Las Cruces New Mexico Wine Festival

Las Cruces Memorial Day weekend means Viva Vino is back at the Southern New Mexico State Fairgrounds for the Las Cruces New Mexico Wine Festival. You spend the afternoon moving booth to booth tasting and buying New Mexico wine, then taking breaks with food trucks, artisan vendors, lawn games, and whatever shade you can claim near the music stage. Hours are typically 12 pm to 6 pm across Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, with last call often around 5 30 pm, so plan for a true daytime format with a clear finish.

The rhythm is simple and it works: taste, snack, reset, then catch a set without feeling locked to one spot. Recent schedules have featured 575 Band and NMSU on Saturday, Frank Zona and UnLyshed on Sunday, then Heart on Fire and the Chris Baker Band on Monday. On the wine side, you can expect a strong showing from New Mexico staples such as La Viña Winery, D H Lescombes Winery and Bistro Las Cruces, Noisy Water Winery, and Rio Grande Vineyards and Winery, plus additional producers that round out the tasting list.

If you want to turn the festival into a longer escape, use your mornings for water and views, then roll into the fairgrounds for the midday program. We like a quiet start on the Rio Grande trails in the Mesilla Valley, then an early evening drive for Organ Mountains light after the last set. For a lake-forward weekend, pair your festival day with Elephant Butte Lake or Caballo Lake for shoreline walks, marina time, and an easy day trip into Las Cruces.

For the smoothest start, aim to arrive around 11 30 am to 12 30 pm for easier parking and shorter lines. Bring sunscreen, a hat, and a refillable water bottle, and wear closed toe shoes since the grounds can be dusty and grassy. Late May afternoons often run hot with bright sun and occasional wind, so keep a light layer in the car if you plan to chase cooler viewpoints after the festival.