Downtown Brownsville Transformed into Mexico City’s Garibaldi Plaza

Market Square in downtown Brownsville was the site of more than a little bit of Mexico.

On Friday, Sept. 7, the former bus depot turned into a place where several mariachi groups, entertainers from south of the border, local restaurants, tequila stations and a couple of thousand people gathered for the first annual Noche de Garibaldi.

The event was a recreation of Mexico’s City’s famous Garibaldi Plaza where musicians from many regions of the country play and entertain the crowds of tourists.

Brownsville’s Mr. Amigo Association hosted the fiesta which was held as a show of support for the downtown revitalization and in conjunction with Mexico’s Independence Day, celebrated each Sept. 16.

Arturo Trevino, Mr. Amigo president, said they received great responses from the people about having Noche de Garibaldi.

“This is something we would like to have every year,” he said. “Garibaldi Plaza is considered the mecca of mariachi music and this is a recreation of that.”

He said Mexico’s Tequila Museum is also there and for that reason, they invited several businesses that market the popular drink in this country.

About a half dozen restaurants from the Brownsville area participated in the fest offering many dishes typical of Mexico cuisine like tacos, gorditas, pozole, menudo, refried and charro beans as well as a wide assortment of guisados.

They included El Ultimo Taco, Villa Quizas, Terra Kitchen Bar, La Tostada and Mi Casa.

Cristina Saenz, Lula Lopez, Brenda Garcia, Elvira Moya and Laura Davila Taylor were among the many people attending Noche de Garibaldi.

“This is something else,” Davila Taylor, a teacher with the San Benito school district, said. “This brings the two countries together. What else can you ask for? Great music, food and company.”