Culture of El Paso

Last updated

The culture of El Paso, Texas is influenced both heavily by American and Mexican cultures due to its position as a border town, its large Hispanic population, and its history as part of the Southwest, Spanish America and Mexico. El Paso is home to a number of cultural events and festivals. El Paso also hosts various theaters, museums, and other cultural sites.

Contents

Annual cultural events and festivals

Amigo Airsho

Amigo Airsho is one of El Paso's premier events, and is ranked as one of the top ten air shows in the country. The show is filled with air entertainment and ground activities. Acts include the Franklin's Flying Circus, where performers walk on the wings of an airborne plane. Ground activities include the Jet Powered School Bus. After 31 years of being held at Biggs Army Airfield, the show will move to Dona Ana Airport in 2014. [1]

KLAQ Great River Raft Race

Great River Raft Race held annually on the Rio Grande in El Paso's upper valley. El Paso's Upper Valley by the Rio Grande.jpg
Great River Raft Race held annually on the Rio Grande in El Paso's upper valley.

The KLAQ Great River Raft Race is an annual event celebrated on the second to last Saturday of June. Participants are encouraged to ride the river and float the Rio Grande with family and friends. The organizers encourage the building of unique rafts that will get you down the river with prizes and trophies awarded for the most points earned, best looking crew, and best decorated raft. The race starts at the Vinton bridge and ends three miles downstream at the Canutillo bridge. [2]

Southwestern International PRCA Rodeo

The Southwestern International PRCA Rodeo is the 17th oldest rodeo in the nation and El Paso's longest running sporting event. Consistently ranked as one of the top 50 shows in the country by the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association, this charitable event is a true celebration of western culture and heritage. [3]

Fiesta de las Flores

Fiesta de las Flores is the oldest Hispanic Festival in the Southwest. The three-day Fiesta is held each year during the Labor Day weekend and emphasizes El Paso's Hispanic heritage and culture. The festival attracts 20,000 to 30,000 visitors from El Paso County, New Mexico, West Texas and the State of Chihuahua, Mexico. [4] Activities included in the Fiesta are crowning of the Queen, a Fiesta Parade, Senior Appreciation Dance, Military Appreciation Day, and live Entertainment. The Fiesta is also well known for the authentic regional cuisine, arts and craft wares, games, and services available for the enjoyment of all segments of the attendees. Over 80 booths, sponsored by local vendors and nonprofit organizations create the Hispanic ambience and culture.

Neon Desert Music Festival

The annual Neon Desert Music Festival is a two-day event usually held on the last Saturday and Sunday of May on five stages in downtown El Paso stretching from San Jacinto Plaza to Cleveland Square. [5] The festival brings over 30 acts from the worlds of indie rock, Latin and electronic dance music.

The Texas Showdown Festival

The Texas Showdown Festival is an annual event celebrating musicians and tattoo artists under one roof. [6] Dubbed as the world's largest tattoo and musical festival, the event is held usually the last weekend of July at the El Paso County Coliseum.

Sun City Music Festival

The only El Paso musical festival not held downtown; instead it is held at Ascarate Park. The Sun City Music Festival is a two-day event dubbed as the largest electronic dance music festival in Texas. [7]

Plaza Classic Film Festival

Cleveland Square in downtown El Paso is where many of the festivals are held annually. EP Public libray.jpg
Cleveland Square in downtown El Paso is where many of the festivals are held annually.

The Plaza Classic Film Festival is the world's largest festival dedicated to classic cinema. [8] All classic films are shown at the El Paso Plaza Theater during the first week of August.

El Paso Balloonfest

The El Paso Balloonfest is an annual event celebrated on Memorial Day weekend and is self described as "3 days of hot air balloons filling the El Paso skies, 3 afternoons of concerts and fun in the sun at Wet N' Wild Waterworld in Anthony, Texas." Over 60 balloons take to the air annually from TFCU launch field which is adjacent to the water park. After the balloons launch, visitors have a weekend of water rides, swimming, concerts, and grilling. The concert aspect of the event features local bands, starting at noon, and different headlining artists in the afternoon. [9] Overnight camping has been added for 2014. [10]

El Paso Downtown Street Festival

The annual El Paso Downtown Street Festival is held during the last weekend of June in downtown El Paso near the El Paso Convention center. [11] It is the oldest musical festival in the city and brings local, regional and nationally known acts.

Music Under the Stars

The outdoor concert series, started in 1983, is held annually at the Chamizal National Memorial and draws over 60,000 attendees. It features local and international performers with musical genres ranging from Classical, Country, Tejano, rock and others. The evening concerts are showcased every Sunday afternoon and start in early June and end in the middle of August. [12]

Cool Canyon Nights

A free summer concert series which takes place outdoors at the McKelligon Canyon Amphitheater on Thursday nights May–July.

Alfresco Fridays

A free concert series at the downtown Convention Center Plaza featuring Jazz, Latin, Reggae, Classic Rock, Salsa, Funk, and Mariachis on Fridays May–September.

Performing arts

El Paso Playhouse

El Paso's longest running theater in entering now into its 54th Season. Located at 2501 Montana near El Paso's Five Points area, the Playhouse performs a variety of favorite popular plays year-round. When productions are running, performances are held Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 pm with Sunday matinees at 2:00 pm.

Viva! El Paso

The outdoor musical extravaganza Viva! El Paso is performed in the McKelligon Canyon Amphitheatre. It is locally produced and chronicles the 400-year history and cultural evolution of the El Paso region. The show is performed each Friday and Saturday night in June, July, and August. Viva! El Paso has entertained local residents and out-of-town visitors for over 35 years. [13]

El Paso Symphony Orchestra

The El Paso Symphony was established in the 1930s, it is the oldest performing arts organization in El Paso and the longest continuously running symphony orchestra in the state of Texas. [14] It has received both national and international recognition as a result of its very successful tours of Germany in 1996 and Turkey in 2000, and continues to represent the El Paso region with pride and distinction. The El Paso Symphony Orchestra Association season is anchored by 12 classical concerts. Special events serve as outreach toward new audiences.

Broadway in El Paso

Broadway in El Paso at the Plaza Theater presents Broadway shows including Wicked, Jersey Boys, Rock of Ages, Mamma Mia!, and many other performances.

UTEP Dinner Theater

UTEP Dinner Theater history includes 30 years and over 130 productions. Past productions include Annie, Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Chicago, Rocky Horror Show and many others.

Ballet in El Paso

Ballet was largely nonexistent in El Paso until the arrival of Ingeborg Heuser, a professional ballerina from Germany, in the 1950s. Heuser taught ballet at the University of Texas at El Paso for 47 years and founded the city's first professional ballet company, firstly known as Texas Western Civic Ballet and eventually as Ballet El Paso. The company dissipated due to financial trouble in 1997 and Heuser retired from UTEP soon after. [15] [16]

The El Paso Youth Ballet was founded in 2009 by Heuser's previous student, Marta Katz, following Heuser's departure from the university. With students from the youth ballet, Heuser staged her last Nutcracker in 2006. The youth company continues to perform the Nutcracker and other pre-professional pieces in and around the El Paso area. The company provides the only platform for young ballet dancers to train and perform at such a level within the city since the folding of Ballet El Paso.

El Paso City Ballet is a current professional ballet company in El Paso, providing local employment for professional dancers in the field of ballet. The company performs a variety of classical and contemporary works choreographed by Artistic Director Lisa Skaf and artists from the US and Latin America. [17] It has been active since 2005, performing yearly productions.

Theaters

The Plaza Theatre The Plaza Theatre.JPG
The Plaza Theatre

The Abraham Chavez Theatre, adjacent to the El Paso Convention and Performing Arts Center, welcomes patrons with a three-story-high glass-windowed entry and unique sombrero-shaped architecture, making it a distinct feature on El Paso's southwestern landscape.

The Plaza Theatre is a historic building located at 125 Pioneer Plaza. The theater stands as one of the city's most well-known landmarks. It shows various Broadway productions, musical concerts, and individual performers. It has a seating capacity of 2,100.

McKelligon Canyon is a 90-acre (360,000 m2) park, located in the Franklin Mountains, open to hikers and picnickers. In the canyon, McKelligon Canyon Amphitheatre is surrounded on three sides by dramatic canyon walls; the 1,500-seat amphitheatre is used for concerts and special events, such as Viva El Paso!

The El Paso Playhouse The 105-seat theatre has gone through several incarnations as well as several locations. Originally conceived as the Festival Theatre at the 2501 Montana Street, is the longest running theater in El Paso coming up on 55 years.

Area museums

El Paso Museum of Archaeology, diorama shows Cueva de la Olla (cave of the pot - a large pot-shaped storage container for grain), Paquime, Sierra Madre of Chihuahua CuevaOlla.jpg
El Paso Museum of Archaeology, diorama shows Cueva de la Olla (cave of the pot – a large pot-shaped storage container for grain), Paquimé, Sierra Madre of Chihuahua
El Paso Museum of Art El Paso Museum of Art. El Paso, Texas.jpg
El Paso Museum of Art

The Centennial Museum and Chihuahuan Desert Gardens, located on the grounds of UTEP, includes a comprehensive collection of El Paso Brown, Native American pottery, as well as educational exhibits for students.

The El Paso Museum of Archaeology is located on the eastern slope of North Franklin Mountain, west of Gateway South Blvd. on TransMountain Rd. [18] Its grounds include native plants of the American Southwest, as well samples of Native American shelters, in an unspoiled location. The museum includes dioramas for school children which illustrate the culture and geology of the American Southwest, such as Hueco Tanks in El Paso County. One diorama (see image to the right) is of the Cueva de la Olla [19] (cave of the pot) which is located in the Sierra Madre of Chihuahua, an example of the Paquimé culture. [20]

The El Paso Museum of Art is located next to the Plaza Theater adjacent to San Jacinto Plaza, the public square downtown. It contains works of southwestern artists such as Tom Lea.

Other area museums include:

Sites within the city limits

Sea Lion exhibit at the El Paso Zoo Sunny the Sea Lion at the El Paso Zoo.jpg
Sea Lion exhibit at the El Paso Zoo

Sites within the metro and surrounding area

Guadalupe Peak from Bowl Trail.JPG
Guadalupe Peak from Bowl Trail

Within driving distance from El Paso are nine state parks, three national parks, one national monument, one national memorial and a national forest.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Paso, Texas</span> City in Texas, United States

El Paso is a city in and the seat of El Paso County in the western corner of the U.S. state of Texas. The 2020 population of the city from the U.S. Census Bureau was 678,815, making it the 23rd-largest city in the U.S., the sixth-largest city in Texas, and the second-largest city in the Southwestern United States behind Phoenix, Arizona. The city is also the second-largest majority-Hispanic city in the U.S., with 81% of its population being Hispanic. Its metropolitan statistical area covers all of El Paso and Hudspeth counties in Texas, and had a population of 868,859 in 2020. El Paso has consistently been ranked as one of the safest large cities in America.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln Center</span> Performing arts venue in New York City

Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts is a 16.3-acre (6.6-hectare) complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 million visitors annually. It houses internationally renowned performing arts organizations including the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Ballet, and the Juilliard School of Music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Texas at El Paso</span> Public university in El Paso, Texas

The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) is a public research university in El Paso, Texas. It is a member of the University of Texas System. UTEP is the second-largest university in the United States to have a majority Mexican American student population after the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity." The university's School of Engineering is the nation's top producer of Hispanic engineers with M.S. and Ph.D. degrees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Six Flags Fiesta Texas</span> Theme park in San Antonio, Texas

Six Flags Fiesta Texas, formerly known simply as Fiesta Texas, is a theme park located in Northwest San Antonio. It opened on March 14, 1992, in the La Cantera master-planned development and district as the first business in that development. Spanning 200 acres (81 ha), the park was originally built to become a destination musical show park with its focus on the musical culture of the state of Texas. The park was purchased by Time Warner in 1995, and branded as a Six Flags park for the 1996 season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don Haskins Center</span> Arena in Texas, United States

The Don Haskins Center, formerly known as the Special Events Center, is the home of UTEP Miners men's and women's basketball. The venue is located in the heart of El Paso, Texas. In addition to hosting sporting events, the Don Haskins Center is also used by many area schools, such as El Paso Community College, for graduation and commencement ceremonies. Due to its large seating capacity, the center is also the city's premier entertainment venue and has hosted big-name acts such as pop star Shakira's Tour of the Mongoose, Oral Fixation Tour and The Sun Comes Out World Tour, Britney Spears during her Circus Tour, comedian George Lopez and rock band KISS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franklin Mountains State Park</span> Texas state park in El Paso, Texas

Franklin Mountains State Park is a Texas state park in El Paso, Texas, in the United States. Park headquarters are located at an elevation of 5,426 feet (1,654 m) with the highest peak reaching 7,192 feet (2,192 m). It is one of the largest urban parks in the nation lying completely within city limits, covering 24,247.56 acres (9,813 ha). Franklin Mountains State Park is open year-round for recreational hiking, mountain biking, picnicking and scenic driving and vistas.

<i>Viva! El Paso</i>

Viva! El Paso is an annually performed musical which celebrates El Paso's cultural history through dance, drama, narration and songs. It has been running almost continually since 1978 and was updated with a new script and music in 2016. The musical play is performed outdoors in the McKelligon Canyon amphitheater.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kern Place</span> Place in Texas, United States

Kern Place is a historic neighborhood on the West side of El Paso, Texas. The neighborhood lies just east of the University of Texas at El Paso, and north of downtown. Kern is part of District 1 in the City of El Paso and currently represented by Peter Svarzbein. The neighborhood was created by Peter E. Kern, and once had an unusual gate marking the entrance. Madeline Park in the center of the neighborhood is named after Kern's daughter. Businesses and a small entertainment district border the eclectic housing featured in the neighborhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KLAQ</span> Radio station in El Paso, Texas

KLAQ is a commercial FM radio station licensed to El Paso, Texas and airing a mainstream rock radio format. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and has studios and offices on North Mesa Street in northwest El Paso.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">McKelligon Canyon</span>

McKelligon Canyon is the location of a 1,503-seat amphitheater located in El Paso, Texas, United States, where the play Viva El Paso! is presented. The amphitheater is also used for concerts, graduation ceremonies, and other special events. Adjacent is the 300-seat McKelligon Canyon Pavilion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Jacinto Plaza</span>

San Jacinto Plaza is a historic park located on the corner of Oregon and Mills in the heart of Downtown El Paso, Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plaza Theatre (El Paso)</span>

The Plaza Theatre is a historic building in El Paso, Texas built in 1930. The theater stands as one of the city's most well-known landmarks, and remains operational today. The theatre is a National Historic Building of Significance featuring the 2,050-seat Kendall Kidd Performance Hall, and the smaller 200-seat Philanthropy Theatre. It hosts Broadway productions, musical concerts, individual performers and the annual Plaza Classic Film Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KROD</span> Radio station in El Paso, Texas

KROD is a commercial AM radio station in El Paso, Texas, United States. It airs a sports format and is owned and operated by Townsquare Media. The offices and studios are located on North Mesa Street in Northwest El Paso.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of San Antonio</span>

The culture of San Antonio reflects the history and culture of one of the state's oldest and largest cities straddling the regional and cultural divide between South and Central Texas. Historically, San Antonio culture comes from a blend of Central Texas (Southern) and South Texas (Southwestern) culture. Founded as a Spanish outpost and the first civil settlement in Texas, San Antonio is heavily influenced by Mexican American culture due to Texas formerly being part of Mexico and, previously, the Spanish Empire. San Antonio is also influenced by Texas Hill Country culture. The city also has significant German, Anglo, and African American cultural influences. San Antonio offers a host of cultural institutions, events, restaurants and nightlife in South Texas for both residents and visitors alike.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UTEP Miners football</span> American football team

The UTEP Miners football program represents University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) in the sport of American football. The Miners compete in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and the West Division of Conference USA (CUSA). They are coached by Dana Dimel. UTEP has produced a Border Conference championship team in 1956 and a Western Athletic Conference championship team in 2000, along with 14 postseason bowl appearances. The Miners play their home games at the Sun Bowl which has a seating capacity of 51,500.

Downtown Beaumont is the central business district of Beaumont, Texas. It is where the city's highrise buildings are located, as well as being the center of government and business for the region. Downtown Beaumont is currently experiencing a renaissance, with streets, sidewalks and historic buildings receiving significant attention.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">El Paso Museum of History</span> Museum in El Paso, Texas, USA

The El Paso Museum of History is a museum located in downtown El Paso, Texas which presents information about past 400 years of history in the United States/Mexico border region. The museum has over 16,000 feet of exhibition space. Galleries in the museum feature traveling exhibitions as well as several permanent exhibitions. The museum also presents special programs and has a permanent digital touchscreen wall and a traveling wall. The museum is run by the City of El Paso.

Ingeborg Heuser was a German dancer, choreographer and teacher who worked primarily in the Southwest United States. She is credited with popularizing and promoting ballet in El Paso, Texas.

Joan H. Quarm was an American educator, theater director, and actor. She was a major figure in El Paso theater productions from the late 1950s until the 2000s. She was responsible for creating two theater companies in El Paso, including the first bilingual theater company in the city. Quarm also worked as a professor at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and as a theater critic.

The 1947 Texas Mines Miners football team was an American football team that represented the Texas School of Mines as a member of the Border Conference during the 1947 college football season. In its second season under head coach Jack Curtice, the team compiled a 5–3–1 record, finished fifth in the conference, and outscored opponents by a total of 159 to 79.

References

  1. ↑ "Amigo Airsho will be flying out of Doña Ana airport in 2014". El Paso Times. Archived from the original on September 18, 2013. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
  2. ↑ "KLAQ's Great River Raft Race". Klaq.com. 2013-06-22. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  3. ↑ "Home". Elprodeo.com. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  4. ↑ "Oldest Hispanic Festival in Southwest". Fiesta De Las Flores. Archived from the original on 2013-08-29. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  5. ↑ "Neon Desert Music Festival". Neon Desert Music Festival. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  6. ↑ "Showdown Fest - El Paso, TX - Home". Texastattooshowdownfestival.com. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  7. ↑ "Sun City Music Festival 2015 in El Paso, Texas". Sun City Music Festival 2015. Retrieved July 16, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Plaza Classic Film Festival | El Paso, Texas | August 3-13, 2017". Plazaclassic.com. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  9. ↑ "El Paso Balloon Festival". Klaq.com. 2005-10-08. Archived from the original on 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  10. ↑ "KLAQ Balloonfest Camping FAQs". Klaq.com. 2014-05-07. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  11. ↑ "El Paso Downtown Street Festival 2013". Klaq.com. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  12. ↑ "Home". Elpasotexas.gov. Archived from the original on 2013-08-25. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  13. ↑ "VIVA! EL PASO". 2011. Retrieved February 8, 2014.
  14. ↑ "El Paso Symphony Orchestra - Home". Epso.org. Archived from the original on 2016-12-13. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  15. ↑ "Ingeborg Heuser Brought Professional Ballet to City 29 (2011) - Borderlands - Library Research Guides at El Paso Community College". Epcc.libguides.com. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  16. ↑ "Ingeborg Heuser". DIGIE. 2014-11-18. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  17. ↑ "El Paso City Ballet - Home". El Paso City Ballet. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  18. ↑ "El Paso Museum of Archaeology Home". Elpasotexas.gov. Archived from the original on 2013-03-28. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  19. ↑ Noble, John (2008). John Noble, Mexico. p. 365. ISBN   9781741048049 . Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  20. ↑ Cultura Paquime: Sitios Arqueologicos – Paquime Culture Documental Documentary on YouTube see minute 0:32 of 4:18 total
  21. ↑ "El Paso Museum of History". elpasotexas.gov/history. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Fort Bilss Museums and Study Center". www.bliss.army.mil/Museum. Archived from the original on December 11, 2013. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  23. ↑ "Insights El Paso Science Museum". Insights El Paso Science Museum. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  24. ↑ "Railroad and Transportation Museum of El Paso". elpasorails.com. Archived from the original on January 6, 2014. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  25. ↑ "War Eagles Air Museum". war-eagles-air-museum/. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  26. ↑ "The Gene Roddenberry Planetarium –". grplanetarium.weebly.com/. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  27. ↑ "Lynx Exhibits". Lynx Exhibits/. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  28. ↑ "ON BHUTANESE AND TIBETAN DZONGS" (PDF). Himalaya.socanth.cam.ac.uk. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
  29. ↑ "Bhutan on the Border". Admin.utep.edu. Archived from the original on March 11, 2012. Retrieved September 14, 2014.
  30. ↑ "El Paso Water Utilities - Public Service Board | Desalination Plant". Epwu.org. Archived from the original on 2010-12-14. Retrieved 2016-11-23.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.