Presenting Sponsors
Category Sponsors
2025 Nominees
About The New Mexico Entertainment Awards
The New Mexico Entertainment Magazine Awards is an annual event that recognizes and celebrates individuals, businesses, and organizations who contribute to the vibrant events and entertainment scene in New Mexico. This formal gala honors winners in various categories, including events, live entertainment, film, radio, music, comedy, arts, books, and nightlife. Our objective is to spotlight the talented individuals and groups within our state who consistently deliver high-quality entertainment and events for the community.
FINAL VOTING IS NOW OPEN!
Community Submissions: January 1st - March 1st, 2025
Voting Process: April 7, 2025 – May 31, 2025
Awards Gala: July 13th, 2025
(After our panel reviews the nominees' work and confirms they meet the criteria, we will announce the Top Five in each category, and voting will commence on April 7, 2025 – May 31, 2025. We will award winners at our Awards Gala on July 13th, 2025.)
Criteria for nominations:
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Voting will cover work from January 2024 to December 2024
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Nominee(s) should reside or do business in New Mexico. If a band or performance group is being nominated, up to 50% of the members should live in New Mexico
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The nominee must consistently entertain the New Mexican public for up to 60% of the calendar year (roughly ten local performances a year).
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Performers/Actors/Musicians must be able to provide recent work from their performances (flyers, videos, etc.).
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Nominee(s) should have a current social media presence focusing on their nominated craft.
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A positive attitude and respect towards the people they work with, their peers, and their guests/attendees.
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The nominee is about entertaining the audience/patrons, not themselves.
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Submissions require contact information, including a work email, social media pages, or a work number, to be considered.
*Please note: Final choices are not only based on votes.
Top Award Categories
EVENTS CATEGORY
Top Annual Event
Top Monthly Event
Top Weekly Event
Top Event Producer
FILM & TELEVISION CATEGORY
Top Film Production Studio - RESERVED
Top Film Production - Film
Top Production - Series - Television or Film
Top Television Station
Top Television Personality
BROADCAST CATEGORY
Top Radio Personality
Top Radio Station
Top Podcast
Top Podcast Host
COMEDY CATEGORY
Top Stand-Up Comic
Top Comedy Venue
Top Comic Host
THEATER CATEGORY
Top Theatrical Venue
Top Theatrical Production
Top Actor (in a Musical)
Top Actress (in a Musical)
Top Actor (in a Play)
Top Actress (in a Play)
Top Costume Designer
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT CATEGORY
Top Live Music and Performance Venue
Top Performing Arts Group
Top Dance Company
Top Drag Performer - Queen
Top Drag Performer - King
Top Burlesque Performer
MUSIC CATEGORY
Top Musical Artist - Rock - RESERVED
Top Musical Artist - Alternative, Indie
Top Musical Artist - Metal (Death, Prog, Doom, Thrash, Speed, et. al)
Top Musical Artist - Punk
Top Musical Artist - Jazz / Blues
Top Musical Artist - Funk
Top Musical Artist - Hip-Hop / Rap
Top Musical Artist - R&B
Top Musical Artist - Country, Americana
Top Musical Artist - Global Music (Latin, Tejano, Reggae, Cumbia)
Top Cover Band
Top Musical Front Person/Lead Singer
Top Spoken Word Artist
ART CATEGORY
Top Art Venue
Top Fine Artist
Top Digital Illustrator
Top Photographer
LITERARY CATEGORY
Top Author
Top Bookstore
SPORTS CATEGORY
Top Sports Team - Professional
NIGHTLIFE CATEGORY
Top Restaurant - RESERVED
Top Chef
Top Nightclub
Top DJs
If you have any questions, feel free to email us at NMEntertains@gmail.com
2024 Winners
ICON Award: Chef Manuel Mancillas
Top Annual Events: River of Lights
Top Monthly Events: Electric Playhouse Drag Brunch
Top Weekly Events: The Show at The Box
Top Event Producer: Neal Copperman - AMP Concerts
Top Production Studio: Netflix Albuquerque Studios
Top Production - Featured Film: Frybread Face and Me
Top Production - Series: BandsofEnchantment
Top Television Station: KNME-TV
Top Television Personality: Tessa Mentus - KOB 4
Top Radio Station: KUNM 89.9
Top Radio Personality: Erica Viking - Coyote 1025
Top Podcast: True Consequences - A True Crime Podcast
Top Podcast Host: Johnny James - Respect the Connect
Top Theatre Venue: Albuquerque Little Theater
Top Theatrical Production: RENT - Musical Theatre Southwest
Top Actor (in a Musical) David Stallings - A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder - Santa Fe Playhouse
Top Actress (in a Musical): Rikki Carroll - A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder - Santa Fe Playhouse
Top Actor (in a Play): Westin Huffman - The Play That Goes Wrong - Albuquerque Little Theatre
Top Actress (in a Play): Abby Van Gerpen - Dracula - Vortex Theatre
Top Costume Designer: Chris Appleton
Top Live Music and Performance Venue: Launchpad
Top Performing Arts Group: The Exodus Ensemble
Top Dance Company: Belisama Irish Dance & Rhythm Sol
Top Drag Performer - Queen: Vanessa Patricks
Top Drag Performers - King: Phantom Nips
Top Burlesque Performer: Juni Beurre Amie Faraday
Top Musical Artist - SOLO - Rock: Matt Jones
Top Musical Artist - GROUP - Rock: Red Light Cameras
Top Musical Artist - SOLO - Metal: Sage Haskelchi'i Cornelius
Top Musical Artist - GROUP - Metal: Suspended
Top Musical Artist - GROUP - Punk: Smoking Dolls
Top Musical Artist - GROUP - Alternative: No Manners
Top Musical Artist - SOLO - Jazz / Blues: Tracey Whitney
Top Musical Artist - GROUP - Jazz / Blues: Le Chat Lunatique
Top Musical Artist - Hip-Hop/Rap: Sisk Sisk
Top Musical Artist - R&B: Mike Baty
Top Musical Artist - SOLO - Funk: Kevin Kookie Jones
Top Musical Artist - GROUP - Funk: Blot Xenia
Top Musical Artist - SOLO - Country & Western: Sarah Rowe
Top Musical Artist - GROUP - Country & Western: Coalesce Blue
Top Musical Artist - SOLO - American Roots: Justin Nuñez
Top Musical Artist - GROUP - American Roots: Bellowing Bear
Top Musical Artist - Reggae: The Riddims
Top Musical Artist - SOLO - Latin/Tejano/Global Music: Candace Vargas
Top Musical Artist - GROUP - Latin/Tejano/Global Music: Nosotros
Top Cover Band: ABBAquerque
Top Musical Front Person/Lead Singer: Amanda Machon - Red Light Cameras
Top Spoken Word Artist: Gigi Bella
Top Comic Host: Royal A. Wood III
Top Comedy Venue: Dry Heat Comedy Club
Top Stand-Up Comic: Joshua Fournier
Top Fine Art Venue: New Mexico Museum of Art
Top Artist: Patrick CloudFace Burnham
Top Immersive Art Venue: Electric Playhouse
Top Photographer: Nathaniel Tetsuro Paolinelli
Top Author: Sonja Dewing
Top Bookstore: Books on the Bosque
Top Sports Team - Professional: New Mexico United
Top Sports Team - Alternative: Albuquerque Roller Derby
Top Nightclub: Albuquerque Social Club
Top DJ: Spunjy Hicks
Top Brewery: Santa Fe Brewing Company
Top Distillery: Hollow Spirits
Top Restaurant: Nexus Blue Smokehouse
Top Chef: Mike White
2023 Winners
July 7th, 2023 • The Kimo Theatre