Mala Luna Guide
San Antonio's hit Mala Luna Festival returns with even more music and art
The second edition of Mala Luna Music Festival, taking place October 28-29 in San Antonio, not only promises a new location, but a second main stage and more artisans than the inaugural event.
The hip-hop and EDM festival was a huge hit in 2016, as more than 30,000 people streamed into the former Lone Star Brewery complex for an event featuring Travis Scott, Steve Aoki, G-Eazy, Kaskade, Tory Lanez, Jeezy, and Rae Sremmurd.
This year’s lineup includes Future, Lil Wayne, Wiz Khalifa, Migos, Afrojack, Carnage, Khalid, Playboy Carti, and Ugly God; they'll perform in the Nelson Wolff Stadium parking lot, which will better accommodate festival crowds and include a second main stage.
Future's albums Future and HNDRXX each debuted in the No. 1 position in consecutive weeks in February, and Wiz Khalifa's “See You Again” was a Song of the Year nominee at the 2016 Grammy Awards.
"We're super proud of the lineup that we have this year,” says Sascha Stone Guttfreund, co-founder and president of ScoreMore Shows, the promoter of Mala Luna Fest. “We do our best to try to give the people what they want, and we feel that we did our job on this one. Not only do we have our headliners, but to be able to have new and explosive acts like Khalid, Playboy Carti, and Kali Uchis, all different sonically, is really exciting."
Event organizers also make a concerted effort to have up-and-coming musicians from the San Antonio area. Local performers include Xavier, Bamsworth Belli, Izaq Roland, and Lil Yodaa. Additionally, there will be appearances by Rayne and Isabella Rodriguez, students of Network for Young Artists.
Art is another key component of Mala Luna, and the event will once again involve several live art installations and artisans — all with an eye on paying tribute to local Dia de los Muertos celebrations.
And festivalgoers will have access to plenty of food options, including Box Street Social, Davila’s BBQ, CornHub, Purple Pig BBQ, Kona Ice, Frank, Lupita Gorditas, Heros Gyros, Jugo Juicery, Shawarma Point, and Original Taste of the Caribbean.
Organizers say there’s no mystery for the instant success that Mala Luna experienced last year.
"San Antonio is a cool place with people who have great taste,” Guttfreund explains. “All we did is try to give the people what they wanted — and the city embraced us with open arms. The success of last year is simply a reflection of how exciting it is to live in San Antonio right now.”
Single-day general admission tickets are on sale now for $79; two-day tickets are $119. VIP packages are available from $209 to $399, and select parking passes are available. Mala Luna organizers will donate a portion of proceeds to NYA, a San Antonio nonprofit that offers affordable music, voice, and dance classes to children and teenagers.
The festival is also offering shuttle service to and from Austin and San Marcos for fans.