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It’s the first Weekender of the new year. TPR’s Jack Morgan presents ideas of fun things to do to make your weekend sizzle during the first days of 2026.
Downtown City Lights
First off, the reveal of a change in San Antonio’s skyline at the countdown to midnight debuted on New Year’s Eve. Here’s Eduardo Orozco, Jr, from ISI City Smart Lights.
“We’ve been transforming the skyline of San Antonio with computer controlled RGB lighting, Orosco said. “We’re going to synchronize the Alamodome, the Convention Center, the Marriott, the Tower of the Americas and the Monarch Hotel.”
They chose iconic San Antonio buildings and have lit them with high-end lights that can be activated in different ways on special occasions.
“These are permanent installations around the city for special events, Christmas, New Year’s, Thanksgiving. We will coordinate the buildings to have a similar theme,” he said.
Josiah Media Festival
Then all weekend long—and longer— Urban 15 is showing films from the 19th Annual Josiah Media Festival. George Cisneros details how it works.
“We had over 2,300 entries from throughout the world, all by filmmakers 21 years old or younger,” Cisneros said.
But what began as a local film festival all those years ago, has exploded into something far larger.
“Since 2019 it has been totally international, and this is a great way for young people to have their film screened, and rather than just screen it for the people in San Antonio, we started streaming it and make it a worldwide event,” he said.
He notes that you can screen as many as 60 movies for the Josiah Media Festival, and all for free.
Dirty River Jazz Band
Friday at Jazz, TX, the Dirty River Jazz Band takes the stage.
“The Dirty River Jazz Band has been around for going on 13 years now,” said musician Chris Alvarado and we play traditional New Orleans style jazz in San Antonio,” Alvarado said.
There’s also something joyful about their sound. Alvarado noted that the late, great jazz musician Jim Cullum was an inspiration.
“Jim Cullum used to call it ‘happy jazz,’” he said. “So it’s usually pretty happy music, and something you tap your toe to and dance along to.”
You can find ticket information here.
Great Job Jack Morgan & the Team @ Texas Public Radio for sharing this story.
