SAN ANTONIO — Do you hear the jingle bells a'ringing yet?
Holiday season continues to ramp up, and the Alamo City is slowly getting into the spirit. This weekend brings some signs that Christmas is fast approaching, as well as several cultural events to dig into with your family as the weather cools down.
Get lost in the arts downtown
Despite the efforts of some would-be criminals this week, San Antonio’s beloved Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival is set to make its triumphant return Saturday evening.
Luminaria bills itself as one of the most prominent and wide-ranging arts showcases in south Texas, with poet, musicians, filmmakers, vendors and installations preparing to take over the Hemisfair area. The works of nearly 50 artists will be on display beginning at 6 p.m., and event organizers say there should be plenty of space to allow for social distancing.
Hollywood actor and San Antonio native Jesse Borrego will be on hand to serve as the festival’s honorary curatorial committee chair, and visitors can also take advantage of the food vendors on site.
When: Saturday, from 6 p.m. to midnight
Cost: Free
Where: Hemisfair and the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center
What else you should know: You can find more information here.
Enjoy the cooler weather with an outdoor movie
The San Antonio African American Community Archive and Museum’s 2021 Black History Film Series comes to an end Friday night with a screening of “The Great Debaters,” starring Denzel Washington as poet, educator and Wiley College debate coach Melvin B. Tolson.
The screening is set to start at dusk on a brisk evening at the Arneson River Theater, so be sure to bring a blanket! A discussion/Q&A will follow the movie, and a food truck will be on site. “The Great Debaters” runs about two hours.
When: Friday, from 6 p.m. to about 9 p.m.
Cost: Free, but you’re asked to reserve your seat ahead of time here.
Where: Arneson River Theatre (418 La Villita St.)
Learn about San Antonio’s ties to Native American culture
Looking for a way to secure free admission to downtown’s Briscoe Western Art Museum? Interested in diving into the traditions of Native American culture? You can bring along the family and do both this weekend, as the Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival takes over the museum.
Named after the term used by the locally indigenous Payaya people to describe the San Antonio River, the festival showcases the artistic traditions of the Native American groups with ties to the Alamo City area in the form of workshops, lectures and demonstrations. It kicks off with a drumming performance at 10 a.m. Saturday, and the kiddos can take part in Native American-inspired crafts demos scheduled throughout the day.
When: Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cost: Free.
Where: Briscoe Western Art Museum (210 West Market St.)
What else you should know: Find more information here.
Unleash your inner cowpoke at Saturday Night Rodeo
If the San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo still seems just too dang far away, your inner cowboy can get their fix at Bulverde’s Tejas Rodeo Company Saturday night.
An all-evening affair, the Saturday Night Rodeo will offer live music, dancing, pony rides for kids and the mechanical bull for those who dare to hop on.
When: Saturday, starting at 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $22 for adults, $12 for children ages 3 to 12; kids 2 and under get in free
Where: Tejas Rodeo Company (401 Obst Rd.)
What else you should know: Find more information here.
Get a head start on a beloved San Antonio holiday tradition
They’re back, and they’re expected to be as beautiful as ever!
For the second year in a row, San Antonio is flipping on the River Walk lights a few weeks early, providing a November jolt of holiday cheer as the community continues to emerge from the pandemic. A tradition since 1975, more than 100,000 spectacular-lookin’ lights are draped over the River Walk’s towering trees, turning the heart of San Antonio into a glittering, brightly lit wonderland.
Make sure to mark your calendars as well for Nov. 26, when the official lighting ceremony is set to take place during the Ford Holiday River Parade.
The city says the lights will stay on through Jan. 9 this holiday season.
When: Friday
Cost: Free
Where: San Antonio River Walk, downtown