Pigs wearing colored handkerchiefs are off to the race as the crowd cheers them on Thursday at the Great American Pig Race for the first day of the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque.
Rose Acosta runs through a shower of foam and bubbles being shot out of a cannon alongside a handful of children covered in bubbles at the Foam Zone on the opening day of the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque on Thursday.
Gilbert Salazar Jr. and Gilbert Salazar III play a game at Ginger’s Lucky Ducky booth while enjoying the midway at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque for opening day on Thursday.
Gilbert Salazar Jr. and Gilbert Salazar III play a game at Ginger's Lucky Ducky booth while enjoying the midway at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque for opening day on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.
Tom Russo, of Tijeras, works a piece of metal into shape to make a decorative hanging hook at a demonstration booth run by members of the New Mexico Artist Blacksmith Association, at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque for opening day on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.
Marianna Munoz, of Albuquerque, shows off her rainbow leopard face paint while visiting the New Mexico State Fair with her family on opening day on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.
Krista Parr, of Albuquerque prepares Amelia, her 10-year-old Hanoverian dressage horse, for a workout Thursday in the practice stadium to prepare for competition on Saturday at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque.
Thomas Paquin, fills his slushie cup at a Slush Puppie booth before taking it back to sip on with his mom and sister to celebrate his 9th birthday at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque for opening day on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.
Keith Mortensen, right, helps Kelli Garcia, prepare her horses for her barrel racing event later in the day at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque for opening day on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.
Hans Guignard works on a portrait of the Lovato Family at the caricature booth at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque for opening day on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.
Rose Acosta runs through a shower of foam and bubbles being shot out of a cannon alongside a handful of children covered in bubbles at the Foam Zone on the opening day of the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque on Thursday.
Thomas Paquin, fills his slushie cup at a Slush Puppie booth before taking it back to sip on with his mom and sister to celebrate his 9th birthday at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque for opening day on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.
Keith Mortensen, right, helps Kelli Garcia, prepare her horses for her barrel racing event later in the day at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque for opening day on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.
Hans Guignard works on a portrait of the Lovato Family at the caricature booth at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque for opening day on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.
ALBUQUERQUE — The track-side crowd wasn’t exactly disinterested Thursday afternoon, but it wasn’t showing Kentucky Derby-level enthusiasm either.
And who could blame them? It was the opening day of the New Mexico State Fair, the Midway rides had yet to open, and the midday sun was beating down mercilessly. The announcer — sporting an American flag polo shirt — had a broken headset and a hard time making herself heard. Some young children with painted faces crowded near the fence, but more adults hung back in the shade where they could find it. One teenager sat up against a tree, staring at her phone.
The spectators, in other words, were fading. Then, the gates opened, the racers appeared and the crowd went wild.
Four small piglets, the athlete-stars featured in the Great American Pig Race, meandered down the track, faltering at the turns. Each sported a brightly colored bandana and seemed more interested in bumping shoulders with their pals and looking up at the shouting, painted humans than in winning the race.
Even the teenager by the tree sat up straight, eyes on the racetrack, a wide smile spreading across her face.
“Who won?” one woman asked as the porcine quartet completed the lap and disappeared up a ramp and through a door.
Who cares? The cuteness was all that really mattered, even if the blue bandana did technically have the fastest trot-time.
Pigs wearing colored handkerchiefs are off to the race as the crowd cheers them on Thursday at the Great American Pig Race for the first day of the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque.
There are plenty more chances to view the pig race this weekend and next week. The fair runs through Sept. 15 and has lots on tap this year, said Expo New Mexico General Manager Dan Mourning: the return of the popular draft horse pull for the first time in several years, Midway rides and Main Street activities galore, lots of agricultural and rodeo events and food offerings that include both a new celebrity-affiliated vendor — Wahlburgers, owned by the Wahlberg brothers — and a fusion Spanish-sushi concept, Don Sushi.
The fair is also debuting a ticketed park and ride service from Coronado Center to ease traffic and has a number of discount offerings, including $1 admission on Wednesday, plus $1 per ride with a minimum of 10 rides.
“We want to make sure that New Mexicans can afford to go to the fair. ... This is New Mexico’s event,” Mourning said.
On Thursday, first-comers got a front-row seat to all the State Fair classics. Thomas Paquin filled his slushie cup at a Slush Puppie booth before taking it back to sip with his mom and sister at a shady picnic table — a fitting way to celebrate his 9th birthday.
“I had three options,” said Thomas, a student at The International School at Mesa del Sol in Albuquerque. “I could take the money, or go to Dave & Buster’s, or go to State Fair.”
His choice was made, and his reasoning simple: “It has a lot of snacks and fun,” Thomas said.
Gilbert Salazar Jr. and Gilbert Salazar III play a game at Ginger’s Lucky Ducky booth while enjoying the midway at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque for opening day on Thursday.
Mariah Lopez, the 19-year-old running the Slush Puppie booth, said she’s surprised at how many people showed up on a Thursday afternoon for the opening day of festivities. The Albuquerque resident has been coming to the fair for yearsbut has never worked it before. She still has fond memories of her first fair, when she was about 5.
“I remember because I got my face painted, and my mom took my picture,” Lopez said, smiling. “I was so happy.”
On the Midway, Gilbert Salazar III was having his first fair experience — at least, the first one where he wasn’t strapped down, said mother Alexis Sanchez as she watched the 2-year-old swipe at ducks in a swirling pool of water at Ginger’s Lucky Ducky booth while his father, Gilbert Salazar Jr., cheered him on.
“We come every year, but this is the first year he wasn’t in his stroller,” Sanchez said.
Thursday was Law Enforcement Day, and Sanchez said the family had already visited all the police tents they could find.
“He likes all the stuff they were giving away,” Sanchez said, holding up Gilbert III’s bag of loot.
Gilbert Salazar Jr. and Gilbert Salazar III play a game at Ginger's Lucky Ducky booth while enjoying the midway at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque for opening day on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.
Over in the stables, Krista Parr of Albuquerque was busy saddling up Amelia, her 10-year-old Hanoverian dressage horse, who will compete on Saturday. Parr has been riding horses her entire life and competing with Amelia for about three years, and had her there early to let her get used to the atmosphere.
“She’s a sweetie,” Parr said of Amelia, who she acquired in Germany several years ago. “She’s very high spirited though.” Amelia has a “really pretty trot,” Parr said, an asset in the sport that’s better known now than it was even a couple months ago, thanks to Snoop Dogg’s Paris Olympics commentary where he described a dressage horse as “Crip walking.”
“It was hilarious,” Parr said. “It was actually really good for the sport to bring awareness to it.”
Tom Russo, of Tijeras, works a piece of metal into shape to make a decorative hanging hook at a demonstration booth run by members of the New Mexico Artist Blacksmith Association, at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque for opening day on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.
In a demonstration booth run by members of the New Mexico Artist Blacksmith Association, Jim Davis put the finishing touches on a decorative hanging hook he forged out of half of an old horseshoe — and in the shape of a horse. The 66-year-old retired military serviceman said he enjoys blacksmithing as a hobby, working out of his forge in Edgewood.
“It’s kinda dirty. You get hot, especially in the summer,” Davis said. “But I enjoy it, the creativity of it.”
The fair offers first-class people watching as well.
Marianna Munoz, of Albuquerque, shows off her rainbow leopard face paint while visiting the New Mexico State Fair with her family on opening day on Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024.
Three teenaged boys dressed in all black strode through the booths toward the the Villa Hispana, debating amongst themselves whether pineapples belong on pizza.
An older man bent over the toddler strapped into the stroller he was pushing in the Natural Resources Center, trying to divert the boy’s attention from his iPad and headphones toward the display of live Northern pike swimming in the indoor replica pond. “Look at the fish,” he urged.
Two stilt-walkers in orange and fuchsia costumes strode down Main Street, showing off their synchronized kicks and poses, stopping to chat with passers-by and to hand out their buttons. “Follow us on Instagram,” one of them called after one young fan.
Krista Parr, of Albuquerque prepares Amelia, her 10-year-old Hanoverian dressage horse, for a workout Thursday in the practice stadium to prepare for competition on Saturday at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque.
