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Holiday transformation: Sawmill Market morphs into a magical 'Winter Experience' with seasonal fun
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Albuquerque food hall Sawmill Market has been transformed into a 鈥淲inter Experience鈥� for visitors to enjoy the holiday spirit.
Heritage Restaurant Group, in partnership with New Mexico-based creative studio Marshall Monroe MAGIC, have created an indoor-outdoor experience for the first time. Immersive, twinkling lights deck the halls of Sawmill Market, creating a winter look.
鈥淩ight where you walk in, it鈥檚 kind of transporting you to Santa鈥檚 workshop,鈥� said James Jasler, president of Heritage Restaurant Group. 鈥淓very section you go to, it changes. We have full lights on the ceiling, candy cane snowflakes. It looks like it鈥檚 snowing in the market.鈥�
Holiday transformation: Sawmill Market morphs into a magical 'Winter Experience' with seasonal fun
Each storefront inside of Sawmill has a uniquely decorated booth to create a different experience at each corner of the market. The middle of the market features a mini drive-in. During the experience, Sawmill will have a variety of holiday-themed events and activities. Every Wednesday, guests can sit down and enjoy a snack while watching classic Christmas movies like 鈥淔rosty the Snowman鈥� or 鈥淎 Charlie Brown Christmas.鈥�
Outside, guests will see a 3D sleigh ride that transports visitors from the market to the winter woods before arriving at Santa鈥檚 workshop. On select days, guests can visit with Santa himself and snap a photo to commemorate the holidays.
After enjoying a winter ride, guests can enjoy specialty drinks themed around the holidays, like the Panic at the Bisco! beer from Bosque Brewing Company. The drink will feature classic New Mexican Christmas flavors like red chile and biscochito. Other seasonal cocktails include a prosecco cocktail with a small sherbet-flavored snowman in the center of each glass. Each visitor will also have the option of enjoying free hot chocolate.
During the event, decorated Christmas trees that benefit Carrie Tingley Hospital Foundation will be sold.
鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of a one-stop shop experience,鈥� Jasler said. 鈥淵ou can eat, drink and shop.鈥�
Guests can also try their hand at the daily Elf on the Shelf challenge. Each day, Miller the Elf will be placed somewhere within the market and it鈥檚 up to visitors to find and move him. Guests can enjoy a special holiday treat for finding Miller.
Throughout the duration of the experience, musical performances will happen inside the market.
鈥淲e reached out to APS (Albuquerque Public Schools) and Rio Rancho High School, really all schools, anybody that wanted to showcase their performances,鈥� Jasler said. 鈥淲e have everything from kindergarten kids all the way up to professional singing groups coming inside here.鈥�
Dance groups like the National Institute of Flamenco and Magnify Dance will have performances on select days.
鈥淲e really want to give back to the community in New Mexico,鈥� said Jasler. 鈥淲e use New Mexico contractors, New Mexico architects, and the Sawmill District is so historic, what we want to do is give back to the community. It鈥檚 not about charging people to come in, it鈥檚 just an experience. They come enjoy themselves for free.鈥�
