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Agreement between Brownsville, Sombrero Festival organizers could bring changes to Washington Park

Agreement between Brownsville, Sombrero Festival organizers could bring changes to Washington Park
1 hour 58 minutes 6 seconds ago Friday, April 10 2026 Apr 10, 2026 April 10, 2026 1:20 PM April 10, 2026 in News - Local
Source: KRGV

Brownsville residents may see some changes at Washington Park.

That's due to a new agreement between the city and Sombrero Festival organizers.

Sombrero Festival organizers say they entered this agreement with the city because of issues such as dirt patches and a lack of restrooms at the park.

Officials are hoping those fixes and infrastructure improvements will make the park easier and more economical to use. They say events at the park currently require a lot of extra work.

Organizers say it costs more than $1 million just to set everything up for Sombrero Festival alone. That's because they have to bring in things like electrical systems equipment, and crews that the park doesn't already have.

The plan is to build those features into the park itself, making it easier for anyone to host events.

"Everything from wanting this to be an event-friendly park, so that any organization, any time of the year, can come in here and set up quickly and easily, versus having to make major investments," Sombrero Festival Board Member Roy De Los Santos said.

Plans could include a new pavilion with restrooms, improvements to make the entire park ADA accessible, and upgrades like lighting, sidewalks, and electrical connections.

Officials are expecting these upgrades to cost anywhere from $10 million to $30 million.

Organizers say they're looking at possibly turning the current fountain area into a splash pad, while keeping part of its historic design.

The next step is finalizing designs and costs, which could happen in the next few months. If funding comes through, construction could start sometime next year.

Watch the video above for the full story.

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