Hi , I wanted to share an experience that I had this year at the “Lavender in the Village” (The original Lavender festival.) It was held in the village of Los Ranchos in the North Valley in Albuquerque, NM. (A place where I live & grew up.) I went with my son, his wife and my two grandsons. The very first thing that I felt that took me back to my childhood days was the rustling of the cotton wood leaves in the large cotton wood trees as well as the dryness of the air. It was very warm out that day  and there were a lot of folks hiding from the sun with umbrellas and I brought one as well.  We walked along a large irrigation ditch (Which reminded me of when I was growing up.) to get to where the festival was held.

As we walked into the area we see art tents set up. They were selling a lot of things made from lavender, such as soaps lotions, herbs & such. People were lined up at the booths. We went around looking at the different booths & what they were selling. (My grandsons seem to be liking all the festivity.) We found a food booth & ordered some food & sat under a shade tree to eat. My daughter in law got the boys some ice cream. Which I think they liked most of all.

We met some travelers that were on their way back home to Indiana. They were there by chance because they saw an ad that there was going to be a festival & stopped to see it. The one main attraction for me is that they had arts & crafts in a building & we went to see what they were selling. The first thing that I saw when we entered the building was a friend and fellow artist; Fran Ryan. Fran was there selling her painting & cards. Fran’s medium is water color & she is most known for her church paintings. The “Lavender Fair“had many artists in attendance who were selling different kinds of art such as paintings, sculptures and jewelerly. In fact Gertrude Zachary was there and I’m a big fan of their custom, New Mexico jewelry.  My daughter-in -law bought me a card of a clothes line with clothes hanging from it. from another artist named Diana Monte.

After a few hours of a fun filled afternoon, it was time to go home and it was a very pleasant day out with family.

If you are looking for a nice day out with your family to visit a fun festival that supports the arts, I highly recommend Lavender in the Village (The Original Lavender Festival)

About Lavender in the Village (The Original Lavender Festival)

The Mission of the Lavender in the Village of Los Ranchos de Albuquerque is to preserve and enhance Los Ranchos public open space, stimulate an interest in sustainable agriculture, with an emphasis on educating the public, including such matters as historic agriculture, lavender and its uses, and fostering community spirit. The Lavender Festival is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization

“The land belongs to the future.”  Willa Cather

Lavender is a flower that can be successfully grown when choosing the right variety.

Festival Overview

After a 2 year hiatus, in 2016 The Lavender in the Village celebrates its 10^th annual festival. As one of the premiere agri-nature events in the state this fun festival draws thousands of attendees. The event focuses on agriculture, community and family and has received national recognition for its impact on cultural preservation, agri-toursim and community building.

2016 Festival Events and Activities