Enjoy the eighth annual Fiesta’s de Peralta y Valencia Saturday

PERALTA — Everything you need to have a stellar Saturday can be found this weekend at the eighth annual Fiesta’s de Peralta y Valencia on Oct. 5, which celebrates the history and heritage of Peralta.

Along with live music, mouthwatering delights and games for all, there will also be a parade to kick off the fiesta and a firework show — with a reputation for being quite the sight — to end the night.

Peralta Town Councilor Claudio Moya, who plays an integral role in planning the fiesta each year, said this year’s event is shaping up to be one of the biggest and best yet.

“Everybody is welcome — the more the merrier,” said Moya. “It’s getting bigger every year, and we’ll have some darn good bands.”

The festivities will begin at 10 a.m. with a mariachi band performance and a parade, which will begin at Peralta Town Hall, 90-A Molina Road, and head west, ending at the fiesta grounds on the corner of Molina Road and N.M. 47.

From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., there will also be a car show. Moya said those looking to enter a vehicle do not need to register in advance; you just show up with your car. There will be trophies given out for a variety of categories and there is no entry fee required.

Throughout the day, there will be several activities for people of all ages to enjoy, including bingo, raffles and a cornhole tournament starting at 12 p.m. There will also be a bounce house, face painting and several game booths for the kiddos.

A “music man” himself, Moya said what he looks forward to every year are the bands. This year’s lineup includes Nathaniel Krantz from 12-2 p.m., Peter Vigil and the All Star Band from 2:30-4 p.m., Ralph Miramontes from 4:30-6 p.m. and Cadillac Whiskey from 6:30-8 p.m.

Moya’s favorite part though, and what he says is most important, is enjoying the company of the community.

“There’s people you don’t see all year long except for the fiestas, and it’s great to see a lot of your acquaintances you haven’t seen in a long time,” Moya said.

There will be several food vendors on the fiesta grounds who will be serving up a nice variety of meals and treats, ranging from savory to sweet and everything in between. Arts and crafts vendors will also have lots to offer and have something for everyone including jewelry, T-shirts, blown glass items and much more.

While there, don’t forget to check out the many raffle baskets, especially the main event cash prize raffle, which will be awarding $500 to the first-place winner, $200 for second and $100 for third. Winners will be announced around 6 p.m., and proceeds from the raffle help to fund the fiesta for next year.

There is no entry or parking fee for the fiesta, and the firework show will begin at 8 p.m., ending a day of festive fun and community appreciation with a bang.