ABQ RIDE ends annual luminaria tour after 62% no-show rate

ABQ RIDE will no longer operate its annual Luminaria Tour, citing a decades-long pattern of unused reservations that left the city subsidizing each rider at more than $300. The transit agency said an average of 62% of reserved tickets went unused over the last decade, a rate that made the event impossible to sustain.

The tour, which runs through the Huning Castle and Old Town neighborhoods, traditionally drew interest quickly, with tickets typically reserved soon after they became available. The riders who actually showed up told a different story. In 2025, the tour served 586 attendees at a cost of approximately $200,000, or $341 per person, according to ABQ RIDE. Costs included transit operations, staffing, barricades, police traffic control, signage and other event costs.

Because ABQ RIDE is a zero-fare transit system, the event produced no fare revenue to offset those operating costs, the department said.

ABQ RIDE Director Leslie Keener framed the decision as a shift rather than an ending. “Luminarias are part of who we are as Albuquerque, and that tradition isn’t going anywhere,” Keener said in a news release. “We’re working closely with community members on new ways for the public to enjoy the luminaria tradition while supporting neighborhood needs, using resources efficiently, and creating an approach that can be sustained.”

ABQ RIDE and the Huning Castle Neighborhood Association are working with neighbors and community partners on alternative tours. Potential options could include a walking tour or a revised bus tour that offers residents and visitors a way to participate in a more sustainable way.