Beautiful all year long, San Antonio really shines during the holidays. Our historic River Walk twinkles with thousands of lights and cultural traditions come alive. Ring in the season with these five free holiday events in the Alamo City:
1. Tamales! Holiday Festival at Pearl
303 Pearl Parkway, San Antonio, Texas, 78215
Saturday, December 6, 12pm – 6pm
2. Ford Luminarias and Holiday Boat Caroling on the San Antonio River Walk
Saturday, December 6 – December 21: nightly, from 6:15 p.m. to 9:15 p.m. for caroling and weekend nights only (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) for luminaries
Stroll the picturesque River Walk under twinkling lights while enjoying the holiday sounds of various choirs, singing groups, and bands as they travel by boat down the river, serenading you with holiday favorites. And, on weekend nights in December, 6,000 luminarias, bags filled with sand and candles, light up the River Walk as they symbolize a path for the Holy Family.
3. Alamo Heights 37th Annual Holiday Parade
Saturday, December 6, 5:30 p.m.
This charming, down home holiday parade takes place in Alamo Heights, a lovely little town just north of downtown San Antonio. An after-party wraps up the parade festivities in the parking lot behind Nothing Bundt Cakes (Grove Place and Broadway).
5. Los Pastores Institute of Texan Cultures, 801 E. César E. Chávez Blvd., San Antonio, 78205
Sunday, December 14, 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Visit the Institute of Texan Cultures for free on Sunday, December 14, when the museum joins Our Lady of Guadalupe Church to present Los Pastores, the traditional morality play. It’s the story of how the angels defeated the devil, who tried to dissuade shepherds from visiting the baby Jesus. A workshop kicks off the day’s events with activities for families. Learn about the play and its songs and make devil masks and angel crowns to take home. Then, stay for the play. Each child attending will receive a copy of “Rosita’s Christmas Wish” by Mary Ann Smothers Bruni (a children’s book, while supplies last, limit one book per family/household). The workshop runs from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and the play is from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.