“…a highlight of the fall season in Santa Fe!”
The Recycle Santa Fe Art Festival, launched in collaboration with Keep Santa Fe Beautiful in 1999, is an artist-driven event that celebrates art made from recycled materials. This family-friendly festival includes a diverse art market, adult and student art exhibits, the dazzling Trash Fashion and Costume Contest, and engaging make-and-take art activities. All artworks feature at least 75% recycled, reused, or repurposed materials.
Supporting artists who incorporate recycled materials not only fosters economic growth within the arts community but also encourages sustainable practices and creative ways to rethink waste. As the Santa Fe Reporter notes, this event is “… a shockingly good time… the weekend’s biggest can’t miss event… a highlight of the fall season.”
Art Market
The art market features nearly 100 vendors from New Mexico and across the country who convert discarded materials into treasures. The market draws thousands of art enthusiasts, shoppers, and environmentally conscientious holiday gift-givers annually. You won’t want to miss the best place in town to find that one-of-a-kind Santa Fe art piece with unique origins! The 2026 festival won’t disappoint with new recycled-material artists and returning artists to dazzle your senses!
Trash Fashion Show
Friday night festivities include the Trash Fashion & Costume Contest, which starts at 7:00 pm on Friday, November 6, 2026. Don’t miss Santa Fe’s eco-fashion event of the year! Join us to see artists young and old as they strut their recycled-stuff down the runway in a truly spectacular display of trash fashion. Get your tickets early as this popular event usually sells out. Tickets with assigned seating go on sale at 8:00 am on Tuesday, October 6th.
Student Art Exhibit
We invite all Santa Fe area students to showcase their talents in the Student Art Exhibit. This fantastic event blends recycling education with creative expression, aligning with broader City, State, and National initiatives. Each year, we are continually amazed by the ingenuity and imagination of our young artists. The Student Art Exhibit will be displayed throughout the weekend in the front lobby of the Santa Fe Community Convention Center.
Art Exhibition
The Juried Art Exhibition is a gallery-style exhibit of select recycled-art pieces. The exhibit is located in the Santa Fe Community Convention Center and features art from artists who participate in the Art Market and from the larger recycled-art community as well.
Make and Take Art Activities
On Saturday and Sunday the make-and-take art area is set up and open for creativity. This area features an array of raw materials perfect for upcycling into unique art pieces. Glue guns and boundless inspiration are provided for all participants!
Frequently
Asked
Questions
The 2026 dates and hours are:
Friday, Nov 6th 5pm-9pm, Trash Fashion Show at 7pm
Saturday, Nov 7th 9am-5pm
Sunday, Nov 8th 10am-5pm
All events take place at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center located at 201 W. Marcy Street in downtown Santa Fe.
General admission to the Art Market on Friday night is $5 per person. Kids 12 and under are free for general admission. Trash Fashion Show & Costume Contest tickets range from $15-$25 and can be purchased ahead of time here starting in September. They can also be purchased at the door starting at 5:00 pm. The Trash Fashion & Costume Contest tickets include general admission. The fashion show takes place in the same large ballroom as the art market.
The event is free to attend on Saturday and Sunday.
The 2025 Trash Fashion Show takes place on Friday, November 14th at 7pm within the Santa Fe Community Convention Center main ballroom. The Fashion Show is co-located in the same large ballroom as the art market, so come early, get some food from the Cowgirl Santa Fe, do a little shopping and enjoy Trash Fashion! Trash Fashion show tickets include general admission to the art market on Friday night.
General admission to the Art Market on Friday night is $5 per person. Kids 12 and under are free for general admission. Trash Fashion Show & Costume Contest tickets.
Tickets go on sale each fall here. 2026 tickets will go on sale on Tuesday, October 6th at 8:00 am. Tickets are also available at the door, but this popular event often sells out and there is assigned eating so get your tickets early.
All information to apply to be in the festival as an artist can be found on the “artist info” page.
Getting Here
All events take place at the Santa Fe Community Convention Center located at 201 W. Marcy Street in downtown Santa Fe. City parking is available at the municipal parking garage located at 119 South Federal Place. The parking garage is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m and the daily maximum rate is $12. Metered street parking is also available.
