Festivals, Parades, and more
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- Published: Wednesday, 30 October 2024 17:59
I continue to be amazed at how many things there are to see and do in the Rio Grande Valley. It seems that every town has a festival or a special day to celebrate. There is the Butterfly Festival in Mission, the Birding Festival in Harlingen and another in McAllen, the Citrus Festival in Mission, the Festival of Las Palmas in McAllen and not to be missed the Festival of Lights in the small town of Hidalgo. Even Kingsville joins in with the Saturday before Thanksgiving celebrating ranch life with the Ranch Hand Breakfast.
You name it, we've got it!
And then we have the Parades - July 4th, Veterans Day and Christmas Parades as well as the Port Isabel Boat Parade just to name a few. It appears that we are running out of names for the festivals, so we now have a Margarita Festival, and a Jalapeno Festival is sure to be added. Edinburg presented a Halloween-themed Fall Festival. Perhaps I missed one or two that you consider special. If you live in a Mobile Home or RV Park, you no doubt have all sorts of entertainment to fill your days.
In addition to Festivals and Parades most towns set aside special days to offer special events. There are Market Days at least once a month with some towns offering market days only during the growing season where garden fresh fruits and vegetables are sold.
One more venue sure to attract your attention should be the concerts and theater presentations that the larger towns offer. Don't miss Steel Magnolias in Harlingen. Also, be aware of your local school districts. They often offer many theatre and music productions during the school year. Your best reference for things to see and do in the Rio Grande Valley is the Winter Texan Times. They cover the entire Valley from top to bottom.
My favorite of all the venues is the Monarch Butterfly Festival. In February of 2025 Go With Jo will provide a tour to see where this beautiful butterfly spends their Winter. It is just too cold in Canada for these delicate creatures who don't move until the sun warms their wings. What a sight it is to see the pine trees where they spend the night come alive with orange as they wait for the warm sun rays. Once the wings are warmed, they fly down to a water supply for a refreshing drink. If you sit very still you might even have the butterflies land on you. Come join our tour.
Another great experience in nature for you to witness is Turtle Release Day on South Padre Island. It is such fun to see those tiny little turtles not much bigger than a silver dollar as they scurry to the water. Now how do they know which way the water is? Somehow, they do know and off they go.
Your church may even have an altar set up to celebrate The Day of the Dead which occurs at the end of October corresponding to our Halloween, through the beginning of November.
You won't lack for something to do in the Rio Grande Valley. So, enjoy!
Nederlander National Markets in partnership with the McAllen Performing Arts Center are thrilled to announce the exciting 2024/2025 Broadway in the Rio Grande Valley, including four new shows. They are also excited to announce that group orders of 10 or more for all Broadway in the Rio Grande Valley are available. Broadway Groups enjoy many benefits, including saving up to 10% on orders of 10 tickets or more and access to seats before single ticket sales.
McAllen Community Concert Association is featuring six concerts this season. The first concert is November 4 with Forever Simon and Garfunkel.
The Life and Times of Juanito Gonzalez is a one-man, one-act, family friendly, children’s play written and performed by Pedro Garcia. The fun and heartfelt show explores the importance of education, love and life and is set on Día de los Muertos.
Texas College Theatre and Dance embarks upon its new season with its first production of the year, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” by Edward Albee.
Bentsen-RGV State Park has fun and informative programs for all ages. Scheduled programs are free with park admission. Reservations are required for some programs. More programs will be announced soon. All programs will meet at the tram turnaround at park headquarters unless otherwise specified.
AUSTIN— On November 3, visitors will get free day-use entry at all Texas State Parks in honor of Texas State Parks Day, a tradition born from 2023's centennial celebration.
The Port Isabel Historical Museum will host a special exhibit through December 15. The exhibit is called Ancient Landscapes of South Texas, Hiding in Plain Sight.
Renowned for a volume and variety of wild, free-flying butterflies that cannot be found anywhere else in the country, deep south Texas is home of the country’s premier butterfly event. The National Butterfly Center is hosting the 28th Annual Texas Butterfly Festival this weekend. For those that registered early, there will be several days of exploring renowned public lands and private properties with world-class leaders. For those that were not able to register, there is a free community day for visitors on Saturday, October 26 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Attendees to this event typically hail from at least half of the 50 states and multiple countries. They converge at the National Butterfly Center in the Rio Grande Valley to experience one of the most biologically diverse areas in North America. Go see for yourself why this region has earned worldwide recognition for its outstanding butterfly and birding spots, inviting thousands of visitors each year to discover its remarkable assortment of preserves, refuges, nature parks, trails, and more.
Nearly 150 species of North American butterflies can be seen only in the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV), or by traveling to Mexico. More than 300 species of butterflies may be found in the LRGV, and more than 240 species have been seen at the National Butterfly Center, including rarities and US records.
