LAJITAS — This year’s annual Voices from Both Sides festival will be held this coming Saturday, May 11, at the Lajitas river access point just west of the resort. The event — in which locals from the American and Mexican sides of the Rio Grande come together for a party in the river — has been going strong since 2012, with a brief hiatus for the pandemic.
Voices from Both Sides is also locally known as the “Fiesta Protesta” — a playful way of pushing back against a militarized southern border. The informal Lajitas crossing was not policed until 9/11, cutting off the Mexican village of Paso Lajitas from food, fuel and other necessities more easily accessible from the American side.
This year’s Voices will officially begin with a blessing around 10:30 a.m., and music will start around 11 a.m and peter out around 6 p.m. Folks tailgate on both sides of the river while local bands from the U.S. and Mexico trade the spotlight back and forth.
Terlingua firefighter and guide Tony Drewry, one of a handful of locals working to host the event, said that all are welcome to the party. Attendees should prepare for a hot day outside, bringing shade, plenty of water and salty snacks to ensure a good time is had by all.
He said that Voices emphasizes community camaraderie, banding together a community artificially separated by the border. “It’s about getting together to share our love for each other, our neighbors and for the river,” he said.