What is the Santa Fe Indian Market?
Santa Fe, the capital of New Mexico, is a city of adobe buildings, high desert light and art. Every August, its historic plaza becomes the stage for the Santa Fe Indian Market, the oldest and largest juried showcase of Native American art in the United States. About 1,000 artists from Native nations across the United States and Canada fill the plaza and the surrounding streets with booths, and some 150,000 visitors come to see, buy and celebrate their work.
The market began in 1922 as the Southwest Indian Fair and Industrial Arts and Crafts Exhibition, part of Santa Fe's summer fiesta, sponsored by the Museum of New Mexico. Today it is organized by the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts, SWAIA, a non-profit, and artists must be enrolled members of federally recognized tribes. Their work is judged before the market opens, and the prize-winning pieces are among the most sought-after works of the year.
The range of work is remarkable: pottery from the pueblos of New Mexico, silver and turquoise jewellery, Navajo textiles, beadwork, basketry, painting, sculpture, photography and contemporary art. Many artists come from families that have practised their art for generations, while others push their traditions in new directions. Collectors, museums and curators arrive before dawn to secure the best pieces, but most visitors simply wander, talk with the artists and enjoy the atmosphere.
Around the booths, the weekend fills with dance and music performances, a couture fashion show of Native designers, film screenings and talks, making it a celebration of living Native cultures as much as an art market. For many families, artists and visitors alike, the market is an annual reunion, and the plaza becomes a meeting place for friends from across Indian Country.
What to expect
The market runs over a weekend in August, with events in the days before.
Before the weekend
Judging and previews
The art is judged before the market opens, and a preview evening shows the prize-winning pieces. Galleries and museums across Santa Fe hold openings and events.
Saturday
The market opens
Booths open early in the morning on the plaza and nearby streets. Serious buyers arrive before dawn; others browse through the day, with dance and music performances on stage.
Sunday
Fashion and farewells
The market continues, with a fashion show of Native designers and more performances, before the booths close in the afternoon.
A dance crew performing at Indian Market
Photo by Larry Lamsa / flickr · CC BY 2.0
Planning your trip
Getting there
Santa Fe has a small regional airport, but most visitors fly into Albuquerque, about an hour's drive away, with shuttle buses and the Rail Runner train connecting the two cities. The market is in the historic centre, around the plaza, and best explored on foot.
Where to stay
Hotels near the plaza are the most convenient but book up a year ahead and charge their highest rates of the year. Many visitors stay further out in Santa Fe or in Albuquerque. Book as early as you can.
What it costs
Entry to the market is free. Prices for art range from small, affordable pieces to major works costing thousands of dollars. Santa Fe is expensive during the market weekend, especially for accommodation, but food in the city's many New Mexican restaurants is reasonably priced.
Go like you know
- Arrive early on Saturday morning if you want to buy, as the best pieces go fast.
- Bring cash, though many artists accept cards.
- Try New Mexican food with red or green chile, or both ("Christmas").
- Visit the Museum of Indian Arts and Culture and the Wheelwright Museum on Museum Hill for context on the art you'll see.
- Walk Canyon Road, lined with galleries, on a quieter morning.
- Respect the artists' wishes about photographs of their work and their booths; always ask first.
- New Mexico's Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, in October, fills the sky with hundreds of balloons.
- For Indigenous culture in Mexico, see Oaxaca's Guelaguetza, in July.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Santa Fe Indian Market?
On the weekend after the third Thursday of August. In 2027 that is expected to be Saturday and Sunday, August 21 and 22, with judging and preview events in the days before. SWAIA publishes the schedule and events each year.
Who can sell at the market?
Only Native American and First Nations artists who are enrolled members of federally recognized tribes, and whose work has been accepted by SWAIA's jury. This ensures that everything sold is authentic Native art, made by the artists themselves, and the jury reviews each artist's work before they are given a booth.
Is it only for collectors?
No. Collectors and museum curators come for the top pieces, but most visitors simply browse, meet the artists and enjoy the performances. There is art at every price, from small pieces of jewellery and pottery to major works, and the market is free to attend.
