MainStage: Friday, June 19
New Mexico Showcase: Thursday June 18
2026 NM Guitar Festival
June 17-20, 2026
Festival Passes: Passes include registration for festival guitar orchestra and entrance to all events, including workshops, rehearsals, masterclass observation, AND one entry to each concert.
What it is: Our community-minded festival features workshops & classes to enhance and improve your musicianship, and our popular Festival Guitar Orchestra.
What’s included: Festival passes include entry into all events, workshops, classes, rehearsals, for Wed-Sat, PLUS one (1) ticket to each concert. We offer Educator and Student discounts. Scholarship & work-exchange discounts are available in limited quantity.
Location & Venue:
St. Andrew Presbyterian
5301 Ponderosa
Albuquerque, NM 87110
Workshops & Masterclasses
Festival passes include access to all workshops & observation of masterclasses. There is no audition for workshop participation. Private lessons & masterclass participation require an additional ticket.
Scholarships & Work Exchange
Volunteer work exchange is always available to help offset passes or concert ticket costs. Volunteer duties include: set up, tear down, staffing ticket tables, helping performers sell merchandise, etc. To apply for a scholarship or work exchange, contact us at GuitarNewMexico@gmail.com
Guitar Festival Orchestra
Our fun and fabulous guitar orchestra includes intermediate to intermediate-advanced repertoire, and participation is open to all guitarists aged 14 and older. Festival passes include automatic registration into the guitar orchestra.
New Mexico Guitar Festival
Every June, Guitar New Mexico hosts the largest guitar festival in New Mexico, bringing 4+ days of classes, ensembles, and concerts featuring musicians and instructors of local, national, and international acclaim.
The Festival is open to guitarists ranging in age from high school to adult, and skill levels from beginner to professional. Attendees participate in four days of instruction, practicing, and performing. In addition, tickets to all MainStage concerts are available to the public.
Guitar New Mexico is committed to educating and inspiring guitar educators and students. The Festival provides an affordable and efficient method to reach out to youth seldom served by this unique art form, with the goal of motivating students to explore the guitar more deeply.
““The festival was an invigorating experience and has me enthused for the future of classical guitar in my life.””
Adult ensemble conducted by Helen Sanderson at the NM Guitar Festival 2019 in Albuquerque.
Festival passes include registration into the festival guitar orchestra, and entry into all workshops, rehearsals, events, and concerts. Individual concert tickets are available. Scholarships and work exchange are available for participants needing financial assistance.