LOCAL

Monuments to Main Street events showcase Doña Ana County landscape

Cheryl Fallstead
Picacho Peak.

We’re precisely halfway through September, the month "Monuments to Main Street" (M2M) fills with exciting events like special hikes, aerial tours, festivals, and much more.

The coming week is no exception, with the Diez y Seis de Septiembre Fiesta taking place today on the Mesilla Plaza, La Gran Fiesta on the Las Cruces Plaza September 20 and 21, The Picacho Mountain Outdoor Festival October 21 and 22, plus an introductory bird hike, an aerial tour, and much more.

You can always see the full schedule and details online at www.monuments2mainstreet.com, but here’s an overview of your options this week:

• September 16, 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Diez y Seis de Septiembre Fiesta: This free, family-friendly event on the historic Mesilla Plaza commemorates Mexican Independence Day with food, music, games, dancing, and more.

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• September 17, World War II Bombardier Targets Plane Tour: This unique tour takes you back in time to get an up-close view of a World War II bombardier training mission site from over 70 years ago. You will fly over the Organ Mountains–Desert Peaks National Monument and see the giant bombing targets bladed into the desert, with each target consisting of four concentric rings, the outermost being 1000 feet in diameter. Flights start at $105 per person and reservations must be made in advance at www.swexpeditions.com or by calling 1-877-808-6877.

• September 18, 7:45 a.m., Beginner Bird Walk: Meet at Tellbrook Park, 4290 E. Winchester Road in the Las Alturas area, for a guided bird walk led by experienced birder and Mesilla Valley Audubon Society board member Wayne Treers. The walk will take 60 to 90 minutes and will take you over easy, level ground through a small city park and also out into desert scrub along an arroyo. Bring binoculars if you have them, water, hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen. These free walks take place the third Wednesday of each month, in case you miss this one — or want to go again!

• September 20 and 21, 5 p.m. until 11:59 p.m.: The Fourth Annual La Gran Fiesta, CARE’s signature cancer fundraiser, celebrates southern New Mexico’s traditions, people, food, and more. Enjoy live entertainment, delicious food from vendors, craft and art vendors, and children’s activities. Party and dance to local entertainers and headliners Bobby Pulido on Friday and Michael Salgado on Saturday at Plaza de Las Cruces, 100 N. Main Street. Tickets are $20 per person per day; children 10 and under are free. More information at www.carelascruces.org/la-gran-fiesta.

• September 21, 8 a.m. until noon: The Discovery Site of the Prehistoric Trackways National Monument guided hike will take visitors to the original major deposit of Paleozoic Era fossilized “trackways” — footprints of numerous amphibians, reptiles, insects, and plants — dating back 280 million years. Visitors will learn about the terrestrial world of the Early Permian Period, and the animals that roamed the tidal flats of the ancient oceans.

BLM monument paleontologists will discuss the importance of the site to the scientific study of early Permian period track sites and the associated animal behaviors and paleo-environments of the time, which predates dinosaurs. The hike is limited to eight people aged five and above and there is no charge. To sign up or for more information, contact the BLM Las Cruces District Office at 575-525-4300.

• September 21, Organ Mountains City-to-Sky Plane Tour: Experience the Organ Mountains as never before on this plane tour. Your aerial adventure goes from the Las Cruces Airport up the Rio Grande and alongside the rugged Robledo Mountains and Billy the Kid’s Outlaw Rock. It then heads toward the towering Organ Mountains while giving you a VIP view over Las Cruces. Flights start at $105 per person and reservations must be made in advance at www.swexpeditions.com or by calling 1-877-808-6877.

• September 21, 9 a.m. until noon, Slot Canyon Tour: This tour will take visitors on a short hike through a quiet canyon filled with desert willow and wildlife, to descend into a one-of-a-kind slot canyon within the Organ Mountain–Desert Peaks National Monument. Carved by water, it features high walls and dramatic views that provide tour attendees a surreal and rare experience within our Chihuahuan Desert. Limited to 12 participants aged five and above. E-mail grecia@nmwild.org to reserve your place.

One of the many activities offered by Monuments to Main Street in September is a tour of Slot Canyon. The month-long celebration begins Sept. 1, with a kickoff fiesta Sept. 8 at Klein Park. The complete schedule and events reservations are online at www.monuments2mainstreet.com.

• September 21, 9 a.m. until noon, Yoga in the Monument: A morning of relaxation and health at Dripping Springs Natural Area. Come restore your mind, body, and soul in the shadow of the Organ Mountains with a yoga session in one of southern New Mexico’s most tranquil environments. The yoga session is free, but there is a $5 per vehicle to enter and park at the Dripping Springs Visitors Center. (Repeated Saturday, September 28.)

September 21 and 22, Picacho Mountain Outdoor Festival: Saturday begins with a 5K fun run and walk on both pavement and trails. Outdoor vendors and local organizations will showcase their products and services, there will be outdoor product demonstrations, jeep tours to Box Canyon, and guided hiking tours to Picacho Peak. Enjoy a tasty Chile Relleno cook-off contest, music, and plenty of children’s activities. Sunday is Cowboy Country Day, offering stagecoach and horseback rides, a country band, Native American dancing and drumming, outdoor vendors, and the best steak dinner this side of the Pecos.

The festival is free, with fees for the run/walk and steak dinner, which must be pre-ordered online. Go to swexpeditions.com or backhandent.com for more information, and to sign up call 1-877-808-6877. The festival takes place at The Willows at Picacho Mountain Estate, 8149 Willow Bloom Circle. From Picacho Hills Dr., follow signs to the lower parking area. There will be shuttle services from the lower parking area to the festival.

September 22, 9 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., Picacho Peak Hike: Picacho Peak is a 4,959-foot high peak just northwest of Las Cruces. The recreation area has over 15 miles of mountain biking, hiking, and equestrian trails. The 1.5-mile hike to the peak provides spectacular views of the Mesilla Valley and the Organ Mountains. Although most of the recreational use occurs on the peak, there are also large canyons and mesa tops to explore. The hike is limited to 12 participants aged five and above. E-mail howiedash@aol.com for more information and to sign up.