June marks the one-year anniversary of the Things To Do newsletter but instead of celebrating, in light of recent events, I think it’s a good time for reflection.
I debated on whether this newsletter should even be published this month but everyone deals with grief in different ways and for some people, it might benefit them to do something to take their mind off the recent tragedy in Uvalde.
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Before I get to the list of things to do, I want to direct you to an article that highlights ways you can help the victims and families of the Uvalde massacre. Many people are not in a position to donate money, and that’s perfectly ok. Whether you donate money, donate blood or send prayers and thoughts of encouragement, please know that there are also mental health resources available if you need help.
For anyone who needs some fresh air or wants to make plans so they have something to look forward to, I’ve curated a list of things going on around town.
Please note — there will likely be many celebrations for Juneteenth and Pride, which both fall in June. I have included links to a few events but there are countless more and too many to list in the newsletter.
Here’s a list of some of the events coming up in June:
Power of Poison - A new exhibit called “The Power of Poison” is now open at the Witte Museum. Visitors will be able to explore poison’s role in nature, legend and human health with interactive tools like an enchanted book.
Kings of Crawfish Festival - This is the inaugural festival for the Kings of Crawfish. The crawfish will be served up at Raymond Russel Park in San Antonio from 1 - 7 p.m. on June 4. There will be bounce houses and several DJs for entertainment.
Glass Animals - Popular indie rock band Glass Animals will be performing at the Freeman Coliseum on June 5. Tickets are still on sale.
Trader’s Village Sunflower Field - A 10-acre sunflower field is set to open at Trader’s Village on June 10. It is expected to be open through July 3 but since flowers are finicky — those dates could vary slightly.
Blanco Lavender Festival - Enjoy live music, food vendors and more at the Blanco Lavender Festival, which will take place June 10-12. Hill Country Lavender will be open for visitors to enjoy during the festival.
Stockdale Watermelon Jubilee - The Stockdale Watermelon Jubilee will take place from June 16-18. There will be concerts, a small ranch rodeo, car show and a parade throughout the celebration.
Stonewall Peach JAMboree - Head to Stonewall, just over an hour north of downtown San Antonio, for the Peach JAMboree, which takes place June 16-18. There will be a parade, baking contest, food vendors and more at this family-friendly event.
Pride Bar Crawl - A Pride Bar Crawl will take place June 18. Tickets include drink vouchers and access to exclusive specials. Cover at all venues is also waived. Check-in will be from 4-6 p.m. at Pat O’Briens.
Juneteenth Family Festival - This family-friendly event will celebrate the emancipation of African Americans in Texas. The Juneteenth Family Festival will have a carnival, foot vendors and music. The celebration will take place June 18 at Real Life Amphitheater in Selma.
Bud Light Pride River Parade - This year, Pride is hitting the San Antonio River to “promote the city’s inclusion, encouragement and support of the LGBTQ+ community to live openly with equal rights.” The first-ever Bud Light Pride River Parade will take place on June 18.
Juneteenth Festival - There will be a free Juneteenth Festival June 17-19 at Comanche Park #2, located at 2600 Rigsby Avenue. There will be music, food vendors and gospels form Mama Dee and Gary Givens.
Luling Watermelon Thump - June 23-26 you can take a short trip out of San Antonio to the Luling Watermelon Thump. There will be live music, vendor markets and entertainment for the whole family.
San Antonio MiniFest - There will be a music minifest at Paper Tiger on June 24. Bridging The Music will host the evening of music, art and community in a festival-style atmosphere.
S.A. Super Fest Concert/Car Show - This is the 3rd annual car and truck show for SA Super Fest. Z-Ro, Lil Keke, Kram and Kirko Bangz are set to perform. Festival tickets are on sale now. The event takes place June 25.
Bigger Than Texas Pride Celebration - The opening ceremony for San Antonio’s official Pride celebration will take place at 11 a.m. on June 25 at Crockett Park. The festival will take place for the rest of the day, ending with the Pride Bigger Than Texas Parade at 9 .m.
Mimosa Fest - Paper Tiger is hosting Mimosa Fest on June 26. Tickets are required for the event, which will feature food and a live DJ in addition to mimosas.
Mental Health Hikes
With the world feeling particularly heavy these days, a nature hike might be a good idea.
AllTrails.com rounded up a list of some of the top trails to promote mental health in the San Antonio area.
Here are 10 trails to explore in the San Antonio area that are great for mental health:
- Bosque, Vern Del, Juniper Ridge and Main Trails Loop - This 2.6-mile loop trail is located within Friedrich Wilderness Park near I-10 and Loop 1604 on the city’s Northwest Side and takes an average of one hour and 17 minutes to complete. This trail does not allow dogs and is subject to weather closures.
- Cedar Flats Trail - This partially paved trail is 1.9-miles long and takes just under an hour to complete. It’s located within Eisenhower Park on the far North Side of San Antonio and is dog-friendly.
- Crownridge Canyon Bear Grass Trail - This 1.8-mile loop trail is located within Crownridge Canyon Park near I-10 and Camp Bullis Road. It takes an average of 50 minutes to complete and is kid-friendly.
- Government Canyon Wildcat Canyon Trail - This 5.4-mile trail takes an average 2 hours and 23 minutes to complete and is located within Government Canyon State Natural Area in Northwest San Antonio. Entry fees for the state park are $6 per person for anyone age 13 and up.
- Japanese Tea Garden - This trail is the shortest on the list at just over a quarter mile and takes an average of eight minutes to complete. It’s located within Brackenridge Park near Highway 281 and St. Mary’s Street, near the San Antonio Zoo. People suggest going during the spring and summer months to see the most foliage.
- O.P. Schnabel Park Outer Loop - This trail is 4.7-miles long and takes an average of two hours to complete. It’s located within O. P. Schnabel Park off Bandera Road on the city’s West Side. The trail is dog friendly.
- Recharge and Far Reaches Trails to Sendero Balcones Loop - This trail is 7-miles long and also located within Government Canyon State Natural Area. It takes a little over three hours to complete, on average, and entry fees are required for anyone age 13 and up.
- Salado Greenway - This 6-mile trail is located within Phil Hardberger Park near Wurzbach Parkway and Blanco Road and takes an average of two and a half hours to complete. It’s stroller-friendly and also a good option for people with wheelchairs.
- Wildcat Canyon and Far Reaches Loop Trail - This 6.8-mile loop trail is considered moderately challenging. It’s located within Government Canyon State Natural Area and takes an average of three hours to complete. Entry fees for the state park are $6 per person for anyone age 13 and up.
- Wildcat Canyon to Sendero Balcones Loop Trail - This 5.1-mile loop trail is also located within Government Canyon and takes an average of 2 hours and 18 minutes to complete. Dogs are not allowed but the trail is great for bird watching. Entry fees for the state park are $6 per person for anyone age 13 and up.
Movies
Movie theaters around San Antonio are kicking off the summer with free and discounted tickets for families. EVO, Hometown and Santikos cinemas are participating in programs locally that offer family-friendly options at discounted rates.
The Kidflix Summer Movie Clubhouse at EVO will take place over 10 weeks with $1 family films showing at 10 a.m. every Wednesday. All EVO locations are participating in the program which kicks off June 8.
Hometown Cinemas, located at 1373 E Walnut Street in Seguin, is also providing a free summer movie series for families. Showtimes will be at 10 a.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The list of movies can be found here.
Movies are free at Santikos this summer for select days and screenings. On Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 10 a.m. from June 7 through July 27, Santikos is offering free movies for guests. Palladium, Casa Blanca, Cibolo, Mayan, Embassy, Northwest, Galaxy, New Braunfels and Westlakes locations will all feature the free, family-friendly movies.
Trending
Here are some trending headlines from KSAT in the past month. I have chosen to exclude any headlines related to Uvalde in this section for the time being.
If you have any suggestions for the newsletter or have information about a local event, email me at mpatton@ksat.com.
-Mary Claire Patton, KSAT Digital Journalist