44th Annual Peanut Valley Festival kicks off Saturday

PORTALES — As the 44th annual Peanut Valley Festival approaches, several of the event's vendors are looking ahead to their fourth decade of attendance.

The free festival is set for next weekend at the Roosevelt County Fairgrounds, and is the event du jour for early Christmas shopping, according to Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Karl Terry.

"The timing of this is set so you can get your Christmas shopping done early and get something put away in a closet that's gonna be special. It's gonna be handmade and special to the person you're gifting it to," he said.

Many of those special wares have over the years come from Diane Martinez, a potter from Bosque Farms.

In her 39 years of attendance, Martinez has developed a special relationship with the Peanut Valley Festival.

"That was my first out of town show I ever did where I went on my own and first started. It's my good-luck charm. If I don't do it, I won't have a good year," Martinez said.

Acoma resident Fannie Aragon, who sells pottery and paintings at the festival with her husband Joe Aragon, remembers the first festival.

"My husband and I are both alumni from there, and we used to do it when it used to be in the (former National Guard) armory. We've missed a couple of times in between there, but the very first year that they did it in the armory, that's where we started from," she said.

The friends they have made in that time bring them back to Portales year after year, Fannie Aragon said.

"It's like a little trip so we can see who's still around and what's happening."

Aside from the vendors - who will be offering their wares from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday - the festival will offer entertainment options both new and familiar.

La Casita Baile Folklorico, a Clovis-based dance troupe, will be making its debut at the festival at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, joined by the Fusion World Dancers — performing at 11 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. Saturday — and Kelsey Prince Studio Dance at 1:30 p.m. Sunday.

The Peanut Olympics — a series of peanut-centered games for children — will be returning at 1 p.m. Saturday, this time accompanied by the Portales High School band, which will help facilitate the events.

"A new feature this year for the Peanut Olympics is we're gonna give away some door prizes," Terry said.

For attendees hoping to be more proactive about their well-being, a health fair is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. Services including flu shots, hearing screenings, and blood screenings will be available free of charge. No insurance is required.

Terry touted the festival's diverse roster of events.

"We've got it rounded out, and it's got something for everyone. If dad doesn't want to browse the booths, he can take the kids and have a little fun outside and listen to the music. Then everybody can meet up and get some food and listen to the music, or dance for a while," he said.

Visit http://www.portales.com for more information.