Fiesta de Santa Fe: Santa Fe’s Oldest Celebration

Every September, the center of Santa Fe changes gears for Fiesta de Santa Fe, with music, food, markets, religious observances, parades and generations of local tradition converging around the Plaza. Dating to 1712, Fiesta is one of the oldest community celebrations in the country—and while some of its history is complicated, it remains an important part of understanding Santa Fe and the communities that have shaped it.

A Brief History of Fiesta de Santa Fe

The origins of Fiesta go back to the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, when Pueblo peoples drove Spanish colonists out of New Mexico. Twelve years later, Don Diego de Vargas led the Spanish return to Santa Fe. The initial reoccupation in 1692 occurred without battle, although armed conflict followed when de Vargas returned with settlers in 1693.

De Vargas attributed the success of the return to the intercession of a small wooden statue of the Virgin Mary known as La Conquistadora, now called Nuestra Señora de la Paz, or Our Lady of Peace. In 1712, Santa Fe’s government formally established an annual celebration that included Mass, vespers, a sermon and a procession. Those religious roots remain part of Fiesta more than three centuries later.

Today, Fiesta is both a religious observance and a much broader community celebration. Its history—particularly the traditional characterization of de Vargas and the Spanish return—has also been reconsidered and debated as Santa Fe has worked to better acknowledge the perspectives and experiences of Pueblo people.

Fiesta de Santa Fe 2026

The 314th Fiesta de Santa Fe runs September 5–13, 2026, with the main Fiesta weekend centered on the Santa Fe Plaza from September 11–13.

Some of the major events on the 2026 calendar include:

• Fiesta Fine Arts & Crafts Market — September 5–7: Artists and craftspeople fill the Santa Fe Plaza over Labor Day weekend.
• Mariachi Extravaganza — September 5: An evening of mariachi at the Santa Fe Opera.
• Concierto de Mariachi — September 9: A matinee performance at the Lensic Performing Arts Center.
• Baile de Oro — September 10: A traditional Fiesta dance at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center.
• Misa de Pregón — September 11: The 6 a.m. Mass at Rosario Chapel formally opens Fiesta. The mayor’s proclamation incorporates language from the original 1712 declaration.
• Official Opening of Fiesta — September 11: City, county and state officials mark the opening at noon on the Plaza.
• Fiesta Weekend — September 11–13: Food booths, arts and crafts vendors, live music and other events take over the Plaza.
• Desfile de Los Niños — September 12: Better known as the Pet Parade, this longtime Fiesta tradition brings children, families, pets and plenty of elaborate costumes through downtown Santa Fe.

And although the Burning of Zozobra is closely associated with Fiesta season, it has its own history and traditions. This year’s burning takes place September 4 at Fort Marcy Park, kicking off the stretch of celebrations leading into Fiesta. Read our history of Zozobra here.

What to Expect During Fiesta Weekend

The Santa Fe Plaza is the center of activity, and it gets busy. Streets surrounding the Plaza may be closed or difficult to navigate, parking downtown is limited, and walking is often the easiest way to get around once you’re in the area.

During the weekend, expect food booths serving New Mexican favorites, arts and crafts vendors, music and dancing on the Plaza, religious and cultural events, and plenty of Santa Fe families who have been participating in Fiesta traditions for generations.

For visitors, it’s a chance to experience something that isn’t staged simply as a tourist attraction. For people who live here, Fiesta is part celebration, part tradition, part history—and, like Santa Fe itself, considerably more layered than it might first appear.