September 2018 - Follow-Up: SOMOS ABQ

It was another world in Downtown Albuquerque as SOMOS ABQ made its second annual appearance on August 25th. The bustling area was transformed into an artist wonderland, showcasing the best in Albuquerque. Local businesses, organizations, musicians, artists, and more gathered to show the town the beauty of this state. We arrived at the event around 3:30 pm and ate before exploring.

After walking through the white tent, we witnessed a display of art, including streamers created with plastic bags, a giant handmade Lite-Brite, a television with flowers blooming, and drains decorated with color. The music was plentiful - offering four stages: R&B, Rock, Pop, and Electro. Some of our favorite moments were the areas provided for kids. There was a cooking station by The Hyatt Downtown, a coloring table from Homewise, and plenty of goats and ponies for the children to pet. One of the moments that stood out was AirDance ArtSpace, a dance collective of aerialists and people on stilts. Witnessing one of the performers balance a lady with his feet and arms while lying on the ground was mesmerizing!

SOMOS ABQ also provided other events leading up to the highly attended festival. Along with The City of Albuquerque, SOMOS hosted a comedy event called StANNEd Up for Albuquerque. Hosted by Lauren Poole, the beloved actor and comedian who made Lynette a household name with “Shit Burquenos Say.” The event also featured special guest Anne Heche, who was debuting her stand-up act for the first time. We even had the opportunity to interview her after the show, which ended in a dance-off. Local comics, including Zach Abeyta, David Montoya, Matt Peterson, and Caitlin Minton, took to the stage, making the event a successful evening.

The organizers of this event have surpassed their expectations from last year. We look forward to 2019.