Flashback Friday: The Tip-O-Tex Wildcat Show
By Diego Garcia III | Editor of The Brownsville Beacon
Old Brownsville is experiencing a renaissance. Downtown is being renovated and refurbished, and old shopping plazas are being reinvigorated with new businesses and shops.
While all of these improvements are definitely moving Brownsville in the right direction, there was an old magic to Brownsville that will never be able to be recreated. Maybe nostalgia and fond memories of my youth make me see Old Brownsville through rose-colored glasses, but there are certain things that will not be able to be brought back.
Walking to the Majestic Theater to catch a matinee, walking through Whitman's, going through the aisles at Mac's Toys, and having lunch with my grandfather at the C&L Pharmacy lunch counter are things that no amount of renovation will be able to bring back.
One of those Old Brownsville memories was an annual event that took place right before Charro Days. The Tip-O-Tex Wildcat Show, or simply The Wildcat Show, was a massive trade, antiques, arts, and crafts show that took place in early February. The Brownsville Civic Center's main auditorium (later the Jacob Brown Auditorium) hosted hundreds of vendors offering all different kinds of wares.
Jack Palmer and Jim Hollon started the Wildcat Show back in 1964. The first show had 100 exhibitions and vendors and attendance was at around 5,000. By the early 1970's, the show had more than doubled in size with almost 230 exhibitions and vendors. Attendance also exploded from 5,000 to over 20,000.
The Chamber of Commerce would foot the bill for the auditorium rental fee.
You could find anything, and everything, at the show. Exhibitors displayed and sold furniture, musical instruments, antique firearms, coins, dollhouses and dollhouse furniture, vintage glassware and bottles, knives and swords, rocks and gems, jewelry, bead work, toys, and all kinds of other knick-knacks. It was an auctioning, buying, selling, and trading extravaganza.
It was a real life eBay.
The show was a big draw for Winter Texans, as well. I remember attending the Wildcat Show on more than one occasion. It was a very interesting experience; a kaleidoscope of colors and a cacophony of sounds that I haven't been able to experience ever since. About the closest thing I've seen in recent years is the Don-Wes Flea Market — the main area of the flea market is a little Wildcat Show-esque.
If any of you have any Wildcat Show memories, I welcome you to comment below.
Old Brownsville is experiencing a renaissance. Downtown is being renovated and refurbished, and old shopping plazas are being reinvigorated with new businesses and shops.
While all of these improvements are definitely moving Brownsville in the right direction, there was an old magic to Brownsville that will never be able to be recreated. Maybe nostalgia and fond memories of my youth make me see Old Brownsville through rose-colored glasses, but there are certain things that will not be able to be brought back.
Walking to the Majestic Theater to catch a matinee, walking through Whitman's, going through the aisles at Mac's Toys, and having lunch with my grandfather at the C&L Pharmacy lunch counter are things that no amount of renovation will be able to bring back.
One of those Old Brownsville memories was an annual event that took place right before Charro Days. The Tip-O-Tex Wildcat Show, or simply The Wildcat Show, was a massive trade, antiques, arts, and crafts show that took place in early February. The Brownsville Civic Center's main auditorium (later the Jacob Brown Auditorium) hosted hundreds of vendors offering all different kinds of wares.
Jack Palmer and Jim Hollon started the Wildcat Show back in 1964. The first show had 100 exhibitions and vendors and attendance was at around 5,000. By the early 1970's, the show had more than doubled in size with almost 230 exhibitions and vendors. Attendance also exploded from 5,000 to over 20,000.
The Chamber of Commerce would foot the bill for the auditorium rental fee.
You could find anything, and everything, at the show. Exhibitors displayed and sold furniture, musical instruments, antique firearms, coins, dollhouses and dollhouse furniture, vintage glassware and bottles, knives and swords, rocks and gems, jewelry, bead work, toys, and all kinds of other knick-knacks. It was an auctioning, buying, selling, and trading extravaganza.
It was a real life eBay.
The show was a big draw for Winter Texans, as well. I remember attending the Wildcat Show on more than one occasion. It was a very interesting experience; a kaleidoscope of colors and a cacophony of sounds that I haven't been able to experience ever since. About the closest thing I've seen in recent years is the Don-Wes Flea Market — the main area of the flea market is a little Wildcat Show-esque.
If any of you have any Wildcat Show memories, I welcome you to comment below.
In "El Rrun Rrun", Montoya mentions the Charro's Days Gala Ball (Is Mr. Amigo Invitee . . . .) on Friday ($400 per table). What is the Gala Ball? It seems that it is not advertised in any of the Charro's Days events. Where is it held? Where can you buy tickets? Who can attend?
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