Celebrate San Antonio's Tricentennial All Year with 12 Months of Festivals & Events

January through December, the Alamo City offers visitors and locals a diverse array of entertainment options. From music festivals to cultural and culinary events, San Antonio always has a reason to celebrate, especially this year as the city commemorates its special tricentennial anniversary.

Throughout the year, visitors will celebrate long-standing festivals, such as the beloved San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, and brand new events, such as the Botánica Music and Arts Festival, colorful Día de los Muertos observances, and live music performances in genres ranging from jazz and hip hop to symphonic and electronic dance music.

Here is a month-by-month list of some of the top festivals and celebrations planned for 2018:

JANUARY

San Antonio Coffee Festival (Jan. 6): Every year, coffee lovers get their fix and start off with a buzz at the city’s annual San Antonio Coffee Festival. Local coffee artisans roast and brew 80+ delicious coffees at this popular event which also features gourmet food and live music.

San Antonio Cocktail Conference (Jan. 10 - 14): The Alamo City recently kicked off the year with its annual San Antonio Cocktail Conference this past weekend. One-of-a-kind in Texas and nationally acclaimed, this festival brings together top bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts for educational seminars, guided tastings, and cocktail parties.

FEBRUARY

San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo (Feb. 8 - 25): Also known as San Antonio Livestock Exposition, Inc. (S.A.L.E.), the Rodeo has grown into one of the largest, most prestigious single events in the city of San Antonio with over two million visitors entering the grounds each year. Following an action-packed PRCA Rodeo, guests can catch epic entertainment with top-of-the-charts country music, classic rock music, comedy, and more.

MARCH

Botanica Music and Arts Festival (March 3): 2018 will mark the first annual Botánica Music and Arts Festival. Featured musical acts include Logic, Deftones, and Alessia Cara, with more than 20 performers overall. The festival will call Six Flags Fiesta Texas home and festival attendees will have access to all of the park’s rides and attractions, including the debut of the new Wonder Woman Golden Lasso roller coaster.

Contemporary Art Month

March is Contemporary Art Month (CAM) in San Antonio—the nation's only annual, month-long, citywide celebration of the contemporary arts. CAM showcases San Antonio’s diverse and flourishing arts community with over 400 exhibitions at more than 50 venues throughout the city.

APRIL

Viva Hemisfair! (April 6 - 8): A three-phase renovation project will enhance the downtown San Antonio experience by bringing additional open park space, activities, restaurants, and more to Hemisfair Park, the home of the 1968 World’s Fair. This year’s Viva Hemisfair event will mark 50 years to the day since the grand opening of the 1968 World’s Fair. For three days, the district will be filled with cultural zones, music performances, public art, historical exhibits, and throwbacks to the 1968 Fair.

Fiesta San Antonio (April 19 - 29): April is host to one of the most popular festivals in the Alamo City, when the streets of San Antonio come to life through music, confetti, and fun for Fiesta. Fiesta is one of the nation’s premier festivals, and over 3.5 million people attend the 11-day celebration with more than 100 events. The 127-year-old festival has grown into a celebration of San Antonio’s rich and diverse cultures with parades, carnivals, balls, art fairs, concerts, and more.

MAY

Tejano Conjunto Festival (May 16 - 20): The annual Tejano Conjunto Festival is the oldest - 37 this year! - and largest of its kind in the nation. A celebration of San Antonio’s rich Tejano culture with tens of thousands of multigenerational conjunto lovers each year, the festival brings together musicians and dancers from all over Texas – and the world – to enjoy five days of cumbia, polka, boleros, and more.

Culinaria Festival (May 17 - 20): Culinaria Festival is San Antonio’s signature food and wine festival, showcasing the city’s finest restaurants and chefs as it celebrates San Antonio as a premier food and beverage destination. Events range, with winemaker dinners, cultural cocktails, and wine seminars. Featured wines include labels from more than 50 wineries throughout the Texas Hill Country.

Tricentennial Commemorative Week (May 1 - 6): The joy and pride of San Antonio will vividly come to life during Tricentennial Commemorative Week. Six days will be filled solid with educational, artistic, and entertaining events that showcase the collective essence of San Antonio. One of many FOMO-inducing events will be an only-in-San Antonio simultaneous fiesta across four of the UNESCO World Heritage Site missions that will be topped off with a linear fireworks extravaganza.

JUNE

Texas Folklife Festival (June 8 -10): This three-day annual event brings more than 40 ethnic groups together in one place to showcase their authentic food (150 dishes), great music (65 bands), colorful dance (50 folk dance groups), and authentic crafts (50 craft demonstrators and 50 craft vendors)—all of which make Texas the unique place to live and visit it is.

JULY

Balcones Heights Jazz Festival (July 6, 13, 20, and 27): For more than two decades, the Balcones Heights Jazz Festival has been a summer highlight captivating jazz aficionados from across Texas with a free, stellar lineup of renowned jazz stars from across the country.

Dorcol’s Helado Borracho Competition (2018 dates TBA): Dorćol Distilling Co. will host the annual ice cream competition featuring boozy ice cream creations. Along with frozen treats, attendees will enjoy cocktails, music, and food trucks.

AUGUST

Restaurant Week: Some of the city’s most time-honored restaurants, along with some of the most buzzworthy newcomers, take part in Restaurant Week, held in both January and August when prix-fixe menus offer the ideal opportunity to savor San Antonio’s diverse culinary scene.

SEPTEMBER

World Heritage Festival (2018 date TBD): The World Heritage Festival is an annual collaborative event to celebrate and promote San Antonio’s Missions, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The five-day celebration takes place throughout the five San Antonio Missions and surrounding areas and showcases work by local artists. Visitors can enjoy gourmet food, an organized bike tour, live music, and more.

OCTOBER

San Antonio Beer Festival (Oct. 20): The San Antonio Beer Festival, founded in 2005, is San Antonio’s original beer fest, pouring 450+ premium and craft beers from 150+ breweries from around the world.

Mala Luna (2018 date TBA): This two-day hip hop and electronic dance music (EDM) festival combines national headlining music performers with homegrown musicians, artists, and merchants for an exciting cultural experience.

NOVEMBER

Dia de los Muertos (city-wide): From art shows and lively processions to kids workshops and music festivals, San Antonio celebrates the Day of the Dead with major events for everyone throughout the city. It’s the nation’s premier spot to celebrate this popular holiday!

Ford Holiday River Parade (Nov. 23): Ring in the holidays with this iconic night parade filled with lights, costumed float riders and music. The celebration kicks-off the holiday lights on the River Walk. The 2018 theme will be announced in July.

DECEMBER

Ford Fiesta de los Luminarias (2018 dates TBA): Experience the holiday serenity of the River Walk as you stroll along the lush banks of the San Antonio River guided by more than 2,000 Luminarias at night.

Visit San Antonio is a 501(c)(6) that serves as the sales and marketing arm of San Antonio, a leading leisure and meetings destination. San Antonio welcomes 20.9 million overnight leisure visitors annually. Hospitality is one of the top five industries in the city, contributing $13.6 billion to the local economy and employing more than 130,000. More information about Visit San Antonio can be found at visitsanantonio.com.

Photo credit: Stuart Dee