Garden Music

Garden Music | 6 to 8:30 pm | ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden 

This summer, something new is growing at the Botanic Garden. The concerts you love are getting a vibrant upgrade with more music, more education, and more ways to play! Introducing a reimagined Garden Music experience: each event blooms with its own unique theme, spotlighting different gardens throughout the park. Stroll, explore, and enjoy specialty food, hands-on discovery stations, and the sounds of incredible local artists. It’s more than a concert: it’s a full evening of fun, learning, and unforgettable moments for the entire family.

2026 Garden Music Schedule!

Thursday, May 28 – Levi Platero – Featuring Lebanon and Beyond

Thursday, June 11 – Nosotros – Featuring New Mexican Urban Wildlife

Thursday, June 25 – JD Nash and the Rash of Cash - Featuring Heritage Farm

Thursday, July 16 – Joseph General & High Vibration – Featuring Aquarium

Thursday, July 30 – Al Hurricane Jr. - Featuring Route 66 Centennial

Perfect Evenings for a Picnic

Pack your blanket, grab your favorite people, and get ready for a night that’s anything but ordinary. Picture live music filling the air, up-close plant, animal, and insect encounters, and conversations about conservation, all while you kick back on the grass with a delicious picnic.

Your Picnic Menu

Bring your own feast, whether homemade or carried-out from a favorite local restaurant, or savor a variety of delicious options available throughout the Botanic Garden. Stop by the Shark Reef Café for crowd-pleasing favorites like green chile cheeseburgers, crispy fish and chips, or a classic chicken sandwich. Plus, each evening features a rotating specialty menu inspired by the night’s theme, adding a unique flavor to every visit.

Variety of Beer, Wine, and Cocktail Options

For the grown-ups, sip, relax, and groove. Each evening features plenty of bar options, plus a must-try Spirited Fruit Cocktail Bar with a choice of watermelon, strawberries, grapes, or pineapple muddled and topped with a spirit for the ultimate refreshing treat.

Lebanon and Beyond Lounge - An Adults-Only Experience - $15 Upgrade

Step into a more refined way to experience Garden Music with the Lebanon and Beyond Lounge – an adults-only escape designed for comfort, style, and zero interruptions.

Upgrade your evening with access to the stunning Lebanon and Beyond garden, where you’ll enjoy a complimentary specialty cocktail and elevated, hassle-free service from the moment you arrive. Skip the lines and the crowds and order directly from the full Shark Reef Café menu and have your dinner delivered right to your seat so you never miss a beat of the performance.

Bringing family along? No problem. Your Lounge access allows you to come and go throughout the night, giving you a private retreat with quick access to specialty snacks and drinks whenever you want them.

This is the VIP concert experience you’ve been waiting for at the Botanic Garden – relaxed, exclusive, and effortlessly enjoyable. Upgrade your night. Reserve your spot now.

Tickets are limited and this upgrade is selling fast.
Please note: Garden Music admission must be purchased separately. Seating is not guaranteed, so bring your favorite concert gear and settle in your way. Lounge upgrade only available in advance and will not be available at the gate.

The Gardens

Make the most of your evening as the entire Botanic will be open for you to wonder, explore, and visit your favorite plants and animals all the way until 8 pm.

Park & Ride

Skip the traffic and ride with ease! Take advantage of the free Park & Ride, courtesy of Airport Parking. Simply park at the Zoo and enjoy a quick, relaxing shuttle over to the Botanic Garden. Shuttles run continuously from 5:30 pm to 9:15 pm, so getting there (and back) is a breeze.

The ABQ BioPark Zoo is located at 903 10^th Street SW, Albuquerque, NM 87102.

Strollers, lawn chairs, and coolers are allowed on the shuttles.

Get Tickets! Beat the line and purchase in advance.

Gates open at 6 pm. Performance starts at 7 pm. 

Ticket Prices:

• Adult: $15
• Senior (65+): $7.50
• Youth (3-12): $7.50
• Child 2 & Under: Free

NMBPS members 50% off with valid ID. 

Bands & Featured Gardens

Thursday, May 28 – Levi Platero - Featuring Lebanon and Beyond

Join the ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden for a soulful summer evening of blues under the open sky, featuring local favorite Levi Platero. Blending the grit of Texas blues with the edge of vintage rock, Levi brings an electrifying sound you won’t want to miss. Catch him live on the Festival Green Stage at 7 pm. as he kicks off the concert series in style.

Step into this evening’s featured garden, Lebanon and Beyond.  This immersive space blends the beauty of the Mediterranean and the American Southwest, bringing Lebanese and New Mexican landscapes together for a truly unique experience. Best of all, it will be open for guests of all ages to explore and enjoy!

Explore discovery stations and tap into creativity with a colorful paper mosaic craft. Learn how plants have adapted to Mediterranean ecosystems.

While enjoying the music, savor the specialty menu for the evening with Mediterranean-inspired specialties like chicken or beef shawarma, a crisp cucumber salad, or marinated chicken skewers.

For more information on Levi Platero visit: leviplatero.com

Thursday, June 11 – Nosotros - Featuring New Mexican Urban Wildlife

This Garden Music hosts a night dedicated to all things New Mexico with a performance by Nosotros.  Taking the Festival Green stage at 7 pm, this 10-piece powerhouse blends Latin rhythms with elements of rock, salsa, jazz, and cumbia to create a sound that’s both innovative and unforgettable.

Visit discovery stations focused on wildlife from Albuquerque’s bosque including porcupines, coyotes, and beavers. Albuquerque lies within the Chihuahuan Desert—one of the most biodiverse arid regions in the world. Get batty about bats as you learn about one of the most unique animals that call New Mexico home.

Come hungry, tonight’s featured dish is a hearty carne adovada plate, served with beans, Spanish rice, and calabacitas, all topped with your choice of red or green chile. A true New Mexican classic you won’t want to miss!

Lebanon and Beyond Lounge featured cocktail of the evening will be a Sangria with grilled pineapple, strawberries, and lemonade. This cocktail (or mocktail) is included with the Lounge upgrade.

For more information on Nosotros visit: Nosotros • Latin Band • Albuquerque, Santa Fe, NM

Thursday, June 25 – JD Nash and the Rash of Cash - Featuring Heritage Farm

Get ready for a high-energy night at the Botanic Garden as JD Nash and the Rash of Cash take over the Festival Green Stage at 7 pm filling the garden with a blend of alternative country, rock, and Americana.

All eyes are on the Heritage Farm for this evening. Guests can stroll through the area and admire a vineyard, apple orchard, crop gardens, and perennial beds. Meet the animals that call the farm home including Highland cattle, miniature donkeys, Nigerian dwarf goats, chickens, sheep, turkeys, and more. Don’t miss engaging animal demonstrations and friendly farmer chats to learn fun facts about your favorite furry (and feathered) friends!

Tonight’s specialty comfort food lineup includes chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes, gravy, and a buttermilk biscuit, or a hearty bowl of chicken and dumplings with cornbread.

Lebanon and Beyond Lounge Featured cocktail of the evening will be a Champagne Margarita. This cocktail (or mocktail) is included with the Lounge upgrade.

For more information on JD Nash and the Rash of Cash visit: JD Nash and the Rash of Cash

Thursday, July 16 – Joseph General & High Vibration - Featuring the Aquarium

Garden Music turns up the tropical vibes tonight with reggae beats from Joseph General & High Vibration! Keep the fun flowing by exploring the Aquarium, open for a little extra splash of adventure.

Enjoy an evening of reggae and worldbeat with Joseph General & High Vibration as this talented six-piece band brings over a decade of music-making to the Festival Green Stage at 7 pm. Their uplifting sound, filled with messages of love and positivity, promises a feel-good experience for music lovers of all ages.

Cool off inside the Aquarium and explore exhibits featuring sharks and rays. Discovery stations will help you learn more about shark jaws, fins, skin, and other adaptations. Participate in hands-on activities exploring buoyancy efficiency.

On the menu: Caribbean-inspired plates featuring your choice of jerk chicken, pork, or oxtail, served with fried plantains, rice and peas, and flatbread.

Lebanon and Beyond Lounge Featured cocktail of the evening will be a Peach Melba Raspberry Rosé Bellini Cocktail. This cocktail (or mocktail) is included with the Lounge upgrade.

For more information on Joseph General and High Vibration visit: Joseph General & High Vibration

Thursday, July 30 – Al Hurricane Jr. - Featuring Centennial of Route 66

Celebrate the spirit of Albuquerque’s iconic 18-mile stretch of the Mother Road with a grand finale to this summer’s concert series! Albuquerque’s own Al Hurricane Jr. will light up the Festival Green Stage, bringing his legendary energy and getting everyone on their feet to dance in true Route 66 style.

The unmistakable sound of ranchera will fill the summer air as Al Hurricane Jr. takes the stage, delivering his signature blend of Latin, Western, rock, and jazz. Catch the music and let the celebration begin at 7 pm.

Curious about arthropods? This evening is your chance to dive into the fascinating world of butterflies and insects, from dragonflies and damselflies to beetles and moths. Explore, discover, and get up close with these incredible creatures!

Red, green, or Christmas? That’s the question of the night! Indulge in Route 66 favorites like green chile cheeseburgers with homemade chips, Navajo tacos, or red or green enchilada plates served with beans and rice.

Lebanon and Beyond Lounge Featured cocktail of the evening will be a Strawberry Thyme Lillet Spritzer.  This cocktail (or mocktail) is included with the Lounge upgrade.

For more information on Al Hurricane Jr. visit: alhurricanejr.com

Garden Music Venue Information

Prohibited Items: glass containers, weapons of any kind, alcohol, pop up tents, canopies, flower bouquets, flower petals, balloons, sports equipment, and piñatas are not allowed. Pets are not allowed at the ABQ BioPark; only qualified service animals may enter.

Opened in 1996, the Botanic Garden has grown to 32 acres of exhibits, and showcases plants from the American Southwest and around the world. Botanic Garden Visitor's Map

Smoking and vaping are prohibited on all City property.

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