13 things to look forward to in San Antonio now that we’ve made it to September

SAN ANTONIO – Let’s be real, 2020 has been a bit of a mess in a lot of ways but now that it’s September there are some things to look forward to.

San Antonio residents, in particular, have several things to be happy about this fall.

Here’s a list of some of the things we are looking forward to:

1. Cooler Weather - San Antonio’s had some blistering hot days this summer but it’s not going to stay that way. “Usually, on average, San Antonio’s high temp drops from 94 at the beginning of the month to 86 by Sept 30. Morning lows go from a muggy 73° to a comfortable 65°. One of the reasons for this is we often have our first cool front of the season, which on average happens by the end of September,” said KSAT meteorologist Sarah Spivey. Click here for the current forecast.
2. Pumpkin Spice - It might not be everyone’s top flavor but pumpkin spice people love their fall favorite. Dunkin’ brought back pumpkin spice lattes to the menu earlier than ever before and Starbucks stores are currently selling the fan-favorite drink as well.
3. Halloween - The start of September means we’re only 60 days away from Halloween on Oct. 31. The annual holiday past-time might look a little different this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic but masks are already a common Halloween costume accessory, so we’ve got that going for us.
4. Dia de Muertos - This holiday honors deceased loved ones and has roots in the indigenous cultures of Mexico and the Catholic faith. It’s celebrated from Oct. 31 through Nov. 2. KSAT will be announcing a Day of the Dead special that will air in Prime Time. By the way, if you want to know more about Dia de Muertos - click here.
5. Leaves changing - We’re not exactly New England, but there are places within driving distances of San Antonio that offer spectacular foliage when the leaves change including Marble Falls in Burnet County. Here are some photos of years past that show postcard-worthy views at Texas state parks in the fall.
6. Pumpkin patches - Pumpkin patches are a fall tradition that make for great social distancing and family outings. They usually pop up around San Antonio towards the middle to end of September and stay through the end of October. Fun fact - the heaviest pumpkin on record weighed 2,624.6 pounds was grown by Mathias Willemijns in October 2016, according to Guinness World Records.
7. Holiday decorating - Sept. 1 is a cue for some die-hard Halloween fans to start decorating. Others start gearing up for Thanksgiving in October and we all know someone who puts up their Christmas tree before Thanksgiving. Speaking of, when is the right time to put up a tree and take it down?
8. Fires - From candles to backyard bonfires there is always something to burn around the holidays. Not all San Antonio homes come standard with fireplaces due to the majority of the year being relatively warm but chimineas and fire pits are a backyard staple in Texas.
9. Soup - San Antonio favorites like caldo de res and fideo make a comeback around the fall season. And if you’ve been stuck inside due to quarantine you might have some new soup recipes to try out.
10. Tamales - Bill Miller Bar B Q rolled out this holiday favorite in August but as the weather gets cooler, tamale season kicks into high gear and we 👏 are 👏 excited.👏
11. Thanksgiving - This year Thanksgiving falls on Nov. 26. The national holiday is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in November. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is still on, according to the retailer. More details about the parade are forthcoming. Also, pie. 🥧
12. Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza - No matter what religion, if any, you are a part of it’s hard to deny something about the holiday season in December feels magical. From movies to hot chocolate to lights - there’s nothing quite like it.
13. The end of 2020 - There’s not much explanation needed for this one.

Tell us in the comments, what are you most looking forward to in the months ahead?