Farmington Civic Center announces spring lineup with family shows, live music

Dinosaur World LIVE opened the Farmington Civic Center’s spring run at 2 p.m. Sunday, giving local families the season’s most affordable big-stage outing at $10 to $18 a ticket. The interactive show features life-size dinosaur puppets, including Tyrannosaurus rex, Triceratops, Giraffatitan, Microraptor and Segnosaurus, and ends with a meet-and-greet that lets children see the cast and puppets up close.

The spring schedule then turns to live music, starting with country singer Britnee Kellogg at 7:30 p.m. April 24. Her Farmington date is priced at $16 to $28 and is being billed as a draw for listeners who want a local night out without driving to Albuquerque or farther into the Four Corners region. The Civic Center says Kellogg has more than 19 million streams, and her catalog includes “She’s Come a Long Way,” “Hey Mama” and “My Girl (Stepmama’s POV).”

The lineup continues May 2 with The Rocket Man Show, a tribute to Elton John starring Scotsman Rus Anderson. The 7:30 p.m. performance is also priced at $16 to $28 and leans on familiar hits, costumes and piano work, a formula that should make it one of the spring’s strongest cross-generational draws for families, couples and longtime Elton John fans.

Jordan Grant, the Civic Center’s production manager, said the venue is trying to pair educational and entertainment value with prices local families can manage. “Whether you’re looking for an educational afternoon with the kids or an inspiring night of music, the Civic Center is committed to being Farmington’s premier destination for safe, engaging and world-class performances,” Grant said.

The Civic Center’s 50th anniversary adds extra weight to the season. The venue already marked the milestone with a free April 10 showcase featuring Abigail Baker, Ga Greine, Three Views of a Secret and Caliente Chorus, and it will host a $15 “Groovy Since 1976” party April 25 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. That anniversary push, combined with the spring entertainment slate, keeps downtown Farmington active at a time when the city is still investing in the venue’s future.

The Civic Center is at 200 W. Arrington St. in downtown Farmington, with tickets available through the box office at (505) 599-1148 and at farmingtonshows.com. The city says the expansion project is underway and funded by a hotel-room fee of up to $2.50 per occupied room night, money that can only be used for convention and civic center projects.