Prickly Pear Festival returns for 6th annual event

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – This weekend, an event highlighted the versatility of a native New Mexico plant.

Coming back for the sixth year, the New Mexico Prickly Pear Festival was held at the Gutierrez Hubbell House, offering music, food, crafts, and more.

On Saturday, local foodies gave demonstrations on cooking, and even offered a “how-to” on making prickly pear cocktails and mocktails, showing off all the ways the sweet cactus can be used.

“Lots of folks know it around. You know, it’s an icon of the Southwest, and people see it in their yards but not everybody knows that you can eat it,” said organizer Will Thomson.

Organizers said the event helps local farmers, ranchers, and gardeners learn how to add the unique cactus and other native plants to their systems.

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