Established in 2005 by the Gila Conservation Coalition, the Gila River Festival is an annual event that celebrates New Mexico’s last free-flowing river and its important role as the centerpiece in our region’s natural and cultural heritage. Held the third weekend of September, the festival is designed to foster a deeper understanding of the Gila River as we explore annual program themes through expert-led field trips and workshops, lectures by scientists, authors, historians, and conservationists, and programming in the visual and performing arts, film, music, and dance.