Winter Texan Times

IMAS Kicks off Annual Christmas Tree Forest display

imas Guild Ladies Tree The International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) presents a community Holiday Market to kick off this year’s annual Christmas Tree Forest “Christmas in the RGV” on Sunday, December 5.

The annual exhibition of trees presented by the IMAS Guild has been an IMAS tradition for half a century. Participants each year decorate their trees with hand-crafted ornaments and decorations according to a theme. This year’s theme is “Christmas in the RGV,” and participants include Junior League of McAllen, McAllen ISD, IDEA College Prep, Florence J. Scott Woman’s Club, and student groups from McAllen ISD, PSJA North, and IDEA College Prep among others.

Zoo Nights and Lights begins Dec. 3rd

20211130 Gladys Porter Zoo Zoo Nights and Lights Peacock The Gladys Porter Zoo will be hosting its annual holiday celebration, Zoo Nights and Lights. This family-friendly event offers holiday spirit and fun for guests of all ages as well as a romantic setting for a date night.

This year, the Gladys Porter Zoo is doing things a bit differently. In order to spread out attendance and give guests more opportunities to visit, Zoo Nights and Lights will be held for two weekends rather than one. The scheduled weekends are December 3rd-5th and 10th-12th from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. each night.

December is a time for theatre productions

VMHS Harlequin Drama Club to perform Xanadu

The Harlequin Drama Club takes to the stage for the production of Xanadu in December at the Veterans Memorial High School Performing Arts Center.

Xanadu follows the journey of Kira that descends from the heavens of Mount Olympus to Venice Beach and is sworn to three things: to inspire mortals, never reveal her identity and never, ever fall in love. However, when she inspires struggling artist Sonny to create the first roller disco, Kira falls into forbidden love and her jealous sisters take advantage of the situation.

Illumina Fest to light up the forest

Quinta Mazatlan Illumina Fest Teepees 03 Visit Quinta Mazatlán during Illumina Fest to enjoy one of the most unique and beautiful lighting shows in the woods. Illumina Fest features over 2,000 luminarias on the trail, light art installations, live performers, live music, and food. Bring family and friends, kids two and under are free. The event sold out last year, so reserve your tickets now at www.ticketleap.com.

Texas Master Naturalist certification program opens

Texas Master Naturalists at Estero Llano Grande State Park Photo by Joseph Connors web PHARR, TEXAS – Registration is open to join the 2022 South Texas Border Chapter of the Texas Master Naturalist training class. Hidalgo, Starr and Cameron county residents, over the age of 18, and Winter Texans are welcome.

Texas Master Naturalist is a unique educational volunteer program sponsored by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas Sea Grant Program and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

Indigenous Immigration in the RGV

MOSTH Martin Salinas The Museum of South Texas History welcomes Martin Salinas to present “La inmigración indígena en el bajo río Bravo o Grande,” a Sunday Speaker Series Online bilingual presentation, at 2 p.m. Dec. 5 on Facebook Live.

The presentation will cover the immigration patterns of the indigenous groups in the Rio Grande Delta. Due to different reasons, members of multiple ethnic groups of the continent immigrated to the lower part of the Rio Grande or Bravo during the second part of the 18th and 19th centuries, among which are Pames, Huastecos, Tlaxcaltecas, Tonkawas, Karankawas, Cherokees and, especially, the Comanches and Lipan Apache. The latter two ethnic groups began to prey on the lower part of the river shortly after the colonization of Nuevo Santander, on a seasonal basis. They are part of the cultural portent of the Great Plains and Prairies of the United States and Canada that emerged after the reintroduction of the horse in New Mexico in the late 16th century. The purpose of this presentation is to differentiate cultural adaptations of these ethnicities compared to that of the natives of the Rio Grande.

Christmas is coming

20141125 Brownsville Holiday Village KO 6472 web Yes, Christmas is coming and there is so much to see and do. If you take part in only a few of the festivities, there is no doubt you will be in a Holiday Mood. Just imagine - beginning on December 3 - this Friday - you can choose almost any town in the Rio Grande Valley and see a grand Christmas Parade. The biggest and most impressive of all the parades might easily be the one in McAllen at the football stadium where giant helium filled characters adorn the floats. This parade is on Saturday, December 4 and begins at 7 p.m. There is an entry fee for this event. Tickets can be purchased at the McAllen CVB and will run anywhere from $10 to $25 depending on where you want to sit in the stadium. Check your local museums regarding the possibility of a Christmas Tree Forest display where locals have decorated trees with special Christmas themes. Some museums will ask for a donation, others will have a small entry fee.