RioFest begins

HARLINGEN - With everything from Disney tunes to belly dancers and lumberjacks, the 26th annual RioFest begins three days of family fun at 5 p.m. today in Fair Park.

This year's theme is "Viva RioFest Para la Familia," said Kathy Preddy, the festival's director.

"We've got lots of fun activities for families to participate in," Preddy said. "Even the shows are very family friendly."

The annual festival offers a little for everyone, filling the Casa De Amistad with art, the Harlingen Municipal Auditorium with jazz and the park grounds with a wild variety.

Part of that wildness is Danny Conner's Reptile Adventure Show and the Paul Bunyan Lumberjack Show. Each has two performances scheduled for today as well as four performances each on Saturday and three on Sunday.

This year's featured artist is eRic Luplow of el Gallery & Studio on The High Road in Truchas, New Mexico.

Today's other performers include: Doug Whitaker, Gun Slinging Roping Cowboy and James Garcia and the White Eagle Band.

Saturday's music will come from such bands as Boneyard, G'D UP and Easy Money.

Sunday's featured music includes Legs against Arms, an Austin band that recently performed at South By Southwest Music Conference, which leads with a 2 p.m. show.

Vince Vance & Valiants will close out the festival at 5 p.m. Sunday.

Harlingen Municipal Auditorium will have a performance at 5:30 p.m. today by McMillan School of Dance's Jazz Shop. Saturday and Sunday will showcase the Rio Grande Valley Arts Studio Belly Dancers as well as Reinas de Saba Belly Dancers.