SAN ANTONIO — Don't be fooled by the 75-degree weather in San Antonio; Christmas is only a few weeks away. That means the holiday festivities and family activities are only continue to come.
The next few days bring opportunities for musical adventures and on-stage spectacles, shopping excursions and LEGO-tastic fun. Here's the details on all that and more.
Continue your Christmas shopping at local markets
‘Tis the season for holiday lights, gingerbread houses and headaches over which cousins you forget to buy a present for.
Alamo City vendors have you covered. Multiple weekend markets will provide a chance to both engage with neighbors and nab a homemade gift for those on your nice list, starting with the finale of the Yanaguana Artisan Market on Friday afternoon. From noon to 6 p.m., the market will showcase a kaleidoscope of products from Native American sellers, from jewelry and artwork to herbal medicines. Social distancing and masks will be enforced.
Saturday will mark the inaugural North Pole Nopal at Confluence Park. Scheduled for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the outdoor market, organized by the San Antonio River Foundation, will also feature musical performances and a native tree giveaway to promote a greener city.
Also on Saturday, Art On Broadway will give residents north of downtown a chance to take in and potentially purchase works from local creators. It’s scheduled for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
When: Yanaguana Artisan Market from noon to 6 p.m. Friday; North Pole Nopal from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday; Art On Broadway from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Cost: All markets are free to attend.
Where: Yanaguana Artisan Market at American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions (1313 Guadalupe St., Unit 104); North Pole Nopal at Confluence Park (310 West Mitchell St.); Art On Broadway at Lions Field Center (2809 Broadway St.).
Build your holiday spirit, brick by brick
All throughout December, the LEGOLAND Discovery Center is providing San Antonio families with a bricktified version of a merry Christmas. The Holiday Bricktacular showcases a life-sized LEGO Christmas tree, a chance to take a photo with LEGO Santa and workshops for children to build their own LEGO ornaments
Just be careful of where you step!
When: Mondays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Runs through Jan. 2.
Cost: Day passes begin at $21.99. Buy tickets here.
Where: LEGOLAND Discovery Center, located at the Shops at Rivercenter (849 East Commerce St.).
What else you should know: Face coverings are recommended.
Relax to classical music at SAMA
Agarita, the local chamber ensemble focused on accessibility to the arts, is holding another free showcase of classical melodies at the San Antonio Museum of Art, inspired by its ongoing “40 Years, 40 Stories” exhibit. The group is made up of pianist Daniel Anastasio, violist Marisa Bushman, cellist Ignacio Gallego and violinist Sarah Silver Manzke.
After the show, stick around to explore the medley of artistic works and cultural artifacts featured in the exhibit.
When: Sunday from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.
Cost: The concert is free with museum admission.
Where: San Antonio Museum of Art (200 West Jones Ave.).
What else you should know: Seating is first-come, first-serve. Find more information here.
Relive a Christmas classic, with a Texas twist
What does Charles Dickens in the Lone Star State look like? Drop by The Lion & Rose Pub at the Rim this weekend, and you might find out.
Award-winning actor J. Damian Gillen stars in a one-man version of the English writer’s “A Christmas Carol,” lovingly retitled “A Tex-Mas Carol.” It’s a family-friendly affair, and you can expect to see Gillen decked out in a variety of costumes and characters while Celtic Christmas songs are played.
When: Saturday at 6 p.m.
Cost: Tickets are $15, and can be purchased here.
Where: The Lion & Rose Pub (17627 La Cantera Pwky.).
What else you should know: Seating is limited.
Soak in some seasonal saxophones
Jingle bells may be the official “instrument” of the holidays, but for the better part of the last four decades, saxophones have helped usher in the Christmas season in San Antonio.
The 38th Annual Holiday Saxophones Concert returns this weekend to the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, featuring the concert’s founder, George Prado, and special guest vocalist MiChelle Garibay-Carey. The show will feature jazz and R&B tune, as well as a tribute to local musicians who have passed.
When: Sunday at 7 p.m., doors open at 6 p.m.
Cost: $30. Buy tickets here.
Where: Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center (723 South Brazos St.).
What else you should know: Seats are running out fast.
Plus...
If you happen to get an early start to your Friday, take your infant over to the McNay for this week's Storytime Flow out in the warmer-than-usual weather (tickets are $15 for adults, children get in for free). If you're planning to sleep in in preparation for a late night out at Blue Star, stop by a new Studio Ghibli-inspired art showcase and market, where there will also be music and photo booths to fully enter the worlds of "Spirited Away" and "My Neighbor Totoro."
Also, have you gotten your annual "Nutcracker" fix? Ballet San Antonio will be concluding its 2021 run of the classic production with performances each day this weekend at the Tobin Center. (If you prefer the youth ballet version of the show, that starts next weekend.)
If you'd like to support an Alamo City native with your theatergoing habits, check out the visiting Broadway production of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" at the Majestic, where actor Cody Garcia is playing Willy Wonka at the same venue they ushered at years ago as a teenager.
For some of the area's more incredible Christmas light displays, head on over to Windcrest, where they take it seriously. If you're feeling peckish, stop by
And...have your children gotten their photo with Santa yet? Well, what are ya waiting for? Here's our ongoing rundown of where Old Saint Nick is popping up this month in the San Antonio area.
Have a great weekend!