We invite you to visit Artesia MainStreet for any of our events. Check out our calendar for our current schedule, and please contact us if you have any questions about our activities. Please contact Stephanie at the MainStreet office, 505.746.1117, ams@pvtn.net.

Farmers Market July 12, 2008 - October 18, 2008 (or first frost) Every Saturday at First National Bank Parking Lot, 303 West Main St. , 8 a.m. - 11 a.m. The Artesia Garden Gusher Market pairs local consumers with local farmers and hobby gardeners for the growing season.  Locally-grown, high-quality, freshly-harvested, fruits and vegetables, nuts, honey and flowers, as well as items crafted of these products are available for purchase every Saturday morning at 303 West Main St. Throughout the summer we will have weekly live music, cooking or gardening demonstrations and some festivals/children's events. Click for more information and a Vendor Application.

 

Back-to-School Bash
First day of school at Central Park

It has been said that Artesia is probably the only town that has a party to celebrate the first day of school!  The Back-to-School Bash gets students together in the early evening after the first day of class, gives them a chance to talk about classes and teachers, compare summer notes, and find friends not seen since last school year.  Fun is associated with school as the younger children meet high school athletes and cheerleaders, play games, enjoy hotdogs and watermelon, and visit friends. 

 

 

Let’s Light Up the Landsun
Once a year at Land of the Sun Movie Theatre
In 1947, a first-class, state-of-the-art movie theater, Land of the Sun, opened in Artesia.  It was operated by the Gilchrist family until 1975.  Eventually it came to into ownership of Carmike Cinemas, and by the late 1990s, the theater had become rundown, inside and out. 

Artesia MainStreet and Carmike Cinemas reached an agreement in mid-2001 to make some changes at the theater – Carmike would improve the interior, AMS would be responsible for the façade. Carmike also agreed that the theater’s name would return to Land of the Sun.

On Dec. 8, 2001, AMS celebrated the renovation of Artesia’s only movie theater at the Let’s Light Up the Landsun gala. Now, once a year, AMS celebrates its volunteers and year’s activities at the Landsun. Guests enjoy a fine meal then a trip to the movies to watch a classic film. The party is always theme driven and guests are encouraged to dress in the styles of the era of the film. To keep the community guessing, the party is held at a different time each year and proves to be a special and welcoming event at whatever time of year.  Carmike Cinemas, J. S. Ward & Son, and Navajo Refining Company are annual sponsors of the party.

Light Up Artesia
First Thursday after Thanksgiving in Downtown Artesia
Artesia Chamber of Commerce event

Light Up Artesia is a Chamber of Commerce event, but Artesia MainStreet plays a role.  Everyone counts on the event every year on the first Thursday evening after Thanksgiving to usher in the holiday season.  Santa Claus comes to town.  Businesses stay open late.  Organizations and individuals set up outdoor booths downtown to sell hot foods and crafts.

With lights donated by the community and by the City of Artesia, AMS volunteers decorate approximately 200 downtown trees and lighted decorations are hung from light poles on Main Street.  Downtown twinkles and community spirit shines during Light Up Artesia as people stroll, shop and eat.  It is the first sign that the holiday season is upon Artesia.

 

New Year’s Eve Celebration
New Year’s Eve at Heritage Plaza
Our Heritage Walkway and Plaza is a festive, fun-filled place to ring in the New Year!  Food, games and entertainment keep kids and adults busy all evening.  In the last hour of the year, names are drawn for many prizes worth thousands of dollars.  The crowds dance to music provided by big name stars, including past guests Charlie Daniels, Starship and Little River Band.  Diamond Rio joined us to ring in 2007!

With less than one minute left in the year, the town watches as a ball, 10 feet in diameter and covered by more than 1,000 white lights, inches up the historic derrick at Navajo Refining Company.  The ball reaches the top of the tower at the stroke of midnight and fireworks ignite for an exhilarating changing of the year. 

The ball was designed in the essence of the famed Times Square Ball in New York City, but rises instead of drops.  It has been heard that the Navajo ball represents its city’s standard: “Artesia never drops the ball.”

Main Event Car Show & Cruise
Last weekend in March (March 28 & 29, 2008)
Co-sponsored by Artesia Car Enthusiasts
Our annual Main Event Car Show & Cruise is a great time for all! Show your car in the Car Show, cruise MainStreet and enjoy a fabulous fireworks show the last weekend in March!  On Saturday cars of all makes and models fill the Plaza, music fills the air, and food fills tummies while the spring sun tans faces. 

Each year guests are treated to a dynamite fireworks show, a great cruise, an earful of oldies, good outdoor food, and usually decent weather.  ACE does the show organizing and AMS does all the cooking for a show that grows every year.

Click to see 2008 Car Show pictures!

 

School’s Out Summer Splash
Last day of school - Central Park
The School’s Out Summer Splash is a wild and wet afternoon welcome to summer.  The last day of school is always short; students officially say hello to summer by noon and head to the Splash at downtown Artesia’s Central Park.

Artesia Fire Department provides the day’s highlight.  With a fire truck and ladder, firefighters spray down a corner of the park and whoever happens to be standing there.  Also in the wet corner are Artesia Center employees providing a host of water games.

Not everyone gets wet.  In other corners of the park, there are large inflatable toys, good old-fashioned summer food and lots of popular music.  Organizations set up booths to sell goodies or pass our information about summer activities.

At the end of the afternoon, AMS rewards youngsters who volunteer to help pick up litter in the park.  By 5:00 p.m., the park is clean, the grass has been watered and so have hundreds of students.  All is quiet and summer is officially here.

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