Charro Days and Shriners Parades - The Fath Family Films (1955-6)

Duration: 5:37

Year Published: 19551956

Sound: silent

Description: This 1950s home movie captures a pair of Texas parades. The first is the 1955 Charro Days Fiesta parade in Brownsville. Charro Days Fiesta celebrates the rich traditions, culture, and shared heritage of the Texas-Mexican border region. Since the first Charro Days Fiesta in 1938 to the present day, the festival continues to be an important part of Brownsville culture. The fiesta is held every year in late February and includes parades, traditional dance and dress, arts and crafts, music and food, as well as special performances and events. The second parade heralds the Shriners State Convention in Houston on May 27, 1956. Shriners International is a Masonic society dating back to 1870. In the footage, Conrad Fath joins fellow Shriners Howard Wolff, Glenn Cater, Bob Gorham, and Jimmie Briggs for the drive through downtown Houston.