We’ve got all your 2019 PRIDE photos ready to check out! Enjoy multiple photo galleries featuring the very best from the ABQ PRIDE parade.
Gallery 1 | Gallery 2 | Gallery 3
ABQ PRIDE Parade – 2019 Photo Gallery
2019: Second Annual Brain Freeze Ice Cream Festival
The Second Annual Brain Freeze Ice Cream Festival
By Ludella Awad
It was not just children who screamed for ice cream at the Second Annual Brain Freeze Ice Cream Festival, but thousands of New Mexicans. The festival took place on June 8-9 at Balloon Fiesta Park, attracting large crowds consisting of families and ice cream lovers throughout the state.
The event provided multiple tents, housing a variety of Blue Bell ice cream flavors ready to be tasted by hungry attendees — pecan, cookies ‘n’ cream and sherbet, just to name a few. Additionally, the event provided root beer floats, snow cones and an array of fun activities including music, bouncy houses and face painting.
Co-producer of the event, Dean Strober, along with his wife Lena Strober, created the festival to fundraise for the Rio Grande Down Syndrome Network. Together, the couple partnered with a famous ice cream brand, Blue Bell Creameries, increasing awareness for the nonprofit while generating funds for the good cause.
For their part, Blue Bell Creameries not only provided the ice cream but staff, trucks, and refrigeration as well.
Albuquerque Branch Manager for Blue Bell Creameries Jay Cooke said his company was happy to provide ice cream for a great cause through fundraising for the Rio Grande Down Syndrome Network.
“We like to be involved in the community,” he said. “We love partnering up to these kinds of activities.”
Despite temperatures reaching 90 degrees Saturday before hitting the high 80s on Sunday, the heat did not stop people from enjoying their cold treats.
First-time attendee Selita Lucas said she and her children enjoyed the ice cream and snow cones even in the Albuquerque heat.
Another attendant Vodra Dorn, said she enjoyed the festival despite being a large fan of homemade vanilla ice cream.
“I Love Blue Bell ice cream,” she admitted with a smile.
With the event drawing a rough estimate of 9,000 attendees Strober said he plans on hosting the event every year, eventually expanding the festival to other major cities. Which is good news for ice cream lovers who can count on the festival returning and bringing icy treats and smiles to Duke City citizens next year.
Photo Courtesy of Brain Freeze Ice Cream Festival
2019 ABQ Mudd Volleyball – Photo Pit
Carrie Tingley Hospital Foundations signature fundraising event ABQ Mudd Volleyball celebrated it’s 25th year on June 1st, 2019. ABQ-Live covered the entire event with photos and video. Enjoy 5 galleries of photos and video from this amazing charitable event that is really all about the kids. Don’t miss our official ABQ Mudd Volleyball video below.
Gallery 1 | Gallery 2 | Gallery 3
2019 : A Great Year for Wine
By Christopher Castellanos
This Memorial Day weekend marked the 19th annual return of the Albuquerque Wine Festival. Along with a generous sun and cool winds, summer brought wine artisans from all over New Mexico and of course their one-of-a-kind award-winning wines.
People gathered to Balloon Fiesta Park, as the sun leaned back into a clear sky and whistled a tune of the soft wind that cooled off excited guests. After passing into the festival, guests were greeted by the savory smell of food trucks parked and cooking on the side of the event. Chicken, with the fire’s hot black char, and sweet smokey barbecue, danced in the air along to the music of the live bands. Wine tents quickly filled up with eager, thirsty bodies. Artisans welcomed as many people as they could, passing samples of red wine from guest to guest and quickly trading bottles of rosé for white with their fellow crafters. The high pyramid of wine boxes each stacked behind them soon came down in a rush of satisfied buyers.
As the first glass of crisp white wine turned into a fifth or sixth glass of bubbly rosé guests took a breath in one of the multiple patio areas. Where shade met smooth grass, people sat at tables to take in the event. It would have only taken a quick glance to see the cheer of everyone sharing in the joy of wine tasting, from knowledgeable regulars to people washed in the refined flavors of wine for the first time.
Approximately two dozen wineries appeared in Balloon Fiesta Park for a three-day celebration of New Mexico’s rich wine culture. Vineyards ranging as far north as Farmington, to way down south in Las Cruces, converged in Albuquerque to share and demonstrate their craft of winemaking for everyone to enjoy. The festival gifted guests with a Viva Vino! wine glass to be used to sample the many wines offered. In addition to free samples, winemakers offered special discounts on bottles and cases of their craft wines. Soft reds and tannic whites arrived at the festival in cases by the hundreds. This year, the festival estimates over 4,224 gallons of wine were passed from bottle to glass.
While the patrons of the wine fest might argue that anyone would be hard pressed to find a happier group than their colorful, sundressed selves, the event means a lot more to the winemakers. New Mexico Wine & Grape Growers Association came together to celebrate our deep history of wine in New Mexico with the people of Albuquerque. The organization was founded in 1991, but the wine arrived much sooner. The first seeds were planted in the Rio Grande Valley in 1629 by Catholic monks who had to smuggle vines out of Spain. Ever since viticulture has been one of the oldest and deepest roots in the culture of New Mexico.
Ranging in multiple locations, wine made in New Mexico stems from not only those who have an art for the beverage but those who enjoy the broad environments. The refreshing white wines are harvested in the soil, neighboring the Navajo Dam. The sweet red wines are raised in an area tucked away by the San Juan River. Despite their differences, they all prosper under the same southwest sky. The flavors brought to the festival are exclusive to New Mexico. Due to a variety of microclimate locations, the winemakers in New Mexico are allowed to grow and store the wine using techniques that are only practiced in those particular environments.
So if you missed the wine train in May don’t worry the NM Wine Festival is preparing to come to Balloon Fiesta Park Labor Day weekend from August 31 to September 2.
Parade of Bass festival – Official Gallery
Relentless Beats, Crowdsurf & VIVA ABQ presented Parade of Bass Festival on Friday, May 3, 2019 at Balloon Museum Park in Albuquerque, NM 87113. Enjoy four galleries of photos from the event!
Gallery 1 | Gallery 2 | Gallery 3
PhaseOne at Effex : 5-24-19
Memorial Day weekend ushered in by PhaseOne and the energy he brought with the crowd. His choice of heavy bass and dubstep had Effex Rooftop rocking and jammin to the low trembles of the music. People let loose, letting their energy flow and the dance moves do the talking. Here are the photos from Friday night.
Sneak peek at CAKE Nightclub, the new club in Downtown Albuquerque
ABQ-Live headed out to the newest club to hit Downtown Albuquerque this past weekend. While the new club hasn’t officially opened yet, we were able to get an inside look at what to expect from the downtown spot. Enjoy event photos from the private birthday party for the owner of Integrity Automotive.
Annual Breakfast brings Albuquerque together to fight homelessness
By Nichole Harwood
CLNkids held its annual breakfast Friday, May 10, raising money to continue its work serving the homeless community in Albuquerque.
Formerly known as Cuidando Los Ninos, CLNkids is a non-profit organization that helps families suffering from homelessness by combining high-quality early childhood education with proven support programs for parents.
Sponsored by a variety of businesses, the goal of the event was to raise $25,000, which would then be matched by the Carl C. Anderson Sr. and Marie Jo Anderson Charitable Foundation. Several guest speakers delivered speeches during the breakfast including New Mexico State Auditor Brian Colón and parent speaker Elizabeth Jaramillo. Both speakers passionately shared their personal experiences with poverty and homelessness, urging guests at the event to donate to CLNkids in support of its work for the community.
Colón spoke first, recounting his families past struggles with poverty and shared his experiences from a child watching his mother count out food stamps to a young man fighting to receive his degree. Colón told the audience that while his struggles were difficult, he received support from his local community, a community he said he saw coming together once again at the annual breakfast, continuing the fight against homelessness.
“When I got out of bed today, I knew it was going to be a great day because I knew that 500 New Mexicans were going to come together to lift up our community,” Colón said. “We’re coming together to see a vision that is different than what we have today — a vision where our children are cared for and we address homelessness in our community.”
Near the end of his speech, Colón shared and praised his experiences of CLNkids’ effective work, while urging attendees to donate.
“Your success in life will always be directly proportional to the success you help others achieve,” Colón said. “We are now changing the trajectory for families for a lifetime, and let me tell you, Cuidando Los Ninos does it better than anybody else.”
Attendees of the event were given a glimpse into the eyes of a child whose family was homeless in the form of a video. The video explored the state of homelessness as a little girl awoke in a vehicle only to then get ready for school within the same vehicle. Throughout the entire clip, a loving mother did her best to encourage her young daughter, smiling and helping her dress before the two waited at a bus stop.
The goal of the video was to buck the stereotypes that often revolve around homelessness showing a different face to a problem that affects over 500,000 people in the United States, according to the 2018 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Annual Homeless Assessment Report.
When Jaramillo took to the floor after Colón, she continued where the video left off, advising viewers to not stereotype and categorize those afflicted by homelessness. Instead, she asked the audience to consider the different circumstances an individual can find themselves in that can lead to homelessness — regardless of age, sex or education. Jaramillo emphasized the point by passionately sharing her story regarding homelessness and her children, highlighting her education and work experience and how both were unable to stop her and her children from losing their home when circumstances spun beyond her control.
After telling her story, Jaramillo told the audience about her experience with CLNkids and how their programs helped get her life back on a positive track. She ended her speech thanking CLNkids for their help while crediting them for making a significant impact in her life.
“It is essential that CLNkids gave us the resources that we needed to get back to where we were before,” Jaramillo said.
After thanking attendees for joining the breakfast and their willingness to donate to the cause, Jaramillo ended her speech before the attendees prepared to donate at the end of the event.
“I hope you guys continue to contribute and support CLNkids because it’s not doing anything but creating more positive outcomes for your community,” Jaramillo said.
Photos by contributing ABQ-Live photographer Michael Griego Jr
UNM Catering Offers a Creative Menu for all Budgets
By Amanda Gerard
UNM Catering is your one-stop shop for all of your special event needs. Our culinary team is creative and passionate about delivering a menu that fits your unique tastes and budget, leaving your guests with a delicious, memorable experience. Choose from carefully curated menus ranging from impressive displays to show-stopping plated dinners. UNM Catering is also happy to team up with you for a personalized consultation to create a one-of-a-kind menu, enhancing your vision of the special occasion.
Take advantage of the many venue options on campus, or have UNM Catering visit you offsite at your home, office or event space. UNM has many rentable spaces including private meeting rooms or beautiful ballrooms in the Student Union Building. Venture across campus to reserve more intimate spaces such as the University Club, or experience the beautiful city views from the pavilion at UNM Championship Golf Course. Onsite or offsite, we are pleased to bring the flavors to you.
No event is too big or small. We offer comprehensive options for intimate meetings and gathering to large scale banquets and everything in between. Try our fresh take on boxed lunch options for your next meeting, or stay on trend with an artisanal toast bar for a conversation starter at breakfast. Our goal with every event is to deliver a catering experience that goes beyond the traditional expectation. No matter the event size, our main ingredient is care for all of our valued clients.
Creative culinary is our specialty and we’ve got you covered from antipasto to ziti. Our chefs have incredible range and flexibility. Dietary restrictions, cultural cuisine or themed meals are welcome to help you design the perfect meal to compliment the occasion. We pride ourselves on offering an incredible value to our clients. Count on professional, polished presentations and bundled items that maximize your budget.
We have a service that you can count on. Our experienced staff is attentive and proactive about making sure you and your guests can relax and enjoy the event. You choose the service style and our team will gladly assist in delivering a guest experience that makes the host the toast of the event. Our clients can rest easy knowing that UNM Catering will go above and beyond to deliver a ‘wow’ experience. Confidently add bar service with our experienced servers and bartenders.
Contact us today to plan your next event! Visit our website to view our menus or place your order. Our sales staff may be reached at 505.277.2506 or stop by our office in the Student Union Building at UNM.
Photos courtesy of UNM Catering
Avengers: Endgame celebrates 11-years of Marvel
By August Edwards
After 22 movies, the world’s most excruciating soap opera has come to an end with “Avengers: Endgame.” What has compelled us to watch and re-watch for over a decade, has left us with victories, individual and shared, to celebrate.
We all know the good guys are going to win at the end, which might be welcome encouragement with the knowledge that we’ll have to sit through three hours and one minute to receive a payoff. The mystery of Endgame — or, the potential for spoilers — for those who haven’t seen it yet, does not lie within the overall arc of action, but within the emotional resonance, each character brings to the screen.
Does it warrant the length? Of course, because of how it is. Everything about this film is significant. Substantial. Even the subtleties (whatever “subtlety” means within this franchise) are grandiose; characters that are bound to have minimal screen-time still beg us to savor every moment they deliver—and it is easy to do so. “Endgame” moves fast. The humor is nuanced, the jokes land. While transitional moments rely on laughs to keep the story moving, this does not obscure the dark moments that are paced long enough to solicit tears.
Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), namely, cannot find a way to live with the past; they are haunted to the point of torture. Unlike “Infinity War,” Thanos seems to be more of a plot device than a real obstacle. This could be for many reasons; we already know what his motives are, and, simply put, he’s already done what he’s done. In this fashion, Thanos becomes a metaphor for what the Avengers are fighting.
We are at an age where “spoiling” is a sin. I will not share anything about the film that might upset somebody, but I would like to share what “Avengers: Endgame” has taught me about spoilers in light of how our heroes battle demons from the past.
We’re afraid of losing the particular feeling of raw emotion that comes with experiencing something for the first time. We might even put pressure on ourselves to feel something to the degree at which we believe it should be explored. We recognize a smaller payoff in finding out the secrets before we’re meant to. Not only do we react with anger, but we are also filled with a sort of grim realization — that, in context, the feeling we’ve long awaited just won’t hit the same.
While we can’t go back in time and fix the past to how we would like it to be, we can choose what we do with our present. The Avengers in Endgame has provided a compelling argument for living each moment to the fullest, even if we think we know what the outcome will be.
“Avengers: Endgame” is enjoyable. Watching noble characters we love to fight for what they love is, without a doubt, inspiring. It is freeing to be able to cry and laugh next to someone who is also crying and laughing in the same darkness with the same glow emanating onto their faces. I think these feelings can be accomplished even if something has been spoiled. It might all depend on how present we are.
Poster courtesy of IMDb.
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