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San Antonio Parks Department Sponsors Summer Events
Ø July 25-26: BRAVO! The Parks and Recreation Department put on a song and dance show featuring their own dance troupes at the Arneson River Theater, La Villita. The admission charge of $5 goes to support the participants. Ø July 28: VIVA VOLUNTARIOS!—If you care about keeping San Antonio beautiful, and want to do your part along with some other helpful folks, you are more than welcome to participate and volunteer some time planting native plants, removing non-native ones, picking up garbage, and helping keep San Antonio green and alive! This event will take place at the Medina Natural Area from 8 AM-12 PM, and there is one of these on the last Saturday of each month until December. Ø Aug. 4: OUR PART OF TOWN TALENT SHOW AUDITION—If you think you have a special talent that just waiting to be discovered by the world, then this is the place for you! Categories are based on age, and all are welcome to try to win the $1000 prize. This is the date for District 7, and winners will move on to the next round, held in late August, and then to the finals in Oct. District 7 auditions will be held in the Cuellar Community Center, 5626 San Fernando, from 10 AM-12 PM. Ø Aug, 4-5: DOG DAYS OF SUMMER—Bring your pooch to the Botanical Garden from 8 AM-5 PM to have him microchipped ($25), or enter him in a contest! All proceeds benefit the Humane Society, Botanical Garden, and Animal Defense League. If you don’t have a dog, you can get the process underway of adopting one here too! The Parks and Recreation Department does so much more than just keep the parks and fitness areas working properly; they also offer San Antonio a diverse series of events and activities for the whole family. You can help out by attending an event, or by volunteering some of your time and will help to make sure that San Antonio is active, clean, and enjoyable for years to come. The San Antonio New World Wine and Food Festival The New World Wine and Food Festival held in San Antonio is a five day event. Its purpose is to not encourage dieting, but instead, encourage an over-indulgence in eating and fun. The goal is to help you discover new favorites and enjoy the old ones all in one weekend. The event is held at several locations throughout the course of the festival. You will be visiting an assortment of different locations. Date: November 5th – 9th, 2008 About the Festival The New World Wine and Food Festival has been established since 2000 and is a non-profit organization. It was designed showcase San Antonio as one of the premiere locations for great wine and food. The wines and food that are celebrated come from several different regions including Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and of course Texas. It is meant to be an educational event to introduce a variety of foods and wines to the residents and visitors of south Texas. Purchasing Tickets for the event Tickets are made available for purchase at the New World Wine and Food Festival website, http://www.nwwff.org. A phone number is also available at their website if you prefer ordering via phone. Children at the festival Since the event is spread through 5 days the only event that children under the age of 21 are allowed is at the Totally Tejas. At the other events you must be above the age of 21 and no children will be allowed, even if they are being accompanied by a parent. Hotels and Other Activities If you are traveling to the event, there are plenty of beautiful hotels in the San Antonio area. As well, there is plenty to do during this time of year. There are lots of attractions and you are encouraged to visit a visitors center website to find other activities even though the NWWFF provides more than enough events to occupy your time.
One of the city's most interesting and bizarre events, the Mud Festival takes place each January for one week, and commemorates the draining and cleaning of the river. Early in San Antonio's history, the river was thought to be dangerous, dirty, and was even declared off-limits to military personnel for a time. Today, these ideas have softened quite a bit, as the River Walk is now a world-class tourist attraction, in and of itself, which, of course, requires maintenance. Each year the City Parks and Recreation Department drains the river and cleans up the debris that litters it. It's hard to know what will be found, with so many restaurants and commercial enterprises nearby, that pulling tables, chairs, and other things from the river is almost a certainty. The Mud Festival occurs each year after the river has been filled up again, and is put on by a group called the Paseo del Rio Association. The festival features balls, parades, and arts and crafts exhibitions, which normally draw around 15,000 people. Each year a Mud King and Queen are selected from participants, normally made up of local celebrities and business people. The king and queen are chosen by who is able to raise the most money for the organization. The river is drained from the 2nd of January to the 9th, and the festival will take place from the 10th through the 13th. The arts and crafts show is slated to run from the 11th until the 13th. All events will be held in various locations and businesses along the River Walk, and for more information call 210.227.4262.
San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival
Do you have a passion
for Christian films? Perhaps the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival
would be something of enjoyment for you. The goal of the festival is to showcase
and encourage production of films that keep the highest biblical values. It is a
platform for those Christian filmmakers who may not get the recognition
otherwise. It is meant to offer a joyful experience to advance the work of Jesus
Christ through the medium of film.
When: January 5th - 10th, 2009 Where: San Antonio, Texas Visit their website, http://www.independentchristianfilms.com to purchase tickets. Prizes and Competition If you are a Christian filmmaker, then even better news for you. There is a $10,000.00 "Best of Film Festival" Jubilee Award given for the best Independent Christian Film Short. Gone are the days of old when you needed tens of thousands of dollars to create films. In fact, the equipment is cheap enough that a single individual is capable of funding a project. There are many factors taken into account for the awards including theological accuracy, production value, quality, and level of difficulty. A few of the other several awards being given is Best Commercial Advertisement, Best Documentary Short, and Best Feature Film. Film Academy Have you always wanted to know how to develop films? Are you an aspiring filmmaker? Or, do you simply have an interest in it? The Film Academy would be a good place to visit. It is a technical boot camp for those who want to learn about the production of films. It has a sixteen hour classroom sitting with industry professionals. It contains personal discussion with those that will be providing the lectures. And even more importantly in the film production world, it offers an opportunity to build personal relationships with individuals with similar interests. The film academy will take place on January 5th - 7th and the cost is $395.00 per person. You are encouraged to enroll early at the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival website. Randy Watson a San Antonio Real Estate Agent with Mission Realty writes regularly about all things good in San Antonio including sports, arts, events and tourism. Visit my weblog at: SATX Blog. Or visit online to search for San Antonio Homes. San Antonio Folk Dance Festival When: March 14, 2008 - March 16, 2008 Where: San Antonio, Texas Times vary based on the difference events that will be held. Visit their website, http://safdf.org/, for more information. Have you always wanted to learn how to folk dance? The San Antonio Folk Dance Festival has several workshops available at their event in March. Regardless of how much experience you have or your skill level, you will be able to learn something at this festival. You may consider yourself one of the best even, and if that is the case, then you can go to a Review workshop where several teachers will be reviewing your skills. You will perhaps find some of your weaknesses and learn what your strengths are. The teachers come from a wide variety of backgrounds. You will find teachers from Romania, to Czech, and of course your English Country Dancing instructors in attendance. Do not worry if you are not a dancer. This festival does not leave you out. If you would just like to take a seat and enjoy some good live entertainment then that is available as well. You will find several very good folk dancers that will be performing throughout the event. Miroslav Bata Marcetic's Serbian Dance Theater Troupe is a large group with seventy performers. They will be just one of the many talented dancers you will be able to watch there. You do not have to be a professional or an absolute beginner either. There will be several chances for you to get out on the dance floor and enjoy folk dancing with others. In fact, the last day of the festival there will be plenty of food and individual entertainment in celebration of this form of dance. All ages are welcome to attend the San Antonio Folk Dance Festival! Randy Watson a San Antonio Real Estate Agent with Mission Realty writes regularly about all things good in San Antonio including sports, arts, events and tourism. Visit my weblog at: SATX Blog. Or visit online to search for San Antonio Homes. Fiesta is San Antonio’s moment to shine, and is certainly known for its pageantry and parades which demonstrate the city’s tradition and heritage in a series of bright and colorful parades and balls. While these are the biggest and most well-known events, and are broadcast on TV to hundreds of thousands—if not millions—each day is also full of smaller, more intimate gatherings and events that may not receive the publicity of the big ones, but are still lots of fun and shouldn’t be missed! Let’s have a look at what is on the schedule for the first day of Fiesta! April 18, 9 AM The opening ceremony takes place at the Alamo Plaza, and the party officially gets underway as the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and the Alamo Heroes Committee declare, “Viva Fiesta!” The event ushers in the newest installment of Fiesta with dancing, singing, and all the pageantry that participants expect. 10 AM Across the city, the morning sees a variety of choices depending on individual tastes.
· At the Witte Museum dancing aficionados will want to come and enjoy an elaborate display which traces the art of dance through the years of Fiesta. Throughout the years, the samba, polka, ballet, and more have been parts of the celebration, and this exhibit shows off some of the gowns and dresses that have made Fiesta such a colorful experience. 11 AM
· UTSA has its own mini-Fiesta, featuring food, music, games, and other forms of entertainment, the proceeds of which go to supporting school groups and associations.
5 PM 6:30 PM · Join the mariachis and the throngs of people gathered for the coronation of 2008’s El Rey Feo. The crowning takes place at the Main Plaza, and the reception afterwards will be held in the AT&T Community Center.
7:00 PM
8:00 PM
San Antonio’s 2nd Annual Bird and Nature Festival When: May 1st - 4th, 2008 Where: San Antonio, Texas Exact locations will vary due to schedule. Visit http://www.wildfestsanantonio.com/ for more details.
The first Wildfest was a success and therefore there will be a second one held on May 1st through the 4th. There is plenty of beauty within the area this time of year. Areas such as Mitchell Lake, Medina River, Botanical Gardens, and the National Historical Park will all be showcased during the event. The WildFest staff pride themselves in being one of only a few cities in America to have an event such as this. Not only will you be viewing the natural beauty of the area. There will also be workshops for the attendee’s. Several of the things being done during the festival are to involve the children in what nature has to offer them. You will be looking at the animals, including bats, butterflies, and birds, as well as the plants and even history.
Do not think that this is simply an event where you sit outside in a lawn chair and wait for the birds to fly by. You will be going out and actually finding them in their habitat more often than not. In fact, one of the major and fun events planned is to actually go to a cave to view bats. It simply can not be more fun than that for any child interested in nature. Welcome to San Antonio Bird and Nature Festival where you are encouraged to bring your whole family! 
San Antonio Texas Rock and Roll Marathon
November 16, 2008 brings the inaugural Rock and Roll Marathon to San Antonio Texas. The event is being managed by Elite Racing, and is just one in a series of similar events being put on across America. This unique event will feature live bands playing all along the 26 mile, or 13 mile half-marathon course. The headlining show features The Cult playing at the Alamodome, with doors opening at 6:30 PM. Participants entry is included with their registration, and general admission costs $26 in advance, or $30 at the door.
Playoffs Set: Spurs Suns Set to Battle
 With the regular season in the books, the Spurs can focus their energy on that time of the season when they typically turn their game up a notch and focus just a bit more. San Antonio ended the regular season tied for first place in their division with New Orleans with a 56-26 record. In the Western Division, the two teams finished one game back of the LA Lakers.The Spurs quest to defend their title will start off against the rival Suns. Last year, the series was a hard-fought battle that featured suspensions, hard fouls, and harder feelings. The Celtics still look like the team to beat overall, having won 66 games and winning the East by 7 games, but the Lakers have closed the season on a good note, and will be a tough out in the West. The Spurs ended the season fairly average, having won 3 of the last 5, but Spurs fans might not be sleeping easily considering who the two losses were to, and by how much. On April 9, Phoenix paid a visit to San Antonio in what would be a warm up to the first round of the playoffs, and left with a 96-79 victory. While Tim Duncan and Tony Parker played well, only one other player, Michael Finley, managed to score in double digits for the Spurs. For Phoenix, 6 players scored 10 or more points, and the Suns defense held San Antonio to just a bit over 20% from behind the arc, and out-rebounded San Antonio as well. Two nights later, the Spurs got some revenge of their own when the Supersonics came to town. The Spurs took out some frustrations against one of the worst teams in the league, beating them 95-74 behind Tony Parker’s 20 points, and 7 assists. Up next for San Antonio was a trip to LA to face the Lakers, who are the class of the Western Conference, and the owners of the number one seed. The trip was not kind to the Spurs, as they suffered a 21 points loss, 106-85. Tony Parker led the team with a 20 point, 7 rebound effort , but it wasn’t enough. Tim Duncan scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, but was countered by Lamar Odom’s 17 points and 14 rebounds. Also on their west coast swing, the Spurs also faced Sacramento, and fared better against them than in the previous game. Although it was close, the Spurs managed to split the last road trip of the regular season by beating the Kings, 101-98. Tony Parker kept his play at a high level, scoring 32 points and dishing out 11 assists, and Michael Finley and Duncan both added 19. Ex-Spurs guard, Beno Udrih, scored 16 in the contest. The Western Conference was perhaps the most competitive in the history of the NBA with only 7 games separating the first seed from the last. In the East, for comparison, Boston finished 29 games ahead of Atlanta, who was the eighth seed. If San Antonio is to defend their championship this year, they will certainly have their work cut out for them. Just to show how competitive the West was, Golden State missed the playoffs with a 48-34 record. Atlanta finished with a record of 37-45. It looks as if the Western title is up for grabs, and anyone has a shot at winning it. The Spurs always ratchet things up in the post-season, and they will have their work cut out for them right off the bat. Phoenix has added Shaq since last year, and Amare Stoudamire has been playing well since that trade. The Spurs are healthy, having overcome injuries to what seems like every major player on their team, at some point during the year. If the Spurs are to win it all again, they will have to once again rely on defense, veteran leadership and experience, and their big three, Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker to play hard, smart, and unselfish, as they did last year when they won it all.
Good Luck Spurs!
 New Year’s Eve in
San Antonio, Texas 2009
The end of another year brings one of San Antonio’s biggest and most exciting events, the annual Celebrate San Antonio New Year’s party. The celebration has something for all members of the family, featuring four stages of live music, fireworks, special children’s areas, food, and vendors of all kinds. The festival has gained in size and renown over the years, and as San Antonio has become truly an internationally recognized city, so has it found its way onto many lists of the world’s best places to ring in the new year. According to the events website, saparksfoundation.org, priceline.com lists San Antonio as #34 on its list of places to spend New Year’s Eve--just between Sydney, Australia and Los Angeles, CA! Celebrate San Antonio is a free event, open to all who wish to attend, and begins downtown on South Alamo, between Market and Durango at 6 PM. The party lasts until the fireworks close things down around 12:30 AM in front of the Tower of the Americas. This year, among some of the acts that will be performing are:
On the HEB Family Stage at the Arneson River, The Mira Sol Band and Inner City with Style will be entertaining the crowd. This year, event planners are expecting in excess of 250,000 people to attend, meaning that the streets of San Antonio should be packed, and good times should abound! Celebrate San Antonio is billed as the largest free New Year’s Eve celebration in the state of Texas, and will certainly be a night to remember. For something a bit more intimate, but also well known to San Antonio is the New Year’s Eve concert at Jim Cullen’s Landing at the Hyatt Regency. The doors open at 8:30 and the world famous Jim Cullen Jazz Band will be ringing in the new year. Finally, if you are planning a get-together at your house, there are three places that can supply your every need.
Happy 2009 New Year, from Roman Alfaro, Jr and Randy Watson of Mission Realty... San Antonio!
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San Antonio residents looking for something new and interesting to do, may not be aware that the city’s Parks and Recreation Department plays host to many different events and functions throughout the year. The department does much more than just maintains the swimming pools, gyms, sports parks and recreation centers. It is also in charge of the Botanical Garden and Conservatory, where many of these great cultural and social events are staged. With summer in full swing, it’s worth having a look at their line-up for the rest of July and early August!
San Antonio is a city that enjoys two things, and does them both well: keeping itself clean, and throwing a party whenever possible. If the two can be combined, then all the better. Knowing this, it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone familiar with the city, that the Mud Festival does just that.
The San Antonio Bird & Nature Festival, also known as
WildFest, has a mission. They want to educate visitors and residents of the San
Antonio area to the natural beauty that it holds. They also want to showcase
some of the historical environments in and around San Antonio.
