The El Paso Symphony Orchestra, established in the 1930s, and the El Paso City Ballet Theatre perform a variety of classical and contemporary works. Within driving distance from El Paso there are nine state parks, including the Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains national parks, the White Sands and Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks national monuments, the Chamizal National Memorial, and the Lincoln National Forest. About 80% of the local population is ethnically Hispanic or Latino.
Fort Bliss, part of a strong federal and military presence in the area, is one of the largest military complexes of the US Army and the county's largest training facility. In 1659, Fray Garcia de San Francisco, established Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission of El Paso del Norte in the Chihuahuan Desert, around which a Spanish village grew into what is now the El Paso–Juárez region. See the El Paso County Health, and Texas Department of Health websites for local updates. See the CDC website for details and updates. The land borders with Canada and Mexico are closed to all non-essential travel until at least 21 February 2021. There are restrictions on the entry of some travelers into the United States in an effort to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Emergency measures in the wake of Covid-19:
