October is a busy month at Historic Fairview Cemetery! There’s something going on every weekend. Please join us for any of these events.
Saturday, October 7: Monthly Volunteer Cleanup
Mark your calendar for October 7 for the monthly volunteer clean up at Historic Fairview Cemetery on the first Saturday of the month. The cemetery is looking great, thanks to our continued spreading mulch, filling holes and pulling tumbleweeds. We’ve got native grasses and wildflowers growing! Your hard work is making a difference.
Please dress to protect yourself from the strong Southwest sun. Wear sunscreen, a hat, long pants and shirts, sturdy shoes. Bring tools and gloves to garden, we’ll provide the trash bags and bottles of water. We start at 8:00 a.m. and finish by 11:00 a.m.
Saturday, October 14: Solar Eclipse Viewing Party
Albuquerque is one of the best places in the U.S. to watch the “Ring of Fire” solar eclipse on Saturday, October 14, 2023. We’ll have a viewing party in Historic Fairview Cemetery. In addition to free solar telescope viewing, we’re offering solar eclipse glasses at $5 each (cash only). We will gather by 9:00 a.m. in the center of the cemetery near the Springer Walton Mausoleum. Partial eclipse starts at 9:15 a.m. Totality will take place from 10:34 to 10:39 a.m. Join us!
Saturday, October 21: Death Cafe and Murder and Mayhem Tour
A part of the Before I Die New Mexico Festival, come join in a Death Cafe discussion in the cemetery at 10:00 a.m. We’ll have a little coffee or tea, some cake or cookies, and talk about what’s on your mind about mortality issues. Gail Rubin, Festival coordinator and president of the Historic Fairview Cemetery nonprofit organization, was one of the first people in the U.S. to hold a Death Cafe. She will facilitate this discussion.
The Murder and Mayhem walking tour takes place at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. We walk to the graves of people and tell true stories of their deaths because of murder or mayhem. Learn about the murder of Kiku Honda in 1896, the tragic death of John Medill McCormick at age 21 in 1938, how John Braden died while saving a crowd from a wagon of exploding ammunition in 1896, and other true stories. This fundraiser for the nonprofit organization is $50 per person. Register here for the tour.
Sunday, October 29: Victorian Picnic and History Scavenger Hunt
Victorian Picnic in Historic Fairview Cemetery
Historic Fairview Cemetery is holding a Victorian-style picnic on Sunday, October 29 from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Bring your own picnic foods and drinks, folding chairs, tables and decor, and wear your Steampunk finery!
Activities include a scavenger hunt to discover the history of Albuquerque and learn about some of the notable people buried in the cemetery. There will be prizes and sugar skull T-shirt painting.
A participation fee of $10 will help cover the port-a-potty and T-shirts. You can bring cash to the event, or make a donation through this link to our PayPal account. Please RSVP to Lisa Roberts by October 26. Call or text to 505-331-2888. Your response will help us plan how many T-shirts to purchase. See you at this fun event in the cemetery!
November 11: Veterans Day Cemetery Stories
Mark your calendar for Saturday, November 11, Veterans Day. The New Mexico Humanities Council and Historic Fairview Cemetery present Cemetery Stories on November 11, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. with a special tribute to Veterans. This community story slam event highlights important figures in NM’s history and invites members of the community to share their perspectives on grief, loss, memorial, and life itself. More information on the event will be on the NM Humanities Council website soon: https://www.nmhumanities.org/.