The Citizens Revival: How Aztec, New Mexico Is Bringing Civic Life Back, One Weekend at a Time
Aztec, New Mexico, is preparing for a new kind of revival—one rooted in the people, relationships and local institutions that allow a community to thrive.
Hyvemind spoke with organizer Tripp Gomez about the vision behind Aztec Citizens Revival, a three-day gathering bringing residents together through local businesses, live music, food, civic organizations, family activities and shared reflection.
In this video, Gomez discusses the need to rebuild face-to-face connection, celebrate the people already working on behalf of their communities and create experiences that can become the foundation for stronger civic life. You can also read along in the Q&A published below.
Event Details
Aztec Citizens Revival
Scavenger hunt, local businesses, vendors and live music on Main Street.
Jubilee Concert, community organizations, vendors and food trucks.
Interfaith gathering, pancake breakfast and family activities.
With
Tripp Gomez
A conversation about rebuilding civic life, strengthening local connection and creating spaces where communities can come together around what they already share.
What is Citizens Revival, and what made you want to bring this kind of event to Aztec?
Tripp Gomez: Citizens Revival is a 3 day event program focused on celebrating community while revitalizing civic participation. I spent 12 years in the Denver metro area before coming back home to Aztec, New Mexico, and recognizing its resiliency. There is already a community here that is absolutely worth celebrating.
Every facet of the revival points to a different feature of our society as a way to celebrate it and honor the people who have invested so much effort and time into their hometown and the surrounding area.
When people hear the word “revival,” what do you hope they understand about the spirit of this weekend?
Tripp Gomez: Honestly, revival usually has religious connotations in most people’s minds. I’m hoping to update that just a little bit.
The idea I am trying to revitalize is that society is stewarded by real people who put their work, time and energy into it. Clubs like Rotary, Kiwanis and Lions have performed a great service for their communities for 50, 60 or 70 years. They are also in need of some fresh minds and attitudes.
I’m hoping to inspire people to participate a little more in their society moving forward.
Why does it feel important right now to create a public gathering centered on community connection?
Tripp Gomez: I really like this question because I think a lot of people currently have their eyes fixed on a sense of doom and gloom.
Social media is not helping us recognize the good when it happens. People’s algorithms have them tied to frightening things that make us want to tune out, become apathetic and live more individualized lives.
Society moves forward when we work together. Many hands make light work. Getting off our phones and entering a space where people are celebrating different aspects of society will hopefully create new common ground.
People will have an experience they remember and a sense of joy they shared with others. I think that could go a long way toward healing division and building a resilient community.
What do you think makes Aztec and the Four Corners region worth celebrating in this way?
Tripp Gomez: When I was a kid growing up in this region, I had a very different idea of what this land was about. Many of my friends discussed it as though it were a land of entrapment: “You come on vacation, and you stay on probation.”
At 23, I felt like I had to leave and see the world. I needed to go somewhere else. When I came back at 35, I had fresh eyes for this region. I realized that it is absolutely, breathtakingly beautiful and that the people here are truly wonderful. They mean well, they do well and they work together incredibly well. I wanted to highlight and celebrate that.
This is happening in Aztec, but it is meant for all of San Juan County and the Four Corners area because we have collectively made this life what it is. Cities across the United States are worth celebrating for similar reasons.
Right here in Aztec and the Four Corners, however, we have a bright and shining example of what could be. I wanted to highlight and celebrate that.
The weekend starts with a downtown block party on Friday. What do you want people to feel when they arrive on Main Street that evening?
Tripp Gomez: I want people to feel a sense of whimsy and adventure. We have designed a scavenger hunt featuring 25 unique Aztec businesses of all different kinds. People will arrive at Pioneer Village to receive their worksheets. They can choose an easy, medium or hard route before receiving their first clue and setting off on their adventure.
They will learn about and discover the people and businesses that make up Aztec’s Main Street and I think it is going to be a lot of fun. We will also have vendors, live music and other entertainment. I’m hoping people bring their sense of adventure with them.
Saturday brings the event to Riverside Park. What can families, residents and visitors expect from that part of the weekend?
Tripp Gomez: Saturday’s concert at Riverside Park is an homage to an event from my youth. The Blues, Brews and Barbecues Festival is a very fond memory of mine and something I still carry with me. I have tried to emulate it just a little bit.
We will have some really great bands that are going to rock out and have a good time. Between the music, we will talk about social organizations and people who have done some truly great work for San Juan County.
I’m hoping to highlight incredible people who are working right now to support youth programs and broader initiatives throughout the county. I want to give people some insight into the good people doing work on the ground.
We will also be celebrating with music, art vendors, informational vendors and food trucks. We are going to have a really good time all day at the most beautiful park in Aztec.
Sunday closes with a pancake breakfast and cross-cultural spiritual programming. What did you want to include in that reflective, community-rooted ending?
Tripp Gomez: Civilization and spirituality have gone hand in hand for thousands of years. Joe Keohane, in his book The Power of Strangers, notes that society would not be here without the charity of religion. I think that is really important.
The Golden Rule also exists across many different faiths, and that deserves to be talked about. Ending this community event with something spiritual and uplifting, along with breaking bread over a pancake breakfast, feels like a way to cement the bonds that could potentially be formed over the weekend.
I’m hoping many people will come with open minds and empty bellies to share the experience and enjoy good, wholesome fellowship on Sunday before we do chalk art and hula hoops outside.
It is another aspect of society worth celebrating, and I hope people agree that the conversation will be worthwhile.
What would make this weekend feel like a success to you—not only in attendance, but in what people carry with them afterward?
Tripp Gomez: This is probably my favorite question because what I want most is for people to walk away from the event with unique, fond memories and new connections.
There are so many opportunities for people to get to know others in this awesome community and for us to understand one another a little better afterward.
