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Published: Wednesday, 26 November 2025 08:42
AUSTIN, Texas—With holiday shopping in full swing, the Texas Historical Commission (THC) has launched its online store TexasHistoryGifts.com featuring unique offerings available for purchase online and at historic sites across the state.
The highlight of the season is “A Culinary Journey Through Texas History: A State Historic Sites Cookbook.” Edited by Hal Simon, the THC’s chief interpretive specialist, the cookbook takes professional and home chefs alike on a culinary journey that will inspire them to cook with passion, experiment with flavor, and taste the history of Texas.
Read more: Give a piece of historic Texas this holiday season
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Published: Wednesday, 26 November 2025 08:31
By Jeff Burdett
Before the trick-or-treaters even make it back home, big-box stores flood mailboxes and inboxes with Black Friday ads.
But the big box stores aren’t the only place to find a good bargain. Small Business Saturday, the day after Black Friday, offers shoppers an opportunity to find great quality items at a competitive price and invest in their community.
Small Business Saturday has become a great way to kick off the holiday season. What began 15 years ago as a way to promote small businesses recovering from the Great Recession, has blossomed into one of the busiest shopping days of the year. Last year, shoppers spent roughly $22 billion at their local businesses.
Read more: Support Main Street this holiday season
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Published: Wednesday, 26 November 2025 08:30
Pharr Community Theater and the City of Pharr present a one-of-a-kind theatre experience for the Rio Grande Valley. Marina DeYoe-Pedraza will lead a Puppetry Masterclass on Saturday, November 29, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Pharr Community Theater (213 W Newcombe Ave.). This hands-on workshop invites participants to unleash a new side of their creativity and discover how storytelling, design, and movement come together through the art of puppetry.
Attendees will learn foundational skills in Hand and Rod, Bunraku, and Shadow Puppetry, exploring how to bring characters to life in this unique form of physical theatre. No previous puppetry or acting experience is required, and all materials will be provided.
Read more: Puppetry Masterclass brings physical theatre to the RGV
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Published: Wednesday, 26 November 2025 08:27
South Texas College Theatre and Dance will hold auditions for its Black Box Studio production of The Odyssey by Gregory A. Falls and Kurt Beattie.
Auditions will be held Tuesday, December 2 and Wednesday, December 3, from 6 to 9 p.m. with callbacks happening at 7 p.m. Thursday, December 4, at the STC Cooper Center for Performing Arts.
All STC and Rio Grande Valley community members, aged 18 and over, are welcome to audition. This live theatre performance will run from February 19 through February 22, 2026.
Read more: STC Theatre and Dance holds auditions
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Published: Friday, 21 November 2025 14:00
The beautifully decorated cottages that adorn Dean Porter Park in Brownsville every holiday season are back. They have been preparing the park for the last few weeks for the 16th season of its Holiday Village in Brownsville. The Holiday Village officially opens on November 24. Each year one or two new ones might be added, so you never know what you might see. Currently there are over 30 fully decorated cottages lining the sidewalks at the park.
For those that are new to the village, Holiday Village is a collection of miniature cottages, each one measuring about 10’ wide x 8’ deep and over 11’ tall. Each one is adorned inside and out with the most whimsical and adorable holiday trimmings. Best viewing is just after the sun sets so you can see the full displays all lit up – although the lights come on at 6 p.m. every evening.
Read more: Brownsville Holiday Village opening November 24
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Published: Wednesday, 19 November 2025 13:45
This past week many parks celebrated the Veterans in their parks. Tropic Winds and Sunshine RV were just two of the many parks that held events to honor Veterans for their service and sacrifice.
The Veterans Day Celebration at Tropic Winds was held to honor and recognize the service and sacrifice of the veterans in the community. To start the ceremony, the Harlingen High School Color Guard presented the colors. Then each branch was called forward, and their respective armed forces medley was played as everyone sang along. As a token of appreciation, a coin was presented to each Veteran in attendance, as well as a complimentary meal following the ceremony. There were around 75 people in attendance, with around 26 Veterans honored. During the event, the spouses of the military members were also acknowledged.
Read more: Parks celebrate their Veterans
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Published: Tuesday, 18 November 2025 13:45
Volunteers across Texas are joining the national nonprofit Wreaths Across America (WAA) to prepare for National Wreaths Across America Day, Saturday, December 13.
This year, 453 participating locations across the state will participate in the annual event, which honors every interred American veteran with a live balsam wreath. This December, 744 local WAA Sponsorship Groups have registered. They are working to raise the funds needed to place wreaths on the graves of the more than 574,600 service members resting in these participating cemeteries.
Read more: National Wreaths Across America events planned
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Published: Tuesday, 18 November 2025 13:42
The City of Port Isabel will kick off the 2025 holiday season with their 17th Annual Christmas Tree Lighting and Hometown Christmas Holiday Parade on Saturday, December 6. The community celebration will be held in the heart of coastal Port Isabel.
Mayor Cantu Jr. and the Port Isabel City Commissioners invite the community to attend and participate in a Port Isabel holiday tradition. Hometown Holiday Parade starts at 6 p.m. and the lighting of the Community Christmas Tree in Beulah Lee Park starts at 7 p.m. The tree lighting will feature performances, vendors, Santa Claus and a bigger and brighter Christmas tree.
Read more: Port Isabel announces tree lighting, holiday parade
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Published: Monday, 17 November 2025 14:30
We talk about this every year – how the food pantries kick up their game during the holidays. They put out their need to help their communities for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The food pantries try to give the families they support a traditional meal for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The Martin Valley Ranch parks in Penitas are known to support the Penitas Food Pantry throughout the year, and especially during the holidays. In previous years, the community parks have not only helped keep the pantry stocked, but they also helped build their new building and help with stockings for the children for Christmas.
This year has been a little different because the need is so big. One of the gentlemen that helps at the pantry put a call out less than two weeks ago for help. Here is a little bit of Jeff Reardon’s original post on the Enchanted Valley Ranch Facebook Page:
Read more: Enchanted Valley Ranch resident thanks his Turkey Angels
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Published: Monday, 17 November 2025 14:26
When talking about Brownsville museums, you can’t talk about just one. Brownsville has the Heritage Museum, Stillman House Museum, the Historic Brownsville Museum, Costumes of the Americas Museum, and the Laureles Ranch House Museum.
The Brownsville Historical Association has a wonderful fold out map of the City of Brownsville. Through visiting areas on the map, you will learn its history and the importance of many buildings in the city. You can discover a lot of Brownsville’s history, heritage and culture that the Brownsville Historical Association is preserving in downtown Brownsville.
Read more: Brownsville is rich with history
