Weekend Event Guide

Here are the top 5 things to do in San Antonio this weekend

The top five things to do in San Antonio this weekend span from traditional tunes to unexpected comedy. Dance along to the sounds of South Texas at the Pearl or enjoy a live reading of American play True West. For a full list of events, visit our calendar.

Thursday, June 27

Lorrie Morgan in concert
Country music singer Lorrie Morgan comes to San Antonio in support of her 2018 album, Come See Me and Come Lonely. Since her industry debut in the 1970s, the singer has garnered hits, including “A Picture of Me” and “Five Minutes,” that have remained fan favorites to this day. Select tickets for her Brauntex Performing Arts Theatre show are still available.

Friday, June 28

Pearl presents Canciones: Sonidos De San Antonio
The sounds of South Texas are celebrated loud and proud at the historic Pearl Brewery. The concert series will feature live performances by Eddie and the Valiants and Mitch Webb and the Swindles, two seminal bands that have shaped the iconic sounds of the Alamo City for decades. Guests can groove to music while enjoying food and beverages available for purchase on-site. Admission is free.

Saturday, June 29

Arts in the Armed Forces presents True West
San Antonio’s active duty military and veteran community are invited to enjoy a live reading of Sam Shepard’s beloved play True West. The reading, performed by a cast of professional actors, will also include an audience Q&A portion following the show. Admission to the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre show is free with event registration.

Eddie B: “I’m Already Professionally Developed” Tour
Actor and comedian Eddie B makes a stop in San Antonio as part of his national “I’m Already Professionally Developed" Tour. The entertainer rose to fame after creating a series of videos about what teachers really say off the clock and was eventually deemed the official "voice of teachers across the globe." Eddie B brings his hilarious perspective to the Majestic Theatre. Select tickets are still available.

Sunday, June 30

The Band of Heathens in concert
The Band of Heathens comes to San Antonio in support of their new album, A Message from the People Revisited. The group behind songs including “All I’m Asking” and “Medicine Man” pulled inspiration for its newest album from the classic Ray Charles project A Message from the People. The audience can expect a two-set show; one set will be the performance of the Ray Charles album, and the other set will feature The Band of Heathens’ own original sound.

Celebrate the sounds of Alamo City at Historic Pearl Brewery this Friday.

Photo courtesy of Pearl

Celebrate the sounds of Alamo City at Historic Pearl Brewery this Friday.

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Garden Glow

San Antonio Botanical Garden glows with new winter lantern show

San Antonio Botanical Garden/Instagram

The exhibit featuring larger-than-life lantern sculptures opens November 29.

The San Antonio Botanical Garden is lighting up with a new concept called Illuminate for its annual holiday season light exhibition. Visitors can stroll through the garden after dark, guided by immersive light displays celebrating "the beauty of nature and cultural artistry," according to a press release. Illuminate will be open from November 29, 2024, to January 12, 2025.

Past efforts were called Lightscape, but Illuminate is created in collaboration with Tianyu Arts & Culture, a producer of Chinese lantern and other light shows. This partner is based in the United States, but it is a subsidiary of a company in China's Sichuan Province, giving it a strong claim to authenticity. A similar show called Tianyu Lights Festival has debuted in Dallas-Fort Worth this season.

Because the company specializes in lanterns, this show is different than a classic holiday lights display. Whereas a more standard show would draw 2D figures using individual string lights, these works are 3D sculptures made of translucent material and lit from the inside.

San Antonio Botanical Garden Illuminate Some of the sculptures affect how people interact with the space.San Antonio Botanical Garden/Instagram

The subject matter is also entirely different. Santa is nowhere to be found, and these works instead focus on flowers, insects, fish, birds, and other wild animals. Some of the lights also decorate the architecture that divides garden sections.

An FAQ section of the website says the self-paced walk is "a little over a mile long." There will be vendors onsite for food and drinks, and the Garden Gift Shop will be open.

Tickets (starting at $23 for adults and $18 for kids) are available for entry times every 30 minutes from 5:30-9 pm. Once a party enters, they can stay until closing time. Illuminate is for visitors of all ages, but minors under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Parking is also available for an additional charge.

visual art immersive holidays