MARCH 13, 2024 www.wintertexantimes.com 16 WINTER TEXAN TIMES Winter Texans have places throughout the Valley they can visit. There are sites to see, things to do, parks to visit, and more. There is a wide range of places to go and things to do from Rio Grande City all the way down to South Padre Island. The Valley is full of history. There are forts in Rio Grande City and Brownsville, a battlefield from the Mexican American war in Brownsville, and more. Fort Brown in Brownsville features an old morgue, captain’s quarters, and the old hospital. Mission has the La Lomita Church, where the city got its name. There are nature centers all along the Rio Grande River, highlighting the areas deep history and migrating birds and butterflies. The World Birding Center has nine parks in its organization, and almost every major Valley city has a nature park to visit. There are also a few wildlife refuges, one of which is huge in ocelot conservation. There is also entertainment.While your parks feature a myriad of entertainers from Branson and other parts of the US, you can also find great shows at many of the performing arts centers and theaters throughout the Valley. There is also a Symphony, and the local colleges and university also have their performing arts programs that produce several shows throughout the season. Speaking of live entertainment at the parks though … Providing that live entertainment are many excellent performers who come to the Valley during their “off season” in Branson, Nashville, Las Vegas, and other parts of the country to perform their shows in the RV resorts and other local venues. The cost is typically in the $7 to $10 range while the same show in Florida or Arizona will cost $10 to $15 and in Branson the cost could be $30 to $50 or more for the same show. When you go to 30 or more shows or dances per season, those savings add up. Also, if you are really lucky, you can catch a show with more than one entertainer performing. The Wintertainers™ as we have dubbed them, have developed such camaraderie among themselves, that they enjoy performing together quite often. So, you might find a show where three or more are performing together, still at that great price too. We have a wide of activities listed in our Events Calendar, and chambers, cities and museums have active events calendars as well. The events in the Parks Calendar are activities that are open to the out-ofpark guests, so your buffet of things to do is limitless. There is a lot to do in the Rio Grande Valley, so take a look around, I am sure you will find something that piques your interest. For a good source of all there is to see in the Valley, you can also check out our Rio Grande Valley Visitors Guide online or find one at a Texas Travel Information Center or Chamber of Commerce. Winter Texans have places to go, things to do Sea Turtle Inc. Courtesy photo The Rio Grande Valley’s Winter Texan scene isn’t the quiet, gem in the rough secret that it once was. For the winter visitors, that’s a good thing – especially when it comes to entertainment. Winter Texans are known for having fun. The Valley provides tons of it too. More and more Wintertainers™ are coming to the Valley to entertain Winter Texans. The growth can be attributed to entertainers like Gordy and Debbie who came to the Valley nearly 15 years ago and were an immediate hit. When they returned home, they spread the word and brought some friends down. While there’s Branson, MO, a place where many of the visiting entertainers play regularly and is known for its great entertainment, the Valley’s Wintertainers™ also come from Nashville and Las Vegas, and from other states where talented individuals, duos, or groups are usually looking to escape the gloomy, cold, and snowy north. Rusty Rierson, a performer who drove down from Wichita in zero-degree weather for his first winter to perform in the RGV in 2018, became an instant hit in the Valley. He won the Male Vocalist of the Year award in 2022 and continues to be a hit among the parks. Bruce Boudreau, a Canadian recording country music artist is one of the newer men to the game. He has made quite an impression in his short time coming to the Valley winning Male Vocalist of the Year this year, and Duo Group of the Year with his American friend/partner Tom Hiles. Other popular Wintertainers™ include Rick McEwen, the Baker Family, Dale and Gayle, Shake, Rattle and Roll, Mountain Highway, Redneck Revival, Ron Moshier and Mark Merchant. And that is just to name a few. There are too many to mention that visit the Valley just to have fun with the Winter Texans. These individuals perform at the parks throughout the Valley. The cost is typically in the $7 to $10 range while the same show in Florida or Arizona will cost $10 to $15 and in Branson – a mini-Nashville if you will – the cost could be $30 to $50 or more for the same show. Dancing the Night Away Of course, the Winter Texans aren’t kids anymore – but they can certainly handle their own when it comes to dancing. Whether it’s line dancing, square dancing, waltzes, cha-chas, jitterbugs, or anything else, these visitors know how to make a dance floor come alive. For Winter Texans who prefer to dance, a dance can be found any night of the week in a nearby resort. While most are country western, square, round or ballroom dancing, rock ‘n roll is growing in popularity. The list is seemingly never-ending. The Rio Grande Valley has come a long way in the past few years in terms of entertainment; there is plenty to keep you as busy as you want to be. Come on down and let us entertain you! Rio Grande Valley parks feature top Wintertainers™ McAllen Performing Arts Center. Courtesy photo Leslie Blasing. Photo by Carina Brunson Bruce Boudreau. Photo by Carina Brunson
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