Brownsville: Tex-Mex Culture and Festivals Galore

Fun, with a capital “F,” is the name of the game in Brownsville. There are festivals and events that will appeal to the entire family and give you plenty of reasons to take advantage of the abundant sunshine throughout the year. One of the most popular events is Charro Days, a two-nation, four-day festival celebrating the two border cities of Brownsville, Texas, and Matamoros, Mexico. The festivities include the three-day Sombrero Festival. Music lovers will enjoy the Latin Jazz Festival, which hosts countless artists, while thrill-seekers and families should check out Air Fiesta, featuring Aeroshell, the acclaimed aerobatics team.

No matter which festivals you include in your stay, a wonderful starting point for your tour is Brownsville’s Cultural District, which offers a wide selection of museums and attractions year round.

The Costumes of the Americas Museum is in the Mitte Cultural Education Center. The museum exhibits authentic indigenous dress, costumes and jewelry of the Americas.

Stop by the Brownsville Museum of Fine Art, which offers visitors 1,580 square meters of exhibition space, displaying art by the likes of Alexander Calder and Marc Chagall, as well as high-profile exhibits like King Tutankhamen, Egyptian Treasures, and Wings of the City by Jorge Marín.

Next, discover the Gladys Porter Zoo, a tropical oasis in the center of Brownsville. You would never believe you were in the middle of a city. With 10.5 hectares of plants, more than 1,500 animals and the Russell Aquatic Center, the zoo is a great place to get lost in for a few hours.

For more outdoor fun, take a short drive out of town to the Sabal Palm Sanctuary, a place that’s perfect for both bird watchers and nature lovers. The sanctuary features more than eight kilometers of trails to explore; weekly, guided bird-watching walks are offered to the public. The 213 hectares that make up the sanctuary are home to some of the most beautiful habitat found in southern Texas.

Finally, for history buffs, there is the Historic Battlefield Trail, a 15.5-kilometer multi-use trail that runs from the Brownsville Cultural District to Palo Alto National Historical Park. This is the site of the first battle in the U.S.-Mexican War of 1848.

This little part of the world offers many options for everyone. Come and join the fiesta, and be sure to include Brownsville on your next U.S. holiday.