xmas / shuttle info

Madrid is having a special Christmas Celebration with live music, activities, entertainment and displays that honor Madrid Famous Christmas past! Dec. 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22

Dec. 7 Annual Christmas Parade 4 p.m. Not to be missed and don’t be late! Park at the ballpark parking lot.

After the parade the live music, shopping, food and entertainment begins amongst the beautiful town.

Dec. 7-22 Madrid Shuttle (Sat and Sun in December till Christmas) Free park and ride with stops along main street 2:30-7:30pm

Dec 7-22 Weekends at the Madrid Old Coal Town Museum:

Display and film about Madrid’s Famous Christmas past and parade.

Come in with the kids and take photo's on the "lil 769" train.

Visit the Madrid Brewing Company and Cowgirl Red for shopping and beverages.

Dec 7-22 Weekends Live Music at the Mine Shaft Tavern:

SAT 7th SUNBENDER 3pm Tom Petty cover band

SAT 7th HIGH DESERT PLAYBOYS 7pm country

SUN 8th SILVER SKY BLUES BAND 3pm blues

SAT 14th DIRTY OLD TOWN ABQ 3pm country cajun folk

SAT 14th HALF BROKE HORSES 8pm country

SUN 15th ODD DOG 3pm jam band

SAT 21st HONDO COYOTE 3pm Americana

SAT 21st RUDY BOY EXPERIENCE 8pm blues

SUN 22nd D. B. GOMEZ AND THE BOSQUE BOYS 3pm zydeco

See town events at https://www.visitmadridnm.com/

Dec. 8 Roadhouse Karma plays At the Trading Bird Gallery

-Childrens’ Ornament Making workshop at the Johnson’s of Madrid

Dec 14 Busy McCarroll and Susan Hyde Holmes at MOONBOW

- Lucy Barna and Lori Ottino

-Make art at MAD Contemporary 1-4 PM

Dec. 15 Josh Martin at KMRD

-Margaret Burke -The Caiti Lord Carolers rove the streets!

-Children’s Ornament Making Workshop at the Johnson’s of Madrid

-Make art at MAD Contemporary 1-4 PM

Dec. 21 Westin McDowell at MOONBOW

-Julian Dosset

-Clan Tinker roving circus act!!

Dec 22 Teri Lynn Browning and Chris Ishee at VILLAGE GREEN GROCERS

-The Caiti Lord Carolers rove the streets! -Teri Lynn Browning and Chris Ishee

-Ornament Making Workshop at the Johnson’s of Madrid

MADRID CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS

Madrid was a company town owned by the Albuquerque & Cerillos Coal Company. In 1922, The Madrid Employees Club was formed for the miners and their families. The Club worked on many projects and activities; such as, Easter activities, the Madrid baseball team, golf club, a band, the Annual Fourth of July Parade, etc. Madrid Christmas Celebration was also one of the projects of the Madrid Employees Club and it became famous nationwide.

Beginning in 1922, several families started Madrid Christmas Celebration by putting decorated Christmas trees outside of their homes. Soon, the displays became electrified, and the event grew to display more than 100,000 lights. A line of cars coming into Madrid would extend for miles to see the lights and decorations. Everything in town and the hillsides were heavily decorated. The event further expanded to include TOYLAND at the ballpark, which was built for children. TOYLAND was all handmade by the miners and it included a Ferris wheel, Santa’s Airplane, a carousel, a railroad station with a miniature 769 train for children to ride, and characters such as Mickey and Minnie Mouse. The spectacle became so big that many newspapers and magazines wrote about it. Perhaps this is why Walt Disney visited Madrid and saw TOYLAND, inspiring him to create Disneyland.

In 1937, Trans World Airlines (TWA) pilots rerouted their plane flights over Madrid to see the lights from above. In December 1941 WWII began, ending the famous Madrid Christmas Celebration. The miners went off to war and over time the town became a ghost town.

In the early 1970’s, the town began its revitalization into an artist colony. Residents started to honor Madrid’s famous past with the Madrid Annual Christmas Parade and weekend celebrations throughout December.Visit the Madrid Old Coal Town Museum to learn more about Madrid’s unique history. A special film and display will be set up this year’s Christmas celebration.