Growing up in Brownsville, TX, I always wondered what was out there. We are all the way down in the tip of Texas, but this state is so huge. Although sometimes I couldn’t wait to get away, I do miss certain parts of it. We have this city wide holiday called Charro Days.

If you grew up in Brownsville, you know Charro Days is a huge deal. It is a holiday that everyone looks forward to because of its meaning, and well, of course, the food. It happens once a year the last weekend of February. There is so much history behind the holiday that sometimes goes unnoticed due to the fact that lots of the attention is paid to other parts of the celebration.

Charro Days started in 1937 in hopes to lighten up the town during the Great Depression. The goal is to unite borders with Brownsville’s Mexican sister town, Matamoros. The rich culture that Brownsville had was one of a kind. There was so much to celebrate, so that’s what the people did.

Like I said, this event is city wide and is taking very seriously that the whole district takes From elote en vaso (corn in a cup) to espiropapas (fried potatoes on a stick), there are so many varieties of food that are served. There are festivals, parades, music, dances and so much more. The traditional “Grito” is a huge part of this celebration because it really represents the spirit of Mexicans and contributes highly to the Charro Days celebration.

During this time, Matamoros opens its border as part of signifying unity. Friends and families can walk across allowing them to share these festivities together. There is an event specifically for this called “Hands Across The Border” that signifies the mutual friendship between the two cities.

Who can forget about sombrero fest? This is a huge festival that takes place downtown where there is live music, contests, food, and lots of dancing. I think this is something a lot of the people look forward to because of the great Mexicans that they bring to play. It just really represents what our culture is all about.

Last, but not least, is what we call Mr. Amigo. The Mr. Amigo Association picks a Mexican personality that has had great impact in the US as in México. They range from movie stars to telenovela starts to singers. Mr. Amigo gives an appearance as the “Hands Across The Border” as well as in the parade that happens on Saturday.

There is so much rich culture to indulge in these three days. As a kid you probably came out dancing in the parade or with your school’s band. Whether you were a participant or in the audience, the enjoyment was one of a kind. This is such a treasure to the city of Brownsville, and I hope that one day people from all over have the opportunity to experience a Charro Days.