Wild West Fest’ in Las Vegas

Wild West Fest’ in Las Vegas – First Stop in Tourism Department’s ‘Catch Billy the Kid’ Summer Scavenger Hunt

 

He's still hard to catch even in 2011!

Las Vegas, N.M. (July 20, 2011) — The New Mexico Tourism Department is kicking off its “Catch the Kid” summer travel promotion in one of the wildest of the wildest old west towns – Las Vegas, New Mexico – site of this Saturday’s (July 23, 2011) Wild West Fest, and home to one of 10 clues that will give your honorary sheriff “posse” a shot at the $10,000 reward for capturing Billy the Kid.   Las Vegas is a fitting locale. Billy the Kid spent the night after his capture at Stinking Springs in a jail about a block northwest of Old Town Plaza in Las Vegas; and Sheriff Pat Garrett and the manacled Kid boarded the next-afternoon train to Santa Fe from the old depot, just east of the railroad tracks beyond Railroad Ave.    “Billy the Kid remains one of New Mexico’s most iconic and infamous characters,” said Monique Jacobson, New Mexico Tourism Cabinet Secretary. “I encourage everyone to join us in Las Vegas this Saturday. This is just the start of a great travel season in the Land of Enchantment.”    Las Vegas will feature family fun at Lincoln Park from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., such as sheep shearing, a horseshoe demonstration, a chuck wagon, teepee, Western photo booth, carnival games, cornhusk doll making, military drill demonstrations, people in period costumes, and a disc jockey in the gazebo playing festive country music.   Other activities include entertainment, booths, food and drink vendors, prizes, hay rides, a beer garden, live entertainment by three local bands. Special events include a free concert by Po’Girls, a folk group out of Canada, on the Plaza from 7 p.m. to midnight; free Billy the Kid movie at the Carnegie Library; and a special brunch lecture at the Plaza Saturday morning. Visit www.catchthekid.com for more information.   On your way to and from Las Vegas, be sure to explore the history and wide open spaces of northeast New Mexico. Still visible are the deep wagon-wheel ruts left by those souls traveling the Santa Fe Trail from Missouri to our capital city. Explore the Army post established in 1851 at the Fort Union National Monument and the Indian Pueblo ruins at Pecos National Historical Park.    Also on Saturday, Isotopes Park in Albuquerque will welcome the New Mexico tourism industry when the Isotopes take on the New Orleans Zephyrs. The event, which coincides with Fireworks Night, Dukes Retro Night and the Albuquerque Baseball Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, celebrates the start of the Catch the Kid summer promotion with giveaways and special activities, and gives baseball fans an opportunity to sign up a posse to search for the Kid. First pitch is 7:05 p.m.   “We are turning the whole state into a real life video game,” Sec. Jacobson said. “If you have a smart phone, download the “Catch the Kid” smart phone app and get clues by visiting designated locations around New Mexico, like Las Vegas, that will lead to Billy’s hideout. The more clues you collect, the more information you will have about where, when and how to capture ‘the Kid.’ Players with smart phones can also collect loot and use it to buy vacations, deals or even meals online in the General Store section of the ‘Catch the Kid’ website, www.catchthekid.com.”    If you don’t have a smart phone, you can still collect clues by taking a picture of yourself next to the clue poster and uploading it to your profile page.

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