RGVLS holds citrus and vegetable show

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Published: Thursday, 12 December 2019 12:00

The Rio Grande Valley Livestock Showgrounds will host a free event this weekend, December 13 and 14. They will be hosting the Citrus and Vegetable Show that will be showcasing fruits and vegetables from growers throughout the Rio Grande Valley.

Children involved in 4-H and Future Farmers of America (FFA) have worked with local growers in the Valley and are given an opportunity to learn about the agricultural product, grow and harvest their own product. Here, they will be showcasing some of those vegetables and citrus.

The children will clean, prepare and display their picks from the fields for judging. Categories range from best grapefruit to largest head of cabbage.

Kids will also participate in a poster contest where contestants will create their own tri-fold posters promoting local agriculture. There is also a basket contest where the fruits and vegetables harvested are displayed and judged for overall presentation.

Probably the most intense competition, is the Agriculture Product Identification. The event will test the kids on their knowledge of different varieties of fruit and vegetables.

Last, but not least, is the food challenge. The best way to describe this is “Chopped” for kids. The reams, or individuals, are given an ingredient – fruit or vegetable – and the item must be transformed into an entrée or dessert. This is by far the most fun part of the event to watch.

On Saturday, the event will feature a speaker from the USDA talking about healthy living and featuring the RGVLS General Manager, Mando Correa, as the guest chef.

The public events will be on Saturday, December 14, starting at 8 a.m. A schedule of events can be found online at www.rgvls.com. The RGVLS is located at 100 N. Texas Ave., in Mercedes.

Austin folk singer performing in McAllen

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Published: Thursday, 12 December 2019 08:00

Legendary musician, Tish Hinojosa will be performing live in McAllen, Texas on Thursday, December 12th from 6 to 7 p.m. at Quinta Mazatlán for a Holiday Concert in the Park. Tish dazzles with her one-of-a-kind blend of Folk, Country, Latino, Pop; and will be accompanied by her longtime musicians Marvin Dykhuis on guitar and mandolin and by Chip Dolan on piano and accordion.

Tish has been a featured artist on Austin City Limits, performed at the White House, and teamed up with artists such as Joan Baez, Booker T. Jones, Flaco Jimenez, Pete Seeger, and Dwight Yoakam. She has toured extensively throughout the U.S. and Europe and continues to draw a loyal and growing audience.

For her Holiday Concert in the Park at Quinta Mazatlan, Tish will be performing songs from her Christmas CD "From Texas For A Christmas Night.” These songs cover themes from lively Western Swing to Tex-Mex storytelling and Christmas standards. She will also sing hits from the seventeen albums she has produced since 1987.

Tickets for the Holiday Concert in the Park are $5 per person at the gate. Quinta Mazatlán is located at 600 Sunset Drive in McAllen, one block south of La Plaza Mall on 10th Street. For more information, contact Quinta Mazatlan at (956) 681-3370 or visit www.quintamazatlan.com or the Facebook events page facebook.com/McAllenQuintaMazatlan.

Madonna exhibit at Alamo Museum

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Published: Wednesday, 11 December 2019 12:00

By Herb Moering

During the Christmas season the City of Alamo Museum is presenting an exhibit of Madonna and Child and Madonnas, which includes a new foreign figurine.

The collection is on permanent loan from Audry Stewart, a Winter Texan from Woodland, Oklahoma. This year she is adding a Madonna and Child figure that she acquired while visiting the Netherlands. Many of the figurines in the collection came from a visit to China. Others come from Japan, Italy, Germany, Poland and Mexico.

“The opening of the exhibit fits well in this time of the year as many celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus,” according to museum Curator Alejandro Oyoque. “This is a season where love reigns as is the example of the love shown between the Virgin Mary and Jesus.”

The part-time Alamo resident acquired the figurines over more than 45 years.

Stewart said she finds the Madonnas “a significant spiritual experience.” To her “they represent so much more than just an object.”

The exhibit will be on display until April 15 next year, which will include the Easter season. The collection compliments the Angel Galleria with its 1,800 angel figures at the museum, which is on permanent display.

Museum hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until noon and 1 to 5 p.m. and from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday. The museum is located at 130 South Eighth Street in Alamo. For more information call 956-961-4398.

For more information you may contact Curator Alejandro Oyoque at (956) 961-4398.

You may also contact Herb Moering, Friends of the Museum secretary, at (815) 382-1154 for additional information or at his email happyherbie35@gmail.com.

Ralph Kuster, not just a vocal talent

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Published: Wednesday, 11 December 2019 09:00

Ralph Kuster was born to perform. Not just to perform, but to also create relationships through his music with his audience.

Why else would he know more than 600 songs (631 to be exact at last count).

The former Branson, Missouri performer, and current Winter Texan entertainer (also known as Wintertainer), has returned to the Rio Grande Valley with a variety of shows - including Christmas, a Tribute to Broadway and the Movies, Gospel Show, Country Classics, Sinatra, Martin and Friends, Elvis, Neil and Friends, a Valentine’s Show and a St. Patrick’s Show. He also has a show called Timeless Treasures that incorporates a little piece of all the other shows.

Kuster is a walking library of music, a virtual human radio station. His variety of shows is as wide reaching as the range of his voice.

“I’m motivated to touch the hearts of the audience,” said Kuster, who opened his Valley season with a Welcome Back Winter Texans Performance at Paradise Resort in Pharr. “A lot of the songs I perform bring back fond memories and portray a positive outlook to the coming days and upcoming season.”

But Kuster does more than just perform. He interacts with his audience in every show. For example, at his Christmas shows, everyone uses cheery holiday bells. He also puts together a video for all of his songs, touching the audience’s senses and bringing back even more fond memories.

He said that he hopes the work he has put into his videos will touch people’s hearts. That, he adds, is what he truly enjoys the most about entertaining.

“I’ve had such great audience responses,” Kuster said. “The response at the Welcome Back show was outstanding. It was a marvelous way to start.”

Currently highlighting his Christmas shows, Kuster said that he wants to bring out both the spiritual side of the holiday as well as the fun side. This year’s all new Christmas Show is a combination of country and traditional Christmas including many songs by Johnny Cash, Neil Diamond, John Denver and many more.

“The audience loves the videos for each song,” Kuster said. “It adds to the warmth and joy of Christmas.”

Kuster said he’s also available for a New Year’s Eve show, yet another set of songs in his ever-growing singing library.

Shows this coming week include Winter Green Estates, December 13 at 6:30 p.m.; Lakewood Resort, December 14 at 7 p.m.; Trophy Gardens Resort, December 15 at 7 p.m.; W and I Resort, December 16 at 7 p.m.; Paradise Resort Estates, December 18 at 7 p.m.; Ell Valle Del Sol Resort, December 19 at 7 p.m.; and Tropic Star Resort, December 20 at 7 p.m. His full schedule can be found online by visiting his profile in our Wintertainers section at www.wintertexantimes.com.

For more information on Ralph Kuster or to book a show, call (417) 230-8198 or email ralphkuster@sympatico.ca.

Paradise Park residents sharing their blessings

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Published: Wednesday, 11 December 2019 00:00

Residents at Paradise Park in Harlingen are sharing their blessings this year by gathering donations for a couple of organizations. They are gathering donations for Dr. Bill Harrison’s Sow the Word mission in Nuevo Progresso and for Loaves and Fishes food pantry in Harlingen.

The park has a reverse advent calendar set up where they ask residents to donate a designated item each day. For example, today, December 11 is 105 ounce can of veggies, and tomorrow is a bag of rice. The list doesn’t only include food items. The list also includes items such as soap, shampoo, crayons and coloring books.

The Winter Texan Times went and visited the park last week just to see what they were doing.

Criss Hastings, one of the organizers, said they have been blessed with the amount that has been donated already. In just six short days, residents had nearly filled up the front of small trailer home with the donations already given.

“The amount of donations for the Reverse Advent is already amazing,” said Hastings.

Hastings and her husband Jeff, park chaplain, and Sharon Bargel are leading the gathering.

Even though they are collecting items through December 24, they are having a big celebration on Friday, December 20 during their Burger Friday and jam session.

They will collect a big portion of their donated items and present them to Dr. Harrison.

Jammers start playing at 10:45 a.m., lunch is served at 11 a.m. and announcements will be made at noon. Residents also wear read on Fridays to Remember Everyone Deployed.

Hastings thinks the stage will be a sight to see with all of the donations gathered around.

If you want to help out call Sharon at 320-248-2167 or head on over to the jam session on Friday, December 20. There is a fee for lunch. The park is located at 1201 N. Expressway 77, in Harlingen.

Evening of holiday fun with the McAllen Wind Ensemble

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Published: Wednesday, 11 December 2019 00:00

The McAllen Wind Ensemble continues their 45th anniversary celebration with an evening of magical holiday fun. The December 20th event entitled “Tinsel and Tutus” will feature another of McAllen’s artistic institutions, the Deborah Case Dance Academy.

Dancers from the Deborah Case Academy will be featured in the holiday concert performing selections from Tchaikovsky’s famous Nutcracker Ballet to the McAllen Wind Ensemble’s live performance of the suite. The Wind Ensemble will also feature the unforgettable voice of Alberto Escobedo, the Singing Barber of Rio Grande City. Alberto Escobedo will lend his stirring vocal abilities to Schubert’s “Ave Maria” on Friday evening’s concert.

Alberto Escobedo has earned the reputation as the Singing Barber of Rio Grande City. He has not received formal vocal training after his high school experience, but his talent is a true testament to the strength and quality of the Rio Grande City Fine Arts Department. Alberto is also an active member in the community. He is the driving force behind Casa de Esperanza. Casa de Esperanza serves as a soup kitchen, and the building serves as a shelter for the homeless when needed.

No McAllen Wind Ensemble holiday concert would be complete without a Christmas carol sing-along. Alberto and the McAllen Wind Ensemble’s own Annabelle Zapata will lead the audience in a medley of favorite Christmas carols.

The McAllen Wind Ensemble is excited to host the Ballet’s encore performance of several of the dances from the world’s favorite Christmas ballet and vocalist Alberto Escobedo.

“Tinsel and Tutus” will be held December 20 at the McAllen Performing Arts Center. Tickets, starting at just $10, are available at the McAllen Performing Arts Center Box Office, through Ticketmaster, or at the door. Visit their website at www.McallenWindEnsemble.org for more information.

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with music starting at 7:30 p.m. Pictures with Santa and ballerinas will be available before the concert.

Come share the wonder and traditions of Christmas joining family and friends at the South Pole of Texas. Celebrate the 24th day of the City of McAllen’s Winterfest with the magic of holiday music!