Poster unveiled for 73rd Annual Charro Days Festival
Overcast skies and rain did not stop dozens of Brownsville and Matamoros residents from gathering Wednesday for the poster unveiling of the 73rd annual Charro Days festival.
The unveiling ceremony is the signature kickoff for folkloric dances, taco-eating contests and gritos that will color downtown Brownsville later this month. This year’s poster design features two boys and a girl dancing "La Danza de los Machetes," a traditional, folkloric dance originating from Jalisco, Mexico.
For the last five years, Brownsville artist Don Breeden, who has illustrated more than a decade’s worth of posters for Charro Days, has sought to include children in his work, he said at the unveiling ceremony in downtown Brownsville.
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By JAZMINE ULLOA, The Brownsville Herald
Charro Days Fiesta Unveils Official 2009 Poster
Longoria Elementary students Mario Davila Jr. and Alina Gutierrez didn’t fret once after autographing several dozen of this year’s Official Charro Days Fiesta Poster.
The 2009 Official Charro Days Fiesta Poster was unveiled Wednesday as a packed audience at the event’s downtown headquarters waited in anticipation.
The poster, depicting Davila and Gutierrez dancing, drew applause as its artist, Don Breeden, and representatives from sponsors Keppel AmFELS, revealed it to the crowd. The dance portrayed, “La Danza de los Conceros”, is a modern, mystic, folk dance of Central Mexico based on the cultural legacy of the “Aztecs.”
Breeden has illustrated 10 of the 11 posters in the Charro Days poster series.
In 1991, the Brownsville Convention and Visitors Bureau, Inc. (BCVB) began the tradition of creating a Charro Days poster to commemorate the event. In 2004, Charro Days, Inc. partnered with the BCVB, and this year, Keppel AmFELS joined as the sponsor of the poster.
Free posters, while they last, remain available at the Charro Days Headquarters, 455 E. Elizabeth St., and the BCVB Visitors’ Center, 650 Ruben M. Torres Blvd. Businesses are being encouraged to display the poster.
For the first time this year, a Charro Days event was viewable live on the Internet. And, event organizers have organized a volunteer “new media” team to take promotion of the event to another level.
“With the age of technology, we wanted to bring both tradition and technology together,” said Charro Days Publicity Chairman Letty Fernandez. “We hope to attract a broader demographic.”
Those who were unable to watch the event either in person or via live Webcast, can watch the event in its entirety here .
Also new this year is a Charro Days Fiesta blog where up-to-date information and photos are provided on the event and constructive input is encouraged. The blog address is
Other new media features are the use of a micro blog known as Twitter and social media site Facebook.com
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The 72nd Charro Days Fiesta kicks off Feb. 22 and continues through March 1.
Contact: Mike Puckett, Charro Days, Inc.; (956) 542-4245
E-mail:Charrodaysfiesta@sbcglobal.net
Charro Days Twitter: twitter.com/CharroDays2009
2008 Parades & Dances Highlight 71st Fiesta
Parades and pageantry, costumes balls and street dances, food, music and fun for the whole family pack the 71st annual Charro Days Fiesta and its week-long schedule.
Traditional events and new additions take the festival to downtown Brownsville, Washington Park and many other corners of the city -- and across the border into Matamoros as well.
Street dances and costume balls are another major part of Charro Days fun, all starting with Baile de Sol, six hours of free entertainment, folkloric dancing, and children’s costume contest and a taco-eating contest Sunday, February 24 at Charro Days headquarters.
The “Grito,” or ceremonial yell that has traditionally launched the festival since its inception, now takes place during Baile del Sol.
“We want people to come out and get into the spirit of Charro Days,” said Charro Days president John Patriarca. We encourage people to wear costumes and get ready for a week of gritos, bailes, and parades.”
The first of three parades begin on Thursday, February 28 when Brownsville school children get the afternoon off to march, dance or hop a float down Elizabeth Street. This year, more than 500 students will participate directly in the BISD Children’s Parade, an old-fashioned procession that includes high school bands, drill teams, and folkloric dance groups in colorful Mexican costumes who stop and perform at stations along the parade route.
“I know the dance very well and I’m ready to be in the parade,” said a confident Ezequiel a la Torre, an El Jardin Elementary second grader who will be dancing to “Viva Linares” in black cowboy hat and boots. “My favorite thing about the parade is that I like to dance in front of people and perform in front of them.”
Seven-year-old Ruben Rodriguez said his mother, father, sister, aunt and cousins will be watching as he and more than two dozen other El Jardin students step and twirl. “It’s easy,” said the first-grader, who is making his Charro Days debut. “I like to dance.”
At 6 p.m. Friday, February 29, the Illuminated Night Parade sails down Elizabeth Street as well, led by honorary Parade Marshal Dr. Juliet V. García, president of The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College.
Mr. Amigo Angelica Vale of “La Fea mas Bella” fame will also participate in this 75-minute lighted procession.
The biggest parade of all, the Grand International Parade, will take place Saturday, March 1 with floats, bands, dancers and other groups from Matamoros and Brownsville. The word “international” means what it says.
“I believe this is the only parade that starts in one country and ends in another,” said Patriarca. “That’s pretty neat.”
The grand parade travels down Elizabeth Street to Gateway International Bridge. Portions of the parade resume on the Mexican side, with additional participants organized by Fiestas Mexicanas, the Matamoros counterpart to Charro Days.
Street dances and costume balls are another major part of Charro Days fun beginning with “Noche de Fiesta Variety Night” on Thursday, February 28 with Noe Pro and The Band, mariachis, folkloric dancers and a Mexican buffet at Jacob Brown Auditorium. “Baile Ranchero” follows on Friday, February 29, including mariachis and music by Tejano Boys and Los Dos Gilbertos.
The final dance of Charro Days week, on Saturday, March 1, includes headliners Los Badd Boyz and Jimmy Gonzalez y El Grupo Mazz.
Meanwhile, at Washington Park, Sombrero Fest is three days of music, food and other fun contests and events, starting Thursday, February 28.
More recent elements of the festival include the Charro Days Carnival that starts Thursday, February 28 at the UTB/TSC ITEC campus, the USTA Men’s Professional Tennis Tournament at the Brownsville Tennis Center, a Charro Days golf tournament and a artists show.
“People are so into it and there are so many things going on -- there’s more than enough for a week’s worth,” Patriarca said. “I think it’s something that people have come to expect, and we are striving to make it better every year.”
Honorary Parade Marshal for the 2010 Charro Days festival will be successful businessman and philanthropist Johnny N. Cavazos.
Cavazos is being honored for his extraordinary years of volunteer service to Charro Days, and his involvement throughout the Brownsville community. He will ride in a position of honor in the traditional Illuminated and Grand International parades.
“Johnny has been an active member of Charro Days for over 50 years,” said Kenneth Lieck, president of the Charro Days Association. “He’s a past president and life director.
Meet the authors of “Charro Days in Brownsville” at Baile del Sol on Sunday, Feb. 21
Dr. Anthony Knopp, Dr. Manuel Medrano and Priscilla Rodriguez will sign copies of their new book “Charro Days in Brownsville” between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. at the Charro Days headquarters, 455 East Elizabeth Street.
Books will be available for purchase. A portion of book sales revenues will go toward a scholarship for UTB/TSC history majors.
Somewhere in Baghdad, the soldiers of 812th Quartermaster Company are getting into the Charro Days spirit, with help from Sombrero Festival and Charro Days officials, plus other civic and veterans groups.