Día de los Muertos in Old Town + 21 More Things To Do (Nov 6–8)

It's the final weekend of Old Town's 10-day Día de los Muertos celebration, and Saturday is Family Day. Most of it is free, with glowing hot air balloons, a movie under the stars, face painting, classic trucks, and a Catrina procession led by a mariachi band and a decorated low rider.

FRIDAY, NOV 6

SATURDAY, NOV 7 (FAMILY DAY)

SUNDAY, NOV 8

When: Friday, Nov. 6 through Sunday, Nov. 8
Where: Old Town Albuquerque, 200 N Plaza St NW
Cost: Free, with a few paid workshops and tours

MORE THIS WEEKEND

FRIDAY, NOV 6

Holiday Preview at Marketplace Home
8600 Pan American Fwy NE, Suite B
9 AM–5 PM · FREE
New holiday décor, table settings, and unique ornaments, plus door prizes and a sign-up for a $500 shopping spree.

Free First Friday at the Balloon Museum
9201 Balloon Museum Dr NE
9 AM–5 PM · FREE

Albuquerque Fall Artisan, Trade & Vendor Expo
North Domingo Baca Park
12–7 PM · FREE

Goatheads Youth Sports Night
Rio Rancho Events Center, 3001 Civic Center Cir NE
7 PM · From $15
NM Goatheads pro hockey vs. the Allen Americans.

SATURDAY, NOV 7

Downtown Growers' Market Season Finale
Robinson Park, 8th St & Central Ave NW
8 AM–12 PM · FREE
The last market of the season.

Los Ranchos Growers' Market
6718 Rio Grande Blvd NW, Los Ranchos
8–11 AM · FREE
Runs every Saturday through Nov. 14.

Holiday Preview at Marketplace Home
8600 Pan American Fwy NE, Suite B
8 AM–3 PM · FREE
New holiday décor, table settings, and unique ornaments, plus door prizes and a sign-up for a $500 shopping spree.

40th Anniversary Celebration at the Natural History Museum
NM Museum of Natural History & Science, 1801 Mountain Rd NW
9 AM–5 PM · From $5
Free planetarium and DynaTheater shows, a scavenger hunt, origami dinosaurs in the Dino Den, and dig stations. Dinosaur-themed giveaways (first-come, while supplies last).

Art of Gifting
UNM Continuing Education, 1634 University Blvd NE
10 AM–4 PM · FREE admission and free parking

Scandinavian Festival
St. John's United Methodist Church, 2626 Arizona St NE
10 AM–4 PM · FREE

Kid's Pokémon Club
Old Town Hobbies and Games, Old Town
12 PM · FREE
Ages 14 and under.

FIRE & ICE Family Food Festival
Sandia Preparatory School, 532 Osuna Rd NE
12–4 PM · FREE admission
Tasting passes are $5 in advance for 15 tastes; $10 day-of if supplies last.

Sage & Ink Book Festival
THE BLOCK, 7805 Enchanted Hills Blvd NE, Rio Rancho
12–4 PM · FREE

Family Art Workshop: Express Yourself
Albuquerque Museum, 2000 Mountain Rd NW
1–2:30 PM · Included with admission ($3+)
A drop-in collage project for the whole family.

Family Movie: Goat (PG)
International District Library, 7601 Central Ave NE
3–5 PM · FREE

Lobos Men's Basketball vs. Northern Arizona
The Pit, 1111 University Blvd SE
4 PM · Tickets at golobos.com

DHH Family STEAM Night
Explora, 1701 Mountain Rd NW
6–8:30 PM · FREE
Check-in starts at 5:30 PM.

Goatheads Military Night
Rio Rancho Events Center, 3001 Civic Center Cir NE
7 PM · From $15

NM United Semifinal vs. Colorado Springs
Isotopes Park, 1601 Avenida César Chávez SE
7:25 PM · From $23
The club lists a 7:25 PM kickoff; broadcast listings say 7:30 PM.

SUNDAY, NOV 8

Free Sunday Mornings at the Albuquerque Museum
2000 Mountain Rd NW
9 AM–1 PM · FREE

Free Concert at Winrock
Winrock Park, 2100 Louisiana Blvd NE
4–6 PM · FREE
Black Pearl Band with Mariachi Euforia, part of the Lensic 360 free concert series.

MORE FREE THINGS TO DO WITH KIDS

Santa's arrival at Bass Pro and free kids' workshops at Michaels, Lowe's, and Home Depot. We rounded up the best free kid-friendly events happening this month in our latest Instagram post.

More than 40 years ago, Tom Poulin started a remodeling business out of his family garage. What began as a small operation grew into Poulin Design Center, a family-owned Albuquerque business built around helping people transform their homes.

That experience led to another idea: What if customers had a place to find everything they needed to make their house feel like home, even beyond a remodel? In 2021, Tom’s daughter Leslie brought that vision to life, launching the Marketplace as a small, curated pop-up inside Poulin Design Center. On December 10, 2022, the expanded Poulin Marketplace celebrated its grand opening, complete with a coffee shop. Today, Stephanie Poulin Lawry, who has been part of the family business since she was 16, leads day-to-day operations alongside her family, taking what they’ve all built into its next chapter.

A FAMILY BUSINESS BUILT ON SHARED VALUES

Tom’s wife, Terrie, manages inventory, and his sister, Laurene Johnson, brings nearly four decades of retail experience as Merchandise Manager. The family built the company around four core values: integrity, family, humble confidence, and innovation.

When we asked Stephanie what she enjoys most about working with her family, she told us:

“The best part about working with your family is you get to see them every day. They see you at your worst and best, but they love you anyway. At the end of the day, business is business, but your family will always be your family.”

Those values shape who they hire, too. “You can only train skills,” Stephanie said. “You can’t train someone to align with the values of your company.”

SIP. SHOP. BE INSPIRED.

Inside, you’ll find furniture, rugs, seasonal décor, faux florals, kitchen and bath accessories, and gifts. Marketplace Coffee & Tea serves espresso, matcha, cold brew, and hand-blended loose-leaf tea, along with breakfast burritos, homemade pastries, and seasonal drinks. There’s indoor seating and a patio.

Throughout the year, the Marketplace hosts seasonal markets with dozens of local vendors, food trucks, live music, and family activities. Smaller events include a free Book & Puzzle Swap and a Mother’s Day Tea. They’re also working on packaging their house-made syrups. In 2027, they’re planning to grow their Marketplace Home services, continuing to help more locals choose furniture and home décor for their spaces as well as offering full interior design services.

UPCOMING EVENTS AT POULIN MARKETPLACE

HOLIDAY PREVIEW OPEN HOUSE

Get a first look at the holiday season. Be the first to shop holiday décor, table settings, and unique ornaments. The coffee shop’s specialty Christmas drinks make their debut, too. Enter the door prizes and sign up for a $500 shopping spree while you’re there.

When: Friday, Nov. 6, 9 AM–5 PM, and Saturday, Nov. 7, 8 AM–3 PM
Where: 8600 Pan American Fwy NE, Suite B
Cost: Free

CHRISTMAS AT THE MARKETPLACE

A free holiday market with local vendors and seasonal shopping, a good chance to cross a few gifts off the list while supporting Albuquerque makers.

When: Saturday, Dec. 5, 9 AM–3 PM
Where: 8600 Pan American Fwy NE, Suite B
Cost: Free

SANTA MINI PHOTO SESSIONS

Santa is back for the 5th annual Santa Mini photo sessions with Caycee J Photography, held the same day as the Christmas market. Sessions are quick: five minutes with Santa and 10 professionally edited images in time for Christmas. Booking is online, and spots are limited.

When: Saturday, Dec. 5, starting at 9 AM (five-minute time slots)
Where: Poulin Marketplace, 8600 Pan American Fwy NE
Cost: $60 plus tax
Good to know: Sessions work best for up to 3 kids. Book extra time if you have more. Sessions are non-refundable, but you can transfer yours to someone else or apply the balance to a future session with Caycee J Photography.

VISIT POULIN MARKETPLACE

Where: 8600 Pan American Fwy NE, Suite B, Albuquerque
Hours: Monday–Friday, 7:30 AM–5 PM | Saturday, 8 AM–3 PM
Website: poulinmarketplace.com
Instagram: @poulinmarketplace

Philly Steaks opened on Juan Tabo in 2018, started by two brothers from South Philadelphia who wanted to bring a real cheesesteak shop to Albuquerque. Today it’s a locally owned family business, run by a new owner and her family, and it’s been a Northeast Heights go-to for oversized sandwiches ever since.

The menu is a Philly classic with a New Mexico twist. The signature is The Duke: steak, pepper jack, grilled onions, and green chile. I tried it with chicken instead of steak, and it’s an easy swap. Prefer to build your own? Choose steak, chicken, or Impossible, then pick from white American, pepper jack, Swiss, Cheese Whiz, or provolone. Add green chile for $1.

And for the kids: The kids menu starts at just $5, and every meal comes with fries and a drink. Choose from grilled cheese, a cheeseburger, or six chicken nuggets.

Price: The Duke starts at $9, and kids meals start at $5.

Where: 2520 Juan Tabo Blvd NE, Suite C, Albuquerque

Hours: Monday–Saturday, 11 AM–8 PM

Phone: (505) 582-2527

🏅 i9 Sports winter early-bird pricing ends Friday, Nov. 6. Leagues for ages 3–14 include flag football, soccer, basketball, volleyball, cheer and more. The $202 rate is available through Friday. Winter leagues run Dec. 5–Jan. 23. Details

⚠️ Three new CPSC recalls affect products families may have at home. Harkla compression swings are recalled after 14 reported injuries. Jocoevol and SOOWERY dressers are also recalled due to tip-over and entrapment risks. Check the recall details and stop using affected products. Details

🦃 Sandoval County’s Thanksgiving Food Drive runs through Nov. 13. Donations of nonperishable food benefit the Nacimiento Community Foundation’s pantries. Drop them off at 1500 Idalia Road, Building D, in Bernalillo. Frozen turkeys are accepted Nov. 16 before 10 AM. Details

🥫 St. Felix Pantry adds Wednesday grocery days through Dec. 30. Rio Rancho families can now pick up groceries Wednesday through Saturday, 9 AM–noon, at 4020 Barbara Loop SE. The pantry is also looking for groups to host holiday food drives. Details

🏫 APS transfer requests for 2027–28 are due Nov. 30. Apply through ParentVUE by the deadline to hear back Dec. 8. Families must accept or decline their placement by Dec. 18. Details

🏥 Free Medicaid information sessions start today, Nov. 5. The City and state are hosting sessions at the Gateway Center (5400 Gibson Blvd SE) from 1–2:30 PM and 5–6:30 PM to help residents understand upcoming federal changes and their coverage. More sessions are scheduled around Albuquerque through January. Details

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