Monday, October 26, 2026
Welcome to a classic late-October week in Red River. The balloons have drifted home after last weekend's Taos Mountain Balloon Rally and Rio Grande Sky Fiesta, the last of the aspen gold is hanging on in the sheltered side canyons, and town settles into its friendly in-between rhythm: sunny, quiet weekdays, a Halloween celebration for the kids on Saturday, and the first real taste of winter weather arriving just as the clocks fall back on Sunday.
The weather story is a tale of two halves. Monday starts clear and cold near 30 degrees, then sunshine takes over with a high near 50 and a full moon rising tonight. Tuesday and Wednesday stay sunny with highs of 51 and 53, Thursday turns partly cloudy at 54, and Friday holds near 52. The turn comes Friday night, when rain and snow showers move in, followed by a cool Halloween Saturday with morning rain and snow showers and a high near 49. Sunday brings the real change: rain is likely with a high near 45, turning to snow showers Sunday night. If you are driving in today, build in extra time: heavy storms are crossing the Texas Panhandle around Amarillo on I-40 and US-87, southwest Kansas, and the Colorado Front Range along I-25, while northern New Mexico itself stays dry.
Saturday is the week's headline for families. The free Halloween Carnival returns to the Red River Conference Center on Saturday, October 31, from 5 to 7 PM, with games, treats, and costumes welcome — bundle the little ghosts up warmly, because temperatures will be falling into the low 30s by evening. The regular weekly rhythm fills out the rest of the calendar: fitness classes at the Red River Community House, the Historical Museum open Friday and Saturday afternoons, Lego Builders Club at the library on Saturday, and the usual run of trivia, open mic, and live music at Main Street's winery and brewery taprooms. Check the This Week in Red River schedule at redriver.org for the latest times, since they can change.
Winter is officially on the countdown. Red River Ski & Summer Area lists Opening Day as Wednesday, November 25, thirty days from today, and season passes are in their second pricing tier through December 10 — the Platinum Pass for adults is 679 dollars and the Weekender Pass for adults is 479 dollars in this window, with prices stepping up again on December 11. Sunday night's snow showers will not open any lifts, but they are a welcome reminder for the snowmaking crews and a good nudge to get skis tuned and lodging booked for Thanksgiving week.
Around the region, the big long-term news is broadband: New Mexico has signed its first federal BEAD grant agreement, committing nearly 27 million dollars to Kit Carson Electric Cooperative to build fiber to almost 4,000 unserved and underserved locations across five northern counties, with Red River among the communities named in the project. Construction is still years away, but for a mountain town where remote work and telehealth matter, it is a meaningful investment. Until then, enjoy the quiet week: walk the Nature Trail, fish the river in the midday sun, and we will see you in costume on Saturday.