The Pueblo Feast days were introduced by the Spanish colonization and represent the celebration of the Patron Saints of the Catholic religion.
Most Feast Days also coincide with the Traditional Pueblo religion, which allows the people of these communities to practice both the Catholic and Pueblo Religion.
Click image to enlarge.
A typical Feast Day is a day of eating, visiting with family, friends and enjoying the traditional dances that are allowed to public spectators. Feast days are an integral part of the Pueblo culture and are usually open to the Public.
Photos, video recording, and sketching are generally not allowed. In the rare instances when they are allowed, you must obtain a special permit in advance of the event, and a fee will likely be charged if permission is granted. The Pueblos are very serious about this rule.
Although the feast days are open to the public, one must be invited to a home to visit and/or share a feast day meal. Please use common courtesy etiquette and do not walk into a home uninvited. These are people’s personal homes, not an exhibit for you to enjoy.
After a dance is over, please do not applaud for these are not performances. The dances are part of a ceremony and it is an honor to see these dances. Please while watching the dances do not question community members as to what’s the significance of the dance.
You should observe quietly, and also make sure your children are respectful and not running around or talking loudly while a dance is in progress.
Asking people about their “costume” is particularly offensive. These are not costumes, such as people wear on Halloween or in the movies, but rather sacred ceremonial outfits. Many have been passed down through several generations, and should never be touched. It’s really in poor taste to even bring them up. The Pueblo people generously share their celebration with you, but they are not there to educate you.
Remember you are witnessing a sacred ceremony, therefore please exercise appropriate behavior, such as you would observe in your own church.
The tourism offices of each pueblo will provide you with their exact rules. Please observe them carefully. Many Pueblo ceremonies that used to be open to the public are now closed to outsiders due to rudeness and inconsiderate behavior by guests in the past.
Feast Days are usually held on the date given from year to year unless otherwise specified. It is always a good idea to double check by calling the Pueblo before traveling long distances to observe a celebration.
TELEPHONE NUMBERS FOR 19 PUEBLOS OF NEW MEXICO
Acoma (Sky City Cultural Center) – (888) 759-2489
Cochiti – (505) 465-2244
Isleta – (505) 869-3111
Jemez (Walatowa Visitor Center) – (575) 834-7235
Laguna – (505) 552-6654
Nambe – (505) 455-2036
Picuris – (575) 587-2419
Pojoaque (Visitors Center) – (505) 455-3460
San Felipe – (505) 867-3381
San Ildefonso (Visitor Center) – (505) 455-3549
Ohkay Owingeh/formerly known as Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan) Pueblo – (505) 852-4400
Sandia – (505) 867-3317
Santa Ana – (505) 867-3301
Santa Clara (Tourism Dept.) – (505) 753-7326
Santo Domingo – (505) 465-2214
Taos (Tourism Office) – (575) 758-1028
Tesuque – (505) 983-2667
Zia – (505) 867-3304
Zuni (Tourism Office) – (505) 782-7238
JANUARY
1st: Transfer of Canes to New Pueblo Tribal Officials
Various dances at most Pueblos; Taos Pueblo – Turtle Dance; Santo
Domingo Pueblo – Corn Dance; Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan) Pueblo – Cloud or Basket Dance.
6th: King’s Day Celebration – In honor of new Pueblo Tribal Officials
Picuris Pueblo – various dances
Nambe Pueblo – Buffalo, Deer & Antelope Dances
Sandia Pueblo – various dances
Taos Pueblo – Deer & Buffalo Dances
Santo Domingo Pueblo – various dances
Most Pueblos open to the public.
22nd: San Ildefonso Pueblo:
Vespers evening with firelight procession. 6pm – Contact the pueblo to confirm.
23rd: San Ildefonso Pueblo Annual Feast Day
Buffalo, Comanche & Deer Dances.
25th: St. Paul’s Feast Day:
Picuris Pueblo & Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan) Pueblo Annual Feast Day
FEBRUARY
1st or 2nd Weekend:
Governor’s Feast.
Old Acoma Pueblo – various dances
Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan) Pueblo – Deer Dances
2nd: Candelaria Day Celebration
San Felipe & Picuris Pueblos
MARCH
Dates Vary – Sometimes March-April: Taos Pueblo Closed. Check https://taospueblo.com/events
19th: St. Joseph’s Feast Day
Laguna Pueblo (Old Laguna) Harvest Dance & Various Dances.
APRIL
Easter Weekend:
Basket and Corn Dances at most Pueblos
Easter Sunday:
Nambe Pueblo – Bow & Arrow Dance after Mass
Zia Pueblo – various dances
San lldefonso (Easter Sunday) – various dances
Santo Domingo Pueblo – Corn Dance
MAY
1st: St. Philip Annual Feast Day
San Felipe Pueblo – Corn Dance.
3rd: Santa Cruz Feast Day
Taos Pueblo, Blessing of the Fields & Corn Dance and Traditional Foot Races.
First Sunday in May: Santa Maria Feast Day
Acoma Pueblo.
Memorial Day Weekend:
Annual Jemez Pueblo Red Rocks Arts & Crafts Show & Powwow.
JUNE
First Saturday of the Month: Blessing of the Fields at Tesuque Pueblo– Corn Dance
June 13th: San Antonio Annual Feast Day
Sandia Pueblo – Corn Dances.
Taos Pueblo – Corn Dances.
Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan) Pueblo – Corn Dances.
Santa Clara Pueblo – Comanche (Buffalo) Dance.
Picuris Pueblo – Children’s foot race.
June 16th – 17th: (Father’s Day weekend)
Picuris Pueblo – High Country Arts & Crafts Festival
June 23rd:
Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan) Pueblo/Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo – Vespers, Foot Race and Buffalo Dance.
24th: St. John Bautista Annual Feast Day
Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan) Pueblo/Ohkay Owingeh – Corn Dance, Buffalo Dance.
Taos Pueblo – Corn Dance.
29th: San Pedro Feast Day
Santa Ana Pueblo – Corn Dance
Santo Domingo – Corn Dance
JULY
4th: Celebration at the Waterfall (always call to confirm)
Nambe Pueblo. Call in advance to confirm – Mescalero Apache: Maiden’s Puberty Rites & Mountain Spirits Dance. (505) 455-2036
2nd Weekend of July. Call to Confirm: Taos Pueblo Annual Intertribal Pow-Wow (www.taospueblopowow.com) (575) 758-1028
14th: San Bonaventura Feast Day
Cochiti Pueblo – Corn Dance.
Usually held third weekend of July. Call to confirm: Annual Eight Northern Indian Pueblos Arts & Crafts Fair.
Okay Owingeh/Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan) Pueblo. (505) 852-4400
25th: Santiago Feast Day
Taos – Corn Dance.
26th: Santa Ana Annual Feast Day
Santa Ana Pueblo – Various dances.
Taos Pueblo – Various dances.
Laguna (Seama village) – Harvest & Various Dances.
Either July or August: Date to be determined each year: Zuni Pueblo Arts and Cultural Expo. Zuni, N.M. Call (505)782-7238 for dates.
AUGUST
Either July or August: Date to be determined each year: Zuni Pueblo Arts and Cultural Expo. Zuni, N.M. Call (505)782-7238 for dates.
2nd: San Persingula Feast Day – Annual Feast Day
Jemez (Walatowa) Pueblo
4th: Santo Domingo Annual Feast Day
Santo Domingo Pueblo – Corn Dances.
9th: San Lorenzo Mass and Sunset Dances
Picuris Pueblo
10th: Historical Anniversary Date – Pueblo Revolt of 1680 and San Lorenzo Annual Feast Day
Picuris Pueblo – Ceremonial foot race, pole climb & traditional dances.
Acoma Pueblo (Acomita Village) – Various Dances.
12th: Santa Clara Annual Feast Day
Santa Clara Pueblo – Buffalo, Harvest or Corn Dance.
15th: The Assumption of Our Blessed Mother’s Annual Feast Day
Zia Pueblo – Corn Dances.
Laguna Pueblo (Mesita Village) – harvest and various dances.
28th: San Augustine Annual Feast Day
Isleta Pueblo – Mass in the morning and a procession following Mass, dances in the afternoon.
SEPTEMBER
Labor Day Weekend
Santo Domingo Pueblo Annual Arts & Crafts Market.
2nd or 3rd weekend: Go-Jii-Yah Feast Day. At Stone Lake, Jicarilla Apache Reservation. For exact dates and event information: (575) 843-7270 or (575) 759-3242.
2nd: San Estevan Annual Feast Day
Acoma Pueblo Sky City – Harvest Dance. 1(888)Sky City. (888) 759-2489.
4th: San Augustine Feast Day
Isleta Pueblo – Harvest Dance. (505) 869-3111.
8th: Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Feast Day
Laguna Pueblo (Encinal) – Harvest and social dances. (505) 552-6654.
San Ildefonso Pueblo – Corn Dance. (505) 455-3549.
14th: Harvest Dance
Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo/also known as Ohkay Owingeh (San Juan) Pueblo. (505) 852-4400
19th: St. Joseph’s Annual Feast Day
Laguna Pueblo – Buffalo Eagle and Social Dances at Old Laguna. (505) 552-6654.
25th: St. Elizabeth Feast Day
Laguna Pueblo (Village of Paguate) – Harvest & Social Dances. For Info: (505) 552-6654.
29th: San Geronimo Eve
Taos Pueblo – Vespers & Sundown Dance. For Info: (575) 758-1028.
30th: San Geronimo Annual Feast Day
Taos Pueblo – Trade fair, ceremonial foot races and pole climb. For Info: (575) 758-1028.
OCTOBER
4th: St. Francis of Assisi Annual Feast Day
Nambe Pueblo: Buffalo & Deer dances.
Second weekend of October: Jemez Pueblo-Annual Open Air Market For information: (505) 834-7235.
17th: St. Margaret Mary’s Feast Day
Laguna Pueblo (Village of Paraje) – Harvest and Social Dances.
24th – 27th: Harvest Dance
Laguna Pueblo (Old Laguna)
NOVEMBER
12th: San Diego Annual Feast Day
Tesuque Pueblo – Various dances.
Jemez Pueblo – Various dances.
Thanksgiving Weekend Acoma Sky City Annual Indian Arts & Crafts Show and Auction.
Call ahead to confirm. 1(888)Sky City. (888) 759-2489.
Thanksgiving Day: Christmas Light Parade.
Zuni Pueblo – Call ahead to confirm. (505)782-7238
DECEMBER
Jemez Pueblo. For information: (505) 834-7235.
Dec 11th: Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe Feast Day
Pojoaque Pueblo – Night dances,Vespers and procession are usually held at 6 p.m. (505) 455-3460.
12th: Our Lady of Guadalupe Annual Feast Day
Tesuque Pueblo – Bow and Arrow, Comanche and Buffalo Dances. For information: (505) 983-2667.
Santa Clara Pueblo. – Dances. For information: (505) 753-7326.
Pojoaque Pueblo – Mass at 10 am, dances performed after Mass. (505) 455-3460.
Jemez Pueblo – Matachine Dances. (505) 834-7235.
24th: Christmas Eve Celebration
We advise you confirm if each pueblo is open to public for these events.
Ohkay Owingeh – Spanish Dance drama Los Matachines and Pine Torch Procession.
Taos Pueblo – Sundown Procession with bonfires. (575) 758-1028
Old Acoma Pueblo – is lit with Luminarias, beginning at the Scenic View Point and continues as far as the “Sky City”. (888) 759-2489
Laguna Pueblo – After 10 pm Mass & various dances. (505) 552-6654
San Felipe Pueblo – Dances after Midnight Mass. (505) 867-3381
Santa Ana Pueblo – Dances after Midnight Mass. (505) 867-3301
Tesuque Pueblo – Dances after Midnight Mass. (505) 983-2667
Nambe Pueblo – Buffalo Dances after Mass. (505) 455-2036
Picuris Pueblo – Sundown Torchlight Procession of the Virgin Vespers – Mass Procession followed by Matachines Dances. (575) 587-2419
25th: Christmas Day
Tesuque Pueblo – various dances; Taos Pueblo – Dances to be announced (Deer or Los Matachines).
San Ildefonso Pueblo – Christmas Celebration, Matachines Dances
Picuris Pueblo – Christmas Celebration, Matachines Dances.
Santo Domingo Pueblo – Special Dances TBA.
Ohkay Owingeh – various dances.
Zia Pueblo – various dances.
Cochiti Pueblo – Various Dances (usually during Xmas Day and the 3 days after. Call to confirm)
25th – 27th:
Laguna Village – 10am Mass followed by Harvest Dance.
Cochiti Pueblo – Various Dances (usually during Xmas Day and the 3 days after. Call to confirm)
26th:
Ohkay Owingeh – Turtle dance
26th – 28th:
Christmas dances at most pueblos – Contact each Pueblo Tribe directly for more information. Numbers are below.
Santo Domingo – Corn Dance.
Acoma Pueblo – Christmas Dances in the San Esteban Mission Church.
28th: Holy Innocents Day.
Picuris Pueblo – Children’s dances.