There's yet ANOTHER great event happening next weekend, the First Thanksgiving Celebration in San Elizario along the El Paso Mission Trail.  From our events calendar:

"The El Paso Mission Trail Association will present the 25th Annual First Thanksgiving Celebration from Friday, April 25 through Sunday, April 27.

Highlights include a Zarzuela concert featuring Opera UTEP, a performance by Rosa Guerrero, three historical reenactments of the First Thanksgiving featuring Opera UTEP, a Mass celebrated by Bishop Mark Seitz, an 1877 Salt War Reenactment performed by the Pistoleros de San Elizario, haunted tours led by the El Paso Paranormal Society, and musical performances by Tejas, Los Alegres del Valle, Chapter 13, Moon Dogs and Los Bohemios. Food, art, historians, informational booths and entertainment for all ages will abound throughout the weekend.

The celebration will take place at the San Elizario’s historic placita (Veterans Memorial Plaza) in front of the San Elceario Mission-Chapel in the heart of San Elizario, Texas, near where historians believe the Mass, feast and celebration of Don Juan de Oñate’s expedition took place on April 30, 1598.

The El Paso Mission Trail Association was founded in 1989 by philanthropist and historian Sheldon Hall. His vision was to highlight the historic value of the Mission Valley, and he worked tirelessly to increase tourism in the area. His efforts lead to El Paso’s missions, Oñate’s expedition and the First Thanksgiving on the banks of the Rio Grande here being taught in history classrooms all across Texas, putting El Paso County on the map as a heritage tourism destination.

For 25 years, the El Paso Mission Trail Association has worked to educate, promote, preserve and celebrate the Mission Valley and the historic trail between the San Elizario, Socorro and Ysleta missions –Texas’ portion of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. Through events, tours, activism, volunteerism and fundraising, the El Paso Mission Trail Association has raised millions of dollars and welcomed thousands of guests to the Mission Valley.

Event Schedule--Events are free unless otherwise noted

Events take place at Veterans Memorial Plaza, (near 1500 Main Street, San Elizario, Texas)

Friday, April 25th

7:00 pm Preview Night at the Adobe Horseshoe Theatre featuring Opera UTEP performing Zarzuela arias.  Tickets are $25 per person (purchase tickets here.)

Advance sales only

Saturday, April 26th

Noon Event begins with arts, crafts, food, entertainment and education exhibits featuring the El Paso Heritage Alliance, El Paso History Museum, Concordia Cemetery and Magoffin Home State Historic Site

Noon – 5pm “Ask the Historian” informational booth

1:00 pm Performance by Rosa Guerrero, “History of Dance in the America’s”

4:00 pm Historical Reenactment of the 1598 First Thanksgiving presented by Opera UTEP

6:00 pm Mass celebrated at the San Elceario Mission-Chapel by Bishop Mark Seitz

7:00 pm Historical Reenactment of the 1598 First Thanksgiving presented by Opera UTEP

9:00 pm Performances by Tejas, Los Alegres del Valle and Chapter 13

10 pm Haunted Tour led by the El Paso County Paranormal Society ($10 per person)

Midnight Programming ends

Sunday, April 27th

Noon Event begins with arts, crafts, food, entertainment and education exhibits

Noon – 4pm Car show presented by Street Memories

Noon – 5pm “Ask the Historian” informational booth

4:00 pm Historical Reenactment of the 1598 First Thanksgiving presented by Opera UTEP

5:00 pm Reenactment of the 1877 Salt War presented by the Pistoleros de San Elizario

7:00 pm Performances by Moon Dogs and Los Bohemios

9:00 pm Programming ends

The El Paso Mission Trail Association will present the 25th Annual First Thanksgiving Celebration from Friday, April 25 through Sunday, April 27. Highlights include a Zarzuela concert featuring Opera UTEP, a performance by Rosa Guerrero, three historical reenactments of the First Thanksgiving featuring Opera UTEP, a Mass celebrated by Bishop Mark Seitz, an 1877 Salt War Reenactment performed by the Pistoleros de San Elizario, haunted tours led by the El Paso Paranormal Society, and musical performances by Tejas, Los Alegres del Valle, Chapter 13, Moon Dogs and Los Bohemios. Food, art, historians, informational booths and entertainment for all ages will abound throughout the weekend.
The celebration will take place at the San Elizario’s historic placita (Veterans Memorial Plaza) in front of the San Elceario Mission-Chapel in the heart of San Elizario, Texas, near where historians believe the Mass, feast and celebration of Don Juan de Oñate’s expedition took place on April 30, 1598.
The El Paso Mission Trail Association was founded in 1989 by philanthropist and historian Sheldon Hall. His vision was to highlight the historic value of the Mission Valley, and he worked tirelessly to increase tourism in the area. His efforts lead to El Paso’s missions, Oñate’s expedition and the First Thanksgiving on the banks of the Rio Grande here being taught in history classrooms all across Texas, putting El Paso County on the map as a heritage tourism destination.
For 25 years, the El Paso Mission Trail Association has worked to educate, promote, preserve and celebrate the Mission Valley and the historic trail between the San Elizario, Socorro and Ysleta missions –Texas’ portion of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro. Through events, tours, activism, volunteerism and fundraising, the El Paso Mission Trail Association has raised millions of dollars and welcomed thousands of guests to the Mission Valley.
Event Schedule
Events are free unless otherwise noted
Events take place at Veterans Memorial Plaza
(near 1500 Main Street, San Elizario, Texas)
Friday, April 25th
7:00 pm Preview Night at the Adobe Horseshoe Theatre featuring Opera UTEP performing Zarzuela arias
Tickets are $25 per person (purchase tickets: bit.ly/EPFirstThanks)
Advance sales only
Saturday, April 26th
Noon Event begins with arts, crafts, food, entertainment and education exhibits featuring the El Paso Heritage Alliance, El Paso History Museum, Concordia Cemetery and Magoffin Home State Historic Site
Noon – 5pm “Ask the Historian” informational booth
1:00 pm Performance by Rosa Guerrero, “History of Dance in the America’s”
4:00 pm Historical Reenactment of the 1598 First Thanksgiving presented by Opera UTEP
6:00 pm Mass celebrated at the San Elceario Mission-Chapel by Bishop Mark Seitz
7:00 pm Historical Reenactment of the 1598 First Thanksgiving presented by Opera UTEP
9:00 pm Performances by Tejas, Los Alegres del Valle and Chapter 13
10 pm Haunted Tour led by the El Paso County Paranormal Society ($10 per person)
Midnight Programming ends
Sunday, April 27th
Noon Event begins with arts, crafts, food, entertainment and education exhibits
Noon – 4pm Car show presented by Street Memories
Noon – 5pm “Ask the Historian” informational booth
4:00 pm Historical Reenactment of the 1598 First Thanksgiving presented by Opera UTEP
5:00 pm Reenactment of the 1877 Salt War presented by the Pistoleros de San Elizario
7:00 pm Performances by Moon Dogs and Los Bohemios
9:00 pm Programming ends
- See more at: http://texasmountaintrail.com/events/san-elizario-first-thanksgiving-celebration-presented-el-paso-mission-trail-association#sthash.olxZ295i.dpuf

#30DaysofBiking
Our month long feature of cycling assets in the region continues...how about a ride down this road, that looks just about the same it did in 1910? 

The El Capitan to El Capitan Heritage Bike route is 55 miles from the historic Hotel El Capitan in Van Horn to the base of El Capitan in Guadalupe Mountains National Park.

Read more about this adventure, here!