Category Archives: Recreation & Tourism

It’s Time to Play Ball in McAllen

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Olympic pitcher Monica Abbot Powers throws the pitch to McAllen Mayor Jim Darling.

Olympic softball pitcher Monica Abbot Power threw out the first pitch Aug. 18, officially opening the new and improved McAllen Municipal Softball Complex. Joining Power were officials from the City of McAllen, Parks and Recreation, and Cavazos Sports Institute. Also on hand were representatives of the Boys and Girls Club of McAllen. The McAllen Municipal Softball Complex now hosts six new fields along with new batting tunnels, restrooms and concessions stand. It…

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New Park Coming to Weslaco

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Weslaco park groundbreaking

The City of Weslaco held a groundbreaking ceremony on July 23 for a new 45-acre park off of FM 88 and Mile 11 Road. This project will feature a one-mile park trail and additional nature trails, a fitness equipment station. Other athletic amenities will include tennis courts, basketball courts, sand volleyball courts and youth soccer fields. Kids will be able to enjoy a splash pad, while entertainment will have a…

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McAllen Hosts Festival & Events Conference 

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The McAllen Holiday Parade is one of many local festivals and events Texas Festival & Events Association Annual Conference attendees can learn from. (photo McAllen Holiday Parade)

The City of McAllen is hosting this year’s Texas Festival & Events Association Annual Conference August 9-11 at the McAllen Convention Center. With more than 450 member festivals and events, organizers are expecting attendees from Texas and beyond. Attendees also hail from Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma and even Mexico. McAllen is the first city in the organization’s 26-year history to host two years in a row. This year’s conference…

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Isla Blanca Park Gets a Facelift

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Beachgoers using the new showers at the Sandpiper Pavilion at Isla Blanca Park.

Beachgoers using Isla Blanca Park on South Padre Island are in for a surprise if they have not gotten the shock already. The rusty-looking facility most people have been going to over the years is becoming one of the most modern beach parks now rivaling similar venues found in Florida and California. Gone are the wooden pavilions, messy restroom and shower areas, and the dark net over the picnic sections. Replacing…

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Edinburg Cultural Arts Brings Communities Together

Arts Events News Recreation & Tourism Comments
Sherry Cantu helps fix her 6-year-old daughter Natali Ann's costume before the Frida look-alike contest at the recent Edinburg Cultural Arts event FridaFest. (photo Selene D. Garza)

The sound of Mexican music reverberates throughout the courtyard at the Edinburg City Hall. Colorful papel picado dance above the crowd. Women and little girls walk proudly with their hair pulled back and crowns of colorful flowers adorning their head. They were among the thousands there to celebrate the iconic Mexican female artist Frida Kahlo.  FridaFest is one of 13 major annual events organized by Edinburg Cultural Arts, a division of…

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Weekend Fishing in Port Mansfield

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Red fish will be viewed during this weekend tournament.

The 45th annual Port Mansfield Fishing Tournament is this weekend, so head out to this fishing village about 20 miles east of Raymondville. More than 200 anglers are expected to participate in the two-day tourney raising funds for the local chamber of commerce. Registration is Thursday. Fishing takes place Friday and Saturday. The award ceremony is Sunday.  The tourney is the largest such contest here and the one which attracts most…

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Estero Llano Gets Even Better

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A Kingfisher perches on a branch at Estero Llano Grande State Park.

The 250-acre Estero Llano Grande State Park in Weslaco is at the heart of the network of nine World Birding Centers in the Rio Grande Valley. It is a popular birding destination for not only local residents, but for birders from around the nation. They all come to the park to view and document more than 300 species of birds at Estero Llano. The park’s infrastructure and facilities recently received…

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Mangoes, Mangoes, Mangoes!

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Jason Hess shows one of the many mangoes at the grove in Bayview.

Got mangoes? If not, go this Saturday to Paradise Gardens in Bayview as a fest to celebrate the ever popular tropical fruit. The gardens, previously known as River’s End Nursery, will turn into a celebration of mangoes for people of all ages from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Owners Jason and Lara Hess have one of the largest mango groves in the Rio Grande Valley. It has close to 30 varieties…

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Downtown Brownsville Comes Alive

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A conjunto trio plays in one of the new music venue in the downtown area. (VBR)

For many years, downtown Brownsville looked like a ghost town, particularly during evening hours. The only exception was an H-E-B supermarket on East Elizabeth Street. Here, shoppers from south of the border stopped by to buy goods before going across the Rio Grande into Matamoros. After a group of concerned citizens began looking into how to revive the city’s oldest business district several years ago, the area started coming alive. New…

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Zipping to Adventure

Recreation & Tourism Comments
Adventurers take a ride down The Adventure Park zip-line. The main tower has three 2,500-square-foot levels for zipping and observation. Zippers start at the top level with four parallel zip-lines to zip 500 feet to the return tower. (Courtesy)

Now that summer has officially begun, head out to South Padre Island for some action. Try some different action, not the kind like windsurfing, paddle boarding, buggy riding, off-road driving or hopping on a boat to go after one’s favorite fish. The south and north end of the Island gets the most crowds, there is a facility near the end of Texas Highway 100 that provides plenty of things to…

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