Things to Do in the RGV
Looking for things to do in the Rio Grande Valley — events this week in McAllen, Brownsville, Harlingen, Edinburg and across the RGV? This is a curated guide to the Valley’s recurring markets and series, its annual festivals, and the major venues — plus the latest event news below. From Charro Days and BorderFest to weekend market days and concerts at Payne Arena and Bert Ogden Arena.
GuideThings to Do in the Rio Grande Valley
65 ways to enjoy the Valley — recurring markets & series, annual festivals by season, and the major venues, each linked to its official source. A curated, fact-checked guide.
Last updated: September 11, 2026
Recurring markets & series
- Downtown Art Walk (McAllen) — 1st Friday monthly (Sep–May)Self-guided downtown art & live-music walk on Main St
- Grow’n Growers Farmers Market (McAllen) — Saturdays (through mid-June)Certified local-grower farmers market at Firemen’s Park
- McAllen Farmers Market (McAllen) — Saturdays, 10am–1pmTDA-certified market at the McAllen Public Library — produce, eggs, honey & crafts
- First Friday Downtown (Brownsville) — 1st Friday monthlyMusic, art & vendors at Market Square
- Brownsville Farmers’ Market (Brownsville) — Saturdays, 9am–12pmLocal produce, free fitness classes & live music at Linear Park
- CycloBia Brownsville (Brownsville) — Several editions a year (dates & days vary)Open-streets day: two miles of downtown car-free for biking, walking & skating
- Market Days on Jackson Street (Harlingen) — 1st Saturday monthly, 9am–3pmDowntown market: live music, food, antiques & crafts
- Harlingen Art Night (Harlingen) — Last Friday monthly, 7–10pmFree downtown art walk: exhibits, live music & artisan vendors in Downtown Harlingen & 'A' Street
- Downtown at Sundown (Harlingen) — 3rd Saturday monthly (Mar–Aug), 7–10pmEvening music & market night at Lozano Plaza and A Street
- Harlingen Farmers Market (Harlingen) — Saturdays, 3–4:30pm (mid-Oct–mid-June)Nonprofit market by City Hall — everything grown within 50 miles
- Alfresco Weslaco (Weslaco) — 3rd Thursday monthly (Aug–Feb)Free downtown street festival: 100+ vendors, music & food
- Edinburg Summer Concert Series (Edinburg) — Summer (free; 2026 season ended Jul 25)Free city concerts at Promenade Park Amphitheater
- Heart of the Valley Farmers Market (Donna) — 3rd Saturday monthly, 2–5pmMonthly farmers market with local produce & artisanal goods at Donna Square Park
- The Farmers Market in Pharr (Pharr) — Saturdays, 9am–12:30pmFarm-fresh produce, artisan jams, honey & baked goods
- Market Days (Rio Grande City) — 3rd Saturday monthly, 6–10pmFood, art & crafts at the historic Quiosco bandstand
- Market on Robertson (San Benito) — 2nd Saturday monthly, 6–10pmDowntown vendors, live music & food
- Mercedes Monthly Market (Mercedes) — MonthlyLive music, food & local shopping at The Crown Food Truck Park
- Port Isabel Antique & Flea Market (Port Isabel) — 1st Sunday monthly (except December), 9am–4pmAntique & flea market at Beulah Lee Park
- SPI Farmers Market (South Padre Island) — Sundays, 11am–1pmProduce, Gulf seafood & artisan goods at The Shores
Annual festivals
Winter
- Texas Citrus Fiesta (Mission) — Late JanuaryCitrus-heritage festival with the Parade of Oranges (since 1932)
- McAllen International CarFest (McAllen) — Late January–early FebruaryAuto show with 200+ exotic, muscle & classic cars, vendors & food trucks at the Convention Center
- SPI Kite Fest (South Padre Island) — Early FebruaryIndoor & outdoor kite-flying festival at the Convention Centre
- Winter Outdoor Wildlife Expo (South Padre Island) — Early FebruaryWinter nature expo: talks, exhibits & guided field trips at the SPI Birding, Nature Center & Alligator Sanctuary
- UTRGV FESTIBA (Edinburg) — FebruaryUTRGV’s Festival of International Books & Arts — literacy, mariachi & arts events across the Valley (since 2006)
- Starr County Youth Fair (Rio Grande City) — February–early MarchCounty youth livestock fair, parade, carnival & music
- Los Fresnos PRCA Rodeo (Los Fresnos) — FebruaryThree days of PRCA rodeo with concerts, carnival & cowboy cook-off
- Charro Days Fiesta (Brownsville) — Late FebruaryBinational fiesta: parades, street dances & charro culture (since 1937)
- McAllen Holiday Parade (McAllen) — First Saturday of DecemberThe largest illuminated holiday parade in Texas
- Harlingen Downtown Christmas Parade (Harlingen) — First Friday of DecemberDowntown Christmas parade along Jackson Avenue
- Hidalgo Festival of Lights (Hidalgo) — DecemberOver a million lights, an illuminated parade & concerts
Spring
- Hidalgo BorderFest (Hidalgo) — Mid-MarchSouth Texas’s largest music & culture festival (since 1976)
- RGV Livestock Show & Rodeo (Mercedes) — MarchLivestock show, PRCA rodeo, parade, carnival & concerts (since 1939)
- Fiesta Edinburg (Edinburg) — MarchFour-day live music, carnival & family festival
- MXLAN (McAllen) — Early MarchThree-day Latino music, art & culture festival at the Convention Center
- Texas Onion Fest (Weslaco) — MarchFestival celebrating the Texas 1015 sweet onion
- South Texas Comic Con (McAllen) — AprilThe RGV’s largest pop-culture convention at the Convention Center
- Agave Fest (Brownsville) — Mid-AprilTequila & agave-spirits tasting festival with live music at Market Square
- RGV International Poetry Festival (McAllen) — Late April (2027: Apr 22–25)Binational poetry festival & Poetry Pachanga (since 2008)
Summer
- Texas Cook’Em High Steaks (Edinburg) — Early JulyFourth-of-July BBQ cook-off with fireworks, music & 5K
- ResacaFest (San Benito) — Early July (around July 4)Music & food festival with fireworks over the Resaca
- Texas International Fishing Tournament (South Padre Island) — Late July–early AugustTexas’s largest saltwater fishing tournament — bay, offshore & tarpon divisions
- Summer Beach Fireworks (South Padre Island) — June–July weekly, plus holiday displaysRecurring summer fireworks shows over the Gulf
- Ladies Kingfish Tournament (South Padre Island) — Mid-August (2027: Aug 13–15)Women’s bay & offshore fishing tournament at the SPI Convention Centre (45th year in 2026)
Fall
- South Texas International Film Festival (Edinburg) — Mid-September (2026: Sep 10–12)Film screenings, panels & filmmaker events across Edinburg venues
- Fiesta de Piñatas (Harlingen) — SeptemberHispanic Heritage Month festival downtown: live music, food & piñatas
- Anime Fiesta (McAllen) — Early October (2026: Oct 2–4)Anime, cosplay & pop-culture convention at the McAllen Convention Center
- Sandcastle Days (South Padre Island) — Early October (2026: Oct 2–4)One of the nation’s largest sandcastle-sculpting festivals (since 1987)
- Brownsville Beerfest (Brownsville) — Early OctoberAnnual craft-beer festival with local breweries, live music & food (since 2013)
- Pharr Avocado Festival (Pharr) — Early October (2026: Oct 10)Downtown festival marking the start of produce season — live music & food; 70% of U.S. avocados cross at Pharr
- Jackson Street Classic Car Show (Harlingen) — OctoberDowntown classic-car show with 250+ vehicles
- Narciso Martínez Conjunto Festival (Los Fresnos) — Early October (2026: Oct 2–3)The RGV’s longest-running music festival; conjunto heritage
- PalmFest / Fiesta de Palmas (McAllen) — Mid-OctoberInternational folklife festival at the Convention Center
- Día de los Muertos Festival (McAllen) — Early October (2026: Oct 10)Day of the Dead celebration & market at IMAS
- Wild in Willacy Nature & Heritage Festival (Raymondville) — Late OctoberRanch tours, birding, cook-offs & live music — Willacy County’s eco-tourism festival (20+ years)
- Brownsville Latin Music Festival (Brownsville) — Early NovemberThe oldest Latin-jazz event in Texas, launched by Tito Puente (since 1997)
- Port Isabel Shrimp Cook-Off & Seafood Festival (Port Isabel) — Early November (2026: Nov 7)Gulf-shrimp cook-off & seafood festival with live music & vendors
- Texas Butterfly Festival (Mission) — Early November (2026: Nov 7–10)Guided field trips at peak butterfly season at the National Butterfly Center
- RGV Birding Festival (Harlingen) — Mid-NovemberMajor birding festival — field trips, guides & seminars (30+ years)
Major venues — official calendars
- Payne Arena (Hidalgo)Arena
- Bert Ogden Arena (Edinburg)Arena
- McAllen Performing Arts Center (McAllen)Performing arts
- Pharr Events Center (Pharr)Event center
- SPI Convention Centre (South Padre Island)Convention center
- Harlingen Convention Center (Harlingen)Convention center
- RGV Livestock Showgrounds (Mercedes)Fairgrounds & arena
TicketsBig Shows & Concerts
- Meredith Willson's The Music Man (McAllen Performing Arts Center, McAllen)September 13, 2026 · Tickets via Ticketmaster
- Mariachi 7 Leguas in Concert - featuring Mariachi Las Mariposas (McAllen Performing Arts Center, McAllen)September 19, 2026 · Tickets via Ticketmaster
- The Rasmus w/ Saint Agnes and Death Valley Dreams (Payne Arena, Hidalgo)September 22, 2026 · Tickets via Ticketmaster
- Zach Top: Cold Beer & Country Music Tour 2026 (Payne Arena, Hidalgo)September 24, 2026 · Tickets via Ticketmaster
- Grupo Duelo - GRAVEDAD TOUR 2026 (Bert Ogden Arena, Edinburg)September 26, 2026 · Tickets via Ticketmaster
- Myke Towers: La Pantera Negra Tour (Payne Arena, Hidalgo)September 26, 2026 · Tickets via Ticketmaster
- Franco Escamilla - El Juicio Tour (Payne Arena, Hidalgo)September 26, 2026 · Tickets via Ticketmaster
- Water Lantern Festival - The Floating Lanterns 2026 (McAllen Convention Center, McAllen)September 26, 2026 · Tickets via Ticketmaster
- Marisela : Eterna Tour 2026 (Payne Arena, Hidalgo)October 2, 2026 · Tickets via Ticketmaster
- ODIN DUPEYRON - ¡A VIVIR! (McAllen Performing Arts Center, McAllen)October 2, 2026 · Tickets via Ticketmaster
- Chayanne - Bailemos Otra Vez Tour (Payne Arena, Hidalgo)October 3, 2026 · Tickets via Ticketmaster
- Juanes North America Tour 2026 (McAllen Performing Arts Center, McAllen)October 3, 2026 · Tickets via Ticketmaster
- Jo Koy (Bert Ogden Arena, Edinburg)October 4, 2026 · Tickets via Ticketmaster
- Flatland Cavalry (Payne Arena, Hidalgo)October 8, 2026 · Tickets via Ticketmaster
- Alicia Villarreal - Bendita Locura Tour 2026 (McAllen Performing Arts Center, McAllen)October 9, 2026 · Tickets via Ticketmaster
- Monster Jam (Bert Ogden Arena, Edinburg)October 10, 2026 · Tickets via Ticketmaster
EventsThis Week’s RGV Events
- Frontera Fest Canceled Days Before Scheduled Rio Grande Valley Debuttejanonation.net · September 10, 2026
- STHS Career Fair: On-the-spot hiring at McAllen Convention CenterValleyCentral · September 9, 2026
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