PHOTO COURTESY CHARRO DAYS FIESTA
Brownsville gets ready for its 89th annual Charro Days celebration at the end of February, with city and university officials talking about events that support the community’s culture.
Erin Ferrell, UTRGV Student Activities program coordinator, said this year is the 10th anniversary of Charreada, a celebration of culture, which helps kick off the celebration.
According to the Student Activities website, this year’s Charreada will take place from 1 to 5 p.m. Feb. 25 on the Student Union lawn on the Brownsville campus.
“Some of the events that we have in line is a lot of activities, a lot of DIY activities for students to take home,” Ferrell said. “We will also have a lot of carnival rides or just rides in general, from the swing sets to a twisting one ride called the Texas Twister, as well as a mechanical bull.”
She said the event will have stage performances with a DJ, UTRGV Ballet Folklórico Tizatlán, Brownsville Early College High School Dancing Stars and Mariachi 7 Leguas, offering more activities for students to interact with during the four-hour long event.
A Taste of Charreada tabling event will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. today on the Chapel lawn on the Edinburg campus.
Ferrell said students should expect “a lot of fun” and engagement from the interactive activities.
Henry LeVrier, president of Charro Days Fiesta, said the official kick off for the city celebration will be Baile del Sol, a street dance, on Saturday.
LeVrier said the Brownsville Independent School District Children’s Parade will take place 2:30 p.m. Feb. 26 and, in the evening, the Noche Mexicana at Texas Southmost College’s Jacob Brown Auditorium will feature The Latin Breed and Mariachi 7 Leguas.
The Illuminated Night Parade will take place 7 p.m. Feb. 27. On Feb. 28, the Color Guard Parade will take place at 12:30 p.m. followed by the Grand International Parade at 1 p.m.
All parades will follow the Elizabeth Street route, according to the Charro Days Fiesta website.
“Then [Feb. 28] evening, we have the Costume Ball dance, and that’s at Jacob Brown Auditorium, and … also featuring Marcos Orozco and Ram Herrera and the Outlaw Band,” LeVrier said.
The organization’s president said one of the “big” features for the Grand International Parade is the addition of Budweiser Clydesdale horses.
“The Clydesdale horses is going to be a big plus,” he said. “Also, we have a lot of other horses coming on in the parade. We have a lot of different new floats also, so there’s a lot of new looks to be looking forward to.”
LeVrier added attendees can expect to have a good time.
“It will be a wonderful festival; the parades will be beautiful,” he said. “And these events are very special because they’re for the whole family.”
LeVrier added it is very important the community continues to celebrate the culture and the relation between the United States and Mexico. The celebration, which started in 1938, was to stimulate the economy and community spirit.
The Mr. Amigo Association announced Thursday Álex Fernández, grandson of the late singer Vicente Fernández, as the 2026 Mr. Amigo honoree.
“The Mr. Amigo honor is one of the most recognized distinctions associated with Charro Days, awarded annually to individuals whose leadership, service, and cultural influence reflect the values at the heart of the celebration and its deep ties to Mexican heritage,” according to the City of Brownsville news release.
Charlie Abrego, 2026 Sombrero Festival president, said this is the 41st year of Sombrero Festival as an addition to the Charro Days festivities.
Sombrero Festival, the largest event in Cameron County, has the purpose of enhancing the Charro Days experience with food, music and fun, according to its website.
Abrego said it will take place from Feb. 26 to 28 at Washington Park, located at 700 E. Madison St.
He said the park will be divided in two sides: One side will be the main stage, and the other will have different activities for children and adults.
“For adults, for example, we have, like, the tug of war, we have the jalapeño-eating contest, we have taco-eating contest,” Abrego said. “So, we have a lot of things, basically, something for everybody.”
The Sombrero Festival president said the cost of a single-day ticket is $20, which is available online on its website.
For a full schedule and lineup, visit sombrerofestival.com.
“If you’re looking for a discount, and you are here in Brownsville, you can come in person on the 24th and 25th, there at Washington Park,” Abrego said. “Starting at 6 [p.m.], we’ll be selling wristbands at a discounted $15 price, and you can buy the wristbands for any day that you want.”
He said attendees can expect the festival as a “big reunion” for Brownsville.
“We have people that come from out of town, you know, our former Brownsville residents that come back to enjoy this celebration with their family,” Abrego said.
