Cultural Services Department

Highlights of Current Events and Programs for March

 

March 20 and 22: The 2010 “Milk the Moment” Milk Mustache Mobile Tour is coming to the Albuquerque BioPark's Zoo and Aquarium to host free, interactive events to help educate families about the nutritional value of milk and provide fun, free activities for every member of your family. Take an opportunity to pose for a souvenir Milk Mustache at the parking lot of the Rio Grande Zoo on Saturday, March 20, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and at the parking lot for the Albuquerque Aquarium Monday, March 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

March 20: The New Mexico Quilters will quilt at the Botanic Garden’s Heritage Farm from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Quilters will answer questions about this classic art form. The demonstration is included with admission to the garden.

March 20 – 28: Opera Southwest will present Carmen, one of the most beloved operas of all time, at the KiMo Theatre. Come savor the story about the Spanish gypsy and the escapades of her outlaw comrades. Tickets to the opera, which will be sung in French with English supertitles presented, start at $20. Call the KiMo Box Office at 505-768-3544 for more information.

March 27: The super-talented Canadian quintet Enter The Haggis creates music that is a blend of rock, bluegrass, folk, Latin, and traditional Celtic genres. Dubbed a rare musical jewel, Enter The Haggis performs with a passion that keeps audiences intrigued and asking for more. The group will perform at the South Broadway Cultural Center at 8 p.m. Adult tickets are $5.50. Children are $3. Call 505-848-1320 for tickets.

Spring Break at the BioPark: "Unplug Your Children"

This Spring Break, “unplug” your children by enrolling them in one or more of the BioPark’s Spring Break day-camps.  Camps take place March 16-19 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and are for ages 9-11. 

Each day includes an array of hands-on activities, special tours and games, all designed to teach children about the natural world in a fun and engaging way.  Girl Scouts who attend the camps can earn a different badge each day. The camps cost $15 per day or $50 for all four camps. Classes will take place rain or shine, so make sure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather, brings a sack lunch and water bottle and arrives by 9:45 a.m.

Registration for classes fills up quickly. Call (505) 848-7180 to register.

Attractions, Facilities and Program Listings:

The Albuquerque BioPark consists of the Rio Grande Zoo, the Albuquerque Aquarium, the Rio Grande Botanic Garden and Tingley Beach.

The Rio Grande Zoo (505-764-6200, 903 Tenth St., SW), is open 9 am-5 pm daily except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. The Zoo is open 9 am-6 pm Saturdays and Sundays, June through August. The Zoo is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the state and has been recognized as a world-class institution. Ever-expanding, the Zoo's newest exhibition, Animals of Africa, is now complete and open. A large bandshell attracts top-notch regional and regional performers for outdoor, evening Zoo Music concerts during the summer.

The Albuquerque Aquarium is one of four attractions of the BioPark. The Aquarium features the diverse marine habitats of the Rio Grande, Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean, along with a walk-through moray eel display, sting rays, jellyfish, a coral reef tank and a 285,000-gallon shark tank. Daily activities include shark feeding and a touchpool. Located at 2601 Central Avenue, SW, near Old Town, the Aquarium's hours of operation are 9 am-5 pm. For more information, call 505-764-6200, and ask for the Aquarium. 

The Rio Grande Botanic Garden is one of four attractions of the BioPark. Situated along the Rio Grande's cottonwood bosque, or forest, the Botanic Garden's state-of-the-art glass conservatory showcases a Desert and a Mediterranean Pavilion. The recently-opened four-acre Sasebo Japanese Garden, the working Heritage Farm, Old World fountains, a Children's Fantasy Garden and a seasonal Butterfly Pavilion are also featured. The Botanic Garden is located at 2601 Central Avenue, SW, near Old Town. The Botanic Garden is open from 9 am-5 pm. For more information, call 505-764-6200, and ask for the Botanic Garden.

Tingley Beach is one of four attractions of the BioPark. This reacreational area, built during the 1930’s, then renovated and reopened in 2005, features fishing ponds for adults and children, a model boating pond, paddle boats, nature trails, a gift shop, a restaurant, and a narrow-gauge railroad connecting Tingley Beach to the Rio Grande Botanic Garden, Albuquerque Aquarium and Rio Grande Zoo.  Tingley Beach is open from sunrise to sunset 365 days a year and is free to the public on a first come, first served basis.  For more information, call 505-764-6200, and ask for Tingley Beach.

The Albuquerque Museum of Art and History (505-243-7255) preserves and displays both artistic and historic items of Albuquerque and New Mexico culture. In addition to showcasing local and touring exhibitions, the Museum also protects local historic sites and provides facilities and materials for interpretive educational programs. Located in the Museum District in Old Town at Mountain and 19th Street NW, the Albuquerque Museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 am-5 pm.

The Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Library System (505-768-5140) provides Internet access, reading and research materials, Genealogy services, story times and other activities through sixteen branches and the Main Library downtown at Fifth and Copper NW. Check our Website for branch locations, online services and a complete schedule of each branch's hours and programs.

The Anderson-Abruzzo Albuquerque International Balloon Museum (505-768-6020) is an educational institution of engaging exhibitions and informative programs on the history, art, culture, science and sport of ballooning and other lighter-than-air craft. Throughout the year the museum offers hands-on art and science workshops, as well as lectures, family engagement, musical performances and other entertainment.  Located in a prize-winning architectural showcase at Balloon Fiesta Park (9201 Balloon Museum Drive, NE), the museum is home to a large collection of gas and hot-air ballooning artifacts and exhibits that showcase the multi-faceted world of lighter-than-air craft.

The Special Events Section (505-768-3556) produces music festivals, cultural events, parades and more. Albuquerque Summerfest, the annual Twinkle Light Parade, Albuquerque Concert Band performances and the Freedom 4th Celebration are just some of its featured events. The Special Events Section also oversees the rental of the outdoor Harry E. Kinney Civic Plaza facility in downtown Albuquerque. Those wishing to have an event, within the City of Albuquerque, should contact the Special Events Section to begin the "Special Event Permit Process," which is required for most events.

With Old Town • New Fun, you're invited to be part of Albuquerque's newest old tradition -- Albuquerque's Old Town . Discover shopping, dining, dancing, and entertainment smothered in the romance, charm and culture of historic New Mexico.  Salsa music and dancing at the Gazebo, Flamenco dance performances, poetry, theatrical performers and strolling Mariachis are featured Wednesdays through Sundays from April through October.

The KiMo Theatre (505-768-3522) located downtown at 423 Central Ave. NW, has been Albuquerque's gem of Pueblo Deco architecture since it opened as a movie house in 1927. It was purchased by the City in 1977 and has undergone a series of restorations and renovations to bring back its Grandeur of the Picture Palace Era . The theatre hosts an array of local and national stage productions and other events. The KiMo Theatre lobby also houses a large collection of historic murals by Carl Von Hassler and a rotating display of works by local and regional artists. The KiMo Theatre can be rented for special occasions and activities.

The South Broadway Cultural Center (505-848-1320, 1025 Broadway SE) is a multi-use facility that was completed in 1995. This modern building houses a 315-seat theater, 3,000 square feet of recreation and art gallery space, along with a full library branch. The theater presents both local and national stage productions. Ticket prices and starting times vary.

GOV-TV 16 (505-768-3958) is the government television facility for the City of Albuquerque and Bernalillo County . The channel, operated by the Cultural Services Department, provides live and replayed gavel-to-gavel coverage of City Council, County Commission and other municipal government meetings along with a variety of informational programs on local issues, events and activities. GOV-TV can be seen on Comcast cable in the Albuquerque area. Live streaming video and audio of the channel's programming is available on the Internet 24 hours a day.

The ¡explora! Science Center and Children's Museum of Albuquerque (505-224-8300) is a cooperative of the City and the Museum. ¡explora! provides hands-on, minds-on scientific discoveries for kids and adults at 1701 Mountain Road NW in Albuquerque's Cultural Corridor.

 

Q Card photo:

The Sandias, Albuquerque's Icon © 2007 G. F. Hohnstreiter www.gfhphotography.com