Carnival & Fair News

Running from September 4 through 14 at Albuquerque's Expo New Mexico, the 2025 New Mexico State Fair attracted strong attendance despite a stretch of rough weather. While official figures have not yet been released, last year's fair drew more than 520,000 visitors, and organizers estimate that this year's turnout was slightly higher.

At the gate, admission was $20 for adults and $15 for children and seniors, with free entry for kids under five. Online tickets offered a $5 discount across all categories. Opening Day featured special promotions: $2 admission, $2 rides, and $5 food items from participating vendors.

The carnival, operated by Reithoffer Shows, offered wristbands for $30 on weekdays and $40 on weekends. Individual ride tickets were $2 each, except on Wednesday, September 10, when they dropped to $1 with a $10 minimum purchase.

Reithoffer introduced two new rides this year. The first, Lightning, a 131-foot-tall attraction from Italy's Fabbri Group, was a million-dollar addition offering an intense windmill-style thrill ride for eight passengers at a time. “If you're an adrenaline fool, we have you covered,” said Dan Mourning, Expo New Mexico's general manager.



The second new attraction, The Joker, featured “four different rotations—the cars move, the floor moves, and each car spins,” explained carnival general manager Richard Reithoffer.

Other major rides included the Sling Shot, The Hulk, Wave Swinger, Ring of Fire, and Century Wheel. Younger guests enjoyed Kiddieland, which featured rides such as cars, helicopters, dragons, and motorcycles. Popular midway games included ring toss, water races, basketball, and balloon busts.

Fair Food and Competitions

Food was a highlight, as always. New offerings included a mac and cheese stand, Dubai chocolate treats, and fried bologna sandwiches. A New Mexico staple, green chile, was once again at the heart of the fair's culinary scene.

Green chile took center stage at the annual Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge, one of two major food competitions. The other, the Unique Foods Contest, featured creative dishes such as fried alligator with cheesy Boudin balls, Sweet and Spicy Spam Fries served in a Spam can, a Dubai Funnel Cake with pistachio cream, a Green Chile Sriracha Funnel Cake, a “Cinnaburger” with a beef patty between cinnamon rolls, and a Sausage S'more Skewer combining sausage, marshmallow, and chocolate drizzle. The winning entry was the Sweet and Spicy Spam Fries from B&B Concessions.

Nine restaurants competed in the Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge, a popular annual fair tradition. “New Mexico is world famous for our green chile cheeseburgers, and there's no better place than the State Fair to host the battle of the burgers,” said Mourning. This year's winner was Isleta Grill, which topped both the blind judging and the people's choice categories. Mourning called the event “the Super Bowl of Green Chile Cheeseburger contests in this state.”

Entertainment and Attractions

Beyond food and rides, the fair featured a full lineup of entertainment and cultural events. Highlights included a hot rod and custom car show, a Hispanic Heritage Celebration with Folklórico dancers and National Institute of Flamenco performances, and the New Mexico State Fair Powwow at Indian Village, featuring traditional drums and dances.



Music was also a major draw. Five-time Grammy winner Wynonna Judd opened the rodeo-concert series following the PRCA Xtreme Bulls Rodeo. Cypress Hill performed the next day, followed by country artist Clay Walker and Grupo Marca Registrada later in the week. Rodeo and concert tickets included fair admission.

The fair's second annual Gatsby-themed speakeasy offered both cocktails and mocktails. Other attractions included the Great American Duck Race, the Salsa Steel Drum Band, Stilt Circus performers, the Southwest Dairy Farmers milking demonstrations, the Sea Lion Splash show, and the Foam Zone play area.

Animal experiences were a family favorite, with the Great American Petting Zoo, Great American Pig Races, Lorikeet Encounter, Pony Rides, 4H livestock exhibits, and even a Giant Snake Experience. Visitors could also try their luck on Sir Loin, the fair's mechanical bull.

New Additions and Future Plans

New for 2025 were the Kids Bungy Jump, JUMP! The Ultimate Dog Show, Break-a-Boyz dance performances, Buckets N Boards percussion, and the Off Axis Stunt Show. Mechanical and tech-themed features included Megamorph the Transforming Car and robotic vehicles called Robocars.

Looking ahead, Expo New Mexico officials are already planning for 2026. “We're going to be here, bigger and better,” Mourning said.

At the same time, local community leaders in Southeast Albuquerque are discussing the fairgrounds' long-term future. A master plan, led by the Stantec company, is exploring several possibilities, including relocating the fairgrounds, modernizing existing facilities, or converting the property for public or mixed-use development.

The first of three community meetings revealed a range of opinions on the topic, but one point was clear: the New Mexico State Fair, wherever it is held, continues to bring people together and live up to its reputation as the Land of Enchantment at its finest.