AUSTIN — Point, focus, shoot! In honor of its 100-year birthday celebration, Texas State Parks is hosting a photo contest throughout 2023 with the chance to win park passes, H-E-B gift cards, and even a curated state park experience.
The contest will have four seasonal prize winners before the public votes on the grand prize winner at the end of the year.
By Kathy Olivarez
During the last week of January, the Kenastons, long-time favorite entertainers among Winter Texan residents, hosted blind singer Justin Trevino as their special guest.
Trevino was born in the Valley but his parents moved to Austin so he could attend the school for the blind as a child. Once a winter he comes down to visit relatives. For the past five years he has played with the Kenastons during those visits.
By Kathy Olivarez
Want to hear authentic music that takes you on a rollercoaster of emotion? Then look for Nu-Blu, a popular nationally touring acoustic roots band making its third tour of the Rio Grande Valley.
Nu-Blu celebrated the start of their 20th year entertaining with their first show of the tour season on January 7 at Seven Oaks RV Park in Mission, and it was a show not to be missed.
Read more: Nu-Blu brings their own brand of roots music to the RGV
Submitted by Sharon Bargel
For the third year, Paradise Park RV Resort in Harlingen has been overwhelmingly generous in giving to the Harlingen CISD’s Clothing Closet, operated as part of the Family and Community Engagement (FACE) program to assist school district families in need.
In winter 2020 the Clothing Closet was selected to be the beneficiary of the park’s spirit of giving holiday project when resident Sharon Bargel heard about the Clothing Closet and their need for warm coats and cold weather clothing on a local news station. That year, despite COVID restraints and fewer Winter Texans, they delivered 578 items of new clothing and new shoes to the Closet.
Submitted by Larry Schmitt
On January 25, one-hundred-eighty-four (184) Kansans from all over the Rio Grande Valley met to commemorate the anniversary of the state’s January 29, 1861, admission to the Union. Considering we met at a new venue and had a few other challenges, the organizers are very happy with this total attendance. What was super special is that thirty-eight (38) Kansans joined us for their first time. YAY!!
Most Winter Texans are familiar with Men of A-Chord and Sweet Adeline’s. They were groups that performed in the Winter Texan parks from January through March. In recent years, the groups have changed, numbers have gone up and down as well, and so has the makeup of the groups.
By Herb Moering
There is no getting around it, but it is the pleasant weather that brings visitors to the Rio Grande Valley (RGV).
A typical example was the many Winter Texans attending the two-day 16th annual open house at Ron Hoover’s RV & Marine Center in Donna, January 19 and 20. Of course, it’s nice too when Dustin Hoover emphasizes freebees like admission, parking, T-shirts, food, drinks and fun.
