by Melissa Unger
RATON — It’s that time of year again; the air is cooler, the sky seems bluer, and the leaves begin changing colors and stunning us with their vibrant reds, oranges and yellows. Here in our neck of the woods, it is a great time to take a leisurely drive up to Sugarite State Park or on Highway 555 up towards the Vermejo Park Ranch to see the changing colors. We invite you to come and enjoy the views, the weather and these October events! October 7, get your running shoes on and join us on a one, three, or five mile walk/run for Domestic Violence Awareness Month at Ripley Park. Registration is at 8:30 in the morning, the walk begins at 9 am. Following the walk/run at Ripley Park is Raton’s 3rd Annual Pet Fest, which will be broadcast live by KRTN, and is set to feature music, vendors, horse and buggy rides, as well as a pet show, blessing of the animals, live and silent auctions, and crafts until 4 pm.
A week later, you can visit Historic 1st Street between Cook and Park Ave between 11 am and 6 pm for Raton’s first Oktoberfest, put on by Raton MainStreet. Enjoy music, vendors, and brews from Colfax Ale Cellar and Red Door Brewing Company. Admission into the beer garden is $10, and you get a free mug! The great music doesn’t stop there. At 6:30pm, take a short walk around the corner to the Shuler Theater and enjoy this year’s Country Showdown, where artists compete to go to Nashville for the national competition, admission is free!
As the rest of the month progresses, we get closer to Halloween and a car show where you can enter your car, motorcycle or bicycle. The entry fee is a couple bags of candy so kids can enjoy a “trunk or treat”, just show up at the Raton Pass Inn, 308 Canyon Dr. at 10 am.
For more information on the October events, check out www.exploreraton.com and click on upcoming events. There you can also see the lodging, food, and wonderful things Raton has to offer. You can either click on the Raton chamber’s link to the Week In Raton on this site, or go to www.raton.info and see the Week In Raton there. Did you know?? Raton has a very user friendly free app, the Explore Raton Mobile Town App. You can download it on your phone (Android and iPhones) and see events, specials, and business information. You can access this app via the Explore Raton website or search your app store, just plug in Explore Raton and hit the download button! Be informed, get plugged in! We also cater to those who are not technology savvy. You can get a hard copy of the Week in Raton Calendar at the Raton Visitor Center, the Raton Post Office, or the Author Johnson Library.
