Preservation Month
Preservation Month
Preserve the past, shape the future! Join us for exciting events and make history come alive this Preservation Month!
About
Established in 1973 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Preservation Month is co-sponsored by local preservation groups, state agencies, and business and civic organizations across the country.
The City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) hosts events throughout May and curates a comprehensive calendar of Preservation Month partner events, from scavenger hunts to hands-on workshops and more!
Thank you for celebrating with us, San Antonio!
EVENTS hosted by the Office of Historic Preservation
Become a Citizen Historian
Are you curious how genealogists and historians find information about historic places, people, and events in San Antonio? Do you want to learn more about the history of your property or neighborhood? Join OHP's Jessica Anderson at noon on Friday, May 9, for a FREE online Preservation Month workshop that introduces the tools of the trade to help anyone become a citizen historian!
All tools discussed in the workshop are available for free online and with your San Antonio Public Library card.
Cost: FREE
Register online.
Picnic & a Movie (in the Eastside Cemeteries)
Introducing Picnic & a Movie – FREE in the Historic Eastside Cemeteries!
To honor the tradition of families lunching in the cemeteries, we’re inviting San Antonio to enjoy a free evening in the beautiful Historic Eastside Cemeteries. Bring your own picnics, blankets, and chairs, and enjoy some cinema magic under the stars.
For our first installment, we’ll be screening the 1985 adventure-comedy classic The Goonies.
The event will take place in City Cemetery #1, located along Paso Hondo Street between S Monumental and S Palmetto Streets, across from the National Cemetery at 517 Paso Hondo. Look for signage and park along the city streets between the cemeteries.
This event is part of San Antonio’s Preservation Month celebrations and highlights the legacy of the Historic Eastside Cemeteries, where generations of San Antonians are laid to rest.
Hosted by the Office of Historic Preservation (OHP), this free event also celebrates our ongoing work with the Cemetery Stewardship Program — a dedicated volunteer initiative to care for and preserve these sacred spaces.
RSVP now (register) and we’ll send you an email with all the details closer to the event!
Contact: 210-207-3327 or email lauren@sapreservation.org
Cost: FREE
Home Repair Fair | May 17, 2025
The Home Repair Fair (formerly known as the Historic Homeowner Fair) is the Office of Historic Preservation’s annual FREE event that connects homeowners and renters with local professionals, services, and solutions for the care and maintenance of their homes.
On Saturday, May 17, step inside the iconic 1968 Confluence Theatre (Wood Courthouse) at Hemisfair and visit with exhibitors which include design professionals, craftspeople, and vendors.
There is something for everyone at the Home Repair Fair, including:
- Consultations and technical guidance with local rehab experts
- Opportunities to connect with vendors offering repair and reuse services
- Live demonstrations and interactive studios
- Family-friendly DIY activities for attendees of all ages
- music, food trucks…and much more!
Visit the Home Repair Fair website to learn more about becoming an exhibitor or sponsor, or pre-registering to let us know what you're excited for!
UPCOMING EVENTS
Meet the Author of the Zookeeper's Wife
Host: World Affairs Council of San Antonio, in partnership with the Holocaust Memorial Museum of San Antonio
Join us for a powerful evening with Diane Ackerman, acclaimed author of The Zookeeper’s Wife. Discover the incredible true story of courage, compassion, and resistance during WWII.
📍 Where: Hippo Overlook Hall, San Antonio Zoo. 3903 N Saint Mary's St., 78212.
📅 When: Tuesday, May 6, 2025
🕗 Time: Doors open at 6:00 pm, program starts at 6:30 pm.
🎟️ Admission: Ticket prices are $30 for members, $50 for non-members.
🔗: Purchase tickets!
Become a Citizen Historian
Ever wonder how genealogists and historians find information about historic places, people, and events in San Antonio? Join OHP’s Jessica Anderson for an online workshop that introduces the tools of the trade to help anyone become a citizen historian!
📍 Where: Virtual
📅 When: Friday, May 9
🕗 Time: 12:00 PM
🎟️ Admission: FREE - advanced registration required Register online
Black History River Tour
Host: San Antonio African American Community ArchiveSan Antonio African American Community Archive (SAAACAM)
Join us for a tour on the beautiful San Antonio River for a 100-minute cruise exploring San Antonio ‘s Black History along the Riverwalk. You will be surprised at the continued African American influence in San Antonio.
📍 Where: SAAACAM at La Villita, 218 S Presa
📅 When: Saturday, May 10, 2025
🕗 Time: Departs at 9:45 am
🎟️ Admission: $40
🔗: Purchase tickets!
Adobe Workshop
Host: Casa Navarro
Casa Navarro State Historic Site celebrates the life of José Antonio Navarro at his original 1850s adobe and limestone home. Navarro was a rancher, merchant, and one of only two native-born Texans to sign the Texas Declaration of Independence. He also was a leading advocate for Tejano rights. Join a special workshop to learn adobe brick making in an original adobe home.
📍 Where: Casa Navarro, 228 S. Laredo St, 78207
📅 When: Saturday, May 10, 2025
🕗 Time: 10 am to 2 pm
🎟️ Admission: Included in the cost of admission to Casa Navarro Historic Site
Picnic & a Movie (in the Eastside Cemeteries!)
To honor the tradition of families lunching in the cemeteries, we’re inviting San Antonio to enjoy a free evening in the beautiful Historic Eastside Cemeteries. Bring your own picnics, blankets, and chairs, and enjoy some cinema magic under the stars. For our first installment, we’ll be screening the 1985 adventure-comedy classic, The Goonies. This free event also celebrates our ongoing work with the Cemetery Stewardship Program — a dedicated volunteer initiative to care for and preserve these sacred spaces.
📍 Where: City Cemetery #1
📅 When: Friday, May 10
🕗 Time: 8:00 PM, movie at sundown
🎟️ Admission: FREE - Register above to receive a reminder email)
Brackenridge Park Walking Tour with Lynn Bobbitt
Host: Brackenridge Park Conservancy
Brackenridge Park is a rich tapestry of history linked by the San Antonio River. Come walk the park with Lynn Osborne Bobbitt, the Brackenridge Park Conservancy’s Director of Development.
📍 Where: Joske Pavilion, near 531 Brackenridge Way, 78212
📅 When: Friday, May 16, 2025
🕗 Time: 9:30 am to 11:30 am
🎟️ Admission: FREE!
☎️: (210) 826-1412
Home Repair Fair
Come on down to the Home Repair Fair on Saturday, May 17. The Office of Historic Preservation hosts a free, family-friendly event with a focus on home repair and maintenance. Join us to connect with local professionals, services, products, and live workshops to help you tackle your next project. 🪛
📍 Where: Hemisfair’s Confluence Theatre, 655 E Cesar E Chavez
📅 When: Saturday, May 17, 2025
🕗 Time: 10 am to 2 pm
🎟️ Admission: FREE!
🔗: Learn more
For the Love of Concrete
Host: Conservation Society
Combine cement, aggregate, and water and you get Concrete, a magical material that can take on any shape with nearly endless possibilities. From thin, sweeping curves to solid massive form, Concrete is the most flexible building material with which we design and build. This lecture explores mid-century brutalist architecture in all its forms.
📍 Where: Trinity University Dicke Hall #104, 715 Stadium Drive
📅 When: Thursday, May 22, 2025
🕗 Time: 6 pm
🎟️ Admission: FREE! Seating is limited.
🔗: Registration required.
Paseo por el Westside
Host: Esperanza Peace & Justice Center
Come and celebrate San Antonio's Westside history, culture and people with Paseo por El Westside on Saturday, May 24, at the Rinconcito de Esperanza (816 S. Colorado). Also get a preview of the Westside's community participatory museum, el Museo del Westside.
📍 Where: Rinconcito de Esperanza, 816 S Colorado San Antonio, TX 78207
📅 When: Saturday, May 24, 2025
🕗 Time: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
🎟️ Admission: FREE!
🔗: Event website
St. Mary's Strip History Project Information Session
Host: St. Mary's Strip History Project
Come learn about the project and explore ways to participate! Abra Schnur will talk about the creation of the project, what has been done so far, and the goal for the summer. As part of Preservation Month, Jessica Anderson from our office will share with community members on how to research historical buildings using city directories. Neighbors, musicians, business owners, property owners, and anyone who is interested in the history of the N.St. Mary's Strip and the preservation of the history are invited to attend.
📍 Where: St. Sophia's Greek Orthodox Church Founders Hall, 2504 N St Mary's St, 78212
📅 When: Thursday, May 29, 2025
🕗 Time: 6 pm to 7:30 pm
🎟️ Admission: FREE!
🔗: Registration encouraged.
Hemisfair: Past, Present, & Future Walking Tour
Host: APA – Texas Chapter, South Texas Region
Let’s go for a walk! Come join the APATXSW Section, Strong Towns San Antonio, MIG, and the City of San Antonio for a tour of Hemisfair. Led by new CEO of Hemisfair, Melissa Robinson, this tour will take you on a journey through the area's past, present, and future —from its rich history to the exciting transformations ahead. But that's not all! The City of San Antonio's Redevelopment Officer, Erika Ragsdale, CNU-a, will be there to share insights on how Hemisfair plays a key role in Project Marvel, one of the city's boldest initiatives. Lace up your walking shoes for this one-hour walking tour and stick around afterward for a fun social gathering! You won't want to miss this unique chance to explore, connect, and be inspired.
📍 Where: Meet at the bottom of the Tower of Americas (739 E César E. Chávez Blvd)
📅 When: Thursday, May 29, 2025
🕗 Time: 6 pm
🎟️ Admission: FREE!
🔗: Registration required.
Exhibit: 30 Years of Celebrating Cultural Histories
Host: ArtPace
Celebrate 30 Years of Cultural Histories with Artpace this May! In honor of Preservation Month, we invite San Antonians to visit our three newest exhibitions on view throughout May. These exhibitions exemplify how Artpace has preserved cultural identities over the past 30 years by fostering global relationships and bringing international art to San Antonio since 1995.
Currently on view: Nothing Grows in A Straight Line by Laura Veles Drey, Where the Light Shines Through by Anita Fields, and Cuando el regreso es la cosecha (When the Return is the Harvest) by Lorena Molina. Together, these powerful exhibitions explore themes of migration, labor, Indigenous knowledge, storytelling, and connection to land and memory. Through material culture and immersive installations, each artist reflects on resilience, identity, and community.
📍 Where: ArtPace, 445 N Main Ave, San Antonio, TX 78205
📅 When: May 1 through May 31
🕗 Hours: Monday – Sunday | Monday-Friday: 10am–5pm | Saturday-Sunday: 12–5pm
🅿️ Parking: Free Parking is located at 513 N Flores
🎟️ Admission: Free