SAN ANTONIO —
Hispanic heritage comes alive on the north side
San Antonio’s Sociedad Cultural Hispanoamerica is organizing the 2022 Hispanic Trails Cultural Festival, set to bring arts, vendors, live music, dance, food and even a talent show to the Wonderland of the Americas complex.
The fourth annual edition of the festival comes at the end of Hispanic Heritage Month, and is a celebration of various cultures including Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Ecuador. Families are welcome to bring lawn chairs, but coolers won't be admitted.
When: Saturday, from noon to 8 p.m.
Cost: Free to attend
Where: Wonderland of the Americas (4522 Fredericksburg Rd.)
Monica Palacios returns to the Alamo City
An award-winning comedian, playwright and activist, Monica Palacios is marking four decades of performances with her upcoming one-woman show “I’m Still Here,” at the Esperanza Peace and Justice Center—where she last appeared 24 years ago. The show will see the trailblazing Chicana queer artist reflecting on “stories from her childhood and teen years,” and comes more than two and a half years after the pandemic forced her to reschedule.
When: Friday and Saturday, at 7 p.m. both nights
Cost: Tickets are $7 ahead of time, $10 at the door. Buy here.
Where: Esperanza Peace and Justice Center (922 San Pedro Ave.)
An inclusive new show comes to the Magik
San Antonio’s premiere children’s theater will raise the curtains on an entirely new production that puts dyslexia front and center while chipping away at stigmas surrounding the learning disorder.
Commissioned by the local organization Celebrate Dyslexia, “Eddie & Vinnie” tells the story of Eddie, a human boy, and the pet gecko who helps to empower him. The show runs about 50 minutes, and its multiweek run will include special ASL-interpreted and sensory-friendly performances.
When: Opens Saturday, runs through Oct. 28.
Cost: Tickets cost $23.50; buy here.
Where: Magik Theatre (420 South Alamo St.)
A fresh spin on a beloved fairy tale
Ballet San Antonio’s new season kicks off with the world premiere of a new take on “Cinderella,” and though it’s unlikely any glass toe shoes will be worn by the show’s performers, they’re expected to spin the beloved classic into something just as magical. Friday evening's performance marks the world premiere for the show, whose choreography was imagined by world-renowned artist Conny Mathôt.
When: Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m.
Cost: Tickets start at $36; buy here.
Where: H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center (100 Auditorium Circle)
A Halloween classic screens downtown
The Sanderson sisters will put a spell on downtown Friday night, where the Cinema on Will’s Plaza series continues with an appropriately timed outdoor screening of 1993’s family-friendly freakout “Hocus Pocus.” Families are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets for what’s expected to be a mild night, but no outside food or drinks are permitted.
San Antonio movie fans looking to make a double-feature out of their weekend can also head to the south side’s Mission Marquee Plaza at 6 p.m. Saturday for a screening of the 2021 comic book movie sequel “Venom: Let There Be Carnage.” Food trucks will be on site, and outside snacks are permitted.
When: “Hocus Pocus” screens at 8 p.m. Friday
Cost: Free to attend
Where: Will Naylor Smith River Walk Plaza (located across Navarro Street from the Tobin Center)
Plus....
Head to the west side's Esperanza Peace and Justice Center this weekend (and all the way until Oct. 28) where you can support local artists by buying one of several dozen loteria-inspired ceramic tiles depicting "iconic imagery of people and places" in west San Antonio. Just a few miles away, San Antonio artist Frank Harris's solo, personal exhibit "Las Mujeres Regionales" will be on display for its last full weekend.
Looking for live music? Real Life Amphitheater on Friday will host east Texas country crooner Cody Johnson as he tours across the state following the release of his eighth album, "Human," last fall. Tickets start at $55, with space on the lawn also available.
Meanwhile, brewaisseurs can head to Crockett Park Saturday for the 2022 edition of the San Antonio Beer Festival, offering hundreds of drinks from across the U.S. and world. Wine and cider will also be available to indulge in, and vendors and food booths will be on hand. All guests must be at least 21, and general admission tickets cost $45 if you purchase ahead of time.
And, those who stop by the McNay for a weekend visit can check out two of the contemporary art museum's newest exhibits, which we got an early look at.