El Camino Real International Heritage Center   Calendar   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 17 October 2008    Media Contact: Claudia Gallardo         575-854-3600 claudia.gallardo1@state.nm.us     WHAT:  Día de Muertos at El Camino Real International Heritage Center El Camino Real International Heritage Center will have its 3rd Annual Día de Muertos celebration on Saturday, November 1, 11 am – 3 pm. On-going activities during the day will include sugar skull decorating and viewing of a traditional ofrenda, altar installation. The event will feature a special storytelling presentation by Dr. Nasario Garcia courtesy of the New Mexico Humanities Council at 2 pm. Commanding curiosity and fascination, the tales told by Garcia were once the keystone of family entertainment in Hispanic villages of northern New Mexico and include stories of buried treasures, the devil, the evil eye, the bogeyman, and natural phenomena. Everyone, from the very young to mature adults, likes to be spooked. A native of the Rio Puerco Valley and author of several books on New Mexico oral history and culture, Garcia earned his PhD from the University of Pittsburgh. Also featured during the celebration is a CD exhibition showcasing 50 images of roadside “descansos” and cemetery sites in New Mexico’s Rio Abajo area by Charlie Sanchez, Jr. The exhibition will be on display until December 31st. Educational programs and activities are made possible by El Camino Real IHC Foundation and Museums of New Mexico Foundation.   El Camino Real International Heritage Center is a New Mexico State Monument operated by the Department of Cultural Affairs.     WHEN:  Saturday, November 1, 2008   11 AM - 3 PM WHERE:  El Camino Real International Heritage Center, 300 East County Road 1598,                   San Antonio, NM 87832.  Located on I-25 between Socorro and T or C, Exit 115.   COST:  Event free with paid Monument admission.  Free admission for ages 16 & under.   Free admission for MNM and ECRIHC Foundation members.  Single adult visit, $5.   FOR MORE INFORMATION:  Claudia Gallardo, 575-854-3600, or visit www.elcaminoreal.org ###   Opening its doors to the public in November 2005 as the sixth addition to NM State Monuments, El Camino Real International Heritage Center commemorates the oldest commuted trail in the United States.  This trail, El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, is one of the most important legacies of the Spanish settlers who arrived in New Mexico in 1598.  This Royal Road to the Interior Land extended 1,500 miles between Mexico City and San Juan de los Caballeros, in the Española Valley north of Santa Fe.  El Camino Real became a vital trade route linking Spain, Mexico, New Mexico and later the United States.  As Interstate 25, the North-South trade route continues to foster the exchange of people, culture, ideas and products in the 21st Century.    The Center offers fascinating, informative state-of-the-art exhibits while taking a virtual tour along the trail from Mexico City to Santa Fe, New Mexico.  Enjoy outdoor gardens, walking trails, self-guided audio tour, and gift shop.   INFORMATION TO PUBLIC:   School groups free.  Children 16 and younger free. Sundays free for NM residents with ID.  Wednesdays free for NM resident senior citizens (60+) with ID.  Free for Museum of NM Foundation and ECRIHC Foundation members.  Single visit, $5.00.   Open 6 days a week, 8:30 am – 5 pm.   Closed Tuesdays.  Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and Easter.   EL CAMINO REAL INTERNATIONAL HERITAGE CENTER IS A NM STATE MONUMENT UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS.