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San Antonio's Hemisfair expects more fun and great food coming in 2023

4 million and counting

This past holiday season, San Antonio's Hemisfair area welcomed 4 million visitors to Yanaguana Garden since opening the public playground and meeting area in 2015. And in exciting news for the year ahead, more amenities and events are expected to open the coming months.

According to a press release, 2023 holds plenty of arrivals at Hemisfair in the form of new restaurants, new additions to Yanaguana Garden, more special activities, and the opening of Civic Park Phase I. Hemisfair officials shared news of four more restaurants coming to the redeveloping public park area: Kunstler Tap and Brat-Haus, Bombay Bicycle Club, The Jerk Shack, and Kusch Fair.

Kunstler Tap and Brat-Haus comes from the owners of Kunstler Brewing Co. in the Lone Star neighborhood. Bombay Bicycle Club is developed by the owners of the same popular Brackenridge Park-area eatery. The Jerk Shack (one of our 2022 Tastemakers) is created by the owners of a renowned far west side Caribbean restaurant. Kusch Faire is the newest concept by those responsible for DASHI Sichuan Kitchen + Bar.

Each new restaurant will restore and occupy a 19th century home within Hemisfair, adding even more diverse culinary options to reflect the global optimism exhibited at the 1968 World’s Fair — the original reason for Hemisfair’s rebirth.

“It’s important for us to welcome a diverse group of tenants because that's who our city is,” Hemisfair CEO Andres Andujar said in the release.

Hemisfair officials also plan to expand Yanaguana Garden’s playground area by starting construction this month on a toddler play area on the Bank of America Promenade near The Box Street Social. With five climbable vignettes that mimic a garden atop the existing squishy play surface, the toddler play area is slated to open in early spring.

Hemisfair Conservancy Executive Director Anne Krause said individual donors and major gifts from an anonymous foundation and the Jeanie Rabke Wyatt Family Foundation made possible development of the toddler play area. Philanthropic contributions backed public and private funding to build Civic Park Phase I, including a seven-figure gift from the Mays Family Foundation for the Peggy Mays Gardens, which will open to the public in 2023.

“We take 'Hemisfair is for all' very seriously here and this space helps us achieve that notion,” Krause said.

Additionally, Hemisfair will continue to play host to some of major cultural gatherings, such as Muertos Fest, Diwali, and Lymphoma Leukemia Light the Night, and Celebrate SA — as well as the weekly story time and the monthly Super Fun Saturday.

Hemisfair officials said the opening of the first phase of Civic Park this fall will accommodate a larger number of significant events. Located along Market Street and supported with $27 million in city of San Antonio bond proceeds, Civic Park Phase I will encompass five acres of public parkland, including a shaded promenade, “the springs” water features and a great lawn for large events for up to 15,000 people in concert mode.

Andujar said Hemisfair’s Civic Park will help boost San Antonio’s portfolio of public gathering spaces with the creation of a space worthy of luring thousands of residents and visitors to enjoy a variety of happenings. A second phase of Civic Park, including the grand Source Plaza entrance adjacent to the Torch of Friendship, and a zocalo with a built-in terrace for community performances, is estimated for completion in late 2024.

“It’s very rare that urban downtowns receive this significant of a park and gathering setting after the city has been well-established,” Andujar said.

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Official Texas Fashion Week sashays into San Antonio with top emerging designers

BURSTING AT THE SEAMS

Few among us have the clout to sidle up to Anna Wintour on Loewe’s front row, but one doesn’t need the ear of the legendary editor-in-chief to gain fashion inspiration. As Paris Fashion Week winds down in October, the locally hosted Texas Fashion Week is just kicking off.

The annual affair — the official fashion week of the state’s emerging fashion industry — strutted into San Antonio on October 1 and will inspire through October 7 with a full slate of runway shows, educational programs, and glamorous celebrations. A collaboration between the state nonprofit Texas Fashion Industry Initiative and the Council of Fashion Designers of America, the event aims to give promising designers a chance to showcase their ideas.

KLRN’s TV studios at 501 Broadway will be the epicenter of four days of presentations highlighting inspiring new collections. The shows kicked off with a college night featuring Lillian Jenae Designs, Brøc, and Aubrey Frey Apparel, labels created by Texas university students.

“Texas Fashion Week aims to provide a platform for emerging designers to showcase their innovative designs, including students,” said Texas Fashion Industry Initiative Vice President Saige Thomas in a release. “Fashion students deserve a chance to stage their work as well, without the standard financial limitations holding them back.”

In addition to soaking in wardrobe inspiration, local fashionistas can enjoy fashion and beauty panels, a high school sustainability competition, exhibitions, and networking opportunities. An educational program on October 2 covers topics such as branding and drag.

The jam-packed days lead up to the Texas Fashion Industry Awards at the Tobin Center on October 6. A curated brunch at Kiki’s Coffee on October 7 gives gala guests one last chance to congratulate the winners.

The full schedule of events can be found at texasfashionindustry.org. A limited number of all-access and single-day passes are still available.

Comedian Chris Tucker returns to road after a decade with a stop in San Antonio

Comedy Comeback News

Comedian Chris Tucker will make San Antonio's Majestic Theatre one of the stops on his first major tour in North America since 2011, performing at the venue on Thursday, November 2.

The 33-city" Legend" Tour 2023 will kick off in Charleston, South Carolina on September 8, continuing through January 12.

This new date in San Antonio was added due to high demand, as well as a second date in Houston (November 4-5). Tucker will also perform in Irving on November 1.

"I started my career doing stand-up in comedy clubs and it's stand-up comedy that prepared me for all of my movie roles," said Tucker in a statement. "I'm looking forward to getting back to my roots. I love performing live, there's nothing like the energy of a live crowd and making people laugh."

Tucker’s career began in the early 1990s when he became a favorite on Russell Simmons’ HBO Def Comedy Jam. He is best known for his role in the Rush Hour action-comedy film franchise, as well as Friday and The Fifth Element.

He's been in only a few films since the Rush Hour series ended, but recently had a prominent role opposite Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Viola Davis in Air.

Tickets will be available on Tuesday, October 3, at 10 am on Ticketmaster.

THE LEGEND TOUR DATES (*new show):

  • Fri Sep 08 – North Charleston, SC – North Charleston Performing Arts Center
  • Sun Sep 10 – Norfolk, VA – Chrysler Hall
  • Wed Sep 20 – Louisville, KY – The Louisville Palace
  • Fri Sep 22 – Memphis, TN – The Orpheum Theatre Memphis
  • Sun Sep 24 – Durham, NC – DPAC
  • Sat Sep 30 – Oakland, CA – Paramount Theatre-Oakland
  • Tue Oct 03 – Denver, CO – Paramount Theatre
  • Wed Oct 04 – Inglewood, CA – YouTube Theater
  • Thu Oct 05 – Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
  • Sat Oct 07 – Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Pantages Theatre
  • Tue Oct 10 – Columbus, OH – Palace Theatre Columbus
  • Wed Oct 11 – Cincinnati, OH – Aronoff Center
  • Thu Oct 12 – Cleveland, OH – State Theatre at Playhouse Square
  • Wed Oct 18 – Philadelphia, PA – The Met Philadelphia
  • Thu Oct 19 – Pittsburgh, PA – Benedum Center
  • Sun Oct 22 – Baltimore, MD – Hippodrome at France-Merrick Performing Arts
  • Thu Oct 26 – Nashville, TN – Ryman Auditorium
  • Wed Nov 01 – Irving, TX – The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory
  • Thur Nov 02 — San Antonio, TX — Majestic Theatre*
  • Sat Nov 04 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center
  • Sat Nov 05 – Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center*
  • Tue Nov 07 – Oklahoma City, OK – Criterion Theater
  • Wed Nov 08 – Kansas City, MO – Music Hall Kansas City
  • Tue Nov 14 – Jacksonville, FL – Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts - Moran Theater
  • Wed Nov 15 – Orlando, FL – Dr Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
  • Fri Nov 17 – New York, NY – Beacon Theatre
  • Sat Nov 18 — New York, NY — Beacon Theatre*
  • Wed Nov 29 – Chicago, IL – The Chicago Theatre
  • Sat Dec 02 – Indianapolis, IN – Murat Theatre at Old National Centre
  • Mon Dec 04 – St. Louis, MO – Stifel Theatre
  • Thu Dec 07 – Washington, DC – The Anthem
  • Tue Jan 09 – Toronto, ON – Meridian Hall
  • Fri Jan 12 – Detroit, MI – Fox Theatre

Hopdoddy mooves toward regenerative meats, nixing plant-based substitutes

86 the Beyond Patties

Hearty Central Texas-based chain Hopdoddy Burger Bar has unveiled a new lineup of regenerative burgers that are supposed to be better for the planet and the consumer.

The term ‘regenerative burger’ could cause a few head-scratches: Some may think of lab-grown or 3D-printed meat, while others think of plant-based alternatives but it’s neither. It is grass-fed meat, sourced a bit differently. "Regenerative farming" is a term used to describe farming and grazing practices that claim to restore and rebuild degraded soil, resulting in better-quality air and water.

Hopdoddy’s vice president of culinary Matt Schweitzer explained that it all began with with a sense of obligation to do better as a brand for the consumers and the ecosystem.

“We felt like we could really take a stand and look to move our entire supply chain in a regenerative fashion, so we could really be proud of the work we’ve done and we could hopefully leave the animals, the farmers, the ranchers, the native grasslands, and our planet a better place than before we started,” says Schweitzer.

The new menu items include the "Roosevelt Burger" with grass-fed regenerative bison; the "Nashville Hot Sandwich" with regenerative raised chicken; the "Regenerative Royale," which is a play on a classic double quarter-pounder with cheese; the "Mother Nature" with grass-fed regenerative beef; and the "Buffalo Bill" also uses regenerative bison, but appears not to be grass-fed.

The five burgers are available at all Hopdoddy locations nationwide. The beef and bison are sourced from Texas-based regenerative company Force of Nature, while the chicken is from Cooks Venture.

With this launch, Hopdoddy removes all plant-based meat substitutes from its menu, significantly reducing the options for vegans and vegetarians. The company felt the ingredients and ethos of the alternative meats — describing some such as Beyond Meats as "falsely advertised" regarding nutrition in a press release — no longer aligned with its values and mission. However, the house-made veggie patty remains on the signature "El Bandito" burger.

Schweitzer says the regenerative burgers have received positive feedback, as people are excited to know where their food comes from, how it gets to their table, and what type of impact it causes. Regarding the future of regenerative meat, he says there is no doubt it could become mainstream soon.

“I think the flavor profile, the eating experience, the story, the mission, the purpose, really speaks for itself," says Schweitzer. "So, I really think it’s a matter of time until 'regenerative' is talked about in the same way that 'organic,' or 'sustainable,' or those type of buzzwords are talked about."

To further show its commitment to regenerative agriculture, Hopdoddy is also one of the sponsors of Common Ground, a documentary about the pioneers of the regenerative movement, premiering October 4 in Austin. The "uplifting" film, according to a release, features well-known actors Laura Dern, Rosario Dawson, Jason Momoa, Woody Harrelson, Ian Somerhalder, and Donald Glover, emphasizing that this motley crew does share one thing in common: a strong belief in regenerative agriculture.

For more information about the new regenerative burgers, visit hopdoddy.com.

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