Happy Friday, Santa Fe. In today’s edition: Water rate increases, a holiday market, a symphony concert, and more. Let’s get to it!

— Cait Baker

📰 In the news

Major water projects looming: Santa Fe’s Public Works and Utilities Committee approved consent items including a water rate ordinance, and staff outlined phased increases starting February 2026 plus a three-tier structure beginning January 2027 — get details on timing and tiers.

Reset after state-city rifts: Santa Fe mayor-elect Michael Garcia plans to build a strong coalition with state and county leaders, pursue staffing changes and a Southside office, and tackle housing, homelessness, and deteriorating roads — see what’s planned.

Inside a beloved local shop: In an interview, Big Adventure Comics owner Kevin Drennan reflects on his shift from corporate IT, Santa Fe’s nerd scene, construction woes, and mission to champion reading over collecting — read the full interview.

Compare rates for free: The national average for car insurance is around $175 per month. Paying more than that? Same, so I did some shopping around and ended up cutting my premium in half. If you haven’t checked in a while, you’re probably overpaying too — here’s the comparison tool I used.

Identity theft is up 25%: Last year, Americans lost $12.5 billion to ID theft & fraud, and the stories behind those numbers are brutal. My friend just told me his dad’s on his fourth replacement credit card. Other folks have woken up to empty bank accounts or their personal info dumped online after a breach. Aura catches these kinds of attacks early by monitoring for new accounts, weird money movements, leaked data, and other red flags so you’re alerted before things blow up — learn more about it here.

Highlights this week

• Shop local, enjoy farolito tree lighting
• Shop Indigenous art across both campuses
• Meet and support Native American youth artists
• Celebrate 35 years of Nutcracker magic
• Celebrate punk solstice to benefit Wise Fool
• See why December’s the best time to try new hearing aids
• This pet insurance plan reimburses up to 90%

🫶 We got your back

Winter prescribed fire updates: Pile burning is underway on the Jemez and Cuba Ranger Districts, with the 0.5-acre Thompson Ridge Burn Pit finished and crews continuing on the American Park and Rock Creek piles, weather permitting. Ignitions are also planned for Hyde Park North Ridge and the Tesuque piles, and smoke will be visible from Santa Fe. See what’s planned and where.

City entrances get upgrades: Santa Fe’s Gateway Median project is moving from schematics to detailed design, with a citywide template to spruce up the city’s entry corridors. An update meeting is set for Tuesday, Dec. 9, 6 to 7 pm, at the Santa Fe Main Library Community Room. Expect details on St. Francis Drive and Old Pecos Trail medians. Spanish interpretation available. Get all the meeting details.

Your midweek pint plan: Whether you’re after a crisp lager, roasty stout, or playful seasonal, Rufina Taproom – Second Street Brewery delivers with a dog-friendly patio, weekly live music, and a big tap list. Laid-back and close to Meow Wolf, it’s a low-effort hang that still feels like a find.

Thinning hair? Same: I’ve been shedding a lot, and recently noticed my ponytail feeling thinner. After way too much panic-Googling, I decided to take Hers’ online quiz. They recommended a Biotin + Minoxidil green-apple gummy that targets regrowth and overall hair health. The whole thing was surprisingly easy: just verify your identity and a licensed provider signs off. Here’s the quiz if you want to check it out.

Makeup that actually works: My sister and I were talking the other day about how the makeup we used in our 20s… just doesn’t work now that we’re in our 30s and 40s. Laura Geller’s entire makeup line addresses this shift, with formulas that smooth, brighten, and actually stay put. If you’re in the same boat, their curated kits are worth a look.

📆 Around town this weekend

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirely outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

Today

🛍️ First Friday: Holiday Market @ Georgia O’Keeffe Museum | Friday (12/5) at 5:00pm – If your gift list is longer than your patience for the Plaza, slip into First Friday at the O’Keeffe for the Holiday Market. Free admission, curated sips, and local artisans selling things you will actually want to give, or keep.

🖨️ Palace Press Presents: Letterpress Demonstration @ New Mexico History Museum | Friday (12/5) at 5:00pm – Give your thumbs a break and watch real type do the heavy lifting at a letterpress demo, with clacking presses, inky hands, and satisfying impressions. It is hands-on, kid-friendly, and wonderfully analog. Free on First Friday, which is our kind of price.

This weekend

🪟 Stained Glass Art Experience @ TLC Stained Glass – Studio & Gallery | Saturday (12/06) at 1:00pm – Craft your own stained-glass suncatcher using classic Tiffany-style techniques, from cutting and shaping to soldering the final shimmer together. Choose your design and dive into a hands-on, centuries-old art form that feels both meditative and magical. You’ll leave with a luminous ornament and some serious bragging rights.

🍿 Screen & Savor: Gremlins at the Jean Cocteau Cinema @ Jean Cocteau | Saturday (12/6) at 6:00pm – Trade holiday chaos for a one-night-only Gremlins screening, a chef-crafted dinner, and cozy Jean Cocteau vibes. Joel Coleman brings the goods from La Lecheria and Fire & Hops, you bring your appetite, not water balloons. Premium night out, $55, nostalgia included.

🤣 The Big Ass Improv Show @ Santa Fe Improv | Saturday (12/06) at 7:30pm – Two house teams—After School Special and Lunch Ladies—go all in for a night of fast, funny, completely unscripted chaos. With back-to-back longform sets, no suggestion is safe and no scenario is too weird. It’s spontaneous comedy at its most unhinged—in the best way.

🛣️ First Sunday Route 66 Market @ Agua Fria | Sunday (12/7) at 12:00pm – First Sunday calls for Route 66 Market, now on winter hours 12-4, so you can shop local without missing nap time. Knock out gifts with jewelry, pottery, and baked goods, sip Tumbleroot’s seasonal drinks, and catch Zach Welch live, Route 66 Centennial vibes included.

🍷 New Mexico Wine Train @ Sky Railway | Sunday (12/7) at 12:30pm – All aboard for a rolling wine tasting that lets you sip New Mexico’s best while the high desert does the showing off. Your ticket gets a comfy seat, winery samples, a complimentary pour, a charcuterie box, and live entertainment, departing from the Santa Fe Depot.

🎼 The Santa Fe Symphony: Sounds of the Season @ Lensic Performing Arts Center | Sunday (12/7) at 4:00pm – Holiday classic overload, but in the best way. The Santa Fe Symphony rolls out winter favorites led by Maestro Guillermo Figueroa, with guest conductor Laurie Rossi, plus a side-by-side with the Youth Orchestra and the 2025 Concerto Competition winner. Classy, festive, and zero tinsel hangover.

Next week

🧘 Yoga @ Santa Fe Campus, Student Activities Center | Monday (12/08) at 12:10pm – Ease into the week with a grounding mix of meditation, creative flow, and restorative poses designed to calm your mind and reset your energy. All levels are welcome, and mats are provided—just bring yourself and a willingness to breathe. A midday retreat for students, staff, faculty, and alumni alike.

🔔 Holiday Stained Glass Ornament Workshop @ TLC Stained Glass | Monday (12/8) at 1:00pm – Ready to break glass, in the name of holiday spirit? Make a stained glass ornament, choose a design, pick from shimmering art glass, and learn Tiffany techniques to cut, shape, and solder. Two hours, you head home with a suncatcher, teens and novices welcome.

🖼️ Renesan: A Life in Conversation with Art @ Center for Contemporary Arts Santa Fe | Tuesday (12/9) at 10:00am – Renesan hands the mic to Linda Durham, the Santa Fe gallerist who shaped our art scene from the 70s on. Expect stories from her personal collection, artists you know, and why she loves what she loves. Think Canyon Road, minus the blisters.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 12/5 Mariachi Christmas 2025 @ Lensic – 2 pm
• 12/5 Laerz @ Meow Wolf – 8:30 pm
• 12/6 Naughty or Nice? Checking it Twice! @ Lensic – 7:30 pm
• 12/11 Cake’s Comedy Club @ Cakes Cafe – 7:30 pm
• 12/12 Shane Wallin @ Bishop’s Lodge – 6 pm
• 12/13 The Nutcracker 2025 @ Lensic Performing Arts Center – 1 pm
• 12/13 Luci @ Meow Wolf – 8 pm

🏠️ Price is right – Santa Fe edition

How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).

Listed by: Marion Skubi (Sotheby's Int. RE/Grant)

Brand-new and single-level, this four en suite bedroom stunner adds a dedicated office and a flex studio, plus a primary suite with dual walk-ins and a spa bath. The chef’s kitchen doubles up on islands and triples down on storage with a massive pantry, flanked by dining on one side and a cozy sitting zone on the other, all flowing to mountain-view living.

Hilltop perch means close-up Sangre de Cristo drama and sunsets, yet minutes to downtown Santa Fe. Year-round comfort comes via radiant heat, forced air, and AC. Set inside gated Las Campanas with polished amenities and serenity.

Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →