The Top Events in Cloudcroft

Cloudcroft 2026, Month by Month

The rest of the 2026 season — from the weekend Farmers Market and the Labor Day weekend block to the marquee Christmas Village in December. Sourced from the Chamber calendar; race dates verified against live registration pages. (Events that have already run are removed from this calendar.)

Jun–Sep

Cloudcroft Farmers Market

Summer weekends · Fridays 5 PM & Sundays 9 AM · Cloudcroft Ice Rink, Zenith Park · cash only

Best for: weekend visitors · families · day-trippers from the valley

A community market at the Cloudcroft Ice Rink in the heart of Zenith Park — locally grown and baked goods, freeze-dried fruits and candies, and local honey. The most reliable "every-weekend" event of the summer, and cash only, so hit the ATM first.

Full Farmers Market details →

2nd Mon

Sip & Paint at Noisy Water Winery

Every second Monday · 6 PM · Cloudcroft Tasting Room, 505 Burro Ave

Best for: adults · date nights · first-time painters

Unleash your creative side at this fun, instructor-led paint night — no experience needed. The ticket includes one glass of wine ($15 or less), beer, cider, or any non-alcoholic beverage, plus everything you need for an evening of art and good company.

Sep 4–6

Labor Day Live Music at Cloudcroft Brewing Company

Friday, September 4 · Doso Dirtbags · 6–9 PM  ·  Saturday, September 5 · Christachio · 1–4 PM · Distillery Side (evening set TBD)  ·  Sunday, September 6 · The Ghetto Vaqueros · 1–4 PM

Best for: adults · live-music fans · holiday-weekend visitors

Sets all three days of the holiday weekend, capped by The Lodge's own Labor Day celebration Saturday noon–4 PM — BBQ and live music from the Doso Dirtbags on the grounds. The brewery also runs karaoke every Monday (6–9 PM, Brewery Side) and family-friendly trivia every Wednesday (6–8 PM, Distillery Side).

Aug 28

Moonlight Hike at White Sands National Park

Friday, August 28, 2026 · 7:45 PM · White Sands National Park · fees apply

Best for: day-trippers · photographers · couples · stargazers

Hike the dunes under a glowing full moon with a park ranger — one of the best down-the-mountain add-ons to a Cloudcroft trip. Tickets go on sale one month prior via Recreation.gov and sell out fast.

Aug29–30

Cloudcroft Gran Fondo

Saturday–Sunday, August 29–30, 2026

Best for: road cyclists · endurance riders · race crews

Scenic mountain rides ranging from 36 miles to 163 miles through the Sacramento Mountains — a big-ride weekend to close out August, with routes for strong recreational riders up to full gran-fondo distance. Register at BikeReg.

Sep 4–6

Labor Day in Cloudcroft

Friday–Sunday, September 4–6, 2026 · all over the village

Best for: holiday-weekend visitors · families · easy festival weekends

The biggest weekend of the fall: the Labor Day Hoopla and Heritage Day Car Show at Zenith Park, the Cloudcroft Mountain Smash pickleball tournament, the Battle of the Food Trucks & Craft Show, the Cloudcroft Art Society's Labor Day art show at the Old Red Brick Schoolhouse, and the CLOC melodrama on stage each evening. Book lodging early — this one fills the village.

Full Labor Day weekend guide →

Sep 4–19

CLOC Melodrama: "The Inventor's Daughter"

September 4, 5, 6, 18 & 19, 2026 · 7:30 PM · CLOC Pavilion, Zenith Park · free admission

Best for: families · theater fans · evening plans after a festival day

The Cloudcroft Light Opera Company stages "The Inventor's Daughter, or... The Villain Made a Grab for the Lab" — classic boo-the-villain melodrama under the pavilion. Free to attend, and an easy evening cap on Labor Day weekend or Lumberjack Day weekend.

Sep 19

Lumberjack Day

Saturday, September 19, 2026 · 33rd year

Best for: families · spectators · first-time visitors who want a Cloudcroft-specific scene

Free admission, with food, craft vendors, family fun, and a kids halftime show. Held at Ski Cloudcroft, 1920 U.S. Hwy. 82. Competitor registration begins at 8 AM, competition starts at 9 AM — $10 per event, with cash payouts for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. More: cloudcroftlumberjackday.com, cloudcroftlumberjackday@gmail.com or 575-921-4737.

Full Lumberjack Day details →

Sep 20

High Altitude Classic Mountain Bike Race

Sunday, September 20, 2026 · 10 AM start at the High Altitude shop, downtown Cloudcroft · awards 2 PM at Elevation Park

Best for: mountain bikers · racing crews · endurance-fitness travelers

Cloudcroft's storied XC mountain bike race — singletrack descents, rocky technical sections, and thin air at 8,676 feet. Three categories (Pro/Cat 1 · 17 mi, Cat 2/SS · 13.5 mi, Cat 3 · 10 mi), a $2,500 pro purse with equal payout for men and women, and a 175-rider cap that sold out the last two years. Falls the day after Lumberjack Day for a natural double-header weekend. Register at BikeReg.

Full race details →

Sep24–27

87th Annual Otero County Fair and Rodeo

September 24–27, 2026 · 401 Fairgrounds Road, Alamogordo

Best for: families · rodeo fans · down-the-mountain day trips

The county's classic fair-and-rodeo week, about 35 minutes down the hill in Alamogordo — livestock, carnival, and rodeo nights. An easy add-on to a late-September Cloudcroft stay. More: oterocountyfair.com.

Oct 17

Cactus to Cloud Sky Race

October 17, 2026

Best for: serious runners · ambitious outdoor visitors · shoulder season

The strongest October event we could verify. More specialized than the broad Chamber festival weekends, but a real draw if you like high-effort race events and cooler fall conditions.

Oct 9–31

Haunted Village

October 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30 & 31, 2026 · 7–10 PM · Sacramento Mountains Historical Museum & Pioneer Village, 1000 Hwy 82

Best for: families · Halloween-season visitors · costume crowd

Cloudcroft's family-friendly Halloween-season event returns for four weekends of after-dark fun at the Pioneer Village. $15 admission — this is the museum's biggest fundraiser of the year. Info: 575-682-2932.

Oct 10

Bucket Golf Tournament

October 10, 2026 · Elevation Park

Best for: families · casual golfers · locals-weekend visitors

A fundraiser for Cloudcroft Village Parks and Recreation at Elevation Park. To play or sponsor, ask for Bri Jonnes at High Altitude on Burro Avenue.

Oct 30–31

Pumpkin Roll & Halloween Weekend

October 30–31, 2026 · Swallow Place, Burro Avenue & Zenith Park

Best for: families · costume crowd · fall-color stragglers

The village's Halloween send-off: pumpkins roll down Swallow Place by the library, the costume parade heads down Burro with shops open for trick-or-treating, and the schools host their Fall Festival fundraiser Friday 5–7:30 PM in the middle-school commons and gym — carnival games, a bouncy house, bingo, raffles, and a cakewalk. October 31 is also the grand opening of the James Sewell Ice Rink at Zenith Park, noon–10 PM, with skating, face painting, a costume contest, trunk-or-treat, and giveaways.

LateOct

Pumpkin Roll and Costume Parade

Late October 2026 · dates and times TBD · Burro Avenue

Best for: families · kids · pets in costume

Summit Christian Fellowship often hosts a harvest festival at the end of Burro Avenue, shops open up for trick or treating, and kids, adults, and pets can join the village's annual costume parade. To kick off the festivities, join the pumpkin roll, traditionally in front of the library. All-ages fun.

Nov27–28

Christmas Market

November 27–28, 2026

Best for: holiday shoppers · families · early Christmas atmosphere

Get ready to load up on stocking stuffers and more at this local market. A good fit if you want Cloudcroft leaning into holiday mode without waiting for mid-December.

Nov/Dec

UllrFest at Zenith Park

Late November / early December 2026 · date TBA · Zenith Park

Best for: locals-at-heart · ski-season optimists · bonfire people

The village's annual snow-summoning ritual — a bonfire at Zenith Park where old skis are burned as an offering to Ullr, and everyone hopes the season answers. Date to be announced; check back or watch the Chamber calendar.

Dec 5

Ugly Sweater 5K & Fun Run

Saturday, December 5, 2026 · 5K run and 1-mile walk

Best for: runners · families · anyone with a truly regrettable sweater

Cloudcroft's holiday-season race — a 5K and a one-mile fun walk, ugly sweaters strongly encouraged. Register at Race Roster.

Dec11–19

Mountain Christmas Village

December 11–19, 2026

Best for: families · holiday travelers · peak seasonal atmosphere

The marquee Christmas-period event block. If you want the strongest holiday feel in Cloudcroft, this is the one to plan around. Also one of the better reasons to book lodging early.

Full Christmas in Cloudcroft details →

Best Event Weekends by Visitor Type

Not every weekend works for every traveler. These are the matches we'd start with based on who's coming and what kind of trip they want.

Where to Find Live Music in Cloudcroft

Cloudcroft has live music — but it's not a nightly, city-style scene. The right way to think about it: shows turn up at a handful of venues, on event weekends, and in seasonal rotations. Lineups change often, so check close to your trip.

Cloudcroft Brewing Company

The strongest current live-music bet in town. Labor Day weekend: Doso Dirtbags Friday, September 4, 6–9 PM; Christachio Saturday, September 5, 1–4 PM (Distillery Side); The Ghetto Vaqueros Sunday, September 6, 1–4 PM. Weekly: karaoke every Monday 6–9 PM (Brewery Side) and family-friendly trivia every Wednesday 6–8 PM (Distillery Side). Instagram.

The Distillery

Cloudcroft Reader's summer guide grouped The Distillery with Cloudcroft Brewing as a regular live-music spot — one of the clearest local sources putting it on the repeat-music list.

Noisy Water Winery Cloudcroft

Another likely music stop, especially for smaller live sets. The tasting room also hosts an instructor-led Sip & Paint night every second Monday at 6 PM. Gigtown profile.

The Lodge at Cloudcroft

Not a weekly music venue in the same way the brewery is, but local coverage shows the Lodge hosting music during special events — jamborees, lawn events, and Lodge-specific weekends.

Chamber & festival weekends

Live music also shows up through the event calendar itself — art shows, festivals, and Pavilion-based weekends where music is part of the draw. Chamber events.

Music here is small-scale, close to the audience, tied to a venue that's also serving food or drinks, better on weekends than midweek, and more casual than ticketed-concert formal. If you want a big-headliner room, you're in the wrong town. If you want to sit outside with a drink and hear local or regional musicians on a low-pressure mountain evening, Cloudcroft fits well.