Winter Texans thanked for presence in Valley

HARLINGEN — A Mariachi band played "My way," by Frank Sinatra, while singing the iconic song in Spanish, as a group of smiling Winter Texans held out their iPhones, Blackberries and Androids to record the performance.

The Mariachis were a part of Harlingen’s eighth Winter Texan Appreciation Fiesta. Hundreds of people filtered in and out of the Casa de Amistad Monday as city employees and volunteers handed free T-shirts to the first 1,500 visitors. By noon, Winter Texans had already made a huge dent in the T-shirts and by 2 p.m. the shirts were gone.

The event featured a business expo, food vendors, live music, a show for children, line dancing and topped the day off with Willie Fortune’s Willie Nelson Tribute Show.

Ted and Barbara Skinner, Iowans who have been wintering in the Rio Grande Valley for 22 years, always come to the Winter Texan appreciation activities, they said.

"We enjoy it and I hope you all keep it going," they said in unison.

Through the day, people snaked through booths that featured, among others, local restaurants, the Harlingen Police Department, Golden Palms Retirement Community, the Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival, the Ultimate Salsa Maker, Costco, H-E-B, and a booth offering hearing tests.

"We really like the booths," Ted Skinner said.

When asked if the event made the Skinners feel appreciated, he replied, "You betcha!"

The couple stays in the Rio Grande Valley for about four months at the Eastgate RV and Mobile Home Park.

"We keep coming back because of friends and weather. We like the atmosphere," Ted said. And Barbara Skinner added that the couple also enjoys the shopping.

Esmerelda Martinez, project coordinator for the Harlingen Parks and Recreation Department, said that generally 2,000 people show up for the Winter Texan Appreciation Fiesta and she expected Monday’s turnout to be no different. She called the day a success. Last year, more than 4,000 people attended.

"This is to appreciate the Winter Texans," Martinez said. "Basically, they put a lot of their money into the city, which really helps us economically. And it’s not just here in Harlingen. They come from all over the Rio Grande Valley and that’s why we invite everybody."

Martinez said the city puts a lot of work into the Winter Texan Appreciation Fiesta, which takes about four months to plan and couldn’t be a success without the event’s sponsors.

"Without them, half of the things we have here today – we wouldn’t have," she said.