Placitas Ranch Fest Pops Up June 21 at Elk Ridge Ranch
Placitas, NM – Something wild is happening in the high desert this summer. The first-ever Placitas Ranch Fest, a vibrant outdoor market celebrating local art, music, food, and community, will be held on Saturday, June 21, 2025, from 11 AM to 4 PM at Elk Ridge Ranch, 772 NM-165 in Placitas. INTERESTED? PLEASE RESERVE YOUR FREE TICKET
Hosted on a working elk ranch and sponsored by Clear Light Cedar, the festival offers a unique blend of rustic charm and modern creativity. Guests can shop from an array of local artisans, indulge in New Mexico cuisine from food trucks, enjoy live music, and catch cooking demonstrations—all while taking in breathtaking views of the Sandias and the chance to see real elk up close.
“We wanted to create a one-of-a-kind community experience that feels authentically New Mexican,” says event organizer Keith Allen West, who is also known for his work on stage, screen, and… with a certain pig. Yes, the event’s official mascot, Priscilla, Pig of the Desert, will be making a special guest appearance.
The event is free to attend with ample on-site parking, making it an accessible and family-friendly way to spend a summer Saturday.
Event Details:
Placitas Ranch Fest
Saturday, June 21, 2025
11 AM – 4 PM
Elk Ridge Ranch
772 NM-165, Placitas, NM 87043
Free Admission & Parking
Follow @elkridgeranchnm, @clearlightcedar, and @keithallenwest for updates and sneak peeks.
History of the Village
Lying at the foot of Sandia Peak between pueblos to its north and south, the historic Village of Placitas has maintained its unique character through many decades.
Even before its original twenty-one founding families received their land grant from the Spanish crown in 1767, native peoples had inhabited this land.
Sandia Cave and the surrounding area contain historic remains from nearly every settlement period of the past ten thousand years. The ruins of San Jose de las Huertas -- the original “las Placitas,” a mile north of today’s Village -- is now an Archaeological Conservancy site and is considered to be the last undisturbed Hispanic colonial site in New Mexico to be well preserved.
Lying at the foot of Sandia Peak between pueblos to its north and south, the historic Village of Placitas has maintained its unique character through many decades. Even before its original twenty-one founding families received their land grant from the Spanish crown in 1767, native peoples had inhabited this land. Sandia Cave and the surrounding area contain historic remains from nearly every settlement period of the past ten thousand years. The ruins of San Jose de las Huertas -- the original “las Placitas,” a mile north of today’s Village -- is now an Archaeological Conservancy site and is considered to be the last undisturbed Hispanic colonial site in New Mexico to be well preserved.
Along the sleepy lanes of the Village can be found decades of southwest history in the true adobe houses, the San Antonio de Padua Mission, the Las Placitas Presbyterian Church and the ditches of the Las Acequias de Placitas which snake across the hillsides. Many of today’s villagers, descendants of the grantees, carry on the traditions of their ancestors while adjusting to today’s new influences.