Dixon: Wine Traditions and Local History

Dixon combines winemaking with local history and different forms of local culture. Seasonal market dates and a set weekend in November both play a role in planning your trip. Wine, local produce, and traces of the past offer concrete points of interest when considering Dixon for your stay.

Vineyards and Events

La Chiripada Vineyard was founded in 1977 and follows the traditions of the first Spanish settlers. Vivác farms a vineyard in the hills of Dixon, surrounded by apple orchards. Dixon’s winemaking thus brings both its founding history and the setting described here into focus.

Vivác’s vineyard and cellar tour takes guests from the tasting room in Dixon four miles into the Dixon hills to the winery. The tour is by reservation, so plan your trip around a suitable date. Vivác also hosts weekly karaoke or live-music happy hours in the tasting room. Check the specific dates before your trip.

Markets and Local Produce

The weekly Dixon Farmers’ Market takes place from June to September in the parking lot of the Dixon Cooperative Market. Specific dates may change from year to year, so it is worth checking the date that works for you before your trip. The Dixon Cooperative Market offers local and organic products, as well as an in-house deli serving sandwiches and pizza.

A tile map of the Embudo Valley with an acequia mural is installed on the Dixon Cooperative Market building. The Mercado also focuses on local produce: it takes place at the public school and offers a variety of locally grown and homemade products. These offer different glimpses into the region’s product culture, without requiring the market offerings to take place on the same date or as part of the same event.

History of Dixon and Embudo

The present-day village of Dixon was the first settlement in the region to bear the name Embudo. The history of the Embudo Mission in Dixon includes Brooklyn Cottage, a two-bed hospital founded in 1915. Its name and capacity give this local institution a concrete historical connection.

The oral history project Voices of Dixon includes the voices of residents of Embudo and Dixon. One collection documents the history of the mission from 1889 to the present with photos and texts. A timeline shows key events in the history of the church and the Dixon/Embudo community. Here, local history is explored through both individual institutions and people’s voices, as well as events arranged chronologically.

Studio Tour and Scenic Drive

The Dixon Studio Tour was established in 1982 and takes place on the first full weekend in November. This is a clear date to keep in mind when planning your trip, and it differs from the Farmers’ Market season. If you are interested in this event, check the specific date before your trip.

Scenic Trip 2 offers another way to include Dixon in a longer route. The 62-mile driving route passes through Dixon, Peñasco, and Vadito and loops around the Picuris Mountains. It specifies the route’s length, the towns along it, and its connection to the mountains.

Two different dates can help you choose when to travel: the Farmers’ Market, which runs from June to September, and the Dixon Studio Tour on the first full weekend in November. Since specific market dates may change from year to year, check the dates for the event that matters most to you. This can help you plan your stay and search for a hotel in Dixon around the topic that interests you.

Discover more destinations: Ohkay Owingeh, Chama, Chimayo, Vallecitos, Abiquiú, La Jara

Return to the main travel overview: Rio Arriba County.