Happ'nin's for you and your child
Ah, spring is finally here! It won't be difficult to find activities this month with Fiesta all around us, but we've outlined a few events that are both on and off the "Fiesta trail." These outings won't be quite so wildly attended as the Fiesta Parades. Why not begin this fertile season with the Spring Fling Plant Sale, Saturday, April 2, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., at the perennially lush Botanical Gardens? Here, VIP takes on a different meaning: Very Impressive Plants. With more than 100 different flora specimens, you just may leave with an exciting family gardening project in mind. The Botanical Gardens are at Funston and North New Braunfels. Visit sabot.org or call 207-3250.
Practice first in your own back yard by contributing to the community at South Side El Jardín de la Paz. Volunteers are always welcome at this community organic garden that benefits the SAMM Shelter. For more info, call 826-6656 or e-mail the organizer, Apollo, at [email protected].
Take flower power to the streets by participating in the National Arbor Day Tree Planting Event on the Street of Flowers (aka North Flores). The City of San Antonio, Old Spanish Trail, and Scenic San Antonio host the third tree-planting event on the stretch of road from Houston Street to Fredericksburg Road from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 2. In order to replenish the plant life along this National Historic Tail, the volunteers will meet under the I-35 overpass on North Flores and find places for palm trees, hardwoods, and flowers in front of businesses. Plants help alleviate automobile pollution and summer heat while visually enhancing the corridor. For more information, contact Kathleen Trenchard, president of Scenic San Antonio, at [email protected] or 225-6608.
After all that hard work, head over to Artpace for its Ten-Year Anniversary and Family Day bash, also on April 2, from 1-4 p.m. at 445 N. Main. Come munch on birthday treats and listen to the stylistic spinnings of DJ Jay Lopez while the little ones explore their creativity with Chicago-based artist Diana Guerrero-Macía and local artist-in-residence Cruz Ortiz. Contact Libby Tilley at [email protected] or call 212-4900.
Say Sí would also like to celebrate Spring with you at their Spring Yard Art Exhibit. The First Friday opening is 6-9 p.m., April 1. Admission is free but donations are appreciated. The art students create a fusion of artful objects that define a sense of place for all living things, while media students showcase two original videos created for local bands. SAY Sí Visual & Media Arts Galleries is located in the Blue Star Arts Complex, 1414 S. Alamo Street, Studio 101& 103. Contact Diana Reyes at 212-8666.
April in SA cannot pass without some Fiesta, so your best bet is to check out the Southwest School of Art & Craft Fiesta Arts Fair Saturday and Sunday, April 16 and 17. Stroll with the family through the Ursuline Campus' verdant garden while browsing the exhibits and wares of more than 125 highly talented artisans from across the country. Works range from contemporary to traditional art and crafts. The Fiesta Arts Fair also features first-rate entertainment by local and regional musicians. For more info visit swschool.org/fiesta_arts_fair.php.
Next on the Fiesta schedule, be sure to observe the time-honored San Antonian tradition of funnel cakes, turkey legs, and sunburn at the annual King William Fair on Saturday, April 23. Fight your way through the crowded Victorian splendor of the historic King William neighborhood while heckling the eclectic street parade and spending your hard-earned money at the many food and artisan booths. This popular family event began as a gathering of neighbors and now draws several thousand people. For more info visit kwfair.org or call 271-3247.
Compiled by Jennifer Khoshbin and Stephanie McKendrick
