Craft Shows & Fairs in Taos, New Mexico

Taos has been an art colony since the early 20th century, the era of the Taos Society of Artists. The town has dozens of 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 exhibitions and gallery events. For a small town, 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 summer celebration on the Historic Taos Plaza 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 has been held at Taos Pueblo in summer; check with the Pueblo for current dates. 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 (September 18–October 4 in 2026), with exhibitions at venues on and around the Plaza and an opening reception. This coincides with the golden aspen season in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.

The Paseo has presented outdoor public art installations in Taos (check for current dates). The Dixon Studio Tour, held the first full weekend of November (November 7–8, 2026) about 22 miles southwest in the Embudo Valley, bills itself as the longest continually running studio tour in New Mexico (established 1982) — artists open their homes and studios to visitors.

The Taos Farmers Market runs Saturday mornings from mid-May through October, plus the first three Saturdays of November, and is at the Taos County Courthouse parking lot for 2026, 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 (August 20–23 in 2026). 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 exhibitions, 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 22 miles southwest). December sees holiday markets at local venues. The Taos Farmers Market runs Saturday mornings from mid-May through October, with a few November dates.

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 — ~55 miles southwest; Santa Fe Indian Market (August); Traditional Spanish Market (summer); Canyon Road galleries; Challenge NM Festival
• Espanola — ~38 miles southwest; 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 (summer) is the signature community event. The Taos Pueblo Powwow has featured Native American arts and crafts vendors. The Taos Fall Arts Festival (September-October) brings exhibitions and gallery walks across the town. The 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?

Summer brings Fiestas de Taos and the Taos Pueblo Powwow (check organizers for dates). September through October is the Taos Fall Arts Festival — the richest period for events. The Dixon Studio Tour runs the first full weekend of November (about 22 miles southwest). December has holiday markets at local venues. The Taos Farmers Market runs Saturday mornings from mid-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.