Web Exclusives

Support Main Street this holiday season

Details: Published: Wednesday, 26 November 2025 08:31

By Jeff Burdett

Before the trick-or-treaters even make it back home, big-box stores flood mailboxes and inboxes with Black Friday ads.

But the big box stores aren’t the only place to find a good bargain. Small Business Saturday, the day after Black Friday, offers shoppers an opportunity to find great quality items at a competitive price and invest in their community.

Small Business Saturday has become a great way to kick off the holiday season. What began 15 years ago as a way to promote small businesses recovering from the Great Recession, has blossomed into one of the busiest shopping days of the year. Last year, shoppers spent roughly $22 billion at their local businesses.

Puppetry Masterclass brings physical theatre to the RGV

Details: Published: Wednesday, 26 November 2025 08:30

Puppetry workshop 4 web Pharr Community Theater and the City of Pharr present a one-of-a-kind theatre experience for the Rio Grande Valley. Marina DeYoe-Pedraza will lead a Puppetry Masterclass on Saturday, November 29, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Pharr Community Theater (213 W Newcombe Ave.). This hands-on workshop invites participants to unleash a new side of their creativity and discover how storytelling, design, and movement come together through the art of puppetry.

Attendees will learn foundational skills in Hand and Rod, Bunraku, and Shadow Puppetry, exploring how to bring characters to life in this unique form of physical theatre. No previous puppetry or acting experience is required, and all materials will be provided.

STC Theatre and Dance holds auditions

Details: Published: Wednesday, 26 November 2025 08:27

South Texas College Theatre and Dance will hold auditions for its Black Box Studio production of The Odyssey by Gregory A. Falls and Kurt Beattie.

Auditions will be held Tuesday, December 2 and Wednesday, December 3, from 6 to 9 p.m. with callbacks happening at 7 p.m. Thursday, December 4, at the STC Cooper Center for Performing Arts.

All STC and Rio Grande Valley community members, aged 18 and over, are welcome to audition. This live theatre performance will run from February 19 through February 22, 2026.

UVAL present a Tribute to Mission

Details: Published: Thursday, 02 October 2025 13:03

La Lomita The Upper Valley Art League of Mission is excited to announce that it will open its doors on October 4 for an all-member exhibition entitled “Tribute to Mission". The exhibit will be open through October 25.

For this celebratory exhibit members will be showing artwork in all media, celebrating the subjects that make the city of Mission and its environs such a unique and interesting destination for both out-of-state and local visitors. Think butterflies, birds and other wildlife, historic people, venues and events, and wide and wild landscapes and skyscapes. And let’s not forget south Texas florals, always a vibrant source of inspiration for artists, whether they be painters, ceramicists, sculptors, or fiber artists. UVAL has them all!

TCF invites community to creative product workshop

Details: Published: Thursday, 02 October 2025 12:42

20150117 TCF Product Costume Show JMB 0069 The Texas Citrus Fiesta is excited to announce an upcoming Product Workshop where the community can learn the art of creating costumes with real citrus fruit. This unique, hands-on event will take place on Saturday, October 4, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Texas Citrus Fiesta Office, located at 220 E. 9th Street, Mission.

Edinburg invites community to Spectacular Independence Day Celebration

Details: Published: Wednesday, 02 July 2025 16:52

edinburg high steaks EDINBURG, TX - The Edinburg Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the return of Texas Cook’Em: High Steaks in Edinburg, set to take place on Friday, July 4, 2025, at the Ebony Hills Golf Course. This annual free Independence Day event is expected to be the biggest and most exciting yet, featuring a full day of live entertainment, family-friendly attractions, and one of Texas’ premier steak BBQ cook-offs.

The celebration will include the Cars & Stripes Auto Show, presented by Bert Ogden Buick GMC, showcasing an impressive lineup of classic and custom vehicles. A Family Fun Zone, presented by the Omar Ochoa Law Firm, and an array of food and craft vendors.

97th Annual McAllen Independence Day Celebration invites community to participate

Details: Published: Wednesday, 02 July 2025 16:20

Watch Independence Day 2025 The City of McAllen is inviting the community to celebrate America’s birthday at the 97th Annual Independence Day Celebration, presented by H-E-B, on Friday, July 4, 2025. The day-long celebration will feature family-friendly events including a 4K race, Patriotic Program, the Main Street Parade, a lively Freedom Festival and the H-E-B Concert in the Sky Fireworks Extravaganza.

“H-E-B is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the 97th Annual McAllen Independence Day Celebration,” said Linda Tovar H-E-B Director of Public Affairs. “We’re honored to stand with the City of McAllen in celebrating our nation’s independence and recognizing the men and women of our U.S. Armed Forces.”

Celebrate Independence Day early at Quinta Mazatlán’s Patriotic Pops in the Park

Details: Published: Wednesday, 02 July 2025 16:12

Valley Symphony Orchestra 2 McAllen, TX – Get ready for a star-spangled evening of music, family fun, and festive treats at Quinta Mazatlán’s Thursday Night Live: Patriotic Pops in the Park on Thursday, July 3, 2025 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Headlining the evening is a special live performance by the Valley Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet at 7:00 p.m., filling the air with patriotic favorites under the summer sky. In addition to the concert, guests can enjoy hands-on arts and crafts, the always-popular Bubble Hut, and a variety of local vendors serving up classic favorites including hot dogs, popcorn, lemonade, watermelon, and mini pies. Bring lawn chairs or blankets and head out to Quinta Mazatlán, 600 Sunset Drive, for a family-friendly evening of patriotic celebration and community spirit in the park.

Native Plant Project meeting March 26

Details: Published: Thursday, 21 March 2024 19:14

The March Native Plant Project meeting will be held on March 26 at 7:30 p.m. It will be held at the Valley Nature Center in Weslaco. The guest speaker will be Camille Rich. She is the owner and steward of a small piece of endangered Tamaulipan thorn scrub located in the South Texas Sand Sheet in Northwestern Hidalgo County.

One of her passions includes documenting the species that visit a watering hole that she installed in 2008 for the sole purpose of supporting the wildlife on her property. The data she collects from this water feature supports and guides her decisions regarding ranch management practices that include the protection of threatened and endangered native plants and other wildlife.

A Mile in Her Shoes exhibit open at MOSTH

Details: Published: Wednesday, 20 March 2024 19:21

20240320 MOSTH IMG 0012 Copy web To recognize the accomplishments of South Texas women, MOSTHistory hosts the spotlight exhibit “A Mile in Her Shoes,” a century of shoes worn by South Texas women, closing Saturday, March 30.

The spotlight exhibit features a pair of shoes from each decade in the 20 century, such as lace-up boots, pumps and platforms, and a short video on some of the Rio Grande Valley women who made strides in their communities.