Placitas Ranch Fest returns, offers close-up look at elk and bison
Families got close to elk and bison at Elk Ridge Ranch as Placitas Ranch Fest returned for its second year with tours, music, vendors and spring calves.
Elk Ridge Ranch opened its gates in Placitas, Sandoval County, on June 20 for the second Placitas Ranch Fest, giving families a close-up look at elk and bison at 772 NM-165.
The 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. festival mixed live music, local vendors, ranch tours, food and beverage offerings and animal experiences. Organizers said Placitas Ranch Fest is the flagship event of New Mexico RanchFest, and Sandoval Tourism listed it under Arts & Culture/Spring Events, placing a ranch-centered outing squarely on the county calendar.
A ticketing page listed parking and admission at $20 per vehicle. The ranch also said baby elk and bison calves were expected in the weeks leading up to the event, adding a seasonal draw for children and adults who wanted to see the animals up close while learning how ranch life works in Placitas.
More than 1,200 people attended the first Ranch Fest, Keith Allen West said, and he added that the debut year was “more successful than expected.” Organizers said they improved vendor locations for the second year, building on a 2025 event that was free and open to the public and included food trucks, cooking demonstrations, a healing and wellness zone and a special appearance by Priscilla, the Pig of the Desert.
Placitas, a census-designated place of 5,041 people in the 2020 census, gave the festival a small-town setting with reach beyond the village itself. In a foothills community between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, the event turned a working ranch into a day trip focused on elk, bison and the agricultural traditions that still help define this corner of Sandoval County.
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