We’re just connecting the dots
WINTER TEXAN Volume 10 • Issue 1 October 16, 2024
Your Connection to the Rio Grande Valley
hello
from Kristi
October is my favorite time of year in the Rio Grande Valley! The cooler weather, lower humidity, and anticipation of the upcoming Winter Texan season bring a sense of hope and excitement. We’ve been busy preparing for the arrival of our winter friends, planning activities to keep you busy, organizing events like the Winter Texan Expo, Entertainer Showcase, and Bayside Fiesta, and creating an exciting editorial calendar. We can’t wait to share it all with you! Whether this is your first--or your 15th--winter in South Texas, we’re delighted to have you. Welcome Home Winter Texan is your go-to resource for everything the Rio Grande Valley has to offer, from dances and dining to craft sales and more. We’re here to keep you informed and make your stay enjoyable. The Valley is a truly special place, and we’re so glad you have chosen Texas to be your winter home. ~We’re just connecting the dots.
Thank You SEASON SPONSORS 2024-2025
A Texas longhorn is one of many iconic state and regional images showcased in Trevino’s “Don’t Mess With Texas” mural. The mural runs 400 feet along McAllen’s 2nd Street hike-and-bike trail south of Pecan Blvd.
Local Artists Keeping McAllen Beautiful
Story by Eryn Reddell Wingert Photos Courtesy of Creative Explorations RGV
O
neida Trevino of Harlingen knew she wanted to be an artist since childhood. By her senior year in high school, her artwork was on display for a year at the U. S. Capitol, the result of a congressional competition. “That’s when I was like, ‘OK, maybe this is something I should look into.’” Trevino has taught art through community programs since 2006 and was a fine arts teacher for 16 years. In 2022, she decided to leave the public-school sector to sole-
ly focus on bringing art to the community. That she has. Trevino has personally painted over 20 pipes as part of Keep McAllen Beautiful’s Irrigation Pipe Public Art Project. “It’s been amazing,” she says. “The whole Valley has opened up their eyes to the positive aspects of public art.” Keep McAllen Beautiful (KMB) is a nonprofit focused on beautification and education for the City of McAllen. Program Director Chris Lash says
community feedback is what fuels their efforts to expand public art. The community’s response after artists transformed the large pipes along the Bicentennial hike-and-bike trail was so positive “we knew we wanted to keep doing art,” says Lash. There are over 200 pipes throughout the city. Most are remnants of the city’s agricultural origins. KMB put a call out for artists to submit pipe-design ideas for consid-