By Herb Moering

The weather is important to Jill Zehe, from Winter Green Estates in Mission. She was part of a group of motorcycle riders at the Texas Onion Fest in Weslaco on Saturday. The festival featured great weather for the crowds who attended to celebrate the 1015 onion.

Jill said it is the Valley weather that allows the group to ride year-round, which includes her husband, Richard. The couple from northern Wisconsin have been Winter Texans for seven years. With them were Bob and Connie Metzger, from Hidden Valley RV Park in Mission for the past nine years, who also reside summers in Northern Wisconsin, and Linda Lavigno, from Eldorado Acres RV Park in Mission, who has come down from Calgary in Alberta, Canada for the past two years.

Juanita Small, from Lemon Tree Estates, came to the Onion Fest for the first time.

“The food smells wonderful,” she said, which was a reference to the many food vendors along the blocked off Texas Boulevard on the south side of the downtown area. She has been in the Valley since 2012 and noted the good weather, along with the entertainment, the food, the people and all the activities in her park.

Juanita also got her bag of onions, which were being given away to all the fest visitors, some 20,000 small bags.

Volunteering at the onion giveaway site was Mr. Weslaco, 18-year-old Jaden Guiterrez, a junior at Weslaco High School. He said he was chosen at a pageant back on February 15 and will serve as an ambassador for the city at various events for a year, along with members of a royal court that was also chosen. He said most of judging was based on answering five questions.

A visiting royal guest was Amber Perez, who became the “Outstanding National Elegance Lady” in nearby Merecedes. The young woman with crown and sash was the only representative from the RGV region to compete in the national pageant held in Houston.

One of those individuals receiving a bag of onions was Weslaco at-large City Commissioner Pete Garcia Jr., who was instrumental in launching the festival back in 1989, which makes this the 36th annual event. It started as the Weslaco Onion Fest but eventually became the now widely known Texas Onion Fest.

Its popularity has much to do with the now world-famous 1015 Texas onion that was developed in Weslaco at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Services facility. The name of the 1015 onion, known for its sweet, mild flavor, came from the suggested first planting date of October 15.

Entertainment was offered on a couple stages. The family stage drew large audiences, with school students performing much of the time. There were rides for kids, a car show, live music, onion contests and a health fair. The Texas Onion Fest was coordinated by the