Luminaria, San Antonio’s annual nighttime arts festival, is moving west this year to a new location in downtown San Antonio. The festival will be centered along West Houston Street in downtown San Antonio and extend into the San Pedro Creek Culture Park.

A New Location for the Festival

The move comes after two years in St. Paul Square on the near East Side. Before that, the festival was held at Hemisfair and several other locations around downtown. Luminaria Executive Director Yadhira Lozano said the new location was a natural fit.

“We’re all here together along the San Pedro Creek, where there’s already plenty of public art,” Lozano said. “So why not explore this area in a beautiful nighttime setting brought to life by our local artists?”

Lozano said the festival’s footprint will stretch from West Houston Street into the San Pedro Creek Culture Park area. Local artists will make up the vast majority of the festival. “I think 90% to 95% of the festival is local art, San Antonio-based,” she said.

Supporting Local Artists

Lozano said Luminaria pays all artists for their work, and she said their contributions help bring new life to some of the city’s historic spaces. “We’re known for being a historic city, but the city is not only preserving downtown’s history, it’s also re-engaging with our historic structures in new and exciting ways.”

Luminaria Board Chair Eduardo Garcia said art’s value extends beyond aesthetics. “San Antonio artists don’t just make our city beautiful, they build our economic infrastructure, and they fuel local tourism,” Garcia said.

Garcia said every dollar spent on artists can have a broader impact on the local economy. “Every single dollar invested in Luminaria artists acts as a financial multiplier,” Garcia said. “It pumps immediate revenue directly back into the pockets of everyday San Antonians.”

This year’s Luminaria takes place Saturday, Nov. 14, from 6 p.m. to midnight and is free.

Original reporting: San Antonio Report — read the source article.