Spring has sprung in Downtown Carlsbad!
We have been off to a busy start to the new year and have some exciting updates to share with you all. In January, our Pearl of the Pecos Arts and Cultural Committee presented our Cultural Economic Development Plan to the City Council for approval and local adoption. Following approval at our local level, we worked with New Mexico MainStreet to put together our request to present to the New Mexico Arts Commission to receive our state authorization as an arts and cultural district. The Arts Commission meeting was held in February, and we were approved. Carlsbad is now the 10th community in the state to receive this official designation. This project has been in the works for many years, and countless volunteer hours, hard work, and dedication have brought us to this point. I would like to extend my thanks to all those who have been involved in the process, in particular, the Pearl of the Pecos steering committee, Carlsbad MainStreet Board, Carlsbad Arts Council, and the City of Carlsbad.
There is much to look forward to in Downtown Carlsbad this year! We will kick off our busy events season in June with the return of CavernFest on June 7th and 8th. CavernFest is Carlsbad MainStreet’s annual signature event. It is a family-friendly festival in downtown Carlsbad featuring live music, food trucks, vendors, various tournaments, and attractions. It is FREE for everyone to attend thanks to our incredible community partners and event sponsors. A special thank you to Chevron for being our title sponsor for this year’s event.
Following CavernFest, we will begin our Carlsbad Downtown Farmers and Makers Market season on Thursday, June 13th. Our market is every Thursday night from 5:30-7:30 pm, and this year, we will be adding Saturday morning markets every other week from 8:00-10:00 am. We are always looking for new vendors and innovative ideas to grow the event for our community. If you have been working on a small business venture or a project that you would like to see as part of this market season, reach out to us to see how we can work together.
With this issue of Focus magazine being all about growing good and creating space for the good in life, I think our Farmers Market community does just that. Not only are people growing good in the form of great, locally sourced produce, but they are growing their community. Our regular vendors have been working together for years. They have a strong network of support in one another while always being willing to welcome newcomers into the fold. Some of our vendors have even outgrown the market and opened a storefront in our district. We have seen a group of vendors collaborate to open a business sharing retail space. By providing a space and outlet for people to showcase their craft and sell their goods, we are unconsciously creating space for the good in their lives and the lives of the customers and market attendees. My fondest memory in this role is during events when I see members of our community sit out on the courthouse lawn and watch great, local talent on the gazebo.
Our goal at MainStreet is to make Downtown Carlsbad into a lively, vibrant place where people can shop, eat, and find entertainment on weekdays, weekends, and evenings. For me, that is creating space for the good in life. MainStreet would not exist without the support of our community. We, in return, love to help create events and spaces to grow the quality of life and sense of place.
Kat Davis,
Executive Director, Carlsbad MainStreet Arts & Cultural District
Carlsbad MainStreet
102 S. Canyon | Carlsbad, NM
(575) 628-3768
CarlsbadMainStreet.com
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Letter and originally published in Focus on Carlsbad 2024 Spring edition.
Kat Davis
I am the Executive Director for Carlsbad MainStreet/Arts & Cultural District. My career began in 2020 as the Director for Carlsbad’s Pearl of the Pecos ACD and at the beginning of 2022 the MainStreet board merged these positions into one. I was born and raised in Ireland and have a diverse background that drives my passion to make my community a better place through many different service organizations, volunteering, and our work through Carlsbad MainStreet.
