Arts Alive San Antonio

Remember the opening of the San Pedro Creek Culture Park back in 2017? It was good news for San Antonio both for practical reasons and as a place to come for a walk, in pleasant surroundings, with original art on the cliffs. Now, all the construction is done and it’s time to celebrate. The grand finale event took place May 15, with live performances by URBAN-15’s
Dance and Drum Ensemble. It was a celebration of nature and the forces of water, light, sound and wildlife on the creek. The event featured 15 URBAN-15 dancers in flowing costumes and 9 percussionists who performed an original work, composed for the occasion.
Art installations are all around, throughout the park. (Camp St.,78204; free.)

An Evening with WAR at the Tobin Center. WAR, one of music’s defining and enduring soul/funk groups, was founded in Long Beach, CA, in 1962. In 1971, they launched a career with dynamic sound that fused R&B, rock, Latin music, jazz and blues. WAR has more than 20 multi-platinum, platinum and gold albums and singles. Fronted by co-founder Lonnie Jordan, the group will celebrate 50 years of top-selling album, “The World is a Ghetto” with a 50-date summer tour. (May 16 at 7:30 p.m. Tobin Center; tickets are $63-$118 at tickets@tobincenter.org)

The Children’s Ballet of San Antonio will present “The Little Mermaid” at the Majestic Theater.
According to the press release, the group has been on the vanguard of youth performing arts thanks to the training they receive at the Dance Center of San Antonio. CBSA founder and prima ballerina, Vanessa Besler, is a 10-time consecutive winner of Youth America Grand Prix’s Outstanding Teacher. (May 16 at 7 p.m. and May 17 at 2 and 7 p.m. at the Majestic Theater,
224 E. Houston St., 78205; for ticket information visit:
 www.majesticenpire.com/events/the-little-mermaid/)

If you like flamenco dancing, here’s good news for you. You can join San Antonio Parks & Recreation free flamenco dance recital at the Jo Long Theater at the Carver Center; open to all ages and no pre-registration is required. (May 22 at 7 p.m.; Carver Center, 226 N. Hackberry; for info call 210-207-5323)

In honor of Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, you are invited to join a traditional Asian dance performance- The Lion Dance. There will be a short presentation and a game, and you can take pictures with the “lion.” (May 17 at 2 p.m.; Collins Garden Branch Library, 200 N. Park, 78204; 210-207-9120 for info; contact rosa.villa@sanantonio.gov)

More dancing: The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders are touring and they will dazzle the audience at the Majestic Theater. They bring the sizzle, spirit, and signature power-kicks to the stage in a show-stopping, 100-minute spectacle for all ages.  You’ll see heart-pounding routines like the fan-favorite “Thunderstruck.” The show blends jaw-dropping choreography with inspiring stories from the women behind the uniform,” (May 25 at 7 p.m.; tickets are $24-$96; Majestic Theater; see the full calendar at www.MajesticEmpire.com)

ABBAFAB is a tribute to the music of ABBA, and music of the 70s and 80s, including “Waterloo,”
“Fernando,” “Dancing Queen” and others. (May 23 at 8 p.m. at the Majestic Theater; tickets are $58.56 – $82.96 at www.majesticempire.com/events/abbafab/)

The chamber quartet, Agarita, will perform the world premiere of “One in Four, One in Eight” by composer Katherine Pukinski, a piece that deals with infertility and pregnancy loss. (May 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Agarita Loft, 724 S. Alamo St., No.2; register at www.agarita.org)

Visual arts are strong in San Antonio. At any time, you can visit a number of show openings. One of interest is the new solo  exhibition of Raul Rene Gonzalez’s titled “Perspectives.” Presented by the Carver Center “Perspectives” consists of two new series of paintings and drawings, which focus on fatherhood, family and work. His new portraits series, “More Than A Few Good Men,” features fathers from throughout his community. Additionally, Gonzalez continues his interest in work and labor in a series of ballpoint pen drawings on repurposed tape taken from traffic barriers. (Perspectives will be on view through June 20; open to the public Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)

And there’s a new gallery in town called The Beacon@Midtown Gallery & Studios, which is devoted to celebrating all forms of artistic expression and building a dynamic space where artists and audiences connect. The gallery seeks to shine a light of creativity, collaboration and community. It also offers studio rental for artists. (Open weekly from 6p.m.-9 p.m., Thursday-Saturday, or you can contact the gallery at beacononatmidtown@gmail.com. The gallery will also host poetry readings, starting with a reading by Chel Delaney and Marin Murray on May 17 at 7 p.m ; Suoerhero Exhibit and Contest(address 1136 Woodlawn Ave., 78201; no website yet)

The Contemporary at Blue Star is calling for Curatorial Exhibition proposals from Sister City guest curators. “In 2026 The Contemporary at Blue Star will focus in on a theme of “community” in its exhibition program,” the organization said. Guest curators from the following cities are included: Monterrey,( Mexico); Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, (Spain); Kumamoto, (Japan); Chennai, (India); Baguio (Philippines) and a number of others. It should be interesting!

And there’s something fun at the Centro Cultural Aztlan: The 33^rd Annual   Superhero Exhibit and Contest. (May 17, 12-3 p.m. Prizes awared in the following categories: Lower and Upper Elementary, Middle School and High school. (May 17, Centro Cultural Aztlan, 1800 Fredericksburg Rd.  #103, 78201; for more info call 210-432-1896 or check https://centroaztlan.org/

If you enjoy murder mysteries, there’s one coming up at the elegant Villa Finale during an “80s Prom Reunion.” Now the question is “Who’s done It. (May 16 at 6:30 p.m., Villa Finale Museum & Gardens, 401 King William, 78204; 210-223-9800; http://www.villafinale.org)