Taos kicks off its yearlong celebration of the “Remarkable Women of Taos and Northern New Mexico” March 22, 2012, with a special event featuring actor and New Mexico resident Marsha Mason and other notables at the University of New Mexico Harwood Museum of Art.

The impressive list of “Remarkable Women” includes Taos Modernist Beatrice Mandelman; arts patron and salon hostess Mabel Dodge Luhan; high-society model, designer and Standard Oil heiress Millicent Rogers; and renowned San Ildefonso Pueblo potter Maria Martinez.

Museums, galleries and institutions with events relating to the “Remarkable Women of Taos & Northern New Mexico” include the Harwood Museum, the Millicent Rogers Museum, the E.L. Blumenschein Home, Hacienda de los Martinez, Mabel Dodge Luhan House, Mesa’s Edge, RANE Gallery, the Parks Gallery, Taos Institute of Glass Arts, and the Red Willow Market at Taos Pueblo.

For a full listing and description of each museum exhibition and tour itineraries,

visit http://taos.org/women

New Orleans isn’t the only town that knows how to celebrate Mardi Gras. Red River joins in the celebration with daily parades with colorful floats, krewes in costume tossing Mardi Gras beads, live Creole music, and spicy Cajun cooking February 16-21, 2012.

Featured events include:

• Thursday – Burning of the Wild Tchoupitoula
• Friday – Drink Making Contest
• Saturday – Main Street Parade
• Sunday – Children’s Ball
• Monday – Cajun Cook-off
• Tuesday – FAT TUESDAY

Over 60 events will be held throughout the six-day event, and you won’t want to miss out on all the excitement, fun and mayhem at Mardi Gras in the Mountains in Red River.

Visit http://www.redrivernewmex.com/?p=316.

The Taos Winter Wine Festival has evolved into one of the premier wine events in the in the region. Drawing more than 3,000 wine enthusiasts, the festival is filled with spectacular wine and food events throughout Taos Ski Valley and the Town of Taos, where restaurants host wine dinners and chefs pair dishes that compliment the wines they are featuring. Daily seminars give the participants an opportunity to meet and interact with the winemakers and vineyard owners on a personal basis.

“Skier, wine connoisseur or gourmet, the Taos Winter Wine Festival has something for everyone,” said Monique Jacobson, Secretary of the New Mexico Tourism Department. “Perhaps best of all, during the day you can ski Taos, where the conditions are nearly perfect.”

For more information or to order tickets, write info@taoswinterwinefest.com; call 505-946-8506;
or visit http://www.taoswinterwinefest.com/

The second annual Santa Fe Winter Fiesta throughout Santa Fe's historic streets and nearby Rocky Mountains is January 27-February 5, 2012

A special Fiesta ADVENTURE PASS ($10) offers value prices at participating restaurants, businesses, and cultural institutions and is your key to savings

Many exciting events throughout the community are already in the works including hotel packages with value pricing, lift ticket discounts at Ski Santa Fe, meal specials, museum shop discounts, and free entrance into many of the nightly Fiesta parties planned during the week. In addition, the Santa Fe Farmers Market, along with other venues, has been reserved for the entire 10 days.

Visit www.santafewinterfiesta.com