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Valley Birding Festival starts next week

2019 RGVBF Purple Gallinule webAs Valley bird migration picks up, get ready for the Annual Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival. The event is slated for November 5 through 9 at the Harlingen Convention Center, 701 Harlingen Heights Dr.

There will be over 100 fantastic field trip offerings to choose from including traditional tours through the parks the Valley is well known for as well as several new offerings such as private ranches for those seasoned returning festival birders. Special trips in the field with some of the featured speakers to further enhance their presentations are also always a great treat. In addition to field trips, they will also have keynote speakers, informative workshops, seminars, a giant tradeshow full of vendors, a silent auction, fun socials with local music and food, and of course all the birds.

Read more: Valley Birding Festival starts next week

Registration open for Texas Master Naturalist training

20251029 Texas Master Naturalist IMG 2305 webTexas Master Naturalist program training registration for the 2026 new class session is open through December 15. Weekly classes are scheduled January 8 through March 26, 2026. Registration is open to Winter Texans and residents of Cameron, Hidalgo and Starr counties over the age of 18 to join the South Texas Border Chapter that meets in Pharr.

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

Read more: Registration open for Texas Master Naturalist training

November programs at Bentsen-RGV State Park

20251029 Archery BRGVStatePark webLots of good programs are in store for November at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park. With the time change, the park is bringing back “Our Night Sky,” and evening gazing program. Weather permitting, it is looking like it should be a good night for it. Going into their peak season, the park will also be bringing back regular bird walks, which are always a great time for everybody. There will also be programs such as Wild Wellness, Archery, and more. Lastly, the park is starting a monthly speaker series to go through their peak months as well.

Read more: November programs at Bentsen-RGV State Park

UVAL celebrates 90 years of enriching the community through art

20200224 UVAL Butterfly Walk CAB 2927 webThe Upper Valley Art League (UVAL) proudly announces its 90th anniversary, marking nine decades of fostering artistic excellence and community engagement in the Rio Grande Valley. Established in 1935, the group has been a cornerstone of the regional arts scene, celebrating the creative achievements of its members and inspiring generations of artists.

To commemorate this significant milestone, UVAL will host a special exhibition showcasing the members premier works of art, rich in imagery, composition, color, and style. The exhibition will feature works in photography, watercolor, ceramics, acrylic, mixed media, oil, mosaics, and fiber arts.

Read more: UVAL celebrates 90 years of enriching the community through art

Juanito Gonzalez returns to Pharr, Nov. 1-2

Pedro Garcia Juanito Singing 1 webThe Pharr Community Theater invites you to a fun, family-friendly, one man, one act play, a monologue.

The Life and Times of Juanito Gonzalez by Pedro Garcia, now in its 29th year, explores the importance of education, love and life. The play is set on “Día de Muertos” and is geared toward school children & youth with a clear and positive message that says, “reading and writing and paying attention to your teachers is important.”

Read more: Juanito Gonzalez returns to Pharr, Nov. 1-2

Welcome back to the RGV!

20250322 Texas Onion Fest HMoering DSC 0353 webHello and welcome back to South Texas and the great Rio Grande Valley! We are excited that you have come back to visit us. And if it is your first time here – we want to wish you a great big welcome, too. You are going to love your time here.

If you aren’t in the Valley yet, we hope you find your way safely to your South Texas home and enjoy your stay with us this season.

We say it every year, and we hear it every year from our Winter Texan friends – the Valley is a great place to be. You can always find great people, great friends, great weather, good food, and a variety of things to do.

Read more: Welcome back to the RGV!

Seven Oaks Resort residents give back

20251029 Quilts of VAlor 06 webEvery year we enjoy sharing what parks and other Winter Texan residents do for the communities they reside in while visiting the Valley. Winter Texans collect food, make crafts, sew, quilt and more. By the end of the year many have donated dozens of blankets, books, meals, hats, and more to those in their parks and to the communities around them.

Read more: Seven Oaks Resort residents give back

October 29, 2025 - Rina's Ramblings

The first issue of the season always leaves us feeling a little discombobulated here at the Winter Texan Times with so many things that always seem to still be on the checklist for this first issue of the season. Nothing has gone too cattywampus, though, and here we are.

I hope you have had a great summer and are eager to get back to your usual shenanigans in the Rio Grande Valley. We have enjoyed lollygagging about a bit this summer, but we are certainly ready to get back to the fun and excitement of a new season.

I know that I am not the only one that has missed all of you. With all that we hear from around town you can take my word that it’s not malarky when we say that folks here in the RGV really do love seeing you back. We are ready to see what kind of shenanigans we might get up in with y’all this season.

I have missed sharing your stories, seeing your smiling faces, and sharing all the fun you have while in the Valley. We love receiving photos and announcements of all the fun and unique activities that are already underway in many of the parks.

I have been flabbergasted by the number of activities parks are having. As well as seeing the full schedules of the Wintertainers™ that are so eager to entertain you. We know you have your favorites, but we also know we get some new entertainment every year. Show all of them some love and share your favorites with us – and why you love them.

Be sure to keep up with the Parks Calendar feature in every issue of the Winter Texan Times, and your own activity schedule will soon be overflowing with good times before you know it, but don’t worry about not catching all your favorite events and shows, there will be plenty of time this season. So, we don’t want to hear about any kerfuffle over who to see or what to do each week because there was just so much to fit in. Just be sure to keep checking back in these pages every week for schedules of all your favorites, ideas for a new favorite, and don’t forget about our Taste of the Valley feature to for some great recommendations about some of our favorite local restaurants.

Let us know what your favorite activities are. Share a photo or two if you can. We love hearing from you.

Well, I better skedaddle before I ramble on too much.

If you have any stories, photos, or ideas you want to share with us, send those to news@wintertexantimes.com.

Magic Valley PEO Retirement Group donates

20251029 Magic Valley Retirement Donations webMagic Valley P.E.O. Retirement Group met at the home of Julianne Carlson on Tuesday, March 25, for one of their last meetings of the season. The group brought items for donating to Aurora House Foundation in Weslaco. 

The group first learned about Aurora House Foundation, and their mission, two years ago during a presentation by a staff member. 

Read more: Magic Valley PEO Retirement Group donates

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