BFest 2026 Proposal; Roswell, NM
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 5:19 am
Last year I saw a fellow forum member's proposal for Roswell. While it was a decent plan, I thought more could've been added on. Hopefully this year we win. If not, oh well, BFest 27, third time's the charm! 
About the location.
Roswell is a town with a reputation that’s truly out of this world. Best known for the 1947 UFO incident, we've embraced our quirky alien identity with themed streetlights, murals, shops, and the world-famous International UFO Museum. Beyond the extraterrestrial fun, the area offers natural beauty with Bottomless Lakes State Park, Bitter Lake Wildlife Refuge, and Lake Van. All three are perfect for cruises and photo ops. With its mix of unique character, open highways, and laid-back southwest atmosphere, this place makes an unforgettable backdrop for Beretta Fest.
https://seeroswell.com
Proposed Itinerary.
Wednesday.
TBD-AM/PM Hotel check-in
6:00PM Annual taco night.
From what I see it usually happens at the hotel, however, lakeside at Lake Van is unbeatable. Fresh fish tacos? Sign me up.
(assuming you can catch jackshit)
Thursday.
8:00AM-12:00PM Check-in, socialize, and take in the sight that is a whole lot of Berettas in one place.
1:00PM-2:30PM Bitter Lake Wildlife Loop cruise.
It's about 6.5 miles long, goes around the whole park with plenty of areas to stop and enjoy the scenery, or to take social media worthy photos. It is completely gravel, so slow driving is of the essence. Would suck to have a rock fly through your windshield!
2:30PM-5:00PM Walk and explore Bitter Lake Wildlife Refuge.
There are 5 different trails at the Refuge, one of which is for biking. They vary in length but are all not difficult for the oldies in the group. For what I believe are obvious reasons and time constraints, I will not list the biking trail as an option.
Pajaro Observation Blind; 0.13 miles
Dragonfly Trail; 0.14 Miles
Desert Uplands Trail; 0.32 Miles
Butterfly Trail; 0.41 Miles
5:30PM-TBD Group Dinner at Texas Roadhouse OR Sarah's Mediterranean Café and Grill.
I list two options here, Texas Roadhouse is a familiar restaurant to most everyone. However I also list Sarah's as a great alternative to all the Mexican restaurants and steakhouses that dominate the town.
TBD-AM/PM Return to hotel for social hour, drool at all the cool Berettas, do it all over again the next day!
Friday
8:00AM-5:00PM Explore Roswell on your own or in groups.
There's also the small town of Dexter, and the larger than Dexter but smaller than Roswell, town of Artesia. I mention these two since they're both about a half hour drive from town and near enough to practically be a stone's throw away.
Roswell has plenty to offer, some options include but aren't limited to;
International UFO Museum and "Research" Center, Roswell UFO Spacewalk, Bricktown: Alien Attack, Spaceport Roswell, Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Roswell UFO Tour
5:00PM-TBD Alien City Dragway. "Test N Tune"
Who doesn't love a good ol' drag race between a slow car and another slow car? It costs $15 to spectate and $30 to race the whole night. Gates open at 5:00PM, with races starting at 7:00PM.
OR
5:00PM-TBD Cruise, walk and explore Bottomless Lakes State Park.
The park is technically one big loop, approximately 9 miles long with some parts being very curvy and high up, as if you're doing a touge race. Though for obvious reasons, it is not a race. Sunsets here are the best opportunities to get that perfect sun behind car photos. There are also three trails, and multiple little "lakes" such as the Devil's Inkwell, Pasture Lake, and Cottonwood Lake to name a few. The three trails are longer than Bitter Lake's trails, and are meant for both biking and hiking.
Wetlands Trail; 0.54 Miles
Bluff Trail; 0.86 Miles
Skidmark Trail; 3 Miles.
TBD-AM/PM If there is time, a group dinner at El Coco Pirata, a Mexican-Asian fusion with interesting takes on sushi, along with the normal Spanish cuisine. They close at 9:00PM however, so it may not be possible. What is possible though is the gathering at the hotel parking lot, social hour, and more drooling at Berettas!
Saturday.
8:00AM-12:00PM Wash and prep our mounts.
There are two prominent self service car washes in town. Personally I would not recommend paying for vacuums at either one as there is another car wash called Zips that offers free vacuums. It is however an automatic car wash, unlike Galaxy Auto Wash.
12:00PM-4:00PM Car show and picnic at Lake Van.
The main parking area of Lake Van is big enough to support the whole group if parked wisely. There's charcoal grills around, benches, and tables. There is a café on-site called Becky's Lakeside Café. There are of course two other options, however a total of three doesn't make Dexter any better. Luz's Place and Kryssie's Diner and Bakery are both solid options for lunch as well.
4:00PM-TBD Group photo by the lakeside, or depart to find a better location. There are a few options traveling out of town.
In the direction of Portales there is an abandoned gas station that is big enough for a spooky vibes photo. (Need to double check distance and location, I have not been to Portales in a couple years.)
In the direction of Ruidoso, there is a Historic Marker with a shoulder big enough to support a sizeable amount of cars. It also has multiple picnic tables for those that are still hungry. This is perfect for that southwestern prairie trail vibe, with mountains in the backdrop. This is approximately 30 minutes from Roswell.
In the direction of Tatum, there is the Mescalero Sands Recreation Area. It's exactly what it sounds like. Sand dunes. HOWEVER, the road leading in is firm and will support us, and so long as you don't venture out into the dunes themselves, there is a large open area that is firm enough to set up and take photos about halfway down the dirt road, before the dunes. Arguably the best spot to truly capture the southwest desert vibe. This is approximately 48 minutes from Roswell.
TBD-AM/PM Return to hotel, relax after a long day. Possibly a group dinner.
Sunday.
I guess it's over, or is it? There's always next year! Safe travels, and goodbye until next year!
About the location.
Roswell is a town with a reputation that’s truly out of this world. Best known for the 1947 UFO incident, we've embraced our quirky alien identity with themed streetlights, murals, shops, and the world-famous International UFO Museum. Beyond the extraterrestrial fun, the area offers natural beauty with Bottomless Lakes State Park, Bitter Lake Wildlife Refuge, and Lake Van. All three are perfect for cruises and photo ops. With its mix of unique character, open highways, and laid-back southwest atmosphere, this place makes an unforgettable backdrop for Beretta Fest.
https://seeroswell.com
Proposed Itinerary.
Wednesday.
TBD-AM/PM Hotel check-in
6:00PM Annual taco night.
From what I see it usually happens at the hotel, however, lakeside at Lake Van is unbeatable. Fresh fish tacos? Sign me up.
(assuming you can catch jackshit)Thursday.
8:00AM-12:00PM Check-in, socialize, and take in the sight that is a whole lot of Berettas in one place.
1:00PM-2:30PM Bitter Lake Wildlife Loop cruise.
It's about 6.5 miles long, goes around the whole park with plenty of areas to stop and enjoy the scenery, or to take social media worthy photos. It is completely gravel, so slow driving is of the essence. Would suck to have a rock fly through your windshield!
2:30PM-5:00PM Walk and explore Bitter Lake Wildlife Refuge.
There are 5 different trails at the Refuge, one of which is for biking. They vary in length but are all not difficult for the oldies in the group. For what I believe are obvious reasons and time constraints, I will not list the biking trail as an option.
Pajaro Observation Blind; 0.13 miles
Dragonfly Trail; 0.14 Miles
Desert Uplands Trail; 0.32 Miles
Butterfly Trail; 0.41 Miles
5:30PM-TBD Group Dinner at Texas Roadhouse OR Sarah's Mediterranean Café and Grill.
I list two options here, Texas Roadhouse is a familiar restaurant to most everyone. However I also list Sarah's as a great alternative to all the Mexican restaurants and steakhouses that dominate the town.
TBD-AM/PM Return to hotel for social hour, drool at all the cool Berettas, do it all over again the next day!
Friday
8:00AM-5:00PM Explore Roswell on your own or in groups.
There's also the small town of Dexter, and the larger than Dexter but smaller than Roswell, town of Artesia. I mention these two since they're both about a half hour drive from town and near enough to practically be a stone's throw away.
Roswell has plenty to offer, some options include but aren't limited to;
International UFO Museum and "Research" Center, Roswell UFO Spacewalk, Bricktown: Alien Attack, Spaceport Roswell, Anderson Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Roswell UFO Tour
5:00PM-TBD Alien City Dragway. "Test N Tune"
Who doesn't love a good ol' drag race between a slow car and another slow car? It costs $15 to spectate and $30 to race the whole night. Gates open at 5:00PM, with races starting at 7:00PM.
OR
5:00PM-TBD Cruise, walk and explore Bottomless Lakes State Park.
The park is technically one big loop, approximately 9 miles long with some parts being very curvy and high up, as if you're doing a touge race. Though for obvious reasons, it is not a race. Sunsets here are the best opportunities to get that perfect sun behind car photos. There are also three trails, and multiple little "lakes" such as the Devil's Inkwell, Pasture Lake, and Cottonwood Lake to name a few. The three trails are longer than Bitter Lake's trails, and are meant for both biking and hiking.
Wetlands Trail; 0.54 Miles
Bluff Trail; 0.86 Miles
Skidmark Trail; 3 Miles.
TBD-AM/PM If there is time, a group dinner at El Coco Pirata, a Mexican-Asian fusion with interesting takes on sushi, along with the normal Spanish cuisine. They close at 9:00PM however, so it may not be possible. What is possible though is the gathering at the hotel parking lot, social hour, and more drooling at Berettas!
Saturday.
8:00AM-12:00PM Wash and prep our mounts.
There are two prominent self service car washes in town. Personally I would not recommend paying for vacuums at either one as there is another car wash called Zips that offers free vacuums. It is however an automatic car wash, unlike Galaxy Auto Wash.
12:00PM-4:00PM Car show and picnic at Lake Van.
The main parking area of Lake Van is big enough to support the whole group if parked wisely. There's charcoal grills around, benches, and tables. There is a café on-site called Becky's Lakeside Café. There are of course two other options, however a total of three doesn't make Dexter any better. Luz's Place and Kryssie's Diner and Bakery are both solid options for lunch as well.
4:00PM-TBD Group photo by the lakeside, or depart to find a better location. There are a few options traveling out of town.
In the direction of Portales there is an abandoned gas station that is big enough for a spooky vibes photo. (Need to double check distance and location, I have not been to Portales in a couple years.)
In the direction of Ruidoso, there is a Historic Marker with a shoulder big enough to support a sizeable amount of cars. It also has multiple picnic tables for those that are still hungry. This is perfect for that southwestern prairie trail vibe, with mountains in the backdrop. This is approximately 30 minutes from Roswell.
In the direction of Tatum, there is the Mescalero Sands Recreation Area. It's exactly what it sounds like. Sand dunes. HOWEVER, the road leading in is firm and will support us, and so long as you don't venture out into the dunes themselves, there is a large open area that is firm enough to set up and take photos about halfway down the dirt road, before the dunes. Arguably the best spot to truly capture the southwest desert vibe. This is approximately 48 minutes from Roswell.
TBD-AM/PM Return to hotel, relax after a long day. Possibly a group dinner.
Sunday.
I guess it's over, or is it? There's always next year! Safe travels, and goodbye until next year!