McAllen News, McAllen TX News, MXLAN, festivals
Staff Report
McAllen, TX - MXLAN will return March 6-8, 2026, at the McAllen Convention Center, bringing together art, music, culture and food in a three-day event. Organizers said the festival will include live music, cultural experiences, international participation and signature events focused on Latino arts and binational engagement.
Admission will be free and open to the public on Friday for all events, including Pueblo Mágico, the Breakthrough music stage and an evening fireworks show. On Saturday and Sunday, admission will be free from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., with some experiences requiring tickets or separate registration.
Program details
City Manager Isaac J. Tawil said the Breakthrough Stage will showcase emerging Latino artists each night and the Calenda Street Parade will invite guests to participate. Pueblo Mágico will feature handmade goods from Mexico and McAllen, while local youth artists will present the La Comunidad Art Project. Lucha Libre will return with WhataLucha presented by Whataburger and headlined by Hijo de Santo.
More than 50 international government officials are expected to attend, including nine high-level delegations and two mayor-led delegations from Mexico. Visiting partners will participate in Pueblo Mágico to promote their destinations. Irapuato, a McAllen sister city since 2000, will bring a ballet folklórico group of five performing couples to participate in the Calenda and perform on the community stage.
Schedule details
A ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Mayor Javier Villalobos is scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday. Visiting mayors from Mexico are expected to join him, followed by visits to guest city booths for official photos.
The McAllen Chamber of Commerce will host an economic summit before evening events begin. The summit will include a keynote presentation by journalist John Quiñones and panel discussions on artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, health care innovation and binational trade.
Event lineup
El Gran Baile will feature performances by Milla 22, La Lexxion and Zenzio. MXLAN ROOTS will focus on environmental education and stewardship, and MXLAN LIVE will introduce pop-up stages with local and regional artists. MXLAN Gran Carnaval will include rides and games.
Sabor & Spirits will return with tastings from regional culinary destinations and a bartender competition. Participating vendors include Muelle 37, Var 37, Piquin Sabor, El Ultimo Taco, Teddy’s BBQ, Felice, Bubba’s Restaurant, Dave & Buster’s, Casa de la Abuela, Barrio 37, South Texas College Culinary Arts and Iwinngs.
Neon Nights 5K, presented by iHeartRadio, has 1,500 registered runners, surpassing last year’s total. The race will include an opening event and the Extra Mile Post Race Party.
Sponsors
Sponsors include McAllen International Airport, H-E-B, Reliant, L&F Distributors, Whataburger, McAllen Shines, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, Q7 Sports and Clark Auto Group.
Source -- City of McAllen