Hispanic Heritage Month

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From September 15 through October 15th we celebrate “the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America”. September 15th marked the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month and here in San Antonio, we know how to celebrate it. There are a multitude of fun and educational celebrations planned for the rest of this month into next and you should know what they’re all about.

Tonight from 6:30-7:30 teens in San Antonio can come together for a Hispanic Heritage Month event. At the Great Northwest Library you can learn more about Hispanic Heritage with other people their own age in a fun way that makes it interesting.

Tomorrow head to the Central Library to experience La Noche de Gallo with artist Joe Lopez. He’ll spin stories about life in “El Barrio Escondido”, a hidden neighborhood on the edge of Alamo Heights, nearly forgotten. You can see the inspiration for his work depicted in the colorful designs of his art displayed in museums throughout Texas. Come and hear his inspiring story of triumphing over adversity.

San Antonio College is hosting a series of events celebrating and teaching about Hispanic Heritage. Hear lectures on folk medicine and the US policies on immigration. See a performance of La Luz de San Anto. You can see a screening of Mcfarland, USA and afterwards engage in a discussion with actor Ramiro Rodriguez. Check here to see their full calendar of events.

The University of Texas will be hosting a month full of events in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. There will be a screening of Selena, poetry readings, Zumba classes and a pinata bash. After a full month of celebrations for Hispanic Heritage Month, there will then be the 8th Annual Latino Heritage Banquet on October 15th.

This whole month is going to be overflowing with celebrations and opportunities to learn and experience the Hispanic culture from the experts. There are so many organizations putting on different events all month long, so you’ll never have to worry about missing out. To learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month, head here.

Fall Comes to San Antonio

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Now that fall is just around the corner (September 23rd) it’s time to get in the mood for fun fall activities! There are your typical fall favorites like apple picking, pumpkin carving, Pumpkin Spice Lattes and hay rides! All of these fall fun activities and one not so fall will get you ready for the season ahead.

Soak up our last weeks of beautiful summer weather with a rainforest adventure! Explore the Rainforest Adventure Maze at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens. This maze exhibit will take visitors on an exciting tour through the lush rainforests. From the canopy down to the forest floor you can learn exciting new lessons about the ecosystems and ecology of the forests. Make sure you get there while you still can! The exhibit is only around until September 20th and then it’s flying the coop. The Botanical Gardens are only a 20 minute drive away from us at the Residences at La Cantera.

Sticking with the current theme of mazes, the next fall activity on our list is a maze of maize! The South Texas Maize in Hondo is fun for the whole family. Get lost among the 7 acres of corn mazes and try to navigate your way back out. Once you escape the maze, head over to the pumpkin patch to find yourself the biggest, orangest pumpkin in the bunch. Get tangled up and climb the spider web or slide down the Mattercorn Mountain Slide. Make sure to stop and refuel with some delicious food after all that work though! The South Texas Maize is open on weekends starting September 19th until November 15th. Open 5-9 Fridays, 10-9 Saturdays and 12-5 Sundays. The South Texas Maize is located an hour’s country drive away from San Antonio to the west. Buy your tickets online here!

Also in the Botanical Gardens this month, you can take a stroll through the Scarecrow Trail Exhibit. Decorated by community groups and individuals, the creative scarecrows will be taking up residence in the gardens from September 21st until November 15th. The exhibit is $10 for adults and $7 for children. Don’t be spooked by these goofy scarecrows!

The end of this month is going to be filled with exciting things to do but don’t miss out on them because they’re only here for a limited amount of time! All of these fun fall activities are perfect for the season and it will put you in the mood for autumn. Happy fall!

Labor Day Festivities

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Labor Day is the celebration of the hardworking citizen. Chugging along everyday, doing what they do best to earn a living. These days, we celebrate Labor Day by not laboring at all. All the hardworking folks who spend every other day powering through get their day of relaxation to kick back and not think about work. San Antonio celebrates with a festival.

Between the Lines Entertainment is putting on the 4th Annual Laborfest where you will do everything but work! This two-day festival includes live musical acts and some amazing food! The festival will take place at the Sunken Gardens Amphitheater, 20 minutes away from our home at the Residences at La Cantera.

Both Saturday and Sunday will have some great musical acts lined up for you to enjoy. Starting Saturday with the Bar-Kays, an American soul, R&B, and funk group with multiple chart topping hits such as Soul Finger and Boogie Body Land. Next up, you’ll see OneWay feat. Al Hudson another American R&B and funk band. Their most popular song was titled Cutie Pie. Ready for the World is an American R&B band from Michigan and they’ll also be performing Saturday for Laborfest.

On Sunday, you can catch Mint Condition, an American R&B band from Minnesota. The group has a wide range of talents from traditional jazz to mainstream R&B. They are most well known for their ballads Breakin’ My Heart (Pretty Brown Eyes) and What Kind of Man Would I Be. Finally, you can enjoy the music of Original Lakeside, with their hit song Fantastic Voyage which reached number one on the R&B charts and even made it onto the pop charts! You’ll definitely enjoy all of these musical acts available at LaborFest.

Laborfest will be a weekend long celebration starting Saturday the 5th and ending the 6th. Tickets are available for purchase here. Tickets can be purchased from multiple locations around San Antonio. You can get them at House of Royal T, Fadeaways or Beacons. Check here for information on what is okay to bring into the festival. With all the delicious food for your choosing and musical acts, this is really not an event you want to miss out on.

Back to School for Grown Ups

It’s back to school time for the younger ones! Some are excited and some are not too thrilled (like this little boy). But if you’ve gone through the paces of school and now you’ve graduated, that doesn’t mean you have to be done learning! There are plenty of opportunities to continue your education whether it be with something fun like salsa dancing or gardening or even painting. Just because you’ve finished school, doesn’t mean you should stop learning! If you want to have that back to school feeling again, you can!

If you’re a music lover and want to get down and cut a rug, come to Azuca Nuevo Latino. For only $10 you can join in on group Salsa lessons! If you’re feeling shy or would prefer private lessons you can call and book a series of private lessons with a teacher. Each of the lessons always starts off with a warm up for those who need a brush up on their most basic steps. The San Antonio dance company has been teaching for 12 years so they definitely know what they’re doing! Azuca is located only 20 minutes away from the Residences at La Cantera.

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You might get a little messy but it will be worth it at Painting With A Twist. Tie on your aprons, pour yourself a glass of wine and make sure you have all your brushes close by because you’ll need them to create a masterpiece. A skilled teacher will take you step by step through the picture of your choice. Even if you’ve never picked up a paintbrush before in your life, you will come out with a beautiful painting worthy of a place on the wall in your home. If you need a little liquid courage before getting down to business, Painting With A Twist is BYOB so make sure to bring along your own alcohol but be prepared to get a little messier with the addition of alcohol! Painting With A Twist is only a 10 minute drive away from the Residences at La Cantera.

The Painted Plate follows along similar lines as Painting With A Twist. Come into the studio and you’ll be welcomed with an array of different ceramic pottery for you to choose from. You’ll find everything from plates and mugs to piggy banks and candy dishes to cat figures and garden gnomes. Choose your ceramic and you’ll get down to business: painting! Select your paint colors and you can decorate your new pottery however you’d like. Once you complete your masterpiece, leave it in the hands of someone experienced to fire it for you so that it’s ready for use. The Painted Plate is located only 10 minutes away from La Cantera.

Just because you’ve graduated doesn’t mean you should stop learning! There are so many opportunities to continue your education and further enrich your life. There’s something around for everyone of all levels of experience or interests. Learning new skills is fun and can even result in a brand new hobby for years to come whether it be dancing, drinking and painting or pottery painting. You’re never too old to learn something new!