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Nola Brunch & Beignets/ Facebook

Editor's note: We get it. It can be difficult to keep up with the fast pace of San Antonio's restaurant and bar scene. We have you covered with our weekly roundup of essential food news.

Openings

The long lines at Nola Brunch & Beignets may soon double. According to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Records, the brunch behemoth is opening a location at 1101 Broadway. The restaurant did not return a request for comment by publication time, but Nola executive chef Melissa Villanueva is listed as the tenant. It's unclear if this is a relocation or a second outpost, but the project is set to wrap up in March 2024. CultureMap will update as we hear more information.

New Braunfels will have a new dining destination when an ambitious redevelopment is completed. According to state filings, Wiggins Hospitality Group — the folks behind McAdoo's Seafood Co. — will renovate the town's former City Hall into a mixed-use building incorporating offices on the ground floor. New Braunfels Historic Landmark Commission records give more details about the unnamed eatery, including plans for a bar and courtyard. Construction is set to wrap up in May 2024.

Other news and notes

San Antonio standout The Jerk Shack will be featured in a new book from national food site Eater. The restaurant — an Eater darling since being named one of the best new restaurants in the country by Hillary Dixler Canavan in 2029 — appropriately contributed a chicken dish.

Favor gave some insight into San Antonio's ordering habits via its first-ever dining report, released September 19. Alamo City requested more orders for barbecue than any other city in the state but surprisingly fell behind Austin in overall taco orders. The delivery app also shared a few tidbits about how San Antonians customize their meals. Locals favor lean brisket, flour tortillas, chorizo, and — controversially — chili with beans. Read all the findings at favordelivery.com.

Not content at only being a Food Network personality, chef Braunda Smith is now set to break the internet. The owner of Lucy Cooper's Ice House will soon be featured on the popular web series America's Best Restaurants. The restaurant confirmed the filming via a Facebook post but did not share when the segment will be aired.

Photo courtesy of Ambler Texas Kitchen + Cocktails

Hot San Antonio hotel brings back popular live fire dinner series for fall

Straight fire

Fall is finally upon us, and while we welcome the end of 100 degree days, we're all for the heat at Ambler Texas Kitchen + Cocktails, which is bringing back its popular live fire series.

The downtown restaurant, located inside the Hotel Contessa, is reprising a summer series, this time for the fall season. Led by executive chef Michael Collins, the Ambler live fire dinners are a fun, interactive dining experience out on the hotel patio. If you're looking for a way to eat well and stay warm as temperatures (hopefully) cool, the live fire dinner is a guaranteed way to get the best of both worlds.

Chef Collins and his team are essentially hosting a hotel cookout where every item on the plate is grilled. It kicks off with a complimentary welcome cocktail, alongside buttermilk biscuits made with Shiner Bock beer and honey, plus a romaine salad for starters.

Guests will then choose between starters like mesquite-smoked and grilled Texas Akaushi ribeye, cast iron-blackened Gulf mahi-mahi, or mesquite-smoked beer can chicken. These entrees have more than a touch of Texas in the tasty mesquite smoke — and the 22-ounce ribeye and the half-chicken are seriously big portions.

Ambler invited CultureMap to a previous live fire dinner, where the sides were a surprising star. The cast iron-griddled potatoes also caught some smoke from being on the grill, and each dish is only lightly seasoned, to enhance the natural flavors rather than create a new taste.

Reservations for the fall live fire series ($79-$129 per person depending on entree, beverages at additional cost) are available on OpenTable. The fall live fire dinners kick off on September 30, and occur every Saturday all the way through November.

Ambler Texas Kitchen + Cocktails San Antonio live fire dinner series

Photo courtesy of Ambler Texas Kitchen + Cocktails

Ambler Texas Kitchen + Cocktails is bringing back a popular series from this summer.

Photo courtesy of Visit Lubbock

3 Lubbock luminaries on what ignites the Hub City

Faces and Places

In Lubbock, Texas, where locals have been pouring their livelihood into both the city and their craft, the community has created a Texas experience like no other. What sets apart a destination from others is the welcoming faces who meet travelers with open doors and a willingness to share the West Texas way of life with all who wander through.

CultureMap recently checked in with three Lubbock luminaries to learn what drew them to the city, what dreams they're making come true, and how visitors can take part in the magic.

Matt Bostick, sommelier and hospitality director of Llano Estacado Winery
Though his roots are in Texas, Matt Bostick found his passion for wine in Italy. While studying hospitality in Florence in 2011, he met Parisian sommelier Quinton Paillard, who encouraged his budding love of vino and set Bostick on the path toward becoming a sommelier himself.

After earning his degree in restaurant, hotel, and institutional management from Texas Tech University in 2012, Bostick joined Jackson Family Estates in Los Angeles. From there, he further honed his expertise as the lead sommelier for Pizzeria Mozza and Osteria Mozza, under the mentorship of Sarah Clarke A few years later, Bostick co-founded a restaurant called Baldoria and even developed a line of ready-to-drink cocktails with his business partner, David King.

"When David and I decided to create B&K Cocktail Company, our business venture brought us back to Texas," Bostick says. "With my family residing in Lubbock, it was a natural choice to settle here. Lubbock holds significant personal and professional values for me. It's my hometown, where I was born and raised, and where most of my family continues to live and contribute to this community."

Today, Bostick is the events director and sommelier at Llano Estacado Winery, Texas’ second oldest winery. Bostick guides visitors through a sensory journey, introducing them to the complexities of different wines, regions, and vintages while offering insights into history, production techniques, and the unique characteristics of each varietal.

"I help individuals identify tasting notes, appreciate nuances, and even recommend food pairings that enhance the overall culinary experience," he says.

Grape Day on October 21 is an ideal time to visit the winery to see Bostick in action. To celebrate the end of the harvest, which spans late July to early October, Llano features captivating self-guided tours, diverse art booths, delicious offerings from the finest local vendors, exciting games for kids, and a mesmerizing lineup of live music on the Lubbock Listening Room stage.

Admission is free, but for $35 attendees will receive a commemorative Grape Day wine glass along with two tickets redeemable for a glass of wine. Pre-sale drink tickets will also be available for purchase in a bundle of three tickets for $15 (otherwise each ticket is $8 at the event).

"Grape Day holds immense significance to me. It's a celebration that represents the culmination of hard work and a sense of community," Bostick says. "Llano Estacado Winery has not only been a pioneer in the Texas wine industry but has also contributed to our local community's growth. Events like this shine a light on the rich heritage and traditions of winemaking, connecting our community to a broader narrative of craftsmanship and appreciation for the finer things in life."

Ian Timmons, pitmaster and third-generation owner of Tom & Bingo’s BBQ
It's been called a West Texas legend since 1952, and as soon as you step inside Tom & Bingo's BBQ, you'll understand why. This old-school barbecue joint — and Lubbock’s oldest restaurant — is packed with nostalgia and dishes out authentic barbecue that would make original owners Tom and Bettye Clanton proud, and current owner Ian Timmons intends to keep it that way.

While studying at Texas Tech, Timmons worked under Dwayne Clanton (Tom and Bettye's son, who gained ownership of the restaurant in 1980) and earned hands-on experience as a pitmaster. Upon graduation, he moved to Denver with his wife, Kristi, where he worked at Denver Biscuit Company.

"I’ve always worked in restaurants," says Timmons. "From my first job at Dairy Queen to a local restaurant called Orlando’s, where I was a server and got fired for making pizzas during my shift."

Timmons' wife also happens to be Dwayne and Liz Clanton's daughter, making him the obvious choice to carry on the legacy when the couple was ready to retire in 2017.

Now, Timmons pays homage to Tom & Bingo's 70-year legacy by smoking modern bark-on-brisket, his own coarsely ground smoked beef sausage, and pork spare ribs on the original brick pits the predecessors used for decades. He's also expanded the menu to include scratch-made potato salad and slaw, but one item remains a constant since the early days of the restaurant: the steak burger.

"This fall we are switching from our legendary brick pits to a new Centex offset smoker, so it’s back to square one for us," reveals Timmons. "This fall will be a learning season for us! But we are excited to see what a new smoker can do for us."

You can also catch the eatery's new food truck out and about and look forward to more biscuit collaborations with Monomyth Coffee (inspired by Timmons' time in Denver, of course). "We'll also hopefully open a Biscuit Club location to help grow the breakfast scene in Lubbock," Timmons hints.

But perhaps the tastiest way to experience Tom & Bingo's, besides visiting the restaurant itself, is by sampling its goods at the Texas Monthly BBQ Fest in November. Held in Lockhart, November 4-5, the event helps raise funds for Feeding Texas and a network of food banks across the state.

Yung Cry Baby, aka Aaliyah Limon, resident artist with Charles Adams Studio Project
Full-time musician and vocalist Aaliyah Limon was born and raised in Lubbock, but when she was younger, she didn't feel the city had a place for her yet. After graduation, the aspiring talent took off to explore both coasts, working as a model and artist, but after a while realized she wasn’t as fulfilled as she had hoped and missed her family.

"I needed a break from my fast-paced lifestyle," she says. "I came back home to be with family, take a step back, and reassess what I really wanted to do with my life. When I moved back, my music took off much faster than I ever anticipated."

Now Limon is professionally known as Yung Cry Baby and serves as a resident artist with the Charles Adams Studio Project, a nonprofit that supports working artists in Lubbock.

"Because I'm passionate about it and motivated by the people who resonate with what I sing about, I've kind of kept with the momentum of things," Limon says. "I'm excited about what I do, and I love helping people heal through my music. Even if it only helps a little, it gives me a lot of joy knowing I can maybe help someone not feel alone."

Fans can see Yung Cry Baby perform not only at the karaoke bar she hosts at, but also at First Friday Art Trail, a monthly arts festival located in downtown Lubbock with a mission to bring together collectors, artists, and community friends for an evening of art, music, and fun. Participants are ever-changing, offering something for everyone.

"I love doing community-based things, especially when it comes to art," Limon says. "First Friday is always a blast for me."

Yung Cry Baby is currently working on her first full album, following the earlier release of her EP. Follow her on social media for updates.

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Experience the people and places of Lubbock yourself by planning your next vacation here.

Llano Estacado Winery wine glass

Photo courtesy of Visit Lubbock

Matt Bostick helps visitors appreciate the wine at Llano Estacado Winery.

Photo courtesy of 2M Smokehouse

Top Texas pitmasters will blaze through Lockhart for 2023 Texas Monthly BBQ Fest

WHERE THERE'S SMOKE

For Texas barbecue fans, sampling the best can be a daunting job. There are the gas costs, of course, and all the waiting in line. Then road warriors must consider lodging. Rural towns may produce exceptional brisket, but few are well-known for luxurious linens.

Carnivores with less cultish levels of devotion know the best way to check out the scene is through a yearly pilgrimage to the Texas Monthly BBQ Fest.

The annual meatopia will blaze into Lockhart November 4-5. The juicy 2023 lineup, dropped on August 22, includes some of the most celebrated pitmasters in the state.

Drawing from barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn's "Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas" list and the September "25 Best New and Improved BBQ Joints in Texas" update (which featured one San Antonio spot), the invitees reflect Texas' deep culinary traditions and growing diversity.

The shindig kicks off on November 4 with the BBQ World's Fair, a free street fair featuring live music, artisan vendors, cooking demos, and an array of vendors from Texas Monthly's barbecue lists and Taco Trail. Those wanting a more VIP experience can purchase an "Around the World" punch card entitling guests to exclusive bites from featured barbecue joints.

The honor roll includes the following, with more to be announced soon:

  • Barbs-B-Q (Lockhart)
  • Brix Barbecue (Fort Worth)
  • CM Smokehouse (Austin)
  • GW's BBQ (San Juan)
  • KG BBQ (Austin)
  • Khói Barbecue (Houston)
  • The Original Black's BBQ (Lockhart)
  • Sunbird Barbecue (Longview)

The weekend continues on November 5 with the giant Top 50 Picnic, a celebration of the finest craft makers in the state. The stellar lineup adds:

  • 1701 Barbecue (Beaumont)
  • 2M Smokehouse (San Antonio)
  • Baker Boys BBQ (Gonzales)
  • Blood Bros. BBQ (Bellaire)
  • Brett's BBQ Shop (Katy)
  • Brett's Family BBQ (Rockdale)
  • Brotherton's Black Iron Barbecue (Pflugerville)
  • Burnt Bean Co. (Seguin)
  • Cattleack Barbeque (Farmers Branch)
  • Convenience West (Marfa)
  • Dayne's Craft Barbecue (Fort Worth)
  • Desert Oak Barbecue (El Paso)
  • Eaker Barbecue (Fredericksburg)
  • Evie Mae's Pit Barbecue (Wolfforth)
  • Feges BBQ (Houston)
  • Goldee's Bar-B-Q (Fort Worth)
  • Guess Family Barbecue (Waco)
  • Hays Co. Bar-B-Que (San Marcos)
  • Helberg Barbecue (Woodway)
  • Hurtado Barbecue (Arlington)
  • Hutchins BBQ (Frisco)
  • Interstellar BBQ (Austin)
  • Killen's Barbecue (Pearland)
  • LaVaca BBQ (Port Lavaca)
  • LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue (Austin)
  • LJ's BBQ (Brenham)
  • Micklethwait Craft Meats (Austin)
  • Miller's Smokehouse (Belton)
  • Mimsy's Craft Barbecue (Crockett)
  • Panther City BBQ (Fort Worth)
  • Rejino Barbeque (Olton)
  • Slow Bone (Dallas)
  • Smokey Joe's BBQ (New Braunfels)
  • Snow's BBQ (Lexington)
  • Teddy's Barbecue (Weslaco)
  • Tejas Chocolate + Barbecue (Tomball)
  • Terry Black's Barbecue (Lockhart)
  • Truth Barbecue (Houston)
  • Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ (Buda)
  • Zavala's Barbecue (Grand Prairie)

Although VIP tickets and weekend bundles have already been gobbled up, a few general admission tickets and punch cards remain for the weekend events. Snag them at texasmonthly.com.

Reese Bros Barbecue/Facebook

Smokin' San Antonio spot heats up Texas Monthly's Top New and Improved BBQ Joints list

Even Hotter Now

The barbecue experts at Texas Monthly have once again shared their perspective on where to eat smoked meats statewide courtesy of a new list titled “Top 25 New and Improved BBQ Joints in Texas.”

Released every four years, the new and improved list recognizes restaurants that have either opened or made significant changes since 2021, which is when Texas Monthly last published its quadrennial ranking of the state’s 50 best barbecue restaurants — an occasion that combines the anticipation of receiving Christmas presents with the seriousness of attempting to pass the bar exam.

Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn traveled across the state to compile the list, which is presented alphabetically by city. Overall, he finds the state of the state’s barbecue is quite strong.

“No matter where I go, I find there’s no end to smoked-meat innovation,” he writes. “Thanks to ingredients and preparation methods from a medley of culinary traditions, we’re now blessed with dishes such as za’atar-spiced lamb, berbere-seasoned pork ribs, and brisket fried rice. It’s a glorious time to eat Texas barbecue, and I’m more excited than ever for what the future will bring.”

If the northern suburbs of Spring and Montgomery are included, Houston claims four spots on the list. Meanwhile, the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex earns seven of the 25 spots on the list, followed by greater Austin with five, while San Antonio gets one.

In San Antonio, Vaughn recognizes Reese Bros Barbecue, which updated its offerings with Mexican-influenced dishes such as brisket and the queso fundido sausage and a carnitas torta. The restaurant was also recognized by Bon Appétit in 2022.

Heading south, the Rio Grande Valley takes three spots: Vargas BBQ (Edinburg), El Sancho Tex Mex BBQ (Mission), and GW’s BBQ Catering Co. (San Juan).

Houston representatives consist of Brisket & Rice, an Asian-influenced restaurant in a far-west Houston gas station; J-Bar-M, the massive barbecue temple in EaDo; Montgomery’s Bar-A-BBQ; and Rosemeyer Bar-B–Q, a food truck in Spring.

Vaughn praises Brisket & Rice for its namesake, wok-fired rice dishes as well as house-made beef links. J-Bar-M earns praise for sides such as tomato salad and cauliflower au gratin. Both Bar-A-BBQ and Rosemeyer also receive recognition for their sausage-making skills.

The Metroplex representatives start with Arlington’s Ethiopian-influenced Smoke ‘N Ash and Dallas’s Douglas Bar and Grill, which operates as a steakhouse in the evenings. From there, Vaughn, a Dallas resident, dives into the suburbs, shouting out North Texas Smoke BBQ (Decatur), Heritage Butchery & Barbecue (Denison), Pit Commander BBQ (Van Alstyne). Hill City Chophouse (Tolar), and B4 Barbecue and Boba (Mabank).

Austin starts with Egyptian-influenced KG BBQ; Briscuits, a food truck that serves its barbecue on a biscuit; and Lockart’s Barbs B Q, the female-owned restaurant that recently starred on the New York Times’s list of The 20 Best Texas Barbecue Restaurants From the New Generation. The Texas Monthly list also includes Austin restaurant Mum Foods Smokehouse & Delicatessen and Rossler’s Blue Cord Barbecue, which is located in the small town of Harker Heights near Killeen.

Barbs B Q isn’t the only overlap between Texas Monthly and the Times. Brisket & Rice and Smoke N Ash also bask in both spotlights.

Photo courtesy of Hotel Emma

Hotel Emma's new executive chef looks forward to a paternal era at the helm

Kitchen Culture

The pandemic brought hardship to nearly everyone, and very high on that list were parents and young teens who lived far apart. Chef Ned Elliott, who spent a decade cooking in Austin near his daughter, got a bitter taste of that dynamic on the California coast. So, only a few years after leaving, he started job searching in the Lone Star State again.

As of last week, Elliot is now the Executive Head Chef at San Antonio's historic Hotel Emma. It's certainly a different environment than Austin's Foreign and Domestic, which Elliott founded and built up to a neighborhood superstar, selling it in 2017.

With a much bigger staff — not to mention overnight service and in-room dining — Hotel Emma will put a lot more on the head chef's plate. There's a grocery store, a bar, and a restaurant to take care of, among other things. But the core job is the same.

"My goals are what they have always been," says Elliott. "I want to create a wonderful culture of caring and empathy. At the end of the day, I'm a husband and a father. Those are the things that define me."

It's a humble stance to take as the chef helms one of the most lauded hospitality institutions in the city. Hotel Emma is constantly name-dropped in travel and business publications such as Forbes, US News and World Report, and Tripadvisor. There's a lot to uphold.

And as lucky as the restaurant staff is to have such a support-obsessed leader, Elliott is also lucky a space opened up. It's only been a year since Chef Jorge Luis Hernández briefly took the reins.

"The things that I can bring to Hotel Emma and our back- and front-of-house teams is...saying, I want people to flourish in their careers," says Elliott. "How do we get the different cooks, and sous chefs, and Executive Sous, and servers, and bussers, and stewards to the next [step]?"

"I've had so many people in my career that have have helped me out, [like when] a friend's father [loaned me a] security deposit in New York — that's $4,000 — and things like that," he. "It's such a demanding career, [but] you're more than that. You're somebody's daughter or son; a brother, a sister, a parent."

Once the supportive goals are squared away, there is one kitchen centerpiece Elliott can't wait to try. The hotel's wood-fired grill feels particularly Texan after the chef realized there aren't many in use outside of the state. (Tall cities, for example, will not install a vent that goes up 15 stories, he explains.)

Chef Ned Elliott Hotel Emma

Photo courtesy of Hotel Emma

Chef Ned Elliott moved back to Texas to be close to his daughter, and isn't losing sight of that in the kitchen.

Chefs in this San Antonio kitchen, however, can cook over embers, use a plancha, and soak up all the flavorful smoke that makes Texas cooking unique. Elliott did not mention any upcoming changes to menus or culinary direction, so for now it sounds like business as usual.

"I think that we have a really, really wonderful opportunity to bring back the glory years of hotel Emma," he concludes.

More information about the culinary program at Hotel Emma can be found at thehotelemma.com.

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Online home searching platform Compass buys top San Antonio-based brokerage

real estate news

National residential real estate agency Compass has acquired Realty Austin and Realty San Antonio, in a move that will expand its position as the leading national firm and its growth in Texas by more than 600 agents.

Although the sale price was not disclosed in Compass' announcement, the local brokerages completed $5.24 billion sales just in 2022 alone.

Compass added that the Austin and San Antonio leadership will have direct oversight of daily operations as part of the terms of the acquisition. Realty Austin and Realty San Antonio co-founder Yvette Flores maintains that she and her leadership team will strive for a "seamless transition" into the national firm that respects the home-grown culture they have created.

Realty Austin was founded in 2004 by Flores and Jonathan Boatwright, and has grown through the years to become one of the most innovative brokerages in Central Texas and beyond. The company expanded its operations to San Antonio in 2021.

Realty Austin and Realty San Antonio CEO Gabe Richter said in the release that Compass' leading-edge technology will help his agents foster greater successes, particularly in one blossoming San Antonio category: luxury real estate.

"Our agents have consistently set records with remarkable achievements," Richter said in the release. "Now, by aligning with Compass, they gain access to a transformative technology platform that enhances efficiency and elevated resources that empower them to secure even more luxury listings."

Compass was founded in 2012 as the largest real estate brokerage in the U.S., and preserves its stronghold as the No. 1 brokerage in Texas thanks to its milestone acquisition. The national brokerage has already surpassed $10 billion in sales in Texas in 2023, according to the release.

“With this acquisition, we've positioned ourselves as Austin's leading brokerage — our commitment to setting new standards and inspiring innovation for all our exceptional agents remains the top priority while honoring what Realty Austin and Realty San Antonio has built," said Compass Texas President Rachel Hocevar.

Fantastic visuals and original story make The Creator a must-see sci-fi film

Movie Review

In the relatively risk-averse world that is modern Hollywood, getting an original story is a rarity. The vast majority of potentially blockbuster movies these days are ones that have a connection to some kind of existing intellectual property that already has a well-established track record. So anytime something interesting arrives that’s not a sequel/reboot/remake/commercial for a product, it deserves to be celebrated.

And that goes double when it’s done as well as the new sci-fi film, The Creator. The film is set in a post-apocalyptic world in 2065, 30 years after a sentient artificial intelligence detonated a nuclear bomb in Los Angeles. Joshua (John David Washington) is an American soldier who for years worked undercover alongside A.I.-enhanced robots, many of which are fitted with clones of human faces, to try to find their reclusive leader, Nirmata, in a part of the world now called New Asia.

A personal tragedy sends him into exile, but he’s recruited back into service by Colonel Howell (Allison Janney) to seek out and destroy a weapon that may turn the tide in the war for good. Turns out the weapon is a robot in the form of a child (Madeleine Yuna Voyles), and when Joshua discovers that fact, he finds it impossible to carry out the mission. Instead, he does everything he can to protect the girl he calls Alphie, with the military hot on his tail all the while.

Written and directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One) and co-written by Chris Weitz, the film is astonishing in a number of ways, but mostly for its ability to draw the viewer in visually. The CGI is amazingly believable, making it easy to immerse yourself in the storytelling. From a foreboding super-weapon in the sky called NOMAD to the futuristic landscapes to the whirring metal cylinders that appear to be the brains of the robots, the film is full of fantastic details that make it a feast for the eyes.

The concept of A.I. is increasingly being used as a storytelling tool, and here the filmmakers seem to try to play both sides of the fence. Many people in the film fear its capabilities, especially given the nuclear event. But by literally putting human faces on many of the robots, it becomes more difficult to see them as pure evil, a dilemma that’s at the core of the problem for both Joshua and the audience.

Washington, who’s fast becoming as reliably good as his father, Denzel, is the star of the film, and he does a great job in that role. But stealing the show every second she’s on screen is Voyles, who delivers a debut performance the likes of which hasn’t been seen in many years. She is utterly convincing and heartbreaking as Alphie; while the story may have worked with a lesser actor, she helps take it to completely different level.

Also putting in great work are Janney, who proves herself as badass and fearsome a military leader as any man; Mark Menchaca as her No. 2; Ken Watanabe as an A.I. robot; singer-turned-actor Sturgill Simpson as a friend of Joshua; and Gemma Chan, redeeming herself after the misfire of Eternals.

John David Washington in The Creator
Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios

John David Washington in The Creator.

The Creator could’ve earned praise simply by giving us an original sci-fi story. But by accompanying it with awe-inspiring imagery and performances that elevate the story immeasurably, Edwards and his team have made a film that will likely be remembered for years to come.

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The Creator opens in theaters on September 29.

Here are the top 7 things to do in San Antonio this weekend

Weekend Event Guide

Entertainment is the name of the game for the days ahead, and this list of happenings is proof. Catch Becky G or Alejandro Fernández live in concert, or sample some of the best beers around at Flying Saucer’s inaugural BeerFest. Check out the top seven things to do in San Antonio this weekend. For a complete list of events, please visit our calendar.

Friday, September 29

San Antonio Parks Foundation presents the 40th Annual Jazz’SAlive
Jazz’SAlive, San Antonio’s official jazz festival and one of the largest festivals of its kind in the country, is back for another year of music at Civic Park at Hemisfair. The two-day event will feature a lineup of jazz talent including Kirk Whalum, Jackie Venson, Dirty River Jazz Band, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, and the Aaron Prado Sextet featuring Azul Barrientos across two stages. For a schedule of events and more details, go to saparks.org.

Majestic Theatre presents Becky G in concert
Latin music sensation Becky G comes to San Antonio for a live concert. The California-based artist is best known for hit songs such as "Mamiii" and "Bubalu" performs at Majestic Theatre in support of her 2022 album, Esquemas. Get more details on Ticketmaster.

13th Floor Haunted House
Test your mettle at this year’s 13th Floor Haunted House San Antonio experience. Guests can choose between two separate haunted attractions — The Deadlands and the Rot Shop — to explore. Cocktails will be available onsite at the Copper Tavern for guests who prefer a frighteningly good drink. Check out 13thfloorsanantonio.com for more information. The haunted house is open through November 4.

Saturday, September 30

Flying Saucer Draught Emporium presents BeerFeast
The first-ever BeerFeast at Flying Saucer Draught Emporium invites guests to celebrate all things brewed for one day only. Tickets include samples from a curated selection of 80 local, national, and international breweries in commemorative BeerFeast taster cups for attendees to take home. Special tasting cards will also be available as souvenir swag. To purchase tickets, learn about VIP experience offerings, and more, go to beerknurd.com.

Tobin Center presents OktobinFest
Local entertainment takes the stage at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts in homage to the rich cultural background of Texas. Festival programming includes several live performances from Grupo TanTan, Conjunto Heritage Taller, El Tallercito de Ballet Folklorico, and others. This event is suitable for guests of all ages. Go to tobincenter.org for more information.

AT&T Center presents Alejandro Fernández in concert
Mexican singer Alejandro Fernández brings his Amor y Patria U.S. Tour to San Antonio’s AT&T Center for a live show. The multi-Grammy-winning artist, widely known as “El Potrillo,” is the voice behind songs such as “Hoy Tengo Ganas De Ti” and “Caballero.” Find more information on Ticketmaster.

Sunday, October 1

Majestic Theatre presents "Russell Peters: Act Your Age World Tour"
Comedian Russell Peters performs live as part of his Act Your Age world tour at Majestic Theatre. He’s been recognized by Rolling Stone among the magazin'e's "50 Best Comics of All Time" and for his specials on Showtime and Comedy Central. Guests can expect a humorous evening of Peters’ musings and takes on the current state of the world fully uncensored. Get ticket details on majesticempire.com.

Flying Saucer Draught Emporium presents BeerFeast
Photo by Andrews Cope

Flying Saucer Draught Emporium presents BeerFeast on September 30.