New Mexico Prickly Pear Festival expands to two-day event
Move over green chile, the seventh annual New Mexico Prickly Pear Festival is coming to town.
鈥淲hile green chile is an amazing New Mexico staple, we鈥檇 love for people to know other plants around that can also be seen as the symbol of New Mexico,鈥� Will Thomson, event organizer, said.
The goal of the festival, Thomson said, is to expand knowledge on the use of prickly pears and 鈥渢o try to encourage farmers, ranchers, gardeners, food businesses to use native plants like prickly pear.鈥�
鈥淚 think few people know all the ways you can eat it, use it, the ways it鈥檚 been used historically, and the way it could be a part of our state鈥檚 future,鈥� Thomson said.
The festival will be held Friday, Sept. 26, and Saturday, Sept. 27, at the Guti茅rrez-Hubbell House.
The New Mexico Prickly Pear Festival has grown and expanded over its seven-year run.
鈥淭his is our first year doing two full days,鈥� Thomson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 usually been a one-day event.鈥�
Thomson said people are usually excited and skeptical when they come to the festival and learn everything there is to do with prickly pears.
鈥淟ots of people have them in their yards,鈥� Thomson said, 鈥渁nd maybe have enjoyed having them as a part of their landscape, but didn鈥檛 know they could eat it.鈥�
Prickly pear is native to New Mexico and tastes similar to hibiscus or watermelon, Thomson said.
He said that the festival is small but is the only one in New Mexico dedicated to the cactus fruit and it鈥檚 the largest in the 近距离内射合集 States.
鈥淲e鈥檙e still a smaller festival,鈥� Thomson said. 鈥淪o we鈥檇 love to keep growing and having more folks come out each year.鈥�
Thomson said the festival is an idyllic way to spend an afternoon and enjoy the venue, the Guti茅rrez-Hubbell House.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a really great place to just go enjoy an afternoon and have some food, listen to some music, learn some cool new stuff about prickly pear,鈥� Thomson said.
New Mexico Prickly Pear Festival expands to two-day event
