Borderfest is an Annual Festival held in Hidalgo

Hidalgo, Texas

Hidalgo is a city in Hidalgo County, Texas, United States. The population was 11,198 at the 2010 census. It is home to the Rio Grande Valley Magic of the Southern Indoor Football League, the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees of the Central Hockey League, and the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA...

, Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

. The first Borderfest ever held was in 1977. It is the largest and oldest music festival in South Texas

South Texas

South Texas is a region of the U.S. state of Texas that lies roughly south of and including San Antonio. The southern and western boundary is the Rio Grande River, and to the east it is the Gulf of Mexico. The population of this region is about 3.7 million. The southern portion of this region is...

; and includes a variety of foods and diverse cultures from around the world.

History

Borderfest started in 1977 as a committee of the Hidalgo Chamber of Commerce to promote cultural, international and community spirit. The initial event was a small community festival lasting one day and drawing some 500 people. Today, the festival has grown to become a nationally recognized, award winning Heritage and Music festival attracting more than 65,000 people over five days. Awards include IFEA's Pinnacle Award and TFEA's Zenith Award.

Annually the festival Donates $40,000 to $50,000 for local scholarships.http://www.borderfest.org/06%20site/history.html

Mission

Borderfest’s mission is dedicated to cultural enrichment, arts education and heritage preservation in South Texas. BorderFest celebrates the diverse cultures that make the Rio Grande Valley

Rio Grande Valley

The Rio Grande Valley or the Lower Rio Grande Valley, informally called The Valley, is an area located in the southernmost tip of South Texas...

unique and is an opportunity to share, preserve and showcase South Texas heritage through education, music, dance, cultural activities, and family fun.