Catch SWAIA's Winter Indian Market in Santa Fe Nov. 29 and 30

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Catch SWAIA's Winter Indian Market in Santa Fe Nov. 29 and 30

What is Santa Fe Indian Market like when snowflakes replace the bright summer sun and the action moves indoors? If you’ve ever attended Winter Indian Market, you already know. If you’ve never checked it out, it’s time to circle the dates—November 29 and 30—on your calendar.

Held on Thanksgiving weekend, Winter Indian Market is a family-friendly alternative to post-feast mall- hopping. Paired with glowing luminarias and the heavenly scent of burning piñon, it kicks off the holiday season in Santa Fe.

Now in its ninth consecutive year, SWAIA’s winter show has been steadily growing, boasting a wider variety of art forms and more tribal diversity.

The approximately 200 artists showing at Winter Indian Market are all there by special invitation. Each year, SWAIA invites all the Best of Class and specialty award winners from the summer Market, as well as many artists who have participated in Winter Market in previous years—people like Kathleen Wall and Cliff Fragua (Jemez Pueblo), and Nocona Burgess (Comanche).

Entertainment is another art form that has been adding to the draw of Winter Indian Market. All the winning Class X films from the summer Indian Market Film Festival are screened.

There’s a youth activity table and food. Last year, a hip-hop hoop dance performance by world champion hoop dancer and Cirque du Soleil star Nakotah LaRance (Tewa/ Navajo/Hopi/Assiniboine) drew passersby into the convention center. This year will feature IRONHORSE: a new collaboration from award-winning Native Rock musicians Robby Romero and Robert Mirabal. You can count on the artists stock- ing their booths with paintings, sculpture, ornaments, prints and jewelry in all price ranges to accommodate both committed collectors and more casual gift shoppers.

Patricia West-Barker is a former features editor for The Santa Fe New Mexican, the author of three non-fiction books, and publisher of TheZenchilada. com, an online magazine of food and culture. This story originally appeared in the July/August print edition of Native Peoples and has been updated.

WINTER MARKET EXTRAS:

Saturday, Nov. 29, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 30, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 per day. $15 for a weekend pass. Members and children (12 and under) are free. Tickets are available at the door.
 

This year's show includes:

• 200+ Native artists from the US and Canada
• Silent auction including artwork donated by top Native artists and fabulous items from local businesses
• Festival of Trees auction - over a dozen fully decorated trees donated to benefit the Santa Fe Indian Market^®, the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, and programming like SWAIA NextGen, Native Foods events and SWAIA fellowships.
• Reception and benefit concert with IRONHORSE, Saturday, Nov. 29, 5-7 p.m., $15. Tickets are available at the door.
• Live Entertainment
• Gift Wrapping Booth
• Children's Activities by the Santa Fe Indian Center