Texas Border Business
TUCSON, Arizona, USA — The International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA), the premier association supporting and enabling festival and event professionals worldwide, announced and recognized McAllen, Texas, United States, as a 2026 IFEA World Festival & Event City during the 71st Annual IFEA Convention & Expo, presented by atVenu, in Tucson, Arizona, on Monday, Oct. 5, 2026.
The prestigious IFEA World Festival & Event City Award was created to encourage, support and recognize positive local environments for festivals and events worldwide. Festivals and events generate tremendous cultural, social and economic value for the communities they serve, but their long-term success depends on strong partnerships and support at every level.
McAllen is a bicultural community where cultures blend, friends gather and new traditions are created. Its heritage is woven throughout a diverse calendar of more than 800 events each year, generating more than $69 million in annual economic impact and supported by more than 2,700 volunteers and a dedicated special events team.
Signature celebrations include the McAllen Holiday Parade, the largest illuminated holiday and helium balloon parade in Texas, as well as original festivals such as Fiesta de Palmas and MXLAN, where Latino culture and traditions thrive. Designated by the Texas governor as the official South Pole of Texas, McAllen also brings a distinctive South Texas personality to the holiday season.
Through events celebrating culture, arts, competition, community and inclusive outdoor fun, McAllen has created a year-round destination built around bringing people together.
“The IFEA is proud to recognize and shine a spotlight on those cities and markets that have invested in building environments where festivals and events can thrive,” said IFEA President & CEO Steven Wood Schmader, CFEE, during the award presentations. “Through this program, we aim to strengthen the dialogue between events and cities around the globe, at a time when that connection has never been more important. The high caliber of this year’s entries highlights the powerful role that festivals and events play in shaping vibrant, sustainable communities. The cities being honored in 2026 are setting strong examples we hope others will follow.”
Entries were reviewed by an international panel of industry experts, making this recognition the only global honor of its kind. Each city’s submission was evaluated on a comprehensive range of criteria, including:
Community Overview: Providing judges with a deeper understanding of each community and the infrastructure in place to host and support those producing and attending festivals and events.
Community Festivals & Events: Illustrating the diversity and success of current festivals and events serving each market’s residents and visitors.
City/Government Support of Festivals & Events: Demonstrating the strength and depth of support from each applicant city and other governmental bodies, including county, state and taxing districts, as it pertains to festivals and events.
Non-Governmental Community Support of Festivals & Events: Highlighting the commitment and direct support provided by community individuals, businesses and organizations. These partnerships play an important role in helping festivals and events achieve long-term success.
Market Leveraging of the “Community Capital” Created by Festivals & Events: Demonstrating how the city and its partners maximize the branding and marketing opportunities created by festivals and events to generate additional benefits for the community.
Extra Credit: Providing each city with an opportunity to highlight additional programs, services and event-related resources not covered in the other categories, such as local university event management programs, certified professionals and shared event-resource programs.
The IFEA World Festival & Event City Award provides an international platform for communities to recognize the success of their ongoing efforts, encourage continued enhancement of festival and event infrastructure, policies and processes, and showcase their communities as welcoming destinations for festivals and events.
For more information about the 2026 IFEA World Festival & Event City Awards. Click Here
About the IFEA:
Headquartered in Boise, Idaho, the International Festivals & Events Association (IFEA) is The Premier Association Supporting and Enabling Festival & Event Professionals Worldwide. In partnership with global affiliates under the umbrellas of IFEA Africa, IFEA Asia, IFEA Australia, IFEA Europe, IFEA Latin America, IFEA Middle East (MENASA), and IFEA North America, the organization’s common vision is for “A Globally United Industry that Touches Lives in a Positive Way through Celebration.” The Association offers the most complete source of ideas, resources, information, education and networking for festival and event professionals worldwide. Visit the IFEA website at www.ifea.com for additional details.
