Sponsored by:
Located on the western edge of downtown San Antonio, the San Pedro Creek Culture Park is a new, world-class linear park where the past flows to the future in a restored natural creek environment teaming with inspired art, splendid paseos, iconic pavilions, places of respite, and cultural reflections.
The first segment of the San Pedro Creek Culture Park – stretching from the flood tunnel inlet at North Santa Rosa Street near Fox Tech High School to Houston Street – will debut on May 5.
Flowing with renewed purpose, the San Pedro Creek Culture Park invites the people of San Antonio to reconnect with a place of great historical and cultural significance. Public art, cultural programming, and artistic design features presented in the park share a common purpose of expressing what is authentic about San Antonio’s culture today and exploring the historical significance of the creek through a contemporary art lens.
Design features include “Rain from the Heavens” – a series of stainless steel panels above the tunnel inlet that serve dual purpose, forming the pattern of the night sky as it appeared above San Pedro Creek on May 5, 1718, while beautifying the flood control tunnel inlet.
The first segment of the Culture Park also features works from prominent San Antonio artists that depicts the colors of our vibrant history and creates a beautiful backdrop to the restored creek. Four artists – Adriana Garcia, Katie Pell, Alex Rubio, and Joe Lopez – each created murals based on four distinct themes that commemorate the rich and interweaving cultures that define San Antonio and Bexar County.
Garcia’s mural tells the story of how San Pedro Creek brought forth life, growth, and diversity in the area, while Pell’s mural captures the essence of the creek’s flora and fauna. Rubio’s artwork is inspired by the creek’s ever-flowing waters, while Lopez’s work captures the golden age of the Alameda Theater, which serves as the southern anchor of the Culture Park’s first phase and segment.
Additional permanent artwork commissions in the San Pedro Creek Culture Park include storytelling through historical text and poetry by John Phillip Santos, ceramic artwork representing the historical nature of the nearby street names by Diana Kersey and colorful tiles by Michael Menchaca commemorating the people, culture, and history of our community.
The San Pedro Creek Culture Park also provides an opportunity for temporary art installations and offers a unique space for special events. The public art and cultural programming is managed by San Pedro Creek Arts – a program of the San Antonio River Authority – and is supported by a cohort of local artists, art organizations, and businesses known as the San Pedro Creek Arts & Culture Alliance.
The completed first segment will be celebrated with an all-day grand opening event on May 5. The grand opening event is free and open to the public and will incorporate family-friendly fun lining the banks of the San Pedro Creek Culture Park from noon to 9 p.m., including food trucks, live music, children’s activities, historical presentations, and an evening illumination ceremony beginning at 7:30 p.m., presented by Bexar County.
The vision for San Pedro Creek was made possible by a partnership between Bexar County and the San Antonio River Authority, in coordination with the City of San Antonio. The San Pedro Creek Culture Park will encompass a total of four phases, with three segments in Phase 1. With the first segment of Phase 1 complete, the second segment from Houston Street to Nueva Street is currently under construction.
For more information about the San Pedro Creek Culture Park and its grand opening details, click here.
