Taosenos and Tourists Celebrate Art

The Taos Fall Arts Festival, Sept. 26—Oct. 5, revived the community and renewed the faith in Taos tourism. More than 2500 people arrived for opening night at several venues, running to and fro to get their “passports” stamped for the drawing. Sandwiched between the Harwood “Orale,” boosted by the turnout for the Kongos and the traditional San Geronimo Fiesta, the festival finished up with dramatic readings at the Mural Room in the Old County Courthouse on the last weekend. Both locals and visitors walked and talked round the community about traditional art and the historical culture as well as the new sound and light conceptual art placed at strategic points in the community, perhaps best symbolized by El Hombre Grande, the robotic figure that towered over the Kachina Lodge’s Frederic Remington sculpture of horse and cowboy. For a change I was happy to see long lines of cars jamming the roads and pedestrians walking the streets.

The Festival displayed an unusual new culture of cooperation and collaboration between local government, Town and County, and the Festival volunteers, especially co-chiefs, Deborah Rael-Buckley and Paul Figueroa, who, along with their trusty volunteers and members of the community, donated time and money to the cause. We must also thank fate or our karma, the fine weather and sudden surge of cars from out-of-town on the Paseo. The gods were with us (for a change). By publicizing several events in a brochure, promoting the “passport” idea, and paying attention to the principles of organization, the organizers gave the Festival and the Community every opportunity to succeed: a rarity in Taos. Hats off to everyone who helped.