Hidalgo Festival of Lights

The Winter Ranch Bus headed out at 4:30 PM for Hidalgo.  Tonight the bus trip to the Hidalgo Festival of Lights includes a roast beef dinner at City Hall.  We shared the bus with Trophy Gardens tonight so 22 of us from Winter Ranch headed to Hidalgo with Jack as our driver.

It was kind of a miserable evening weather-wise.  We ate our dinners on the porch of the City Hall so we did have a roof but it was still open air and the temperature was in the high-40's.  Luckily,  most of us dressed for the weather.  The dinner was roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, corn and a roll.  They also had snack packs that they handed out as well as iced tea and coffee.  We have to admit the food was hot when we received it but if you didn't eat fast, it got cold!
 

Eating Outside

Richard and Lee

Teri, Miriam and Me

Al and Dave

Me and Donna

Front of City Hall Where We Ate

Large Turtle

Us waiting for the tram

Here it comes

We rode the tram around to see all the lights in the city.  They are spread around a pretty large route.  The thing we found out was that you need to sit on the right hand side of the tram because if you want to take pictures that is where most of the lights are.  Unfortunately, we sat on the other side so although we saw all the lights, we couldn't get too many pictures.

Stage for performers

Ramon Ayala's Block

Ramon Ayala's Home

Synchronized lights to the music of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra

Synchronized lights to the music of "The Christmas Song" by the Chipmunks!

The Christmas Tree in the Town Square

Advertising Sign for Ramon Ayala

Mayan Lights from last year's Border Fest

London Tower Bridge

More Mayan

Mayan

Then it was time to watch the entertainment.  On stage tonight was Estudiantina Guadalupana, a Boy's Singing Group out of Mexico.  This group has performed many times before at the festival and they are excellent.  Tonight one little boy just stole the show when he performed.  Such a cutie with a great voice for a little one and tons of energy!   

We had really good seats for the entertainment, however, there is a reason for it.  We sat in a steady mist of rain during the whole performance.  It was really a miserable night but the performance was top notch!

Estudiantina Guadalupana

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This little guy stole the show!

Here we are watching the entertainers

Our Bus Driver, Jack, by the London Bus

We think he has bus envy!

These guys stopped to sell us a CD so, of course, we now have a CD of the Estudiantiana Guadalupana.  They were just too cute and too good to ignore.  Don't you love the spooks in the background.  We don't know how that came about!  We didn't do it!

We were all ready to head for the bus when it was done.  It was good to finally feel heat come out the vents!