There is a whole lot of feathered fun happening on January 4 at Quinta Mazatlan. The Center for Urban Ecology is hosting the first Hobbies in Nature session of 2020 – “Begin to Birdwatch”. The 2-hour program invites guests into the world of birds, where they will be amazed by the beautiful colors, fascinating behaviors, and incredible diversity of birds found all around us.
By Nancy Herberholz
FCRV WT Chapter
Activity Charirman
The FCRV Winter Texan chapter has been privileged to help the Veterans at the Alfredo Gonzales Texas State Veterans home for several years. One of the projects that the chapter works on, all year round, is furnishing stuffed animals. The memory care unit is one of the special places that uses the stuffed animals. The stuffed animals have a calming effect on the Veterans.
Read more: FCRV WT Chapter remembers Vets during the holidays
The International Museum of Art & Science (IMAS) will be rocking out during its first lecture of the New Year on Thursday, January 2.
Join Dr. Juan Gonzalez, from UTRGV, at 6 p.m. for insights on his new research of the geological history of the RGV. Dr. Juan Gonzalez is a native of Colombia and an Associate Professor at the School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences at UTRGV. He received his PhD at Tulane University.
The Texas Travel Information Center is excited to have the opportunity to host a Welcome Home Winter Texan Open House at their Harlingen location on Friday, January 3 from 1 to 4 p.m.
The purpose of the event is to promote awareness of attractions, events and cultural diversity that gives the beautiful cities of the Rio Grande Valley their distinctiveness. The travel center wants to build relationships with the Winter Texans so that you continue to see the benefit of visiting and living in South Texas.
Read more: Texas Travel Information Center welcomes Winter Texans
It seems as though 2019 has come to a close way too fast. We are just about halfway through our season and it has been great getting to know you better. It has been a pleasure working with you to help serve you and get the news you want to read.
This holiday season I have seen parks go out of their way to make sure others have a nice holiday. It has been eye opening in seeing how many of you are so willing to give to the communities you reside in while in the Valley.
The transition with directors went just as planned as several hundred spectators enjoyed the City of Alamo’s Christmas celebration in “Candy Land” the evening of December 14.
With Parks and Recreation Department Director Arnold Robles retiring earlier this month, the task of organizing the 10th annual illuminated parade, tree lighting ceremony and on-stage entertainment fell to Steve Vela, the recently named interim agency director.
The Texas Citrus Fiesta in Mission is an event to look forward to every year. Each year the parade has a different theme and floats in the parade that are all decked out according to that theme using lively decorations and Valley products. This year’s theme is Space Odyssey Adventure to celebrate the anniversary of space exploration.
The Mission Historical Museum is accepting entries for its “Turning of the Quilts” program to be offered January 17. The museum is looking for antique, vintage, or just plain interesting quilts for this program. The quilts are presented stacked on a bed. As each quilt is shown, it is turned down to reveal the next quilt, until all have been presented. A knowledgeable presenter will talk about each quilt as it is shown.
Read more: MHM accepting entries for ‘Turning of the Quilts’
The Mission Historical Museum is now accepting entries for its Fourteenth Annual Quilt Show. Entries will be accepted in three categories: Hand-quilted bed quilts; Machine-quilted bed quilts; and Wall hangings. The show is open to all quilters, both Winter Texans and year-round residents.
Quilts will be exhibited in the Museum’s Shary building. Quilts and wall hangings exhibit must be ready to hang with a sleeve for display purposes. Every effort will be made to show the quilts full-length. Any that exceed gallery ceiling height will be shown half-length.
Entries are accepted on a first-in/first accepted basis. Because of limited space, the museum reserves the right to close entries before the deadline. This will allow for the best possible presentation for all entries. To allow for the broadest representation, participants may submit only one item per person.
Any quilt entered in this show within the past five years is not eligible for entry this year. The quilts will be judged by a panel of independent judges, with ribbons awarded for first, second and third places in each category. Best-of-show and Viewers’ Choice ribbons will also be awarded.
Quilts may be entered by submitting an entry form, which is available at the Museum.
Entry forms and quilts will be accepted at the museum through Thursday, January 2, 2020, during the hours of 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays. The museum will be closed December 24, 25, and 31; and on January 1.
Quilts may be pre-registered, and the quilts themselves may be delivered on any date during this time, through the deadline. If you would like to enter your quilt, you are urged to register early, because space is limited.
The show opens on Saturday, January 11, 2020, and runs through Saturday, February 8, 2020. An Awards Reception and Turning of the Quilts program will take place at 2 p.m. on Friday, January 17, 2020.
The Mission Historical Museum is located at 900 Doherty in downtown Mission. Admission is free. For information, call the museum at (956) 580-8646.
The deadline to enter your quilt into the Mission Historical Museum’s Fourteenth Annual Quilt Show is fast approaching. The museum is accepting entries until Jan. 2. Entries will be accepted in three categories: Hand-quilted bed quilts; Machine-quilted bed quilts; and Wall hangings. The show is open to all quilters, both Winter Texans and year-round residents.
Quilts will be exhibited in the Museum’s Shary building. Quilts and wall hanging exhibits must be ready to hang with a sleeve for display purposes. Every effort will be made to show quilts full-length. Any that exceed gallery ceiling height will be shown half-length. Entries are accepted on a first-in/first accepted basis. Because of limited space, the museum reserves the right to close entries before the deadline. This will allow for the best possible presentation for all entries.
To allow for the broadest representation, participants may submit only one item per person. Any quilt entered in this show within the past five years is not eligible for entry this year. The quilts will be judged by a panel of independent judges, with ribbons awarded for first, second, and third places in each category. Best-of-show and Viewers’ Choice ribbons will also be awarded.
Quilts may be entered by submitting an entry form, which is available at the Museum.
The museum is open 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. on Saturdays. The Museum will be closed Dec. 24, 25, and 31; and on Jan 1.
Quilts may be pre-registered, and the quilts themselves may be delivered on any date during this time, through the Jan. 2 deadline.
The show opens on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2020, and runs through Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020. An Awards Reception and Turning of the Quilts program will take place at 2 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 17, 2020.
The Mission Historical Museum is located at 900 Doherty in downtown Mission. Admission is free. For information, call the Museum at (956) 580-8646.
Gravity Park, near Louie’s Backyard, on South Padre Island is playing host to Christmas themed sandcastles through January 13, 2020. The event is free.
The village will feature holiday sand sculptures built by incredibly talented sand artists. From a sand snowman to Sand-ta, and much more, this exhibit will include a lighted musical performance.
Some of the artists that build these sandcastles are the same ones that participate in the Sandcastle Days competitions held in October. The artists travel the world learning new techniques and competing with other sandcastle artists.
You can also take a try building your own sandcastle on SandCamp Saturdays. SandCamp Saturdays are held every Saturday, from 5 to 6 p.m. at City Beach Access #16 on South Padre Island, weather permitting.
SandCamp is an educational project of Sand Castle Island Inc. Participants learn the fundamentals of sand castle construction using kid’s toys and ordinary objects that anyone might have on a trip to the beach, as well as the concept of Unlittering, awareness of sea life, and the life of the coast and shoreline.
SandCamp is free for everyone.
By Anastasia Brunson
Whether you take a train ride, pose for a picture with Santa, enjoy a fresh made treat from the market, or just enjoy the many light displays, there is plenty to do and then some at the Hidalgo Festival of Lights.
Have you ever visited a little town named Chapin, Texas? If you have ever visited the Museum of South Texas History in Edinburg, then you have stepped into the former townsite of Chapin.
Joseph Fox, the associate education officer for MOSTHistory, will present “The Trial of Dennis Chapin: How a Murder Gave Edinburg Its Name,” a Sunday Speaker Series presentation, Dec. 15, at 2 p.m.
The city of Edinburg, founded in 1908, was originally called Chapin after the city’s founder, Dennis Bangs Chapin. He was also a former Hidalgo County Judge and a land developer within the townsite of Chapin. However, the town changed forever after Chapin shot a man named Oscar J. Rountree in a gunfight in a San Antonio saloon. Immediately following the gunfight, he was arrested and accused of murder—news that reached the citizens of Chapin. Hear more about the incident and the trial that followed during the Sunday Speaker Series presentation.
Fox earned a master’s degree in history from Texas State University in San Marcos where he completed a thesis on Lone Star beer and the 1970s Austin music scene. He has written articles for the Handbook of Tejano History, book reviews for Texas Books in Review, a historical marker for the Texas Historical Commission, and is currently conducting further research on Lone Star beer to expand his master’s thesis into a book.
Sunday Speaker Series is included in the fee for regular museum admission. FRIENDS of MOSTHistory are admitted free as a benefit of FRIENDship and must present their FRIENDship card at the Admissions Desk.
This program is made possible with generous support from the Carmen C. Guerra Endowment. Mrs. Guerra was deeply committed to supporting educational opportunities in the Rio Grande Valley. This named endowment was created at the museum by her family to honor her memory and to continue her commitment to providing opportunities for education to the community.
The Museum is located downtown Edinburg at 200 North Closner Boulevard on the Hidalgo County Courthouse square. Hours of operation are Sunday 1 p.m.-5 p.m. and Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. For more information about MOSTHistory, including becoming a FRIEND, visit MOSTHistory.org, like us on Facebook and Instagram, follow on Twitter, find on YouTube or call +1-956-383-6911.
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.
First United Methodist Church of La Feria will host its Live Nativity on Saturday, December 21 and Sunday, December 22 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. At the Live Nativity, the church parking lot transforms into the town of Bethlehem. Visitors can either drive or walk through the village and see the original Christmas story of the birth of Jesus Christ.
The Live Nativity will feature Joseph and Mary as well as a full cast of townspeople, angels, wise men, kings, soldiers, shepherds and live animals. The event will also include live and recorded music. The Live Nativity is free and open to the public.
FUMC-La Feria is located at 331 S. Main St. in La Feria, next to Tiny Town Park. For more information on the Live Nativity or to volunteer, call (956) 245-5742.
