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While New Mexico is well-known for its craft breweries and longstanding wine-growing tradition, the craft cocktail scene is also carving out a place of its own.

That is reflected with the fourth annual New Mexico Cocktail Week, which features a variety of parties, events, pairing dinners, classes and tastings at various venues throughout the state from Saturday, May 30, through Sunday, June 7. The celebration is the brainchild of Edible New Mexico publisher Stephanie Cameron and The Liquid Muse founder Natalie Bovis.

鈥淏usinesses, especially in the hospitality industry, are struggling a lot right now, as we all know. And so I think it鈥檚 been a great opportunity for folks just to come together as a community and be able to help uplift the community,鈥� Cameron said. 鈥淲e have grown with a handful more venues each year.鈥�

Cameron estimates that 35 establishments are participating in some form this year. In some cases, participation is as simple as offering a specially created cocktail on the menu for the week. Other places will host some type of Cocktail Week-related attraction on a near-daily basis. The majority of the celebration is based in sa国际传媒官网网页入口 and Santa Fe, but there are also participants in Las Cruces (Blue Moon Bar & Grill), Silver City (Little Toad Creek Brewery and Distillery) and Las Vegas, New Mexico (The Skillet).

A full listing of participants and events can be found at for planning purposes, and it鈥檚 worth noting that some of the events require a ticket for entry. The event unofficially kicks off with Bovis鈥� Taco Wars 鈥� where attendees choose both the top taco and top cocktail 鈥� at the Santa Fe Farmers鈥� Market at 5-8 p.m. May 28. The week formally begins on May 30 with a trio of events: a tasting at Milk of the Poppy; a Bloody Mary brunch at Tractor Brewing Co. Wells Park and a Corpse Reviver Party at As Above, So Below Distillery. As Above, So Below also hosts what might be called the closing ceremony with Apertivo in the Afternoon at 2 p.m. June 7.

Both Tractor and As Above, So Below have leaned heavily into the event/party aspect of Cocktail Week, but this year it鈥檚 been more common for various businesses to opt to create a drink for the occasion. In short, there are options for everyone.

鈥淟ast year, everybody wanted to do events. And this year, it seems like people are more into the marketing and doing the featured cocktail,鈥� Cameron said. 鈥淏ut there鈥檚 probably still at least 25 to 30 activities happening throughout the week that you could participate in 鈥� in addition to the featured cocktails.鈥�

Cameron acknowledges that drinking less 鈥� or abstaining from alcohol entirely 鈥� has become a trend in the United States. In future iterations of New Mexico Cocktail Week, she hopes to see more nonalcoholic options offered by participating bars and restaurants.

鈥淚 do think that the move, especially with younger audiences, is more towards mocktails and they still want to have an experience, but not necessarily the buzz,鈥� Cameron said. 鈥淥ur hope is that next year we can start to encourage folks to maybe double up and have a featured mocktail and cocktail.鈥�

Another ongoing goal for New Mexico Cocktail Week is to continue to expand the offerings throughout the Land of Enchantment beyond sa国际传媒官网网页入口 and Santa Fe. Cameron is optimistic, especially considering the burgeoning cocktail scene in the state.

鈥淚t is definitely growing and progressing every year,鈥� Cameron said. 鈥淲e get more bars that are focused on the cocktail experience, and we definitely get more restaurants purchasing the craft spirit license and getting creative with New Mexico spirits on their menu 鈥�

鈥淲e have more and more trained staff as well. There are more and more exceptional bartenders out there that know what they鈥檙e doing and understand the craft of mixology.鈥�