Harvest Festival

Saturday, October 4 & Sunday, October 5, 2025 | 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.| Botanic Garden! 

It’s that time of year again when the air is crisp, the leaves are changing, and sunsets are golden. There’s no better way to celebrate the season than with festivities at the Botanic Garden and Aquarium. Explore the beautiful landscapes, listen to live music from over 20 local bands, shop from local artisans, take part in free kid’s activities like face painting, autumn arts & crafts and discovery stations. Try tasty fall treats like apple cider made from apples that can be found on the BioPark’s very own Heritage Farm. There’s something for everyone!

Harvest Festival Tickets 

Purchase your tickets today! 

Ticket Prices:

• Adult: $13
• Senior (65+): $6.50
• Youth (3-12): $6.50 
• Child 2 & Under: Free
• NMBPS members 50% off with valid ID.

Festival Features 

Fall Fun and Kids' Activities

Face painters will be getting you ready for a fall photo-shoot! There are plenty of places to take your fall photos as the gardeners have been hard at work with their gorgeous seasonal arrangements displayed throughout the Garden. Leave the backdrops of your photo-ops to them! 

Get a bird's-eye view of the festivities with a 25' climbing wall presented by The City of Albuquerque Parks & Recreation Department! 

Eats & Treats 

Reward yourself with eats and treats available at the Shark Reef Café and throughout the Garden. A menu full of season specialties will be available at the stands throughout the ABQ BioPark. Come hungry!

Show Room 

Visit the Show Room on your way into the Botanic Garden for a selection of grab and go sweet and savory treats including Fry Bread Tacos, Burritos, Sopapillas, and Aguas Frescas. 

Conservatory 

Build your own cake and fruit cup at specialty carts near the conservatory! 

Festival Green

Shop from local vendors, listen to live music, and enjoy some handheld bites including Turkey Legs, Elote Cups, Gourmet Pretzels, and Shaved Ice. 

Heritage Farm 

Stroll the Heritage Farm to visit the animals before finding a food stand to grab a delicious plate of Loaded Tots, Corn on the Cob, Turkey Legs, Funnel Fries, Churros, BBQ Sandwich, or Fresh Squeezed Lemonade. 

Local Artisans 

Shop local at the Harvest Festival from local makers and their handcrafted products! Albuquerque flair will be available for your shopping and souvenir needs from artisans including Blossom & Barrel, Wethington Holistic Arts, WiseWorks, Squidly Designs, Dee Devine Boutique, Inca Arts, Dawson Designs, Stephaknots, Santa Fe Honey Salon, Flora & Foliage, Bee Nice Beauty, Scattered Light Stitchery, Bean Street Studio, Mobius Theory, J&D Foods DBA Bar X Brand Beef Jerky, and Pottery by Alisha.  

Discovery Stations 

Kids of all ages will be able to learn at Discovery Stations. These educational posts throughout the Garden are exciting activities that plant seeds of curiosity. 

Botanic Garden

Chile Discovery Station- Dedicated to all things chile! Guests can learn the natural and agricultural history of this New Mexico staple.

Wools Discovery Station- Learn about the fibers that come from different animals. Look through an assortment of animal hair to learn how humans throughout time have used them to craft clothes and home goods.

Heritage Farm

Heritage Farm Pizza- Visit the Heritage Farm to stroll through the produce and see how all your favorite pizza toppings and ingredients are grown!

Animal Barn and Habitat Guides- Don't just visit the animals at the Farm, learn more about them! Volunteers will be stationed at the habitats to teach event guests about the day to day lives and needs of each of the ABQ BioPark's animal residents. 

• 10 am – 12:30 pm -Horse Time in the Pasture
  Spend some time with the horses Bugz and Bishop as they stretch, play, and enjoy the crisp autumn air.
• 12:30 pm - Cows & Pumpkins
  See the cows explore their pasture and enjoy seasonal treats like pumpkins and fresh cut elm browse.
• 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm - Donkey Stroll
  Watch the donkeys as they make their way to the shared pasture for their midday outing.
• 12:30 pm - Small Animal Enrichment
  Spend some time watching the goats, chickens, turkeys, and sheep as they enjoy their special midday enrichment.

Nature Guides working in Learning Center- Shell exploration, buoyancy activities, and crafts! Visit the Aquarium for fun and games that will teach you a little more about life under the sea. 

Apple Pressing Demonstration- Watch apples turn into fresh cider in a traditional, hands-on demonstration located at the Heritage Farm Cider Barn from 10:30 am to 12 pm each day.

Lebanon and Beyond Celebration

Mosaic Craft- Create your own mosaic tile utilizing methods used in traditional Middle Eastern tiles. 

Mediterranean Plants Discovery Station-Plants from around the world have to adapt to their ecosystems to survive. Stop by to learn how different species have evolved to thrive in a Mediterranean environment.

Mediterranean Herbs- Love Mediterranean food? Visit the Lebanon and Beyond Garden to learn how various herbs have shaped the region's cuisine and medicine. 

Entertainment Schedule 

While strolling through the Botanic Garden, Aquarium, and Farm, guests can enjoy the sounds of local bands at seven locations as they provide a soundtrack to the Harvest Festival experience. 

Saturday, October 4 

Festival Green

• 9:30 a.m. – Felix y Los Gatos
• 11:30 a.m. – JD Nash & The Rash of Cash
• 1:30 p.m. – Keeping Up with the Joneses
• 3:30 p.m. – The Kickback Counselors

Sunday, October 5 

Festival Green 

• 9:30 a.m. – The Squash Blossom Boys
• 11:30 a.m. – The Larry Hamilton Band
• 1:30 p.m. – Cheap Shots
• 3:30 p.m. – Eileen & the In-Betweens

Enjoy performances by other local groups including the North Valley Tune Tanglers, Watermelon Mountain Jug Band, Acoustic Gap, Whereabouts, and Lady Fingers and a Thing'r Too.

Full entertainment lineup coming soon!

Guests are welcome to bring chairs, coolers, and picnics. Glass containers, alcohol, sports equipment, tents, weapons of any kind, and canopies are prohibited. Pets are not allowed at the ABQ BioPark. This is a rain or shine event. 

The City of Albuquerque is the sole provider of tickets for events at City venues. We do not support resale ticket sites or accept tickets issued by third parties

Photo permits are not for sale during special events including the Harvest Festival.

Thank you to our sponsors! 

Let's Get Social!