Expo New Mexico officials gear up for 2023 State Fair

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – With the New Mexico State Fair starting in less than a month, Expo New Mexico officials are gearing up for opening day. But a big part of getting ready is making sure the fairgrounds are safe for everyone who heads out to the fair. 

“Oh man we are pumped. Things are moving in, we are getting ready, this is fair time,” Expo NM General Manager Dan Mourning said. 

The next few weeks will be very busy for Expo New Mexico workers as they clean up and set up the buildings for opening day Sept. 7. 

“This is the time to do stuff with your family, this is the fair, it’s that time you gotta get here,” Mourning said. 

But for some families, getting there is a concern. 

Over the weekend, Albuquerque police arrested multiple people near San Pedro and Central for public drug use. Then, on the other corner of Expo New Mexico, police shot and killed a suspect and injured two bystanders after a stabbing near Louisiana and Lomas back in June. 

In both instances, Mourning says he’s glad police got there when they did. 

“I hate to say that we are getting used to that because we are not getting used to that, and it’s something we don’t want to see. But we are also glad to see that action is being taken, and that element it gets the help they need to get,” Mourning said. 

Mourning says because the fair grounds are state property, they work closely with state police to patrol the area during the fair.

A spokesperson from state police says there will be more than 50 officers available during the fair, saying in part: 

“State police officers will have foot patrols in all areas of the fair ensuring those in attendance have a great time. Officers will patrol the parking lots protecting vehicles and deterring auto theft. And officers will be posted at the cross walks on San Pedro making sure citizens are able to cross the street safely.”

“It is easy to get here, people are doing it every weekend. So we want to make sure that that perception is not the reality. It is safe to get here, it is safe to cross the city streets, and it’s safe to come to the state fair,” Mourning said. 

Mourning says there will also be metal detectors at all state fair entrances.

Albuquerque police and Bernalillo County deputies are in charge of situations happening around the fairgrounds.