Fiesta de Palmas takes place this weekend, Oct. 17-19, at the McAllen Convention Center, bringing with it three days of live music, international food, family fun and performances that bring the community together. Drawing thousands of attendees each year, the festival shines a spotlight on the Rio Grande Valley as a hub for arts, culture and entertainment. As South Texas’ largest cultural music festival, the music lineup includes a mix…
The International Museum of Art & Science invites the community to honor loved ones and celebrate cultural traditions at its annual Día de los Muertos Festival & Market on Oct. 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The festival is a day-long celebration of art, music, food and community. General admission includes access to the festival, hands-on activities including a community piñata-fied mural, the museum’s exhibits, artisan vendors and the…
The Edinburg Chamber of Commerce has named Mayor Ramiro Garza Jr. and Veronica Gonzales as the recipients of the 2025 Man and Woman of the Year Awards. Both honorees will be recognized at the chamber’s Centennial Installation and Awards Banquet on Nov. 1. Mayor Ramiro Garza Jr. Born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, Mayor Ramiro Garza Jr. has served the City of Edinburg for more than two decades.…
McAllen Public Library is partnering with South Texas College to offer free GED and English as a Second Language classes beginning Oct. 13. Classes will take place at MPL locations and are open to qualifying students seeking to improve their English or earn a high school equivalency diploma. “Hosting these classes is one more way we can connect our community to free educational opportunities,” said Kate Horan, Library Director. “We…
Photographs of the early days of Jackson Street Market Days depict an event trying to get its footing in Harlingen. It’s 2001. What few booths and vendors that show up at the street festival’s inception space out along a city block in downtown Harlingen. A now long-gone Lack’s furniture store serves as the primary backdrop. There were doubts back then that Market Days would stick in Harlingen. “My husband said,…
April Castaneda is a multitasker as are many city administrators in smaller communities. She is the new executive director of the Donna Economic Development Corporation while also serving as the de facto manager of the local chamber. The latter had been inactive and the former was close to it before Castaneda recently made the move from the Weslaco Economic Development Corporation to lead a similar organization in Donna. For Castaneda,…
The City of McAllen earns national recognition, ranking 20 in the U.S. News & World Report’s 2025-2026 Best Places to Live. McAllen joins six other Texas cities to round out the top 20: Pearland (3), League City (6), Leander (8), Flower Mound (14), Pflugerville (15) and Sugar Land (16). The annual ranking evaluates 250 cities across the United States based on affordability, job market strength, desirability and overall quality of…
For the second consecutive year, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley has been recognized as one of the Great Colleges to Work For. UTRGV is among only 76 institutions across the country awarded the 2025 Great Colleges to Work For distinction, based on direct feedback from faculty and staff. The Great Colleges to Work For program, now in its 18th year, highlights colleges that receive top ratings from employees…
Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce members Daniel Pizaña and Erika Mazzola, co-founders of Noah’s Ark LLC, earned the Community Choice and First Runner-Up honors at the Startup Texas Pitch Fest on Sept. 9. The integrated pet care platform supports lost pet recovery, wellness guidance, and community connections. Pizaña presented the company during the live pitch competition at the eBridge Center for Business and Commercialization. He joined founders from…
Plumbing and Pipefitting, a program new to Texas State Technical College’s Harlingen campus, recently welcomed its first cohort of students as the fall semester got underway. Among those students are Ricardo Cantu, David Martinez and Fernando Ochoa. Cantu, of Lyford, is pursuing a Plumbing and Pipefitting – Tradesman certificate of completion. He said his goal is to mirror the skill and expertise demonstrated by his instructors. “I want to learn…