NMDCA News:
JEMEZ SPRINGS — Jemez Historic Site remembers the resilience and strength of Pueblo people at the annual Pueblo Independence Day on Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026. The day begins at 7 a.m. with a 13-mile run from the plaza in Jemez Pueblo up Highway 4 to the Historic Site. From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., visitors can experience traditional Pueblo-style dances, shop for Native arts and crafts, support food vendors, and tour Gisewa Pueblo, the ancestral site of the present-day Jemez Pueblo.
“The Pueblo Revolt of 1680 was a very important event in Jemez and New Mexico history,” said Marlon Magdalena (Jemez), Instructional Coordinator Supervisor at Jemez Historic Site. “Join us as we honor Jemez resilience and perseverance through song, dance, and art.”
Pueblo Independence Day commemorates the anniversary of the Pueblo Revolt on August 10, 1680, when Pueblo people united in rebelling against Spanish colonizers. The revolt was organized and led by Po’Pay, a leader from Ohkay Owingeh. Runners were sent to each pueblo with a knotted cord, with each knot representing one day. When the final knot was unraveled, it was time for the uprising to begin. The annual morning run symbolizes those efforts made by Indigenous runners more than three centuries ago.
The event celebrates the living cultures of Pueblo people, recognizing their cultural traditions, lands, languages, religions, and sovereignty. Join Jemez Historic Sites in honoring this important day in history.
Pueblo Independence Day is $7 for adults and free to children 16 and younger, Tribal members, NM disabled veterans, NM foster families, and members of Museum of New Mexico Foundation, and Friends of Coronado and Jemez Historic Sites. Pre-purchase admission online at my.nmculture.org/56501/57093.
About Jemez Historic Site
Jemez Historic Site includes the stone remnants of the 700-year-old Gisewa village, which was built in the narrow San Diego Canyon by the ancestors of the present-day people of Jemez Pueblo (Walatowa). The name Gisewa refers to the natural hot springs in the area. The site also includes the ruins of the San José de los Jémez Church, a Catholic mission dating back to 1621-22. The mission was short-lived, and, in time, the people left the site and moved to the current location of Jemez Pueblo. The museum contains exhibitions that tell the story of the site through the words of the Jemez people, and a 1,400-foot interpretive trail winds through the outdoor ruins. Learn more at nmhistoricsites.org/jemez.
