(April 27, 2018) — Anticipation is building for one of UTSA’s biggest celebrations. Students, faculty, staff, alumni and members of the community are invited to celebrate San Antonio’s Tricentennial at Historic Futures – A Taste of Folklife, an official Tricentennial event in partnership with SA300.
>> Historic Futures – A Taste of Folklife is scheduled from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 3 at the Student Union Paseo on the UTSA Main Campus (or at the Convocation Center, in the event of rain). The event and parking are free and open to the public.
At the Founder’s Day event, guests will experience a taste of the UTSA Folklife Festival, which will celebrate its 47th year this June at the UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures. A Taste of Folklife will showcase the diverse and rich heritage of San Antonio through music, dancing and foods from around the world.
The festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. with a parade through the Paseo featuring musicians and dancers dressed in traditional costumes. Throughout the evening, guests will listen to a variety of musicians including country and Latin American artists, a Scottish bagpipe band and a barbershop chorus. Dance groups will also perform, demonstrating Mexican folk dance, Lebanese folk dance, Hawaiian/Polynesian dance and more.
Guests will feel like they travelled the world without leaving the UTSA Main Campus as they sample international cuisine from more than a dozen vendors. Favorites from the Polynesian, Scottish, Turkish, Lebanese and Mexican cultures will be served. Guests can try beer from around the world, Aldonzo wines from Spain, roasted corn, pulled lamb sliders, Transylvanian Chimney Cakes and many other delicious eats. The vendors will accept cash only. ATMs are available on site.
UTSA will also offer plenty of activities to entertain the kids, including arts and crafts, bounce houses and animals from Zoomagination.
As A Taste of Folklife concludes, a fireworks show will light up the night sky over northwest San Antonio.
To commemorate the festivities, memories will be planted across campus. As part of the City’s Tricentennial, San Antonio Parks and Recreations is providing UTSA with 75 trees as part of its effort to plant 300 trees across the city. Two of the trees will stand at the Roadrunner Memorial Garden and will include a commemorative plaque marking Founder’s Day and the city’s Tricentennial.
“Over 2018, San Antonio’s 300th anniversary, and 2019, UTSA’s 50th anniversary, UTSA is celebrating the past while looking to the future by offering a series of rich and vibrant programs for the community,” said Dean Hendrix, dean of the UTSA Libraries and co-chair of UTSA’s Tricentennial Task Force. “Historic Futures – A Taste of Folklife is one of these events. As San Antonians celebrate Founder’s Day all across the city, this event will highlight UTSA’s deep connection to San Antonio and the rich multicultural traditions of the university and the city.”
