On Saturday, Nov. 7, The PASEO Project, Del Fuego, the Forest Stewards Guild, and LEAP present Wild Rivers Fire Ecology Day, a free public event at the Wild Rivers Visitor Center near Cerro (1120 NM-378, Questa, NM 87556).
Bringing together artists, scientists, educators, and local residents, Wild Rivers Fire Ecology Day explores how fire and ecological disturbance shape the forests, watersheds, and communities of Northern New Mexico. Running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., visitors can experience interactive exhibitions, hands-on activities, watershed education, live music, a free community lunch, and conversations with researchers and storytellers. The event invites all ages to view fire not simply as a destructive force, but as part of a larger story of adaptation, ecological renewal, resilience, and relationship to place.
“Wild Rivers Fire Ecology Day creates a space where art, science, and lived experience come together,” says The PASEO Project. “We’re inviting people to explore disturbance from many perspectives, through the eyes of young artists, researchers, cultural practitioners, and community members connected to this landscape.”
“We’re excited to engage our Northern Taos County communities in public dialogue on the increasingly important topic of fire,” says Claire Coté, director of LEAP. “It’s been seven years since we sunsetted NeoRio at Wild Rivers, and we are thrilled to bring innovative art and ecology back through this collaborative pop-up event!”
Schedule of Events
The morning begins from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. with the “Drawing on Earth” chalk activation, where artist Mark Lewis Wagner invites visitors of all ages to draw and connect with the place. Running continuously from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Garcia, Gonzales, and Santistevan families present “The Medicine of Disturbance,” a pop-up exhibition trailer inspired by post-fire monitoring. Concurrently, students from Alta Vista, Roots & Wings, and Red River Valley Charter Schools present “Disturbance, A Forest in Motion,” featuring youth artwork and family activities. Artist Scott Sutton also hosts his 3D subwatershed puzzle and Natural Pigments Rio Grande Watershed Scroll throughout the day.
Midday programming features live traditional performances from Communities of Questa Mariachi, led by Rachel León, in the amphitheater from 11 a.m. to noon. Following the performance, researchers Ellis Margolis and Manny Lopez host “Shifting Mosaics” from noon to 1 p.m., discussing centuries of ecological and human history along the Rio Grande del Norte.
From 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., attendees can enjoy a free community lunch provided by Friends of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, with music by Michael Rael. The day concludes from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. with “Voces de Nuestro País: Fire Stories,” hosted by Michael Rael and Claire Coté. Marking 30 years since the Hondo Fire, this session gathers local fire memories to expand the digital archive at QuestaStories.org.
Event Details & Attendance
Wild Rivers Fire Ecology Day takes place Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free. Attendees should dress warmly and bring camp chairs. Location is weather-dependent; visit paseoproject.org/disturbance2026 for updates.
About The PASEO Project
The PASEO Project is a Taos-based arts non-profit dedicated to transforming Community with Art and Art with Community through free public programming.