Slideshows

PHOTO STORY: Aki Matsuri Japanese Fall Festival

As summer comes to an end and autumn returns, the New Mexico Japanese-American Citizens League kicks off its annual Japanese Fall Festival: Aki Matsuri. For over 20 years, Aki Matsuri has brought a taste of Japanese culture to New Mexico. The festival took place at Expo New Mexico — home of the State Fair. From taiko drums and shamisen to karate and bon odori dancing, the stages of the Villa Hispana and Indian Village were filled with lively performances to entertain the crowd of guests. The outskirts of the stages were filled with various vendors, some of who sold different crafts and goods that they prepared themselves, while others reeled in customers with the scent of freshly made Japanese food. Although there were various backgrounds and cultures that showed face through the festival grounds, the atmosphere conveyed a strong sense of community and union. 

PHOTO STORY: Grandma's Coffee Garden Fall Equinox Market

PHOTO STORY: Color and Community at the Railyards

The Rail Yards Market, held at the Rail Yards in Downtown Albuquerque, has become one of the fastest-growing and most popular farmers markets in the City. Held on Sundays from May through October, shoppers can find fresh fruits and vegetables, chile, baked goods, teas, lemonades, art and much more. The market is divided into the railyard buildings based on item type, with farmers tables set up in the west building, art and clothing in the east building. During the autumn months, roasted green chile and red chile ristras begin to appear and are roasted on site. Apple cider can be bought by the cup up to the gallon. The market is also popular with dog owners, who will bring their pups, on leash, to enjoy sunny days. Maria Fernandez is the copy editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at copy@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo

PHOTO STORY: Josh Patterson at the Lapis Room

The Lapis Room, connected to the Noisy Water winery in Old Town, has been featuring artwork by local spray paint artist Joshua Patterson. The exhibit “Art and Justus: Dreamin’ in Color,” combines the styles of street art and fine art, as well as depicting imagery tied to Patterson’s Chicano heritage. The artwork reflects stories from Patterson’s life, told through a visual narrative with bright colors and neon lights. The figures “Art” and “Justus” — a combination of the words “justice” and “us” — are depicted throughout most parts of the piece, meant to represent both the artist and viewers as Patterson brings his stories to life.  Maria Fernandez is the copy editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at copy@dailylobo.com or on X @dailylobo

PHOTO STORY: Firefighters Honor Victims of 9/11

On Sept. 11, firefighters from across the metro area gathered in Civic Plaza for an annual memorial climb to honor the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks in New York City. The firefighters climbed 110 flights of the  Washington Federal building downtown in full gear as a testament to the first responders who helped during the attacks, climbing flights of stairs in the World Trade Center to save people trying to escape.The event began with the playing of bagpipes as an American flag waved between two fire trucks, before the firefighters began their climb at 8:46 a.m., the time when the first plane hit the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

PHOTO STORY: Life in Bloom at Lobo Gardens

The Lobo Gardens, which began in 2010 as an outdoor learning laboratory for the University of New Mexico, has now become a prime walk spot for individuals, friends, families, and animals alike. The project began with Seeds of Rebellion and the Research Learning Service Program but is now spearheaded by Community Engaged Learning Reasearch (CLER). Lobo Gardens serves UNM’s graduate, undergraduate, faculty, and staff, providing fresh produce for the Lobo Food Pantry. The Red Garden is located off the corner of Campus Blvd. and Vassar Dr. near UNM’s Real Estate Department. Hokona Hall Garden is located in Hokona’s western courtyard. The gardens feature a variety of plants, including a pollinator garden and food forest within the Red Garden.

PHOTO STORY: Old Man Gloom Goes Up in Flames

On Friday, Aug. 29, local New Mexicans and people from all over the world gathered in Santa Fe to witness the burning of Zozobra, a 50-foot-tall marionette that has been stuffed with all the gloom from the last year. This year is the 101st celebration of Zozobra, and he was adorned with a Steampunk-inspired overcoat and hat. His right hand was decorated with gears and bright gold for a mechanical finish. People from all over came together to move on from the previous year's woes that Zozobra consumes and gains his power from. Zozobra released his minions, the Gloomies, to fight the Fire Dancer, Zozobra’s archenemy. The Fire Dancer freed the souls of the Gloomies as she danced across the stage, prancing a tango with Zozobra before lighting him ablaze. The idea behind Zozobra is to eliminate the hatred, fear, and every ill feeling that has plagued our minds into one being that burns into ashes, allowing us to move forward. The burning of Old Man Gloom is a celebration for everyone to enjoy, with family-friendly entertainment, live music, local food trucks, face painting and coming together as a community to enjoy an evening of bliss for all. ⁨Eve Padilla-Salazar⁩ is a freelance videographer for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on X @DailyLobo

PHOTO STORY: Labubus take over ABQ food park

On Aug. 23, during a windy evening, the ABQ Food Park was overtaken by all kinds of Labubus, which are a form of plush doll. Vendors had booths with original Labubu dolls, others had artisan Labubu crafts made by local artists through mediums like crocheting and 3D printing. Labubu keychains, thermoses, purses, backpacks and other merchandise were everywhere on display. Jessica Rodriguez,a local artist who was selling 3D printed Labubus, said she started her own business after she was laid off from her tech job. “I bought my first 3D printer, started selling stuff on Tik Tok and it just took off from there,” Rodriguez said. The Labubu booths were surrounded by several local food trucks and a kid-sized stage offered kids karaoke where children took charge of the mic and sang along to various popular songs, notably “Soda Pop” and “Golden” from “K-Pop Demon Hunters,” which played repeatedly as children's favorites. Alex Chavez, operations manager at ABQ Food Park, said the Labubu fest was the first of its kind in the city and was one of their most successful events. “We had local artists that sell local arts and crafts like they normally do, but today was all about Labubu,” Chavez said. Chavez said he was proud of the “kid-friendly” nature of the event.  “This is a small boutique park in the North East heights, we plan on making this the destination for family friendly events of all sorts,” Chavez said. Leila Chapa is the social media editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at socialmedia@dailylobo.com or on X @lchapa06 Paloma Chapa is the multimedia editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at multimedia@dailylobo.com or on X @paloma_chapa8

PHOTO STORY: UNM Welcome Back Days

University of New Mexico students arriving back on campus during the first week of classes were greeted by the “Welcome back Days” event, with booths hosted by different student organizations, clubs, and resource centers each day. UNM staff and faculty handed out free food to students during the week, including ice cream, pizza and green chile stew. Hosted outside between Zimmerman Library and the newly-renovated Duck Pond, students had the chance to meet new people and engage with the various organizations throughout the week. UNM President Garnett Stokes took part in handing out ice cream alongside ASUNM President Andrew Norton to students on the first day as part of the President’s Ice Cream Social. “Welcome Back Days” also included live music, with different artists performing each day.

PHOTO STORY: Lobos Back From Summer Break

Students returned to the University of New Mexico Main Campus on Aug. 18, with water bottles in hand, ready to learn and stay hydrated during the warm August afternoons. “Welcome Back Days” were held each day during the first week, offering free food and opportunities for students to engage with various clubs, sports and organizations. Construction from the summer remains visible, including remnants of the year-long upgrades made to the Duck Pond and the demolition of the Humanities building near the center of campus. Students could be seen finding new study spots under the trees, or walking to class with new and old friends.

PHOTO STORY: Summer Stroll Through Old Town

PHOTO STORY: The Duck Pond Is Finally Back

During the week of Aug. 4, the metal chain link fences that have been surrounding the University of New Mexico Duck Pond for construction since last winter were removed.  Their removal revealed a newly remodeled Duck Pond, with new features including concrete lining in the pond, paved pathways, additional landscaping and new outdoor furniture arrangements. According to signage, the lawn near the pond area is still undergoing reseeding. There are very few people, no ducks, turtles or large fish as there were before renovation. The pond is still quiet.  The main visitors are dragonflies perching on tall blades of grass above the water where small fish can be seen swimming beneath the green tinted surface. The pond’s creatures enjoy the moment of calm before the chaos of the new semester kicks in and the Duck Pond’s “Grand Opening Celebration” on Sept. 3, according to UNM Facilities Design and Construction. Leila Chapa is the social media editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at socialmedia@dailylobo.com or on X @lchapa06

PHOTO STORY: UNM's Summer Scene

In July, The University of New Mexico Main Campus is in the final stretch of summer before the bustle and commotion of the fall semester sets in. The campus is quiet during the summer months, as most students and faculty have left campus for summer break. While there are still some students on campus for summer classes, UNM campus is mostly empty, buildings close early and both outdoor and indoor spaces are calm. Staff still remain on campus throughout the summer, working hard to keep it clean and ensure that UNM can still provide services, like food, gym, library, and other programs and services that the campus community enjoys and relies on. When buildings are closed for longer periods of time, the outdoor spaces standout. Many buildings have landscaping with plants that show off their bright flowers and foliage during the summer months, keeping the campus cool and offering food and habitat to local urban fauna. Construction work can also get done while students are gone, taking advantage of the empty campus to work on renovations and new projects. Leila Chapa is the social media editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at socialmedia@dailylobo.com or on X @lchapa06

PHOTO STORY: Summer Wings of ABQ

During the summer months in Albuquerque, New Mexico, many birds can be seen feeding, singing, mating, nesting and raising their young in urban areas. Pictured in this story are woodpeckers, bushtits, migratory kingbirds, hummingbirds, doves, thrashers, hawks and a starling. Mother doves can be seen building nests from twigs in trees and any place they find suitable. One dove pictured in this story found the electric pole to be a comfortable nesting spot. Another dove pictured chose to nest in an Ash tree. Humming birds frequent nectar-filled flowers and hummingbird feeders, and the more shy yet loud Curve-billed thrashers often sing past sunset, coming to the feeders when other birds have gone to sleep. Curve-billed thrashers primarily live in the desert brush outside the city, but if neighborhoods have native vegetation, these birds will move in. Thrashers are especially attracted to areas with cholla cactus, where they like to nest, according to Audubon. Bushtits come to feeders in flocks. They have quiet, constant, high-pitch chirps, eat together and then leave together. They can also be found perching in the branches of shrub-like trees. Hawks fly over neighborhoods taking advantage of the bird habitat and feeders, where feeding birds become easy prey. Leila Chapa is the social media editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at socialmedia@dailylobo.com or on X @lchapa06 Paloma Chapa is the multimedia editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at multimedia@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @paloma_chapa88

PHOTO STORY: Crazy Fish: A Bite into ABQ’s Sushi Scene

Crazy Fish, located in Nob Hill, Albuquerque close to the University of New Mexico's main campus and next door to the historic Lobo Theatre. The restaurant serves a variety of East Asian cuisine, from sushi and teriyaki to soups and noodles. The menu also has multiple deep-fried items like tempura vegetables and coconut shrimp. This story features the California Roll and the “Spicy Udon Noodles” subbed with rice noodles. The California Roll tastes best dipped in soy sauce and wasabi with sliced pickled ginger. The wasabi can also be added to the noodles. The noodles are prepared in a wok with stir-fried vegetables and a choice of protein. The udon noodles are wheat. However, they can be substituted with rice noodles for an equally delicious plate. Udon noodles are thicker and have a slippery texture; rice noodles are thinner and have a stickier texture. One of the most enjoyable experiences at Crazy Fish is the hot, complimentary bowl of miso soup, which has sliced scallions and bits of seaweed. A perfect umami treat to have before the meal is served.

PHOTO STORY: Thousands march in ‘Albuquerque Against ICE’ protest

On Friday, June 20, approximately 2000 people marched in Downtown Albuquerque to protest President Donald Trump’s immigration policies and call for the abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE has conducted raids across the United States, with a quota of 3000 arrests daily, according to Reuters. The New Mexico Immigration Law Center has seen a rise in local ICE arrests, including at people’s homes, workplaces and immigration court hearings, according to Source NM. The protest began at Civic Plaza, during which mariachi performers sang and played songs, and organizers gave speeches to the crowd before the march. Protesters then marched from Tijeras Avenue to Lomas Boulevard and occupied the intersection of Lomas and 4th Street for speeches, before marching back to the Civic Plaza on 4th Street, where the protest concluded, having lasted around three hours. Alexandria Aragon and Destiny Lopez, two of the organizers of the protest, said this was their first time organizing an event this large. “I want to be the voice for the community that cannot speak to themselves right now because they're in fear every day that they could be sent into horrible detention centers and camps,” Aragon said. According to a March 2024 report by Colorado College researchers that partnered with the New Mexico Immigrant Law Center, immigrants who lack permanent legal status detained at the New Mexican Immigration Detention Facilities in Milan and Estancia experienced “inhuman conditions,” including potential excessive force by guards, inadequate medical and mental health care, exposure to health hazards from ill-prepared food and further violations of the 2011 Performance-Based National Detention Standards. Aragon said that she wants to see more rights being given to the immigrants in New Mexico and to people who are trying to get the legal pathway to citizenship. “(We) also want the legal pathway to be faster, quicker, easier. So people don't have to wait 10 to 15 years to become a legal citizen,” Lopez said. Paloma Chapa is the multimedia editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at multimedia@dailylobo.com or on X @paloma_chapa88 Jaden McKelvey-Francis contributed reporting to this story. 

PHOTO STORY: Juneteenth at the ABQ Museum

PHOTO STORY: Rad Pride - A Community-Organized Pride Event

PHOTO STORY: Making Fairy Gardens at the ABQ Garden Center

PHOTO STORY: Mini Campus Sculpture Tour