Saturday Nov. 7: Wild Rivers Fire Ecology Day

Wild Rivers Fire Ecology Day Brings Art, Science, Stories & Community Together in Questa Communities

A full day of exhibitions, hands-on activities, research, storytelling, music and food explores fire, disturbance and renewal in Northern New Mexico

Saturday, November 7, the PASEO Project, Del Fuego, Forest Stewards Guild and LEAP will present Wild Rivers Fire Ecology Day, a free day of art, science, stories and community at the Wild Rivers Visitor Center near Cerro, located at 1120 NM-378, Questa, NM 87556 (also listed as Cerritos Road or Cerro Road in Cerro, NM)

The Paseo Project, Del Fuego and the Forest Stewards Guild present Disturbance programming that connects art, ecological knowledge, fire science and community experience across Northern New Mexico.

Wild Rivers Fire Ecology Day brings together artists, scientists, educators, students and community members to explore the many ways fire and ecological disturbance shape the forests, watersheds and communities of Northern New Mexico.

From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., visitors can experience exhibitions, interactive art, family activities, watershed education, music, food and conversations with researchers and local storytellers. The day offers opportunities for all ages to engage with fire not simply as a destructive force, but as part of a larger story of adaptation, renewal, resilience and relationship to place.

“Wild Rivers Fire Ecology Day creates a space where art, science and lived experience can come together,” says the PASEO Project. “We’re inviting people to explore disturbance from many perspectives — through the eyes of young artists, researchers, cultural practitioners, local families and community members whose lives are connected to this landscape.”

“We’re excited to engage our Northern Taos County Communities in public dialogue with this interdisciplinary event on the increasingly important topic of fire,” says Claire Coté, director of LEAP.

“It’s been seven years since we sunsetted the NeoRio event at Wild Rivers. We are thrilled to be bringing innovative art and ecology back to Wild Rivers through this multi-faceted, collaborative pop-up event!”

A Day of Art, Ecology and Community
The day’s programming includes:

10 a.m.–2 p.m. — “Drawing on Earth” Chalk Activation with Mark Lewis Wagner
Artist Mark Lewis Wagner invites visitors to participate in a drawing activation inspired by the landscape. The hands-on activity offers an accessible way for visitors of all ages to draw, observe and connect with place.

10 a.m.–5 p.m. — “The Medicine of Disturbance” Exhibition
The Garcia, Gonzales and Santistevan families present The Medicine of Disturbance, a pop-up exhibition inspired by post-fire ecological monitoring. The exhibition reveals the beauty, abundance and “medicine” that can emerge through disturbance, offering new ways of understanding fire and the landscapes that follow.

10 a.m.–5 p.m. — Disturbance, A Forest in Motion: A Youth Art + Ecology Event — Questa Edition
Young artists from Alta Vista, Roots & Wings and Red River Valley Charter Schools invite the public to explore forest disturbance and renewal through their artworks. The exhibition combines art and ecology with hands-on family activities, offering a window into how young people are observing and interpreting the changing forests around them.

10 a.m.–5 p.m. — Rio Grande Watershed Scroll + Puzzle by Scott Sutton
Artist and educator Scott Sutton presents an educational 3D puzzle of the Upper Rio Grande Basin subwatersheds, alongside his Natural Pigments Rio Grande Watershed Scroll. Visitors can explore the watershed through tactile and visual experiences that connect geography, water and place.

11- 12 p.m. — Communities of Questa Mariachi led by Rachel León, will play traditional music in the amphi theater.

12–1 p.m. — Shifting Mosaics: Ellis Margolis and Manny Lopez, with Special Guests
Researchers and local voices explore centuries of ecological and human influence on the Rio Grande del Norte, revealing a landscape shaped by disturbance, adaptation and enduring relationships. This outdoor conversation brings scientific research into dialogue with local knowledge and experience.

1–2 p.m. — Community Lunch + Music by Michael Rael
A free lunch will be provided by the Friends of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, accompanied by music from local musician Michael Rael.

2–4 p.m. — Voces de Nuestro País: Fire Stories
The day concludes with a community story gathering hosted by Michael Rael and Claire Coté. Marking 30 years since the Hondo Fire, this edition of Voces de Nuestro País invites community members to share fire stories, memories, and experiences. Bring your story to share onsite and add to the Voices of the Northern Rio Grande digital community archive at QuestaStories.org. Each Voces de Nuestor País Event and Podcast Episode is featured on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts

Part of Disturbance: Art Exhibitions & Community Programs

Wild Rivers Fire Ecology Day is part of Disturbance, an ongoing series of art exhibitions and community programs presented by the Paseo Project, Del Fuego and Forest Stewards Guild. The program brings artists, scientists and communities together to consider disturbance as a powerful ecological and cultural force.

Through exhibitions, youth programs, public conversations and community gatherings, Disturbance explores the cycles of fire, change and renewal while creating opportunities for people to share knowledge and imagine new relationships with the landscapes they call home.

Wild Rivers Fire Ecology Day is free and open to the public. Dress warmly and bring your chair.

Saturday, November 7, 2026
10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Wild Rivers Visitor Center located at 1120 NM-378, Questa, NM 87556, also listed as Cerritos Road or Cerro Road in Cerro, NM near Cerro, New Mexico

Location is subject to change due to weather. For the latest information, including any location changes, visit:
paseoproject.org/disturbance2026

About the Paseo Project

The Paseo Project is an arts nonprofit based in Taos, New Mexico, transforming Community with Art and Art with Community. Through free, community-based programs, PASEO brings artists and communities together to explore ideas, places and experiences through art.