Fred Harvey History Weekend 2026

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A special Fred Harvey History Weekend, November 6-8, celebrating the 150th anniversary of the historic Fred Harvey/Santa Fe Railway partnership, and the 100th anniversary of Rt. 66 and the Indian Detours--at the New Mexico History Museum, and La Fonda on the Plaza!

It's also the 10th anniversary of the Fred Harvey Foodie Dinner, the historically delicious fundraiser for the New Mexico History Museum at La Fonda--where ambitious fusion cuisine was first brought to New Mexico in the 1920s and six amazing SW chefs will offer amazing dishes.

Regular dinner tickets are $185 per person, and partial and full table sponsorships are also available--this is the New Mexico History Museum's main annual fundraiser.

In-person lecture tickets are $60; online tickets (which allow you to watch live, or watch recordings later) are $25.

The Foodie Dinner includes a cocktail hour beginning at 5:30 PM with four glorious appetizers, followed by a three-course dinner and a special gift of a boxed piece of Fred Harvey/Santa Fe Railway, replicated (and donated) by HF Coors, and a fundraising auction., including jewelry especially made for the event!

This year's menu and chefs:

Apps during cocktails:

"Lobster Montpensier El Tovar with Truffle Sherry Sauce": Culinary Host Chef John “Johnny Vee” Vollertsen of Las Cosas Kitchen & restaurant writer at The Santa Fe New Mexican

"Tongue in Cheek--Circa 1945" (Lalla Rookh Punch, Braised Beef Cheek, Tongue "Dust"& Brandied Shallot Cream) Justin Pioche, Pioche Food Group, Navajo Nation (James Beard Award finalist)

"Shepherd's Lamb Little Meat Pies with Guajillo Chile Sauce": Lois Ellen Frank, James Beard Award-winning cookbook author, & Walter Whitewater, chefs at Red Mesa Cuisine

"Crab Rangoon with Sweet Chile Sauce": Angel Franco, new Chef at The Legal Tender, Lamy, New Mexico, formerly of The Palace

Dinner:

SALAD: "Smoked Trout Rillette with Bitter Greens, Shaved Celery, New Mexico Apple, Roasted Pinon, Blue Corn Crisp, Whipped Horseradish Buttermilk"

ENTREE: "Beck And Bulow Brisket Pot Roast with Creamsicle Potatoes, Roasted Root Vegetables, Sauce Naturel"

DESSERT: "Sopapilla Bread Pudding with Cinnamon Cream Anglaise"

By Lane Warner, La Fonda executive chef, and Chef Marc Quiñones (James Beard honoree)

BREAD: Harvey Breadbasket: Jerry Dakan and culinary students from Santa Fe Community College

Here are this year's lectures (all times are approximate):

Friday, November 6

12:00 p.m. | Welcome and Opening Remarks

Maria Sanchez-Tucker, Interim Executive Director of the New Mexico History Museum, and Meredith Schweitzer, Fred Harvey History Weekend Coordinator, welcome attendees to the 17th annual gathering.

12:15 p.m. | 150 Years of Fred Harvey: Celebrating the Past, Looking to the Future

Stephen Fried, Author and Fred Harvey Biographer

What began as a revolutionary approach to railroad hospitality became an enterprise that transformed how Americans traveled, ate, and experienced the Southwest. Award-winning author Stephen Fried reflects on 150 years of Fred Harvey history, the people who have kept that history alive, and what comes next. The presentation will also include a special tribute to beloved members of the Harvey Girl community who passed away this year.

12:50 p.m. | Parallel Routes: Route 66 and the Santa Fe Railway

Justin Riner, Historian

As Route 66 celebrates its centennial, discover how America's most famous highway transformed travel along the Santa Fe Railway. Drawing on his own 2026 journey along the Mother Road, historian Justin Riner explores the changing relationship between automobiles, trains, roadside culture, and the Fred Harvey Company.

1:50 p.m. | Preserving the Fred Harvey Legacy: New Projects and Discoveries

Kathleen Dull

Get a behind-the-scenes look at efforts to preserve and share Fred Harvey history, including updates on the Wimmer Prize and the developing Fred Harvey and Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway digital portal.

2:20 p.m. | Intermission

2:40 p.m. | 3,000 Miles of Hospitality: The Architecture of Fred Harvey

Matt Kluge, Architectural Historian

From grand railway hotels to modest trackside lunchrooms, Fred Harvey buildings helped define the visual landscape of American travel. In this first-of-its-kind survey, Matt Kluge traces the remarkable architectural history of Fred Harvey's vast hospitality network, exploring the buildings, places, and design innovations that welcomed generations of travelers.

3:45 p.m. | Film Premiere: The New Harvey House — Reimagining Fred Harvey with AI

Josh H, Award-Winning Video Game Designer and Filmmaker

What might a Harvey House look like in the future? Experience the premiere of The New Harvey House, an imaginative 27-minute film that uses emerging technology to envision a new chapter in Fred Harvey history. Following the screening, the filmmaker shares his creative process and explores the possibilities—and challenges—of using artificial intelligence to bring history to life.

Saturday, November 7

12:00 p.m. | Welcome to Day Two

12:10 p.m. | Hollywood Rides the Rails: Fred Harvey, the Santa Fe Railway, and the Movies

Kirk Ellis, Award-Winning Screenwriter

All aboard for an entertaining journey through Hollywood history! Acclaimed screenwriter Kirk Ellis explores how the Santa Fe Railway and Fred Harvey helped shape America's cinematic imagination, from Western adventures and glamorous train travel to the enduring romance of the Southwest on screen.

1:10 p.m. | Saving the Harvey Houses: Small Towns, Big Stories, and a New Generation of Preservation

Panel Discussion with Harvey House Preservation Leaders

Across the country, historic Harvey Houses are finding new life as museums, cultural destinations, and gathering places. Meet the people leading these efforts in communities from New Mexico to Oklahoma and Texas, and discover how preservation, creative programming, and local partnerships are keeping these remarkable places alive.

Panelists include Frances Zeller (Belen Harvey House, New Mexico), Charlene Bixler (Waynoka Harvey House, Oklahoma), Rayannaona Hoeft (Slaton Harvey House, Texas), Dr. Jill Hoffman (Temple Railroad Museum, Texas), and Allan Affeldt (La Posada Hotel, Winslow, Arizona). Kathleen Dull and Brenda Thowe will also discuss how a new digital archive can help preserve and share historic Harvey House photographs and collections.

2:15 p.m. | Intermission

2:35 p.m. | High Iron on the Santa Fe! The Trains That Built an Era

Rich Tower, Railroad Historian

Step back into the golden age of rail travel through a remarkable collection of historic photographs. Railroad historian Rich Tower brings to life the powerful locomotives, passenger trains, and railway operations that connected Fred Harvey's hotels, restaurants, and communities across the American West.

3:30 p.m. | Exploring Fred Harvey Era Jewelry and its Legacy

Lucy Fowler Williams, Penn Museum Curator, in Conversation with Connie Tsosie-Gaussoin and David Gaussoin

How did railroad tourism shape the market for Native American jewelry, and how have Native artists carried these traditions forward on their own terms?

Penn Museum curator Lucy Fowler Williams explores the Fred Harvey Company's role in the history of Pueblo and Navajo jewelry and Southwestern tourism. She is joined by celebrated silversmith Connie Tsosie-Gaussoin (Picuris Pueblo/Navajo) and her son, contemporary artist David Gaussoin, for a conversation about artistic innovation, cultural continuity, and the evolving legacy of Southwestern jewelry.

4:30 p.m. | 150 Years of Fred Harvey: A Conversation with the Harvey Family

A Special Anniversary Conversation

Close the afternoon with a personal look at the Fred Harvey legacy through the perspectives of his descendants. Members of the Harvey family reflect on 150 years of history, family memories, and what it means to carry this extraordinary American story into the future.

Additional meals for the Harvey Weekend include Nov. 5 pre-weekend lunch at Belen Harvey House (click here for reservations), and on November 8th Sunday Breakfast at Legal Tender Lamy (click here to RSVP) and Sunday Dinner at the Castaneda Hotel (click here to rsvp.)

For more information, keep checking this Eventbrite page, or email us at [email protected].

For general information about Fred Harvey history, including books, collectibles and tourism, .

May Fred be with you!

• Meredith Schweitzer, Harvey Weekend Coordinator
• Stephen Fried, Harvey Biographer & Content Consultant
• Jenny Kimball, La Fonda on the Plaza Hotel
• Allan Affeldt, La Posada Hotel

For information on the discounted room blocks at La Fonda on the Plaza and Pinon Court, please use these links to reserve:

La Fonda Booking Link:

https://be.synxis.com/?Hotel=207&Chain=56&arrive=2026-11-06&depart=2026-11-08&adult=1&child=0&group=1162462

Piñon Court Booking Link:

https://reservations.travelclick.com/109342?groupID=5112316

Fred Harvey Weekend’s corporate sponsor is La Fonda on the Plaza. Our major private donors are Susan and Thomas Kevin Golden. China dinner gifts courtesy of HF Coors. Special fundraising items created by Bronzesmith Fine Art Gallery and Foundry. Historical donations and inspiration from La Posada Hotel. Thanks to all of them, and to the Harvey Family, past and present, for their legacy of innovative business, customer service, cultural diversity and culinary and design ambition.