BROWNSVILLE – Charro Days is coming up in Brownsville in just over a week. The unveiling of the poster usually sets the tone for the annual celebration.

Over the years, the posters have turned into a collector’s item. Each year is different – bright, colorful and depicting the spirit of Charro Days.

Each year a crowd turns out for the unveiling of the new poster.

“This is our 80th anniversary so it makes it so special,” Charro Days President Lucia Escamilla said. “It’s just a wonderful event. It’s a community support, a collaboration of two countries, Mexico and the United States. There are parades, there are carnivals, there’s everything! We have it.”

The schools are part of it and many of the adults participated when they wore younger.

Don Breeden is the artist and he’s been doing the posters for more than a decade.

“Miguel took this picture and it was published in the Brownsville Herald during the parade last year,” he explained.

Gregorio was the charro on the horse.

The lines grew quickly. Everyone had come to not only get their copy of the latest poster but to have it autographed.

“I was pondering what to do, which is always a difficult thing every year. Make it special. Make it different. And I happened to see this photograph that the photographer from the Herald took, Miguel Roberts,” Breeden said.

Roberts was present also signing the posters.

“And I thought to me that is an icon of Charro Days. That’s the epiphany of Charro Days. The charro rearing up on the horse and I added the fireworks blasting the sky behind him. To me it represents Charro Days,” Breeden said.

Charro Days kicks off on Sunday, Feb. 19. It’s a week-long celebration that started 80 years ago.

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