Craft Shows & Fairs in Taos, New Mexico

Taos has been an art colony since 1915, when the Taos Society of Artists was founded. The town has 80+ galleries on and around the Plaza and Kit Carson Road. Taos Pueblo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site four miles from town, has been home to Pueblo artisans creating pottery, drums, moccasins, and jewelry for centuries. Fiestas de Taos fills the Historic Taos Plaza with markets, music, and food each summer. The Taos Fall Arts Festival runs September through October with juried shows and gallery walks. For a town of 6,400 people, the density of craft shows in Taos and the surrounding valley is remarkable.

Taos's Craft Show Scene

Fiestas de Taos is the signature community event — an annual celebration on the Historic Taos Plaza in late July featuring music, food, parades, vendor markets, and traditional dance. The Plaza setting gives the event a concentrated, walkable feel that connects visitors to the same historic center where galleries and artisan shops operate year-round.

The Taos Pueblo Powwow runs in late June or July at Taos Pueblo itself. This is an authentic Native American gathering with traditional arts and crafts vendors selling Pueblo pottery, turquoise jewelry, moccasins, drums, and beadwork. Taos Pueblo artisans have been creating traditional work at this site for over a thousand years.

The Taos Fall Arts Festival is a multi-week celebration running September through October. It includes juried shows, gallery walks, artist talks, and special exhibitions across the town. This coincides with the golden aspen season in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, which drives significant visitor traffic from Texas and Albuquerque — leaf-peeping tourists and art buyers overlap heavily in Taos.

The Paseo is an annual outdoor public art festival that transforms Taos through large-scale art installations in late summer or fall. The Dixon Studio Tour, held in early November about 30 miles south in the Embudo Valley, is the oldest continuously run studio tour in New Mexico — artists open their homes and studios to visitors. It draws significant attendance from the Taos area.

The Taos Farmers Market runs Saturday mornings on Taos Plaza from May through October, with local artisans selling alongside produce and food vendors. Arroyo Seco, an artisan village about 10 miles north of Taos, has year-round shopping at the Mercantile and surrounding shops with rotating artisan events.

County Fair & Local Events

The Taos County Fair runs in late August at the county fairgrounds — typically around August 22-24. It includes 4-H livestock shows, agricultural exhibits, and community craft vendors. Strong 4-H and agricultural programming serves the county's rural communities in the Taos Valley and surrounding mountains.

The Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos preserves and promotes Pueblo, Navajo, and Hispanic art traditions through permanent collections and rotating exhibitions. The Taos Artisans Cooperative Gallery on the Plaza is an artist-owned cooperative where working artists sell directly.

Best Times to Visit Taos for Craft Events

September and October are the richest period. The Taos Fall Arts Festival fills the town with juried shows, gallery openings, and artist events, all set against the backdrop of golden aspens in the surrounding mountains. This is when Taos galleries are at their most active.

November brings the Dixon Studio Tour (about 30 miles south). December sees holiday markets at venues including the Taos Inn and El Monte Sagrado. The Taos Farmers Market runs May through October on Saturday mornings.

At 6,970 feet elevation, Taos has cooler summers than Albuquerque and dramatic fall color. Winters bring significant snowfall and ski season at Taos Ski Valley, but the gallery and studio scene remains active year-round.

Nearby Cities for Craft Shows

• Santa Fe — ~70 miles south; Santa Fe Indian Market (August); Traditional Spanish Market (July); Canyon Road galleries; Challenge NM Festival (June)
• Espanola — ~25 miles south; gateway to the High Road to Taos and the Dixon/Chimayo weaving corridor
• Albuquerque — ~130 miles south; Rio Grande Arts & Crafts Festivals; New Mexico State Fair; ABQ Collective markets

Frequently Asked Questions

Where are the best craft shows in Taos?

Fiestas de Taos on the Historic Taos Plaza (late July) is the signature community event. The Taos Pueblo Powwow features authentic Native American arts and crafts vendors. The Taos Fall Arts Festival (September-October) brings juried shows and gallery walks across the town. The 80+ galleries on the Plaza and Kit Carson Road offer year-round browsing. The Taos Artisans Cooperative Gallery on the Plaza sells work directly from member artists.

When do craft shows happen in Taos?

Late July brings Fiestas de Taos and the Taos Pueblo Powwow. September through October is the Taos Fall Arts Festival — the richest period for events. The Dixon Studio Tour runs in early November (30 miles south). December has holiday markets at local hotels and venues. The Taos Farmers Market runs Saturday mornings May through October. The Taos County Fair is held in late August.

What types of crafts are sold in Taos?

Pueblo pottery, turquoise and silver jewelry, traditional moccasins and drums from Taos Pueblo artisans, Northern New Mexico Rio Grande-style weaving, Chimayo textiles, contemporary paintings and sculpture from the gallery scene, and fine craft ceramics. The Taos art tradition spans Indigenous, Hispanic, and contemporary artistic communities that have coexisted here for over a century.

Is Taos Pueblo open to visitors?

Taos Pueblo is a living community and UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is open to visitors during designated hours, with a fee for entry and photography. The Taos Pueblo Powwow and other events are open to the public on specific dates. Check with Taos Pueblo directly for current visiting hours, closures, and event schedules, as the Pueblo closes for certain ceremonies and periods throughout the year.

Find Events in Taos

CraftShow Events covers craft shows, artisan markets, and fairs in Taos and across New Mexico. Search by date and event type to find Fiestas de Taos, the Fall Arts Festival, gallery events, and everything in between.