Page 35 Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide 2023-2024 rudys.com order online ducks and geese who call the lake home while in the Valley. The lake is on FM 88 north of Elsa, three miles north of Monte Alto. Open 365 days a year, from sunrise to sunset. For more information call (956) 968-8733. Rio Grande Valley Livestock Showgrounds The Rio Grande Valley Livestock Showgrounds are home to the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show and other events held throughout the year. The Livestock show started being held in 1939 and was moved to the current location at 1000 North Texas, Mercedes, in 1949. The Livestock Show is a chartered non-profit educational organization with a board of directors representing the four southmost counties of Texas. The show has grown from showing animals in tents, to now having a rodeo arena for events, a multi-purpose event center, open barns, and other covered areas where animals are kept and shown during the month-long event held during the month of March. The event promotes the youth of south Texas through leadership development, agricultural education, and competition with a goal of creating the leaders of tomorrow. The events give an opportunity for FFA and 4-H students/exhibitors to shine showing their animals and products. It is estimated that millions of dollars have been paid to the exhibitors during the show’s existence. For more information on the history of the grounds, show, and events, visit www.rgvls. com. Boots on the Ground Mercedes, Texas Nothing says Texas more than boots, and no one knows that more than the quiet community of Mercedes in the Rio Grande Valley. Boots have been a staple of the western lifestyle for generations and the spirit of the cowboy is alive and kicking as the City of Mercedes promotes the fact that it is home to several custom boot makers. The term “boots on the ground” has a whole new meaning with 30 five-and-a-half-foot tall custom-made aluminum boots adorned with college logos throughout the town. This is a way to promote a college-going culture in the community with an old symbol of Mercedes, the cowboy boot. Mercedes is home to the Rio Grande Valley Livestock Show & Rodeo. The community is also visited by almost six million people every year who shop at the Rio Grande Valley Premium Outlet Mall, located on the Expressway.
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