What non-Balloon Fiesta events are happening this weekend?

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — This weekend, the Balloon Fiesta will be all the rage but there are some events taking place that you can pick and choose from.

Here’s a few of them:

Albuquerque Folk Festival – National Hispanic Cultural Center

This two-day festival kicks off Friday at 6 p.m. with three performances at the Journal Center. There will be a flamenco dance performance, then performances by Lone Piñon and Baracutanga.

Refreshments will be available for purchase and arts and crafts vendors will be there too. La Fonda Restaurant will be open until 8 p.m. Friday. Everything wraps up at 9 p.m.

Day two, Saturday, will feature over 100 events indoors and outdoors with five stages for music and dance workshops. There will also be 2-3 jam venues, a storytelling tent, a musical instrument “petting zoo” and more.

Gates open at 10 a.m. Saturday and close at 9 p.m.

For more information, including ticket prices and the full schedule, click here.

48th Annual Albuquerque Grecian Festival

The three-day festival kicked off Friday at the St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Albuquerque. It runs until 10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

The festival is a celebration of Greek culture with authentic Greek recipes and dancers in colorful costumes dancing to the music you know and love.

There will also be a marketplace with jewelry, gifts, food, and pastries. Plus, you can tour the church.

Admission is $5 but $2 for people over 62 years old. There is also free admission for active duty military, police fire, EMT personnel and veterans, as well as kids under the age of 11.

There is also a free park and ride at the southwest corner of Lomas and University. Vans come and go every 15 minutes. More details are here.

ABQ BioPark Botanic Garden’s Harvest Festival

This two-day event is happening on Saturday and Sunday. Starting at 9 a.m. each day, this event will celebrate the changing colors and crisp autumn breeze filling the air as the Fiesta fills the skies.

The event is family-friendly and will feature activities such as an artisan market, face painting and festival treats.

You can even purchase pints of cider made from apples grown at the Botanic Garden.

There will also be multiple stages with performers such as Baracutanga, High Desert Playboys, Calle 66 and others.

Tickets are $12 for adults, $6 for children 3-12 and for seniors over 65. Children under three are free. More information is available by clicking here.

Route 66 West Fest

The 17th edition of the event is taking place Saturday from 12-6 p.m. at the Route 66 Visitors Center.

The event is free and family-friendly, filled with live music from:

• Mickey Cruz – 1 p.m.
• Nathaniel Krantz – 2:30 p.m.
• Cuarenta y Cinco – 4 p.m.

There will also be a lowrider car show, an art show, food trucks and local vendors of crafts and services.

You can also fill out a community survey for a chance to win prizes and shape the future of the community.

BernCo Bark Party!

This Sunday, Bernalillo County Animal Care Services is hosting an adoption, vaccine and microchip party from 3-8 p.m.

At Rangewood Reclaimers Ranch, the “first-of-its-kind event” will feature food and drinks, live music, inflatable jumpers and obstacle course, face painting, photography and, of course, dogs available for adoption.

The clinic is a walk-up clinic, open to city and county residents.

Organizers say they want to give tourists something to do between the morning and evening events – and to give the locals a getaway from the city and the traffic the Fiesta brings.

If you don’t feel like driving, Bernalillo County is also a rideshare discount.

The code “BALLOON23” gets you two $10 discounts. It is only good for the first 1,500 rides and only from October 2 at 5 a.m. to October 15 at 3 a.m.