Del Rio's Reverse Chinese New Year Parade Returns Downtown on Feb. 27

Del Rio’s long-running Chinese New Year Parade returned downtown to South Main Street on Saturday, Feb. 27, 2026, staged as a “reverse parade” and supported by local volunteers and the Del Rio Main Street Program. After the procession, organizers set up food trucks and community vendors in the downtown area and provided a bouncy castle for children, creating an extended family-friendly street festival.

“Chattler said in previous years, the parade has been a long-standing tradition showcasing Chinese culture in Del Rio,” organizer Adva Chattler told local reporting, framing the event as a cultural mainstay for the city. The parade this year was credited to Diana Stern and Chattler; Louis Zylka’s community roundup noted, “The parade is being organized by Diana Stern, wife of Del Rio attorney Jack Stern and for many years the ambassadress of Chinese culture here, and Stern’s friend, Adva Chattler, and it is sponsored by the Del Rio Main Street Program.”

Local accounts include conflicting start-time details. A truncated notification of the 2026 staging indicated the celebration “was set to begin at 10,” interpreted as 10:00 a.m., while 830 Times coverage of the 2025 parade listed a 10:30 a.m. start at South Main Street and East Losoya Street with the route ending at the Paul Poag Theatre, 746 S. Main St. The 2026 write-up preserved the return to South Main but did not reconcile those time reports.

The Del Rio Main Street Program presented two complementary events on Main Street the same day. The Freestyle Action Sports Fest showcased a bicycle stunt show in the downtown area; the exhibition was staged at 800 S. Main Street and ran from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., and organizers said it would “feature two Del Rio riders.” At the opposite end of Main Street, the Sweet Scoops Real Fruit Ice Cream car meet drew hobbyists and custom-built vehicles.

On the car meet, a local organizer identified only as Garza explained the event’s open format: “the car meet is free for anyone to attend, and he said it is different from a car show because it does not include a competition or prizes. Everyone is invited to bring their custom-built vehicles, whether they are completed or still being tinkered with.” That framing kept the car meet informal and aimed at broad community participation rather than competition.

Organizers labeled the 2026 staging a “reverse parade,” but published reporting did not define how the reverse format would operate in practice for attendees. The combination of a revived Chinese New Year parade, post-parade vendors and two simultaneous Main Street attractions left downtown active through the afternoon and early evening; remaining operational questions include the definitive start time, whether the 2026 route matched the 2025 start at South Main and East Losoya and finish at Paul Poag Theatre, and the exact logistics of the reverse-parade setup for future planning.