want to protect, and what they hope to carry forward—has been such a gift,” said Contessa Trujillo, Cultural Treasures Project manager. “I’m constantly reminded of the depth of knowledge, pride, connection, care, and cultural wealth that resides within our communities and this incredible Place. This celebration is about gathering our communities, honoring what makes each distinct, and creating space to spend time with one another to share and celebrate our stories and traditions. My hope is that we leave having meaningfully connected with our neighbors, and with an even deeper appreciation for all that makes Taos County home.”

Led by Taos County Economic Development and a local advisory group, the Cultural Treasures Project gathers community input to identify and honor the places, traditions, stories, and people that make the county unique. That input is helping build a shared understanding of what residents value and want to protect as the county grows and changes.

“The input residents have shared will help inform future policy, planning and development decisions, keeping what matters most to our communities at the heart of that process,” said Jessica Stern, Taos County Economic Development Director and Cultural Treasures Project Director. “We’re excited to unveil the interactive map and show how those community voices are coming together. The stories and also the concerns that community members have shared directly impact economic development work, as well as the Unified Development Code process at the County. Their contributions will help us better understand and protect the things we hold dear.”

Residents are encouraged to bring family and friends, explore the community rooms, and spend the afternoon connecting with neighbors from throughout the county.

Schedule of Events*
Thursday, October 8, 2026 • 3–7 p.m.
Taos County Plaza and Historic County Courthouse
*Schedule subject to change

3pm: Tios Mios, Plaza Gazebo Stage.

3:15pm: Welcome from the Board of County Commissioners & Remarks from Congresswoman Teresa Leger Fernández.

3:25pm: Acknowledgement of Indebtedness, and blessings with La Fraternidad Piadosa de Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno, Plaza Gazebo Stage.

3:35pm: Tios Mios, Plaza Gazebo Stage.

5:00pm: 1680 Singers, Plaza Gazebo Stage. 

5:30pm: La Fraternidad Piadosa de Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno, Mural Room Stage.

5:45pm: Poet Olivia Romo, Mural Room Stage.

6:15pm: Los Comanches de la Serna, Plaza Gazebo Stage.

Throughout the afternoon in the Historic Courthouse:
Explore the community expo and Cultural Treasures Passport activities on the first and second floors of the renovated Historic County Courthouse. Enjoy green chile stew tortillas and prickly pear juice from the Taos High School Culinary Arts Program, interactive Cultural Treasures Project map displays, weaving demonstrations by Futuro Ancestral Emerging Weavers, and a Tio Vivo model. Food is available while supplies last.

Throughout the afternoon on the Plaza:
Enjoy the T.A.C.O. Car Show, an adobe-making demonstration from CASA (Community Alliance for Sustainable Adobe), and horno-roasted corn from Futuro Ancestral and Hacienda de los Martinez.

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