The 2026 ¡mira! Las Cruces festival brings culture, cuisine, creativity and community together for a free, family-friendly celebration in downtown Las Cruces. This year debuts a Friday night kickoff on April 24 and crowd-favorite expanded features like Lucha Libre matches and a drone show on April 25.
Join the community Friday, April 24 from 6-9:30 p.m. for live performances from Rebel Creek Radio and Cautivo Norteño. Spectators are welcome to grab a taste of the festivities on the Plaza de Las Cruces with free entertainment, on-site food trucks as well as complimentary aguas frescas from Matteo’s and bread rolls from Texas Roadhouse. Please note complimentary goods will be available while supplies last.
Friday night sets the tone, but Saturday is when the full festival experience comes to life. The free spring festival returns bigger and better from 2-9:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 25. Attendees can expect live entertainment throughout the day, local craft vendors, Main Street food trucks, a car show on the north and south ends of Main Street, an artist alley, kids section and a preview of the New Mexico Juneteenth Jazz Arts Festival at the Rio Grande Theatre. This year will also feature an interactive “America 250” mural to celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial.
“We are so excited to invite everyone to come out to the 2026 ¡mira! Las Cruces Fest,” Las Cruces Mayor Eric Enriquez said. “This event is much more than music and lights. It brings together our community and welcomes thousands of visitors to experience our vibrant culture, history and traditions.”
Headlining the event on Saturday is western singer and songwriter, Annie Bosko, a modern country artist with a sound that reflects her “California Cowgirl” roots. Prior to her 8 p.m. performance, the 575 Band and Dzaki Sukarno will take the stage. To prepare for the lineup, audiences can throw on their boots and join Sol Ballroom for country line dance lessons.
“Country music is a huge piece of our culture in Las Cruces and southern New Mexico. The genre speaks to our values rooted in agriculture and community,” Executive Director Rochelle Miller- Hernandez said. “We want that represented in our lineup for this year’s ¡mira!, and we think Annie Bosko has a great way of sharing it.”
Be advised, the City of Las Cruces will be shutting down the Plaza de Las Cruces staring Thursday, April 23 on Main Street from Griggs Avenue to Las Cruces Avenue and Griggs Avenue from Main Street to Church Street starting Friday, April 24 at 12 p.m. Main Street from the north roundabout to Bowman Avenue, as well as Las Cruces and Griggs avenues will shut down at 11:59 p.m. On Saturday, April 25, Church Street will close from Las Cruces Avenue to Bowman Avenue from 8:30-9p.m. to allow for the drone show. All streets will reopen Saturday, April 25 at 11:59 p.m.
The Las Cruces Farmer’s and Crafts Market will move to Sunday, April 26; however, many vendors will attend ¡mira! Las Cruces as part of the arts and crafts vendors.
Free parking will be available in the downtown area for the event. Attendees should expect the closure of a few parking lots to allow for the drone show setup and launch.
Folding and camping chairs are permitted during the event as seating is limited. Well-behaved pets are welcome to attend so long as they remain leashed.
For more event details, a full schedule of events and updates, click here.