Bowie Feathers isn’t just about drinking and music anymore. Every Wednesday at 7 p.m., the community is invited to play Loteria for free, having the chance to win prizes such as tickets for upcoming shows at Tricky Falls and dinner for two at Hello Day Cafe.
A game that became popular in the late 18th century in Mexico, Loteria is similar to Bingo, requiring the participant to match images together to form a straight line, but instead of numbers, the announcer presents cards with matching images.
Often depicted in pop culture as a nursing home game, Bowie Feathers has changed the game’s image to a hip alternative for younger crowds.
By playing at a downtown bar, the participants can drink, play and socialize with free churros, (a snack consisting of a strip of fried dough very similar to funnel cake) that are provided by Bowie Feathers, but have been brought in by different local bakeries such as Vista groceries. Aside from the churros, Greg Sosa, a bartender at Bowie Feathers provides homemade horchata, a traditional Mexican beverage made of ground almonds, sesame seeds, rice and barley.
“We wanted to have a few social nights, where people come and participate together,” Sosa said.
The game begins at 8 p.m. and participants must pick up their table sheets and find seating between 7 – 8 p.m.
With only three rounds, the winner of each round plays a final match against the other winners until there is only one winner.
At 10 p.m.,a second and third set of three rounds are played. The winners from the first, second and third set compete against each other in a final round.
Bowie Feathers gives the runner-up a dinner for two at Hello Day Cafe, a restaurant next door that is run by Jose Cazares and serves gourmet street foods.
The first place prize is a pair of free tickets to a live show at Tricky Falls, which has welcomed local and well-known bands such as The Shins, Green Day and Portugal. The Man.
“Although I’ve been playing Loteria since my grandmother taught me how to as a little girl, this is my first time coming to this event,” Georgina Chairez, UTEP alumni.
Sophomore sociology major, Gabriel Gonzalez, and other members of the establishment take turns purchasing the toys for the event, which can only be bought from a store on El Paso Street.
“We like to keep an easy-going environment,” said Gonzalez. “We start playing early so no one arrives home late. However, we accommodate those who are unable to come early, by providing later rounds, extending the fun to everybody.”
Already known as a place for fun, Bowie Feathers is in the process of providing cult classic movies and trivia nights every Thursday in order to keep their establishment fresh.
Bowie Feathers is located at 209 S. El Paso St. For more information, call (915) 351-9938.
Jaime Quesada may be reached at [email protected]’.