The Great Southwestern Antique Show, the premiere antique event of New Mexico is celebrating its 9th year, and is up scaling its venue by making its move to the Convention Center, conveniently located in the heart of downtown Albuquerque.  This is one of the Southwest’s largest antique events.
 
This annual event, proudly sponsored by Cowboys & Indians Antiques, located in Nob Hill, Albuquerque’s vintage shopping district, takes place early August each year and features the collections of over 200 of the finest Antique & Folk Art, American Indian & Western, and Ethnographic Arts dealers in the United States.  The Great Southwestern brings a glimpse of our past to the people of New Mexico as well as to thousands of visitors from around the country and from around the world.
 
The Great Southwestern has always been a trend setting event. It has historically attracted many of the top architectural and fashion design groups looking for inspiration to set up the direction in upcoming trends in home furnishings, clothing and personal styling.
 
Albuquerque is a diverse city, rich in cultural heritage, and provides the perfect backdrop to showcase a show of this caliber which is dedicated to promote an appreciation of the history housed in the objects of our ancestors.
The Great Southwestern has made every effort to seek out dealers who share the promoter’s vision that History and Art should be accessible to all people, of all walks of life in every income bracket.  This show offers an astonishing variety of authentic antiques and art in all price ranges and aims to satisfy all levels of desire, from Museum quality pieces to decorative arts for the home decorator and novice collector.
 
Our dealers are teachers, teachers of art & culture; they are here in Albuquerque to share their knowledge.  Their job is to care for those objects that represent our collective past and educate the future collectors and caretakers so that in our mass marketed, mass produced world we don’t forget who we really are and from where we came. Education is important to the owners and staff of Cowboys & Indians. Our dealers are encouraged to share their knowledge with their customers and must stand behind every object they sell. An educational seminar will take place on Saturday at the Convention Center celebrating the collecting of “The Treasures of Mexico” Feature speakers are John Pyson discussing the Saltillo Serape and Eason Eige will talk about Mexican Glass. Rounding out our seminar noted Designer and Author Mary Emmerling will discuss “the Art of Collecting”. Attendance is included with your admission to the show. Mary along with photographer James Arndt will be available for a book signing following the seminar introducing their latest book “The Art of the Cross”
 
The new downtown location at the Convention Center provides easy access to several of Albuquerque’s specialty restaurants and upscale hotels. We are pleased to offer our dealers and guests preferred reservations at two of Albuquerque hotels. Both offer free shuttle service to and from the airport.  The Double Tree Hotel which conveniently adjoins the Convention Center offers our guests easy access and one stop shopping.  The hotel offers upscale accommodations, secured parking and ultimate comfort at a $99.00 per night rate.  The Plaza Inn located 1 mile east of the Convention Center is hosting our guests at a rate of $69.99 and offers shuttle service to and from the convention center throughout the hours of the show. This family friendly hotel offers a complimentary continental breakfast as part of your stay.
 
On Friday afternoon August 3rd the Great Southwestern, the city of Albuquerque and Mayor Martin Chavez invites you to join the dealers for a “hard hat” preview during set-up day where you can shop without the crowds and discuss the history of the pieces that each dealer has presented.  The “Sneak Preview” 2:00-7:00pm is a charitable event funding Art & Education in Albuquerque, benefiting the developmentally disabled through VSA of NM and “The Silent Partner Endowment at St. Pius X” supporting single parent families who are in financial need. The $75.00 donation per person is 100% tax deductible and split between our beneficiaries. Tickets are available in advance by phone or at the door.
 
General Admission on Saturday is from 9:00am to 5:00pm and Sunday 10:00 am to 4:00pm $8.00/per person per day or $12.00 for a two day pass. Sneak Preview participants are offered free admission through out the run of the show. Tickets go on sale one hour prior to the event. For more information please contact our sponsor Cowboys & Indians Antiques at 505-255-4054 or visit us on the web www.cowboysandindiansnm.com