Una Noche en la Gloria Returns to West Side San Antonio for Arts-filled Block Party

In 2009, Avenida Guadalupe Association Executive Director Gabriel Quintero Velasquez launched Una Noche en la Gloria as a multidisciplinary extravaganza designed to “promote San Antonio’s underserved creative micro-entrepreneurs.” Billed as an “ambitious economic development strategy converging visual art, fashion and the performance-art world,” the free outdoor event takes shape each year in an arts-forward block party with performance stages, pop-up exhibits, eclectic vendors and creative surprises around every corner. Showcasing everything from fashion designers and indie bands to slam poets and lowriders, the event makes for excellent people-watching, photo ops and aimless strolling in the heart of the West Side.

In addition to the fan favorite Runway en la Calle — which erects an outdoor catwalk for dramatic presentations by local designers Agosto Cuellar, Rocio Bodevin, Roy Baker and the Southtown collective Angelin De Carlo — this year’s outing celebrates San Antonio flamenco treasure Teresa Champion with a sangria reception and performance at Guadalupe Theater and is dedicated to the memory of late jazz bassist Pete Ojeda. As Velasquez has explained, his grassroots endeavor was planned as a decade-long series, so this 10th-annual extravaganza might be your last chance to experience the colorful magic of Una Noche en la Gloria. When reached for comment, Velasquez offered, “We are able to continue but not until we finish this year, the last in the 10-year series. We shall see afterward.”

Free, Sat Oct. 20, 4pm-midnight, corner of Guadalupe and Brazos streets, lagloriaarts.org.

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