Carlsbad, NM – The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park will host Mescalero Apache Heritage Day on Saturday, May 3-4 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This special event is sponsored by Friends of Living Desert and will include:

May 3

• Face painting and crafts for children throughout the day.
• Mescalero Apache Culture Program presented by Dr. Jeff Shepherd, associate professor of history from University of Texas, El Paso (UTEP) – 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.
• Pit Roasting of Mescal Plant Program, by Park Docent, Sandra Cosand – 11:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.
• Readings from the book Apache Legends and Lore of Southern New Mexico - 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 and 3:00 p.m. Book signing by the author Lynda A. Sanchez in the gift shop from 12:00 – 3:30 p.m.

May 4
Book signing of Wicked Women of New Mexico by local author and historian Donna Birchell in the gift shop from 12:00 – 3:30 p.m.

May 3-4
Native American arts and crafts vendors will be in the Visitor Center both Saturday and Sunday, from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

All events will take place in the Visitor Center of Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park and will be presented free of charge. Regular admission fees apply for those who wish to visit the zoo. For more information, call the Living Desert Zoo and Gardens State Park at (575) 887-5516.

Guadalupe Mountains National Park, located south of Carlsbad in Salt Flat, Texas, will also provide Mescalero Apache programming on Sunday, May 4. The program, beginning at 9 a.m., will include opening a mescal pit and tasting roasted mescal plant. For more information on the mescal tasting, call Guadalupe Mountains National Park at (915) 828-3251 x2124.

Conditions are right for adventure at New Mexico State Parks!