Anson Stevens-Bollen
Meow Wolf
Best Art Collective
From a loose collective of arts weirdos with a dingy warehouse on Hopewell Street to bona fide international sensation, Meow Wolf has grown to a tourist destination, concert venue and permanent installation in relatively short order, proving once and for all that young people know how to do it.
1352 Rufina Circle, 395-6369
54 ½ E San Francisco St., Ste. 7
1114 A Hickox St., 954-1705
Best Band
This isn’t the first time West has taken top honors in the Best Band category, and it probably won’t be his last, and it just goes to show that earnest guitar-slingin’ types who write soulful songs from the heart will always be a popular commodity.
Best Bar
Margaritas that come with extra drink in the shaker, one of the most affordable menus in town and a patio that’s perfect no matter the season—you bet Del Charro is this year’s winner. Catch sports, sit by the fire, make friends, have fun. Boom.
101 W Alameda St., 954-0320
319 S Guadalupe St., 982-2565
530 S Guadalupe St., 988-7222
Best Bartender
Julian DuBois, Coyote Café
It’s only natural that the winner for best cocktail would also employ the best bartender. So there’s your excuse for a summer full of drinks as crafted by a champion in the field. Nice work, Julian.
132 W Water St., 983-1615
Leahi Kekahuna Mayfield, Boxcar
530 S Guadalupe St., 988-7222
Tyler Dillard, Santa Fe Spirits Tasting Room
308 Read St., 780-5906
Best Live Music Venue
Classic is about the best word we can muster for this Santa Fe landmark and host to performances from Lifesongs, Milk Carton Kids, Dawes, classical music, ballet and other events spanning innumerable styles.
211 W San Francisco St., 988-1234
1352 Rufina Circle, 395-6369
100 Old Santa Fe Trail (the Plaza), 986-6054
Best Curator
Bobby Beals, Beals and Co. Showroom
One of our personal local favorites and a force to be reckoned with, Beals has slowly but surely built his Canyon Road space (and outlying projects such as nonprofit skateboard company Kamagraph) into one of our finest local galleries and a decidedly unstuffy way to experience visual arts.
830 Canyon Road, 357-0441
Merry Scully, New Mexico Museum of Art
107 W Palace Ave., 476-5072
Laura Addison, Museum of International Folk Art
706 Camino Lejo, 476-1200
Best Dance Company
With 27 years of dance education, performance and outreach under its belt, NDI has changed or enriched so many lives it’s nothing short of staggering.
1140 Alto St., 983-7846
550 St. Michael’s Drive, Ste. B1, 983-5591
1131 Siler Road, Ste. B, 992-2588
Best Date Spot
Cushy seats, huge screens and the ability to take beer and wine into the theater?! Of course Violet Crown is a great place for a date—even if you don’t catch a movie. Enjoy scenic views of the Sange de Cristos on the Railyard patio, catch special events and sample from an ever-changing beer list—you’ll look impressive, we promise.
1606 Alcaldesa St., 216-5678
21 Ten Thousand Waves Way, 982-9304
1352 Rufina Circle, 395-6369
Best Event/Festival
An annual feast for the ears with months’ worth of performances from bands who hail from near and far, the Santa Fe Bandstand provides one of the most comprehensive (and free) series of concerts not just in Santa Fe, but anywhere close by. We’ll see you there (sorry, smokers—you’ve been banned).
July 5-Aug. 25, 2017 on the Plaza
July 14-16, 2017 on Museum Hill
Sept. 1, 2017 at Fort Marcy Park
Best Gallery
Blue Rain’s emphasis on traditional and contemporary works from Indigenous artists sweetens the downtown deal. Catch works from locals like Cannupa Hanska-Luger, out-of-towners like Eve LaFountain and a constantly rotating series of shows from the best and brightest artists creating today.
544 S Guadalupe St., 954-9902
435 S Guadalupe St., 982-8111
221 Canyon Road, 955-0550
Best Hotel Bar
Notable in its ability to feel nothing like your average hotel bar, Del Charro remains a favorite to locals and tourists alike with its cozy ambiance and varied food and drink menus.
Inn of the Governors, 101 W Alameda St., 954-0320
St. Francis Hotel, 210 Don Gaspar Ave., Ste. A, 983-5700
La Posada de Santa Fe, 330 E Palace Ave., 986-0000
Best Instagram Feed
Meow Wolf: @meow__wolf
It didn’t take long for the #MeowWolf hashtag to surpass big players like the Balloon Fiesta on Instagram, and the feed itself is no slouch. Get behind-the-scenes looks at exhibits and shows and just generally feel like you’re in on something everyone loves. #FOMOnoMO.
Simply Santa Fe:
Ski Santa Fe:
Best Karaoke
Every Saturday night finds stalwart karaoke hosts Cindi and Nanci presiding over the most fiercely loyal crowd of karaoke fanatics in town. Singers of every ilk join forces in a respectful manner and we can’t help but love that guy who sincerely puts his all into Aerosmith’s “Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing.” That man knows how to live.
1005 S St. Francis Drive, 983-9817
319 S Guadalupe St., 982-2565
The Palace Restaurant and Saloon
142 W Palace Ave., 428-0690
Best DJ
Marc Romaneli
Dynamite Sol
He may have taken a brief respite to focus on running a nightclub, but Sol is back and arguably more active than ever. With guest spots alongside reggae/hip-hop outfit BoomRoots Collective as well as solo spots as hip-hop/dance/party jam DJ, y’all love this guy and it shows.
Best Movie House
What else is even left to praise about this place? It could be their willingness to screen classics and independent films or host one-off events alongside today’s hottest releases, or it might still be the whole you-can-drink-beers-in-a-movie-theater thing. Regardless, Violet Crown is here to stay and we’re all lucky to have ’em.
1606 Alcaldesa St., 216-5678
418 Montezuma Ave., 466-5528
Center for Contemporary Arts Cinematheque
1050 Old Pecos Trail, 982-1338
Best Museum
Courtesy Museum of International Folk Art
Museum of International Folk Art
Something about arts and crafts made by everyday people makes a museum like the Folk Art all the more charming, and with recent shows on anything from miniatures to tattoos, they’ve really expanded and grown into something Santa Fe can be proud of. We promise you won’t be disappointed.
706 Camino Lejo, 476-1200
113 Lincoln Ave., 476-5200
217 Johnson St., 946-1000
Best Performing Arts Group
When something exists in your own backyard, it can be easy to forget how special it is. The world-class Santa Fe Opera is as special as it comes. The gorgeous, partially covered amphitheater alone makes it worth a trip.
301 Opera Drive, 986-5900
1131 Siler Road, Ste. B, 992-2588
1140 Alto St., 983-7646
Best Performing Arts Venue
Opened in 1931 as a silver screen and renovated with help from the community in 2000, the Lensic is one of the Southwest’s most historic and acoustically perfect performance spaces. Their commitment to hosting events for all walks of culture fans is an inspiration to all.
211 W San Francisco St., 988-1234
301 Opera Drive, 986-5900
1352 Rufina Circle, 395-6369
Best Recording Studio
Eli Farmer Recording Studio at Warehouse 21
Named for a fallen alum of the invaluable teen arts center, Warehouse 21’s Eli Farmer Recording Studio has been an important resource to fledgling bands and pros alike, as well as an important partner to local radio station KSFR. Oh, and it’s cheap, too—so get those ideas out ASAP.
1614 Paseo de Peralta, 989-4423
111 Calle Nopal, 982-4001
The Kitchen Sink Recording Studio
528 Jose St., 699-4323
