News Roundup, July 10, 2025
Summer is time for festivals, and the The 29th Cactus Pear Music Festival is about to start, under the name 29 and Counting. “The name is a nod to our longevity and to the milestone just ahead – but also to the heartbeat of camber music itself… “Sustained by years of unforgettable performances, meaningful connections and a community that keeps showing up, we are not just looking back—we’re still playing, still counting, and after all this time, we haven’t missed a beat,” said the press release.
Concerts will take place in San Antonio and Blanco over two weeks. All concerts are free but all concertgoers will need to register their attendance through the organization’s website.
In San Antonio concerts will take place at the Diane Bennack Hall at the University of the Incarnate Word, and in Blanco the concerts will take place at the Uptown Blanco Ball Room. A wide range of composers will be represented, from Achubert and Beethoven to Astor Piazzolla, Gabriela Lena Frank and John Williams. (for more info check www.cpmf.us)
And there’s another music fest coming up: The 32nd Annual Balcones Heights Jazz Festival. This free, family-friendly fest draws music lovers from across South Texas with smooth jazz under the stars at the Wonderland of the Americas Amphitheater, The city’s signature summer music event will showcase acclaimed guitarist Steve Oliver, as headliner, and renowned saxophonist Jeff Kashiva as opener. San Antonio jazz personality, David Munoz, returns as host and co-producer. (July 18 at 7:30 p.m. Jeff Kashiwa; Steve Oliver at 9 p.m. (Wonderland of the Americas Amphitheater, 4522 Fredericksburg RD., Balcones Heights TX 78201; just minutes from downtown; free and free parking. For more info go to https://bhtx.gov)
The Clark Sisters Live in Concert will perform a program of their powerful harmonies and times hits in a night of worship, celebration and legacy. (July 20 at 7 p.m. at the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, 100 Auditoriun Circle; tickets from $43.50; tickets@tobincenter.org)
Fiesta Noche del Rio: The Alamo Kiwanis presents its annual Fiesta Noche del Rio featuring music and dance at La Villita’s Arneson River Theater, downtown; performances begin at 8:30 p.m.; tickets at www.fiestanochesa.com.
Cine Festival46 is in full swing with a powerful lineup of Chicanx, Latinx and international Latin American cinema. AS the nation’s priginal and longest-running Latinx film fest, cinefestival showcases bold new voices, with a spotlight on regional and local filmmaking. The fest includes San Antonio Premieres of new feature films, short films from San Antonio, Texas and the U.S.; Youth film screenings, master classes, receptions and parties. (Every day through July 13;
(Little Carver Community Cultural Center, 226 N. Hackberry, 78202; 210-207-2234 and 210-207-2234; Cost $0-$50)
At the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, you can catch One Night of Queen musical band.
it’s a touring 2-hour stage show paying tribute to the theatrics and music of Queen. It’s all performed by Gary Mullen and “The Works,” a band headed by Freddie Mercury- imitator Gary Mullen, who had won the talent show “Stars in their Eyes” with vocal and visual imitations of Mercury. He plays guitar, keyboards, drums and synthesizer, and sings. (Aug. 2 at 7:30 p.m.; tickets@tobincenter.com)
At the Majestic Theater, you can see the iconic, multi-platinum-selling group AMERICA that celebrates an important anniversary with a series of tour dates billed as “Encore Tour 2025.” (July 19 at 7 p.m.; Majestic Theater, 224 E. Houston St.; www.majesticempire.com
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