May in Laredo

What is better than comics? Free comics. Legacy Comics will celebrate Free Comic Book Day Saturday, May 4, 2013 with a signing appearance by Marvel artist David Marquez! Marquez has worked on titles such as Ultimate Comics: Spider-Man and All New X-men. Copies of Marquez current and previous work will be available for sale during the signing. Joining Marquez will be independent comic artists Cody and Lance Schibi, the sibling duo behind the upcoming Bullmoose comic book. Critically acclaimed architect of sound, Paul van Dyk will be at the Laredo Energy Arena for the Cinco de Mayo Glowfest May 3, 2013 After the show, join Studio21 (7128 ROSSON LANE, Laredo, Texas 78041) for the official afterparty! NO MUD! NO GLORY! ONE TOUGH MUD'R 2 will offer more competition, more challenges, and (of course) more mud than last years! Join the excitement Saturday, May 4, 2013

Laredo Center for the Arts

Hey guys, it’s me Selina!

The Laredo Center for the Arts recently underwent a renovation and we popped over to visit with Gabriel Castillo, LC4A Executive Director. Here’s a bit of the Q&A session we had with him:

1. What do you love most about working at the Laredo Center for the Arts?

I love working in a space with historical significance. The fact that the former Mercado was built 130 years ago and it now houses works of art from all over the world brings to light the importance of preserving the old to showcase new creative expression.  

2. Tell us about the renovation, what’s next?

The Laredo Center for the Arts just completed Phase I of an ongoing renovation process. The new open space provides ample room for highlighting the latest art work from local and out of town artists, performers and writers. Phase II will resume at the end of 2013 with more wall exhibition space, additional office space and a second floor venue for special events and theater performances.

3. What is the current exhibit on-site?

The current exhibit is a treasure of photos collected from the archives of Agustin Victor Casasola. His view of the Mexican Revolution through the sensitive lens of his camera delves into the trials and tribulations of the Mexican people and how this generation survived an era of turmoil and uncertainty. The show remains on display through February 4, 2013.

The Book Nook Bookstore also provides a world of learning for young and old with a wide variety of gently used books, dvd's and videos. Our bookstore prides itself in offering the best prices in town for the latest and most popular books.  

4. Can anyone exhibit at the LC4A?

The Laredo Center for the Arts offers an opportunity for any artist to exhibit their work. An artist is required to be a member of the Center and submit a portfolio of their work with a short bio for consideration. An artistic review committee meets twice a year to evaluate the portfolios and place them on the calendar of events according to styles, themes or availability. The Community Gallery also showcases student art work from pre-k through 12th grade with revolving shows every month.

5. Is there a fee to enter the Center?

All art exhibits are free and open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Some charges may apply for private events or receptions.

6. How often are exhibits changed out?

Most art exhibits remain on display for 30 days. Certain shows may remain up to 45 days depending on the availability of the next show on the calendar and the number of events scheduled in the gallery spaces.

7. How can we connect with the Center online?

Everyone is invited to check out our website at http://www.laredoartcenter.org/ for more information on our space and upcoming events.   Hope y’all can take time out of your busy schedules to visit for a bit. The exhibit on display right now is beautiful, take your time, browse around from photo to photo, they truly are breathtaking. Let’s see where else I pop up. Thanks for keeping up with me on my entries. If there’s a place that you’d like to know more about feel free to email me: visitlaredotx@gmail.com or tweet me @selina1996.

#wwelaredo

Laredo was invaded this past weekend. The WWE came to town and showed the Laredo Energy Arena who is boss. I can remember the days when my cousins and I would get together at my grandmother’s house to watch Summer Slam. Ah, memories. I can vividly remember every time Bret “The Hitman” Heart came out and gave his sunglasses to some lucky girl sitting ringside and secretly wishing that I was the one he was giving his glasses to. Oh well, c’est la vie. I no longer keep up with wrestling. This thing called life got bigger than I expected it to be and now I barely have time to watch any of The Real Housewives of whatever city USA. When I heard that the WWE was going to be in town I figured it would be a good opportunity for me to dabble with our Twitter and Instagram accounts. I asked our followers to use the hashtag #WWELaredo if they were going to be in attendance at the Laredo Energy Arena for WWE Raw. At the same time I could vicariously re-live the days of my youth. Here are some of the photos that you shared: All in all, I was entertained for the night and I got my WWE Raw fix. Thank you to those that used the hashtag. Hopefully next time the WWE makes a stop in Laredo I’ll be able to attend. In the meantime let me Google Bret Heart and see what he’s up to. Maybe I still have a chance of getting those sunglasses. Till next time – @selina1996

See you in Laredo!

For more information on events in Laredo call us at: 800-361-3360 or visit our website www.visitlaredo.com. For an archive of our older blog posts go to our blogspot!

Mid-September Round Up

This is X, your Laredo CVB Interactive Media Coordinator, bringing you the latest on what is going on in the fair city of Laredo. Today City Hall had a friendly visit with the Galactic Empire. That’s right; Darth Vader made his presence known in downtown Laredo. It was all part of the press announcement for THE SOUTH TEXAS COLLECTORS EXPO being held at the Laredo Civic Center September 22^nd – 23^rd

Over 100 vendors for all around Texas will display and sale their wares. Sports Cards, memorabilia, comic books, toys, video games, anime, and other collectibles will be available on site. There will be celebrity appearances from Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca), Felix Silla (Ewok, Cousin Itt, Twiki), and football legends Dan Pastorini (Houston Oilers), and Ted Johnson (New England Pats).

Average Joe’s and Legacy Comics will hold an Artist Alley at the event featuring various comic artist and creators.

Click here for more information on this two day event. It is going to be a BIG SHOW…

This Friday, September 14, the Laredo Civic Center will host a gala event where you can meet some of the best chefs in Laredo and sample their culinary masterpieces. The 3rd Annual Laredo Philharmonic Celebrity Chef Gala will have live music, both a silent and live auction, and one of a kind dishes prepared by Laredo’s very best. For tickets and reservations, check out the Laredo Philharmonic website or download the LPO smart phone app.

TAMIU will host El Grito, a night of celebration of the Mexican culture. Food, music, and games will be part of the festivities. Call 956.326.-2265 for more info or visit them on Facebook. The weekend of Sept. 15th and 16^th promises to be filled with some intense competition… On Saturday, Laredo’s first ever 5K mud run, “No Mud! No Glory! One Tough Mud’r,” will offer competitors a variety of obstacles such as monkey bars, mud hill climbs, over and under logs, and more. This one looks like it’s going to get dirty, folks. On the 16^th , the Fourth Annual International Cycling Circuit Race will test cyclists in a closed circuit race. Athletes from both sides of the border will compete in various divisions for a little over $2000 in Cash and prizes!

The Shrine Circus at the Laredo Energy Arena is sure to please fans young and old, Tickets are still available at the box office or here. …and finally:

Laredo Main Street invites you to join to Join them this and every third Saturday of every month for the Laredo Farmers Market. If you haven’t been to one yet, you are missing out on some of the best locally produced and grown goods. September’s Farmers Market will include a performance by Bel’s Dance Studio and a Spanish pop rock performance by Kaova. See you in Laredo,X For more information on events call us at:800-361-3360 or visit our website www.visitlaredo.com.For an archive of our older blog posts go to our blogspot!

Meet Brenda!

Today's Blog features Brenda, Project Coordinator extraordinaire!

Hola!!

Here’s a little 4-1-1 on my background here at the Laredo Convention and Visitors Bureau, as well as my transition from the Sun City to the Gateway City! In May of 2010, I packed my bags and just about every single item in my room as I left my morning reporter position in El Paso and took an anchor/reporter position at KGNS-TV in Laredo. Many people asked why I went from market 91 to a 150+ market (tv-wise). To date, some still question my decision but that answer was simple; I never saw it as taking a step back instead a leap forward in order to expedite my career goals.

While at Pro 8 News I had the opportunity to hone my anchoring skills and was given the ability to craft my own segments which was tons of fun! Aside from covering daily news, while anchoring both Pro 8 News Today and the CW I had the chance to be even more interactive with the daily guests we had on our show. I had the opportunity to launch my ‘Faces of Courage’ segment where we recognized the men and women in our community, interview and meet artists, pro wrestlers, beauty queens and the list goes on! I was also given the “difficult task” of checking out some of the best restaurants and latest fashion trends for the season.

Moving forward two years, I decided to take yet another leap of faith. Ever since I was a child I have always been self motivated and kept my eyes open for any door of opportunity. One of my main career goals had always been to anchor a morning show, which I fulfilled during my time at Pro 8 News and my other goal was to set my microphone aside and step in to the PR field. So in case you’re wondering, yep, that’s what drove me to the Laredo Convention and Visitors Bureau! It’s been an awesome experience to date!! My role here is to serve as an ambassador for Laredo while also planning and coordinating a number of different events throughout the year.

Soon after I settled in to my office in late May, my boss approached me with my first assignment. Keep in mind it was my first time organizing an event that didn’t involve tons of family and friends but some of the top key players both on a national and local level, to include the U.S. Department Assistant Secretary of Commerce, Michael Camuñez and his delegation. My task was to format a guest list for three events, invitations, select menu items/venue locations, gifts and assist in a border facilities tour. From start to finish, I was elated with my first assignment. We were in charge of coordinating an awards reception, breakfast and a roundtable luncheon. I must admit it went quite smoothly despite the many changes Mother Nature forced us to make one hour prior to the welcome reception! As in the news biz, you must always be prepared for any and all curve balls and be quick on your feet. Things most definitely change from one minute to the next! So that’s my work in a nut shell… well kinda. Yikes, our social media guru only asked for a few sentences and here I am three paragraphs later.. woops! Anyhow, if I can help you in any way plan your next conference, group event or etc. here in Laredo please don’t hesitate to contact me. Talk to you soon!!!

SEE YOU IN LAREDO!

For more information on meetings and eventscall us at: 800-361-3360 or visit our website www.visitlaredo.com.

Friday 13th Fun

Today's blogger is LaredoCVB intern, Adriana Gutierrez Just picture it: It’s Friday the 13^th, close to midnight and the Laredo Paranormal Research Society are by your side giving you a quick tutorial over their trinkets and gadgets. That’s exactly what was happening in the CVB office just a few weeks ago! I can’t even begin to tell you how excited I was! It was just like on TV. Speaking of which, we happened to have the EnBackstage.TV crew with us to add a bit more, let us say, Hollywood feel to the investigation. Having cameras follow us around really was the icing on top of this exciting night!

To further add to our adventure, the Laredo Paranormal Research Society squad lent us their thermal camera, which made me feel like a certified ghost hunter. Give a girl a heat detector, and she thinks herself a pro, right?

I was really pleased by how polite and professional the guys from Laredo Paranormal Research Society were. They really went step by step on everything and explained what we might and might not see.

Alrighty, now to the good stuff ya’ll probably are wondering: Did I find anything? Why, yes, my dear reader! We did! And let me tell ya’ it was such a surprise that I didn’t even realize it until a few minutes after the event. What we did, was listen to a device the LPA guys had with them that was used to communicate with any spirits present. We were asking away when we asked if any of the spirits could name one of the workers here at the office. Surprise, surprise, we got an answer!

At first, nobody really reacted until it really sunk in. Someone had said the name of one of my supervisors, who wasn’t even there during the investigation for any of the LPA guys to know… It really blew my mind away! After the end of the night, I wasn’t sure where we stood with our fellow spirits. Apparently they liked it here in the office! Well, as long as they’re happy we should be too…right??

Join us on our next adventure…

See you in Laredo!

For more information on special attractions in Laredo call us at:

800-361-3360 or visit our website http://www.visitlaredo.com/.

For an archive of our older blog posts go to our blogspot!

Let’s Play Ball!

Hi guys! It’s me, Selina. I’ve recently picked up a new favorite hobby. Baseball! I know I’m shocked too. There’s a new team in town; the Laredo Lemurs! I’m still with you in that I totally don’t get the Laredo and Lemurs correlation, but whatevs, I’m not about to lose another hometown team (i.e. Laredo Bucks R.I.P.), so I decided to surprise my parentals with season tickets. These two totally cool, amazing and oh so very supportive peeps are my mom and pops picking up their season ticket holders packets.

I don’t really know all that much about baseball, but I get the gist of it. Someone throws a ball, someone hits the ball and runs bases to score homeruns. I think that’s pretty easy for me to follow. Before anyone reminds me, I know the stadium isn’t 100% complete. It’s getting done and will eventually be totally completed but for now I just wanna have some fun. And let me tell you, my date, my nephew and godson, Gabriel had the time of his life. This was him for the entire game:

I was surprised that he stood still the entire time. He asked questions about the game and stuff, but not in like the annoying way. My battery had died by the end of the game so I didn’t manage to get a pic of him in his Lemurs swag. The kid made out like a bandit with a cap, a bat and a ball. This is your warning, you will come out with a couple less dollars in your wallet after leaving the souvenir shop. Before the game begins some of the players can be found right outside of the souvenir shop. They’ll be more than glad to take a picture with you or give you an autograph.

The team mascot’s name is Pancho! Pancho El Lemur! Isn’t that hilarious! Well, Pancho and my nephew aren’t friends. My nephew is terrified of Pancho. Seems that he’s the only one who will run like the wind whenever he sees Pancho. Fortunately I stumbled upon two good friends who were so kind and posed for a picture with Pancho.

The Lemurs still have plenty of games to go in their inaugural season. Tickets are very affordable, and the stadium has great promotions. On Tuesdays, tickets are 2 for 1. Two tickets for the price of one ticket. Thursdays are Thirsty Thursday with $1 drinks. And if you make it out to a game on a Friday, there’s a fireworks display post game. You can check out the full schedule over at www.laredolemurs.com. Games begin at 7:30pm which I think is perfect because the sun is going down and by that time all seats are in the shade. Walk right up to the ticket window and treat the whole family to a ball game with plenty of good eats and fun to be had. Go out, make memories and enjoy!

Join us on our next adventure…

See you in Laredo!

For more information on art shows call us at:

800-361-3360 or visit our website www.visitlaredo.com.

For an archive of our older blog posts go to our blogspot!