photo credit: Mel A. James

The fourth annual Taos Lilac Festival kicks off tomorrow, and this year’s bangup crop of lilacs will make for an especially lovely week. Most of the events take place over the Grand Festival Weekend, Friday the 20th – Sunday the 22nd, but the celebration continues through next week with a lilac care demonstration, a wine dinner, the kickoff of Taos Plaza Live, and more.

Find the full schedule below! Unless otherwise indicated, all events take place in Kit Carson Park.

Learn all about the Taos Lilac Festival here.

2016 Taos Lilac Festival Schedule

Friday, May 20

11am – 6pm: Garden Club Lilac Information, Lilac Garden Center, Arts and Crafts Fair, Beer & Wine Garden

1pm – 6pm Live Entertainment: O’Duffy’s Lament 1pm – 2:30pm, Crooked and the Cracked 3:00 pm – 6pm

4pm: Official Opening Ceremony

Saturday, May 21

9:00am: Lilac 5K

9:15am: Lilac Family 1 Mile Run

10am – 6pm: Garden Club Lilac Information, Lilac Garden Center, Arts and Crafts Fair, Beer & Wine Garden, Tio Vivo Carousel

11am: Pet Parade, Pet Costume and Trick Contests & Pet Blessing (gather at Guadalupe Church 10:30am)

12:30 – 6pm Live Entertainment: The Noseeums 12:30pm – 3:00pm, Plan Be 3:00pm – 6:00pm

5:00pm: Taos Chamber Music Group @ Harwood Museum

Sunday, May 22

10am – 5pm: Garden Club Lilac Information, Lilac Garden Center, Arts and Crafts Fair, Beer & Wine Garden, Tio Vivo Carousel

12:30pm – 2:30 pm: Taos Taco Cook Off

Live Entertainment: Big Swing Theory 1:30pm – 3:00pm

Taos Chamber Music Group: Harwood Museum 5:00pm

Monday, May 23

Lilac Care and Pruning Demonstration: 1:30pm at the Taos Center for the Arts

Wednesday, May 25

Lilac Festival Wine Dinner:  6:00pm at Medley

Thursday, May 26

Taos Plaza Live Lilac Night:  Lonesome Town 6:00pm – 7:00pm; Brent Berry and The Dirty Power 7:00pm

Friday, May 27

Lilac Festival Bloomin’ Bash Party At KTAO Solar Center: Doors open at 6:00pm and Vanilla Pop begins at 8:00pm. $10 cover charge