Having grown up in McAllen, Texas, I’ve never known life without the thousands of winter tourists who flock to the Rio Grande Valley each winter. They are called Snowbirds when they make a wrong turn and wind up in Florida or Arizona, but way down in South Texas, we call them Winter Texans.
The Valley is a special place, and I’m convinced a large part of that is because of the Winter Texans who have influenced us over the years. I enjoy Winter Texans so much that I built a business around serving them…and it’s been the best decision I’ve ever made.
Now I want to speak directly to our Winter Texans.
Oh how much fun I’ve had getting to know so many of you! The stories and adventures I’ve heard keep me wanting more year after year.
The one thing I realized, though, is that when I hear stories of ‘back home,’ I can’t seem to visualize what it might look like–other than cold! So this year, I decided to do something about it. We are hosting our first-ever Welcome Home RGV Winter Texan Reunion Tour, and you are invited! Just like the parties we plan for you while you’re here, we decided to plan a few parties right in your own backyard.
We’re bringing a bit of the RGV straight from McAllen to you. Come on out and enjoy an afternoon of fun, music, and fellowship with your fellow Winter Texans. Invite your friends who might be curious about what you do in South Texas all winter long. We’ve got plenty of goodies, giveaways, and door prizes, so come on out and celebrate South Texas with us.
My goal is to see as many of you as I can and to soak in the scenery from Minnesota to Illinois, with many points in between. I welcome suggestions on ‘must do’s’ and your favorite watering holes, but most of all, I hope you can join us for one, if not all, of our parties!
Here’s a quick schedule with links with all the details:
- Tuesday, September 3, Rice Lake, Wisconsin
- Wednesday, September 4, Rochester, Minnesota
- Thursday, September 5, Ames, Iowa
- Friday, September 6, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
- Monday, September 9, Davenport, Iowa
- Tuesday, September 10, Peoria, Illinois
We’re just connecting the dots,
Kristi
Kristi Collier is a McAllen native who loves to share her passion for the area with others. Her company, Welcome Home RGV caters to the Winter & Converted Texan market through their events, activities, special interest publications and more. For more information, call the Welcome Home RGV office at 956-687-5115, visit www.welcomehomergv.com or visit on facebook at facebook.com/whrgv and facebook.com/wintertexan.