A young Hopi boy in the traditional costume of the koshare, or clown, during Santa Fe’s Indian Market. At Hopi feast days children often dress as koshares and cause mischief

      The Santa Fe Wine and Chilli Festival is held in mid-September, and the events take place in various restaurants and cooking schools. A grand tasting is held in a tent in the parking lot of a downtown hotel and features traditional and innovative food prepared by Santa Fe’s best restaurants, and wines from New Mexico, Texas and California wineries.

      One of the largest celebrations in Santa Fe is Fiesta de Santa Fe, which was established in 1712 by Don Diego de Vargas to commemorate the reoccupation of New Mexico by the Spanish. It begins the Friday after Labour Day in Fort Marcy Park with the burning of Zozobra, a 12-metre-high effigy representing Old Man Gloom. Afterward, the party moves to the Plaza and downtown area for two more days of parades, dancing, singing, religious processions and booths filled with arts, crafts and traditional food. The best time to visit is during a feast day, for you can be sure that a ceremony or dance will take place. Of special fun are the grab or throw days. Many Native Americans are named for Catholic saints, and on each saint’s day, all pueblo members with that name go up on the roof and throw something down to the crowd that travels from house to house. Sweets such as chocolate, apples, prizes or even small plastic rubbish bins are among the items that get thrown. Historically, water would be flung from gourds to encourage rain, and although it is still done, children seem to prefer water balloons to gourds! You may get wet, but you’ll have a good time.

      During the feast days at the Indian pueblos, tourists are welcome during most of the ceremonies and dances and may even be invited to join in. However, there is a definite etiquette to be observed. Enter a home by invitation only, and if invited to eat (which is common) don’t refuse and don’t linger, as others will be invited to take your place. Limit your questions—asking too many will be viewed as inconsiderate. And don’t walk across the plaza or dance area, look into kivas or talk to dancers during the ceremonies; remember that these are religious shrines and activities.

      It is always best to check with the tribal or tourist office before wandering into a pueblo. They can steer you to craftspeople and places of interest and inform you of the particular rules governing that pueblo. Always respect Indian traditions when you’re on their land; it is a sovereign nation, and you are subject to their laws and regulations.

      At the end of August, the height of the tourist season in Santa Fe, large crowds mingle with Native American artists from all over the country at the Indian Market.

      Other special events in Santa Fe include Rodeo de Santa Fe, which began in the 1940s and has steadily grown into a popular regional competition. It happens in early July, and between 300 and 500 cowboys compete in riding, roping and racing events. The Santa Fe Festival of the Arts is held in October, and history buffs will enjoy the Mountain Man Rendezvous and Buffalo Roast held in mid-August on the Plaza.

      The Christmas season in New Mexico always brings its distinctive sights, aromas and tastes. The traditional colours of the season are evident in the red and green New Mexican chillies; the aroma of burning piñon pine permeates the air. The Spanish brought Christmas to the Southwest about 400 years ago, but the Pueblo Indians were already celebrating this time of the year with a number of feast days. After the harvest was stored for the winter, dances were performed both to give thanks for the bounty and to apologise for the necessity of having to hunt for winter food. These traditions continue to this day.

      La Entrada, a reenactment of the reconquest of Santa Fe by Don Diego de Vargas after the Pueblo Indians revolted against the Spanish, is a popular spectacle during the Fiesta de Santa Fe, which has been celebrated since 1712.

      Probably no other image symbolises the Christmas season in New Mexico more than the luminarias that line walkways and outline buildings and houses throughout the state. Originally, little crisscross fires of piñon wood were lit on Christmas Eve to light the Christ child’s way. With the advent of the square-bottomed brown paper bag, the bonfires were replaced with a votive candle anchored in sand in the bag—and the farolito (little lantern) was bom. Whether called luminarias or farolitos, they are traditionally lit only on December 24, la noche buena; and with most electric lights turned off, they weave a quiet, soft spell.

      Many of the tastes of the season are prepared from recipes handed down from generation to generation. These recipes incorporate a mixture of cultures—Indian, Spanish and Anglo—and utilise locally available foodstuffs, including corn for flour or dried for use in stews, whole pods of chilli from the strings of ristras, and meat from livestock that could not be kept over the winter. Stews like posole were kept on the stove to feed friends stopping by after Mass or for hosting neighbourhood posadas, Spanish plays enacting Mary and Joseph’s search for an inn. Many of these traditions continue today in New Mexico homes. For example, it is not unusual for spectators attending Indian dances at a pueblo on Christmas Eve to be invited into a home for tamales, a bowl of posole or green chilli stew, or even some carne adovada. Dessert would be flan (custard), natillas (soft custard) or biscochitos (anise-flavoured shortbread cookies). It would be impolite to refuse the invitation to dine, since it is a part of the New Mexican Christmas tradition for everyone who stops by.

      Farolitos light the Christ child’s way through Santa Fe at Christmas time. These lanterns are called luminarias in Albuquerque, but don’t try calling them that in Santa Fe.

      Dining Out in Santa Fe

      A new generation of chifs reinvent the traditional cuisine

       while adding quite a few new flavours of their own

      Within just a few of blocks of the Plaza in Santa Fe, foodies can indulge every gastronomic whim imaginable. Want to buy the hottest salsa known to man? Like some to-die-for blue corn enchiladas with delicious red chilli? Care to taste some New Mexican wines and beers? Need a ristra for your front porch? It’s all here in Santa Fe.

      There are probably more fine restaurants per capita in Santa Fe than anywhere else in the United States, and this is undoubtedly the result of tourism.

      As is true of New Mexico in general, people living in and visiting The City Different love their food spicy hot. In fact, a study done a few years ago determined that Santa Fe is the fiery food capital of the United States. Despite the spiciness of the Santa Fe food, visitors should note that there is a wide variety of cuisines available to sample because Santa Fe attracts great culinary artists as well as great visual artists. There isn’t space here to mention all of the city’s great restaurants, so we have described only our personal favourites.

      Twilight outside Cafe Pasqual’s, one of Santa Fe’s best-known eateries.

      Travel back in time as you reach the end of the Santa Fe Trail at La Fonda hotel and restaurant (100 E. San Francisco Street), a mainstay in Santa Fe for 300 years. Although the current structure is only 80 years old, it is filled with the charm of Old Santa Fe and features thick adobe walls, high ceilings, carved wood furniture, stone floors and big inviting fireplaces. The restaurant is in an atrium with painted windows and turn-of-the-century art, including works by legendary American artist Georgia O’Keeffe.

      The menu is inspired by the cuisines of Old

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