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Salsa the Day Away in Alburquerque

If you love all things salsa, be sure to plan a trip to Old Town in Albuquerque this September! Featuring all sorts of entertainment and exotic tastes, it's the perfect time to plan a short weekend vacation with the kids. On the 24th, the 7th Annual Old Town Salsa Fiesta is going to heat things up with a homemade salsa competition, live band entertainment, and even a sexy salsa dance party later in the evening. Considering that most of the event is entirely free, who wouldn't want to pay a visit to Albuquerque? Lodging should be booked now for one of the last hot festival before winter sets in!

Author: Kimberly Tanya Smith
Date: Oct 6, 2011 - 8:38:41 AM

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Who doesn't love a good dance and a dip? Especially when it's a salsa festival! Be sure to mark yourcalandar for this September. On the 24th from 2-8pm there's a celebration of all things salsa going on in Old Town! The 7th Annual Old Town Salsa Fiesta, usually held in early-to-mid-August has been shifted to a later date to take better advantage of the cooler temperatures in Albuquerque. Hotel and lodging should be booked early for those travelling in to take advantage of the fun.

Held annually in Old Town, there's no better place to take a weekend trip with the kids for fun and family time. Founded in 1706 Old Town is the historic heart of Albuquerque and boasts a colorful history along with its iconic white towers. Over 300 years later Old Town is still the center for culture, architecture, shopping, art and cuisine in Albuquerque. Lodging is easy enough to find and there's no shortage of museums and shopping centers to visit when you swing by for the Salsa Fiesta.

Joining in on the merriment is easy! The festival is completely free unless you want to partake in the wine, food and homemade salsa. A flat $4 fee gives access to all the food and a chance to vote for the best homemade salsa in one of the main events.

Live entertainment this year features several performances at the gazebo. Starting at 12:30 PM Amauta from Ecuador takes the stage. At 2:00 PM Sanasucar starts and is followed at 3:00 PM by Quemoso. Rounding out the evening at 6:00 PM is Son Como Son with the finale starting at 8:00 PM by Jaleo. However music isn't the only event at the Salsa Fiesta.

The biggest attraction starts at 2:00 PM when entrants begin preparing their salsas for the Homemade Salsa Competition in the North Plaza. For the last 7 years this has been a favorite event in Old Town featuring some of the hottest and best tasting salsa around.At 3:30 PM the official tasting starts, where anyone participating to help judge for the "People's Choice" award can join in on the fun if they've paid the $4 fee. There are even a few wineries participating in the event such as St, Clair and Luna Rossa, as well as cooking expert Jane Butel who will not only be making salsa for the competition but talking to the public from 2:00 to 2:45PM.

There's fun for the whole family waiting at Old Town. Younger kids can enjoy the Children's Zone, a special area of the festivities that features facepainting, puppets and storytelling with Mrs. Patch, and even a live magic performance! Street Magic LIVE! Magician Robert Smith and the Fireflye will be lighting things up with fire spinning and magic tricks.

Adults can join in on the fun too with salsa dancing later in the evening where the Grammy winning Spanish Harlem Orchestra will be making a lively and energetic sound for dancers. There will even be a few of the local Old Town restaurants serving specials on the menu with accompanying New Mexico wines for a fun night on the town.

There's never been a better time to see the sights and sounds of Albuquerque! Hotel information and even a list of other local attractions for a fun holiday weekend can be found here.

View all articles by Kimberly Tanya Smith

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