❤️ What's Happening this week in Las Cruces July 31, 2026

Local Events on Tuesday & Friday @ 6 am
Live Music on Thursday @ 1 pm

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So just when you think the weather will start cooling off here comes the chiles making it HOT again. Here is a little bit of interesting history….

Chile has been growing along the Rio Grande in the Mesilla Valley for more than 400 years—Spanish colonists brought the first seeds north in 1598.

But the chile we wait all year to roast was basically invented right here in Las Cruces. In the early 1900s, NMSU’s Dr. Fabián García developed New Mexico No. 9, the standardized variety that became the foundation for almost every Hatch-style chile grown today.

So when those roasting drums start firing up this September, you’re tasting four centuries of tradition and more than a hundred years of local science in every bag.

New Mexico’s Tax-Free Weekend begins at midnight Friday, July 31, 2026 and will end at midnight Sunday, Aug. 2, 2026 giving locals a short window to grab qualifying clothing, school supplies, and computers without paying gross receipts tax at participating retailers.

If you’re back-to-school shopping in Las Cruces, this is the weekend to skip the procrastination and let the state pick up the tax tab on the essentials. More Info

Note: tomorrow there is a public input meeting at the Farmer’s Market (in front of Rio Grande Theatre) — August 1, 9–11 a.m.

Las Cruces isn’t waiting around for the future — we’re writing it, together. The City is updating its 2021–2026 Strategic Plan, and this is your chance to nudge things in the direction you actually want to live in: safer streets, better parks, smarter growth, more soul, less sprawl.

Jump in, make some noise, and add your voice to the mix via the official Strategic Plan Update page: City of Las Cruces Strategic Plan Update.

⛽ Gas Prices in Las Cruces

Check our Online Events Calendar for even more events

Music lovers here is the latest Live Music issue. Updated

Join us for the next Dinner Club on August 19th at 5:30 pm.

Multi-Use Hiking/Biking Trails and BLM Trail & Difficulty Map

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Brace yourself for a whirlwind of fun and flavor.

Friday Night: Join us for a high-energy evening with the Matthew Palmer Duo playing a mix of gritty, country, rock and alternative blues. Palmers acoustic sets blend powerful storytelling with heavy guitar work.

Saturday: Prepare yourself for an unforgettable musical journey with Jack Hansen, who will charm you with his laid-back acoustic favorites and soulful set. Following Jack, stick around for a dynamic performance by beloved favorite, the West Texas Band, guaranteed to energize the crowd every time! Where your boots!

Sunday:  Lush Life, will captivate the crowd with her extraordinary talent and soulful sounds, a genre sure to set the perfect vibe for your Sunday.

Music Line Up:

U-Pick Grapes and Pizza Family Fun starts Saturday August 1st from 8 am till noon, every Saturday and Wednesday except August 08th.

Rio Grande Winery
Website: RioGrandeWinery.com
Phone: 575-201-3744
Follow us: Facebook and Instagram

Note: Always check to confirm event details with venue before attending events for changes or weather cancellations.

👉 Got an event coming up? Add it to our Events Calendar

Blazer Ball Golf Tournament & Silent Auction | NMSU Golf Course | 9 am | Tickets

FIT4MOM Summer Send-Off Stroller Strides | Sagecrest Park | 9 - 10 am

Popsicles & Parachute Play | FIT4MOM | 10 - 10:30 am

Grandparents and Grandkids Movie Afternoon | Munson Center | 3:30 pm

Walk-in Painting | Wet Paint Art Studio | 5 - 8 pm | All Ages | More Info

Serial Killer Speakeasy | Rio Grande Theatre | 8 pm | Tickets | Multiple show times

DEAD OR ALIVE Female High School Flag Football Tournament | East Mesa Public Safety Complex | 7 am, Sat & Sun

U-Pick Grapes and Pizza Family Fun | Rio Grande Winery | 8 am - Noon | Multiple dates, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Die-Pressed Pendant or Ring Class | Meta’l Jewelry Studio | 9 am- 12 pm | Fun and beginner-friendly jewelry-making workshop. | Morning and Afternoon class available.

Animal Feedings: Turtles | City of Las Cruces | 11 - 11:30 am

Mark Britten in Store Signing | Zia Comics | 12 pm

Sashiko Patchwork Workshop | Assembly Craft Studio | 1 - 3 pm | A traditional Japanese embroidery technique used for stitching, patching, and mending textiles with both purpose and style.

Fashion Fur Hearts 2026 | ASCMV | Grapevine Plaza | 4 - 7 pm | A fundraising fashion show at Grapevine Plaza where local models strut the runway with adoptable shelter dogs, plus bites, brews, local vendor booths, a silent auction, and on-site adoptions to support ASCMV vet bills

Plant Club | Truth or Consequences Brewing Co. | 5 - 7 pm

Sunset Market | SEVEN four SEVEN | 5 - 8:30 pm | Family-friendly mini festival with local vendors, games, live music vibes, and free basic youth haircuts for ages 5–17.

Puzzle Mania Speed Challenge | Rio Grande Winery | 6 pm

Cafe Con Chisme | Casa De Mi Alma | 5 - 6 pm | A space created for women to slow down, reconnect, and be surrounded by genuine community.

Trivia | T or C Brewing | 6 pm

PFLAG Monthly Community Check in | PFLAG Las Cruces | 7 - 8 pm

Tuesday Morning Campus Runs | Pat and Lou Sisbarro Community Park At NMSU | 6:30 am

A Regional Economic Update by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas | Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance | 11:30 am - 1 pm | Registration deadline: July 31st

Scout Night on the Plaza Las Cruces | 100 N Main St, Las Cruces, NM 88001, United States | 6 pm 

👉 There’s so much more….Be sure to check our Events Calendar and Live Music events and weekly recurring events like the farmers & crafts markets.

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Cruces Car Show Fiesta | Sisbarro GMC/575 Cars | August 22nd | 9 am - 1 pm

The Hatch Chile Festival is on September 5th & 6th 🌶

Public Lands Palooza | BLM | September 12th, 9 am - 12 pm | BLM celebrating their 80th anniversary and America’s 250th.

Mudd Volleyball Tournament | Blue Moon Bar & Grill | September 19th | Register now | Benefit for Big Brother/Big Sister of New Mexico.

Doña Ana Mountain Bike Race 2026 | FYZICAL | October 30th | Registration Opens August 01st.

Come From Away | LCCT | August 7th-23rd

Mr Burns | Blank Conversations Theatre Company | Rio Grande Theatre | August 21st-30th

✅ Las Cruces Community Theatre (LCCT) currently has a 20% discount on season tickets. More Info

See our events calendar for Artist & Gallery Shows

*Artists and Galleries add your shows to our calendar! We love sharing the Arts!

City of Las Cruces Senior Recreation Program Calendar.

Also check our online events calendar for more.

"New to Las Cruces or craving real connections?

Our Dinner Club is the perfect mix: personality-matched tables, amazing food, and genuine conversations that turn strangers into fast friends.

Newcomers feel at home immediately. Locals leave loving this community even more.

Wednesday, August 19th • 5:30 pm

Forget fancy chefs — the real stars of Men Who Cook are your neighbors, doctors, and local business owners, all trading their day jobs for aprons for one night in the name of a seriously good cause.

Mesilla Valley Hospice's biggest fundraiser of the year takes over the Las Cruces Convention Center (680 E University Ave) on Saturday, August 15, 6–10 pm, and it's shaping up to be one of the most fun nights out in town: generous tastings from local "kitchen heroes," live entertainment, a packed silent auction, and a superhero theme running through the whole evening.

Here's what makes it more than just a good time — every dollar raised helps Mesilla Valley Hospice care for families at the end of life, whether they can afford it or not. That's the kind of "feel-good" that actually means something.

They're still rounding out this year's lineup of cooks and sponsors, so if you've got a signature dish or a business that likes showing up for the community:

Want to cook? Call Staci Mays at 575-642-8338 or email [email protected]
Want to sponsor? Call Tamara Blaeser at 575-649-0898 or email [email protected]

However you show up — apron on or checkbook out — you're helping our neighbors get cared for when it matters most. Now that's a Saturday night worth clearing your calendar for.

More Info

* We put the spotlight on local businesses because we are committed to celebrating the innovation, dedication, and community impact of the entrepreneurs who strengthen our local economy. Submit your suggestions.

Real talk: 10,000+ locals open this newsletter for exactly one reason — to figure out where to spend their money in Las Cruces. Restaurants, dentists, Home Services, you name it. More than half of them open every single issue (most email lists would kill for a third of that).

I keep ad space deliberately scarce — just a few slots per issue, one business per category — so the folks who get in actually get noticed. A couple of those slots just opened up.

If you've been lighting money on fire with Facebook ads, consider this your sign.

Thanks for reading! Please share with a friend 🙂

Stay cool, the summer is almost over and temps should be lower soon! Just ignore the 108 degrees today 🤣