Hundreds of early morning shoppers and literary enthusiasts are expected to attend the family-friendly Words & Arts Festival at Mission Marquee Plaza on Saturday, March 19.
Organized by Councilwoman Rebecca J. Viagran (D3), Center City Development Department (CCDO), and the San Antonio Public Library (SAPL), the event will celebrate the city’s culture and people in and around the beloved Southside landmark.
The festival, which will take place at Mission Marquee Plaza, 3100 Roosevelt Avenue, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., is a special pre-celebration of the San Antonio Book Festival on April 2, but it also kicks off the Mission Marquee Cultural Season of events that includes free film screenings, engaging art activities and live poetry performances.
Renown slam poetry groups like Fresh Ink Youth Slam and Gemini Ink will perform; artists and writers such as Carmen Tafolla, Amanda The Poet, and Lydia Lerma will be in attendance on Saturday.
The Words & Arts Festival will kick off an “unforgettable season at Mission Marquee Plaza,” said Councilwoman Viagran on Wednesday. “This season’s programming for Mission Marquee is just part of my commitment to utilizing this historic venue, through initiatives such as this one, to create awareness of the wonderful assets in our community.”
Starting this month, shoppers will find Mercados de O’liva at the Mission every third Saturday. Festival attendees can shop for fresh market produce, try free health screenings and get a taste of the coming cultural events available in District 3.
The San Antonio Parks and Recreation Department will also be on site to give away 370 free trees – including 195 fruit and nut trees and 175 native trees – to festival attendees.
“This isn’t a new trend,” City Forester Ross Hosea said of the tree adoption events. “It’s just new to this particular site. Spring is an extremely popular time for planting; we’re adopting out nearly 4,000 trees per year.”
Attendees can expect to see fruit tree varieties including lemon, lime, orange, and fig. The free tree adoption is expected to attract people from all over the city, organizers said.
Show up early to secure a place in line – the tree adoption event will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., or as long as supplies last. Parks and Recreation staff will be present to help people find the trees that best match their home environment.
For more information or event updates, follow the event page on Facebook.
*Top Image: Mission Marquee Plaza on opening day June 7, 2014. Photo by Lily Casura.
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