PalmFest Folklife Celebration 2010 - Art, Culture, History!

The 5th annual PalmFest, hosted by the City of McAllen will be held the first weekend of October at the McAllen Convention Center outdoor festival grounds and indoors!  PalmFest celebrates the Valley’s rich history and diverse cultures in one weekend filled with great entertainment on three stages, ethnic and festival food, art and historical exhibits, cultural demonstrations, kids rides and activities, outdoor shopping at El Mercado and the RGV Fajita Cookoff!  Book lovers of the Valley must also make plans to attend PalmFest for the giant “Book Fair” benefiting the McAllen Memorial Library!  PalmFest remains a free event with no gate fee or parking fee!
The McAllen Heritage Center – history museum has been a major exhibitor each year and celebrates folklife with their “Heritage Village” which hosts McAllitos – “Old McAllen” neighborhood fiesta and entertainment, pottery and other cultural demonstrations (some indoors), authentic Indian campsite, the Classic Car Show, Al Ragusin’s dancing horse show, horse and carriage rides, pony rides, Milk Cow display and demonstrations, Civil war campsite and so much more.  Heritage Village is colorful, fun and educational! 
For more culture, art and history, McAllen Heritage Center also coordinates indoor displays from other museum participants indoors including El Centro Cultural, Museum of South Texas History, Quinta Mazatlan, and one of the festival favorites, the RGV Rails train exhibit. 

This year, PalmFest is pleased that the Upper Valley Art League, one of the oldest non-profit organizations in the Rio Grande Valley will participate with a special art exhibit: “Collage” at PalmFest.  Since its beginning in 1935, the Upper Valley Art League has been dedicated to serving the artistic needs of the Rio Grande Valley by providing art instruction, art exhibitions and a forum for artists to gather.  Their art exhibit will feature pieces from various artists in the medium of collage which is a work of formal art, primarily in the visual arts, made from an assemblage of different forms, thus creating a new work of art.  

El Centro Cultural (ECC) of McAllen, is another non profit organization coming back this year.  ECC is dedicated to keeping Mexican traditions alive and promoting historic downtown McAllen.  As a part of their exhibit, Julieta Ford of ECC will display her extensive coin, sea shell, and ceramic plate collections which she has been working on since 1960.   This particular exhibit has also been a favorite among young PalmFest attendees in years past.  ECC offers classes such as folklorico, etiquette, cooking and crafts, knitting, crochet, as well as English and Spanish lessons at no charge at their downtown location in McAllen.

For more information about PalmFest, visit the website at www.palmfest.com or call the hotline at 956-682-5566.  PalmFest 2010 is a green event thanks to the efforts of Keep McAllen Beautiful and the McAllen Recycling Center.

Ruben Quintanilla of McAllen is shown above putting the final touches on
his delicious award-winning "Pan de Campo". Ruben and his cowboy cooking
team will hold pan de campo demonstrations at their authentic campsite
again this year at PalmFest's "Heritage Village"! This delicious cowboy
or vaquero bread will also be sold at the campsite throughout the day!

Julieta Ford visits with children at the Centro Cultural display at PalmFest