For many people, the Southwest landscape looms large in the imagination, fueled by scenes of John Wayne, Clint Eastwood and other Hollywood icons galloping through Arizona’s Monument Valley or New Mexico’s high desert mesas. So it’s little wonder that Southwestern film sets, which make effective backdrops for all kinds of Wild West shindigs, have become a popular staple on many meetings agendas.
Located about 30 miles outside Santa Fe, El Rancho de las Golondrinas (Ranch of the Swallows) is a 200-acre living history museum depicting rural life during the Spanish and Mexican colonial eras. The site, which contains vintage buildings collected from all over New Mexico, is a popular location for photo shoots and has been used for scenes in films such as Into the West, The Missing and All the Pretty Horses.
Golondrinas is one of the Southwest’s most historic ranches, established in 1710 and for many years serving as an encampment for travelers en route from Mexico City to Santa Fe. With costumed docents on hand, the complex depicts elements of Spanish colonial life, with a winery and vineyards, a molasses mill, a blacksmith shop, an 18th century house with a defensive tower, and other structures.
“You can do galas for hundreds of people as well as arrange for people to have hands-on experiences such as learning to weave on antique looms,” says Arlene Schiffer, president of Passport New Mexico, a Santa Fe-based DMC.
A film site for Silverado, Lonesome Dove and other productions, Eaves Movie Ranch in Santa Fe provides a Western town setting with storefronts, a saloon, a jail, a bank, and other structures.
“It’s ideal for anything with a Western theme,” Schiffer says. “We’ve brought in entertainers like Willie Nelson and set up mock gunfights and can-can dances in various locations around the ranch.”
Known as Hollywood in the Desert since 1939, Tucson’s Old Tucson Studios is both a working film set and a popular attraction depicting an 1880s Western town. With facilities to accommodate groups of up to 5,000 people, Old Tucson Studios can customize a wide range of events, including saloon musicals, magic shows, hayrides, private rodeos, and chuckwagon barbecues.
For More Info
Eaves Movie Ranch 505.474.3045
www.eavesmovieranch.com
El Rancho de las Golondrinas 505.471.2261
www.golondrinas.org
Old Tucson Studios 520.883.0100
www.oldtucson.com
