Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González
May 22, 2025- The McAllen Citizens League recently hosted its final program of the spring season, highlighting the city’s growth as a destination for festivals and cultural tourism. The featured presentation, delivered by Yajaira Flores, Director of Convention Facilities for the City of McAllen, focused on the economic and social impact of McAllen’s festivals and large-scale events.
Flores opened with a historical perspective, recounting the origins of McAllen’s festival scene. “The presentation is on economic impact regarding the City of McAllen being the City of Festivals,” she began. She shared how in 2006, local civic leaders, including some in attendance, organized a centennial celebration that would later evolve into a signature event. “They came up with a little event called Palm Fest,” said Flores. “It was an incredible event that had about 8,000 people.” The festival grew rapidly, eventually transitioning to what is now known as Fiesta de Palmas.
What began as a small celebration on the grounds of the old McAllen Civic Center now draws tens of thousands annually to the McAllen Convention Center campus. “It was a seed and the beginning of something really special that we hadn’t seen here before,” Flores said. “Friends gathering and getting together to celebrate who we are.”
Flores emphasized the sense of identity that McAllen’s events have cultivated. “Our authenticity is what makes us so unique. These events allow us to tell our own story of who we are,” she stated. “We’re not just Texan, we’re not just American, we’re not just Mexican. We are something different, something especially unique.”
One of the central points in Flores’s presentation was the economic significance of these cultural events. “McAllen hosts over 800 unique events each year that generate over $75 million in annual economic impact,” she noted. “An additional $16 million of impact comes from the McAllen Holiday Parade alone.”
Flores presented a detailed breakdown of the economic metrics. “The total spending that occurs because we have this event is $104 million,” she said. “That impact equals the creation of over 1,500 jobs, $31 million in labor income, a total economic impact of $119 million, and $7.2 million in state and local taxes.”
She also noted that these events serve as a magnet for out-of-town visitors. “At this point, 34% of attendees are traveling 50 miles plus to come to events,” Flores explained. “Which means that they’re probably staying at our hotels, eating at our restaurants, and shopping at our retail locations.”
Beyond economics, Flores underscored the importance of access, education, and inclusivity in programming. “We now have up to 12 concerts that we produce for free,” she said. These include the Sunset Live concert series, a symphony in the park, and a new international jazz festival. Flores added, “We just started a new jazz festival… it’s a free concert in the park with musicians from all over the world, including South Texas.”
Flores detailed how partnerships have enabled bigger community participation. She cited an example involving the McAllen Wind Ensemble, whose concerts previously charged admission. “We said, let’s figure out a way through grants and sponsorships to do this for free. Now they have sold out performances with 1,800 people wanting to go,” she explained.
Looking to the future, Flores shared her vision for expanding Fiesta de Palmas. “My vision is to be able to secure some really big headliners… that can anchor the event,” she said. She also emphasized the importance of educational partnerships with local school districts. “If we can somehow work with the school districts to incorporate it into the curriculum, that’s one of the ways the event can continue to grow.”
In closing, Flores highlighted the dual mission of the city’s event strategy. “On one end, we have that civic pride of being able to create events that are going to make us proud of who we are and where we’re from,” she said. “And also, let’s place our city on the map.”
Her presentation made clear that McAllen’s evolution into a renowned “City of Festivals” is more than a branding effort—it is a community-driven initiative rooted in culture, identity, and strategic vision.
