Luminaria set to shine brightly downtown in November

Luminaria is less than a month away, and a recent announcement told San Antonians what to expect.

Because this is San Antonio it wasn’t just a press conference. There was a flamenco song sung by Chayito Champion.

Then two members of Pi?ata Protest stepped up and played a song on an accordion and a jarana. Then poet Eddie Vega stepped up to the mic and performed a poem.

It was all to cast the spotlight on Luminaria, San Antonio’s yearly nighttime celebration of the arts.

“So we invite you to the Luminaria C ontemporary Arts Festival 2022, Saturday, Nov. 19, from six to midnight,” said Executive Director Yadhira Lozano.

Luminaria has been staged all over downtown and on the East Side in various places. This year, its footprint will run from Travis Park to the Tobin Center area.

Keli Rosa Cabunoc Romero and Alvaro Del Norte

“It’s just a beautiful, welcoming space,” Lozano said. “If you’ve been to the Tobin at night, you go down to the River Walk — it’s magic. And we’re going to enhance that, just a little bit, that evening.”

Luminaria celebrates the music, dance, visual and performing artists of the city and beyond. Lozano said there will be no shortage of live music.

“Plenty, plenty, plenty of music! I’ve got four stages,” she said. “We have a stage here at the Tobin, which is a little more of our intimate sets. Then we have what we call the loud stage over by Travis Park.”

Jack Morgan

/

Eddie Vega and Chayito Champion

Lozano recommends taking VIA to get there, but she said nearby parking garages are plentiful as well.

“So this space is going to be filled, and we’re all come together to help each other unite under the umbrella of all of the arts.”

Talking about it is all well and good, but she said being there beats all. “You just have to come and experience it,” she said.