Northern New Mexico residents will have multiple opportunities to experience hot air balloon magic this weekend as Buffalo Thunder Resort & Casino hosts its inaugural Light Up the Links Balloon Glow on Wednesday and Thursday, October 1-2. The event serves as a more accessible alternative to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, which runs October 4-12 and stands as the world's largest ballooning event.

Alex Bailey, Buffalo Thunder's Player Development Manager, and Senior Casino Host Alicia Gonzalez developed this ballooning spectacle during a collaborative brainstorming session. Their vision became reality through a partnership with pilot Nicholas Abrams of Santa Fe Balloons, who will provide the hot-air balloons that will illuminate the night sky using their burners. The featured attraction is a massive 135-foot-tall, 800-pound Zozobra special-shape balloon, originally designed for a collaborative project between balloonist Bryce Risley and the Kiwanis Club of Santa Fe to commemorate Zozobra's 100th anniversary last year.

Visitors aged four and older can experience tethered balloon rides for $20 per person, while the Santa Fe Children's Museum will bring its Van of Enchantment mobile museum for hands-on activities. Food trucks will provide dining options, and the Santa Fe Brewing Company will offer craft beverages. Musical entertainment includes R&B band J.J. and the Hooligans on Wednesday, followed by Jimmy Stadler's country-rock band on Thursday. Gates open at 5 p.m., with the balloon glow beginning at sunset and continuing until 8 p.m. Admission and parking are free, though reserved parking costs $20.

The art scene is heating up with multimedia artist Cory Feder's first solo exhibition at smoke the moon gallery. "Bluebird of Happiness" features works that blend Western and Eastern artistic traditions, including her painting "Untitled Angel," which depicts a figure in a contemplative pose within an otherworldly landscape. The Taos-based artist, originally from Colorado, incorporates Japsangs—sacred animal figures traditionally placed on Korean building roofs to ward off evil spirits—as a tribute to her Korean heritage. The exhibition runs concurrently with "Somewhere Here," showcasing paintings by Los Angeles artist Hye-Shin Chun, marking her gallery debut as well.

Downtown Santa Fe's Cathedral Park will transform into an artisan marketplace this weekend as the Northern New Mexico Fine Arts and Crafts Guild celebrates its 25th anniversary. The organization, which conducts four juried arts and crafts shows annually, traces its roots back to December 1965 when Rev. Ruth Johnson, Rev. Jay Victor Scherer, and Tomasita Naranjo incorporated the Temple of Mercy Religious Foundation. Originally focused on spiritual expression through individual belief systems, the group evolved into its current arts-focused mission in 1999, officially becoming the guild in 2000. Visitors can browse and purchase works from guild members, including pieces like Robert Wing's impressive rocker crafted from walnut and Brazilian cherry.

Music enthusiasts have a rare treat in store with three-time Grammy nominee Tim Hagans performing two distinctly different shows this weekend at Paradiso. Friday night will feature the acclaimed trumpeter and composer backed by Albuquerque drummer Joe Chellman, alongside Santa Fe fixtures saxophonist Alex Murzyn, pianist Bob Fox, and bassist Gordy Johnson. The second performance promises a more avant-garde experience, with Hagans supported by jazz/funk collective Present Moment, featuring oud player and guitarist Mustafa Stefan Dill, drummer Dave Wayne, multi-instrumentalist Jim Goetsch, and bassist substitute Wally Ausserer filling in for Kim Stone.

The third and final IndigenousWays Festival of the summer brings a diverse celebration to Santa Fe Railyard Park on Saturday. The lineup showcases Indigenous talent including singer-songwriter Jacob Shije from Santa Clara Pueblo, beatboxer Ashley "Saywut?!" Moyer, poet and musician Oriana Lee, and hoop dance performer Shandien "Sonwai" LaRance with the Lightning Boy Foundation. Comedy will be provided by Diné performers Ernie Tsosie and Montana Miller, while music comes from Madi Sato and DJ Sato, plus Indigenous dance artist Jade Whaanga from Aotearoa. The festival celebrates Indigenous, LGBTQAI2S, deaf and hard of hearing communities, and all attendees.

For those willing to venture beyond Santa Fe, Albuquerque hosts the seventh annual New Mexico Prickly Pear Festival at the Gutierrez Hubbell House. This unique event offers a safe way to enjoy the desert delicacy without the usual hazards of gloves, tongs, and courage typically required for wild harvesting. Festival activities include vendor markets, paint parties, block printing and natural dye workshops, fruit-pickling sessions, and cocktail preparation lessons. Educational programming targets farmers, ranchers, and gardeners, featuring Institute for Applied Ecology ecologist Clay Meredith, sustainable landscape designer Judith Phillips, and ABQ Backyard Refuge Program director Laural Ladwig discussing native plant incorporation.