2016 Eagle Pass International Friendship Festival to be held March 18-27th, features fun & entertainment for everyone

By: Jose G. Landa, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2016

The traditional annual Eagle Pass International Friendship Festival will be held during March 18-27, 2016, announced Eagle Pass Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Sandra Martinez.

One of the highlight of the International Friendship Festival is the huge Amusement Carnival, which will operate from March 18-27th at Shelby Park on the banks of the Rio Grande River. “We currently have Pre-Sale Carnival tickets for sale at a 50% savings at the Eagle Pass Chamber of Commerce. located at 400 Garrison Street,” said Martinez.

People can purchase discounted Carnival tickets at the Chamber. You can buy 20 tickets for only $10 at pre-sale price at the Chamber until March 18th at 5 PM. After this date, all Carnival tickets will be sold at regular price. “I encourage all parents, students, children, organizations, and anyone interested in buying discounted Carnival tickets to come by the Chamber’s office before 5 PM on March 18th,” said Martinez.

“The 2016 International Friendship Festival will feature fun, entertainment, and plenty of food and refreshments for the entire family,” added Martinez.

The 2016 International Friendship Festival will officially kick-off with the traditional Abrazo Ceremony between the Mayors, representatives, and Mr. Amigos for Eagle Pass, Texas and Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico on Friday, March 18th at the Eagle Pass International Bridge No.1 at 5:30 P.M.   Following the Abrazo Ceremony, the Abrazo Dinner will be held at the City of Eagle Pass International Center for Trade.

Eagle Pass downtown merchant Benjamin “Bennie” Rodriguez, Sr. has been selected as Mr. Amigo by the Eagle Pass International Good Neighbor Council to represent Eagle Pass.

The highly anticipated Eagle Pass Lions Club’s Noches Mexicanas will also kick-off on Friday, March 18th, and run through Sunday, March 20th, at Shelby Park featuring live bands and entertainment for the whole family with hundreds of food booths and refreshment booths. Come out and dance the night away or eat until your heart is content. Family fun and entertainment.

On Saturday, March 19th, everyone is invited to participate in the Friendship 5-K Border Run at 8 A.M. at Shelby Park in Eagle Pass. Medals will be presented to the top finishers in the race. International runners are welcome to participate.

Following the Friendship 5-K Border Run, everyone is going to attend and watch the traditional International Friendship Festival Parade through downtown Eagle Pass on Saturday, March 19th, at 11 A.M. with over 100 groups, bands, floats, cars, dance groups, and much more participating. The parade them is “Jungle Enchantment.”

The City of Eagle Pass and Eagle Pass Chamber of Commerce are hosting the Mayor’s Reception on Saturday, March 19th, at a time and place to be announced.

On Sunday, March 20th, at 3 P.M., all golf enthusiasts and professionals are invited to participate in the Third Annual International Friendship Festival’s Golf Tee-Off Crossing Rio Grande River held at the Grand Plaza in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico. This Golf Tee-Off requires golfers to tee off a golf ball across the Rio Grande River from Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico into a target in Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, Texas. The golfer closest to the bull’s eye wins first place and prizes. Everyone welcome to participate.

The annual Friendship Border Softball Game will be held at Chelo’s Field on Monday, March 21, 2016 starting at 6:30 P.M. between two teams, one from Eagle Pass and another from Piedras Negras.

A new event for the entire family is the First Annual International Friendship Festival Invitational Putt-Putt Tournament on Wednesday, March 23rd, at 6 P.M. at the newly built City of Eagle Pass Mini-Golf Course in Fort Duncan Park, located at the Eagle Pass Golf Course premises. Everyone invited to participate.

The grand finale of the 2016 International Friendship Festival is a photographic exhibit entitled “A Tale of Two Cities: Back in the Day Pictorial Exhibit” at the historic Fort Duncan Museum between 6 P.M. through 8 P.M. under the direction of Museum Director Jeff Taylor. Last year’s photo exhibit was a blast and memorable. This year’s photo exhibit will be bigger and have never before seen photographs of Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras. Everyone invited.

The International Friendship Festival is an event of the Eagle Pass Chamber of Commerce with collaboration from the City of Eagle Pass, The Eagle Pass Lions Club, and the Eagle Pass/ Piedras Negras International Good Neighbor Council.

For more information, please contact the Eagle Pass Chamber of Commerce at (830) 773-3224.