All Creatures Great & Small Petting Zoo
Don’t just look at them-touch’em, feel’em and feed’em too! All Creatures Great and Small is located right next to McDonald’s Farm. An honest to goodness hands-on educational experience for children and adults. Feed is available for purchase – have the animals eat right out of your hand.
Location: Behind Lujan C and the Red Barn, just south of McDonald’s Farm
Schedule: Daily 10am to 6pm
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Middle-earth Studios Presents the Unicorn Theater
Brand new to the New Mexico State Fair, Middle-earth Studios presents the Unicorn Theater and invites everyone to participate in the story of The Gypsy Princess. Come listen or become a costumed character in this interactive story-telling experience. There are no lines to learn as the participants, dressed as knights, gypsies, animals, or wicked spriggans, all begin to feel their parts and to enjoy them. Dads, moms and grandparents get a great chance to show their kids they haven’t forgotten how to be kids themselves. Each performance becomes an unpredictable and often hilarious group effort. Threads of the timeless spirit of mythology and the hero’s quest are woven into each fun-filled celebration of imagination.
Location: Box Car Lawn Area (in front of Box Car Stage, next to Fine Art Gallery)
Schedule: Daily at 10:30am, 12:30pm, 2:30pm & 4:30pm
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Children’s Carnival Rides
Kids’ rides galore can be found on the eastern most end of the Midway – from roller coasters to flying teacups and more!
Location: Midway
Schedule: Wednesday and Thursday opens at noon, Friday thru Sunday opens at 11am
(opening times may vary daily)
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FFA Animal Exhibit
Sponsored by local FFA chapters, the Red Barn hosts a miniature zoo of sorts each year, featuring a wide variety of both livestock and everyday household pets. From puppies and kittens to ducklings and miniature horses, you’ll find a little bit of everything represented under the Red Barn. There’s usually a sow and her sucklings, pygmy goats and all kinds of cute critters to keep the kids’ attention. There are also signs that warn little fingers to keep out. They ain’t kiddin’.
Location: Red Barn
Schedule: Daily 10am to 6pm
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Wizard’s Challenge
Wizard’s Challenge is a popular family attraction which consists of dozens of highly interactive and entertaining exhibits and activities. Kids and adults will enjoy exploring the amazing world of science through dozens of interactive, fun, and visually captivating displays and activities, brought to you by the folks at Wild Science. Learning occurs through hands-on interaction with the various exhibits, rather than through signage and information. Don’t miss these incredible opportunities for educational fun and excitement!
Location: Box Car Lawn Area (in front of Box Car Stage, next to Fine Art Gallery)
Schedule: Daily 10am to 6pm
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McDonald’s Farm
Like “The Farmer in the Dell,” “Mary Had a Little Lamb” and “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” all come to life in one magical little place, McDonald’s Farm is a special area of the Fairgrounds where city kids can experience life on a real working farm. Graciously sponsored each year by McDonald’s, the Farm allows children to experience gathering eggs from a chicken coop, picking fruits and vegetables from a garden, and the joys of an edible flower garden, tractors for climbing on and toys for playing with, and much more. McDonald’s Farm is an interactive exhibit that promotes education, culture, science and agriculture.
Schedule: Daily 10am to 6pm
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Pee-Wee Stampede
The Pee-Wee Stampede is a “mock rodeo” for little city slickers ages 3 to 6 years old complete with live music, stick horses, cowboy hats, chaps, stick bulls, rodeo numbers, trophies and ribbons. With an emphasis on good character, everyone is a champion at the Pee-Wee Stampede. Each child receives a prize while learning the importance of good sportsmanship, as well as characteristics such as sharing and waiting their turn, following directions, paying attention and developing good listening skills.
Location: Box Car Lawn Area (in front of Box Car Stage, next to Fine Art Gallery)
Schedule: Daily at 11:30am, 1:30pm & 3:30pm
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School Arts Building
Take a break from the crowds and spend some meditative time in the School Arts and Flower Buildings. More than 4,000 pieces of art adorn the walls of the School Arts Building, each one created by a New Mexico’s elementary, middle and high school students. Next door, in the Flower Building, a veritable oasis of pungent and dazzling floral design awaits. You might not think of floriculture as much of an art form – it’s just a bunch of buds in a vase, right? Wrong! – until you check out what these folks can make with some of the most beautiful, or beautifully strange, flowers known to humankind.
Location: Behind Native American Indian Arts Gallery on Heritage Avenue
Schedule: Daily 10am to 9pm
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Southwest Dairy Farmers Milking Parlor
A trained instructor from the Southwest Dairy Farmers will demonstrate how to milk a live cow before your very eyes and give you the play-by-play on how milk gets from the dairy farm to the consumer. Students will learn the characteristics and anatomy of dairy cows, the role of dairy foods in a healthy, nutritionally balanced diet, the modern milking process, and modern environmental and food safety practices.
Location: Dairy Barn & Red Barn
Schedule: Wednesday thru Friday 8:30am to 1pm @ Dairy Barn & Red Barn; Saturday & Sunday 10am to 6pm @ Red Barn ONLY
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Tucker’s Pony Rides
Kids can get a taste of horseback riding on one of these gentle ponies. A perennial favorite among kids’ activities at the Fair, a pony ride makes the perfect photo opportunity.
