Preservation Month 2024
Preservation Month 2024
Preserve the past, shape the future!
Join us for exciting events and make history come alive this Preservation Month!
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!
Amazing Preservation Race
Friday, May 3, check-in at 5:30 pm, race starts at 6:30 pm
Legacy Park, 103 W Houston
OHP Signature Event
The City’s Office of Historic Preservation invites you to face off in the ultimate urban scavenger hunt: The Amazing Preservation Race! The only race of its kind – think CBS’s Amazing Race but in historic downtown San Antonio. Teams of 4 must follow clues and complete challenges to fill their passports before racing to the finish. The first team to cross the finish line with their completed passport wins!
Paseo Por El Westside
Saturday, May 4, 2024, 9 am - 3 pm
Partner: Esperanza Center for Peace & Justice
Free, no registration required!
Come and celebrate San Antonio Westside history, culture and people with Paseo por El Westside on Saturday, May 4, at the Rinconcito de Esperanza (816 S. Colorado).
Preserving Our Stories: A Celebration of African American Oral History in San Antonio
Saturday, May 4, 11 am - 1 pm
Partner: Carver Library
Free, registration encouraged!
Welcome to Preserving Our Stories: A Celebration of African American Oral History in San Antonio at Carver Library.
May is Preservation Month. In honor of the occasion, Carver Branch Library celebrates the legacy of African American cultural heritage preserved and passed down through stories documenting a centuries-old presence in the Alamo City. Included is a luncheon and pop-up exhibit that tells the story of the community in images.
Guests:
Claudia Guerra, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility, City of San Antonio
Charles Gentry, Ph.D., Office of Historic Preservation, City of San Antonio
This event is a unique opportunity to connect with the stories that make San Antonio's African American heritage so special. Don't miss out on this chance to celebrate and preserve our collective narrative. See you there!
For more information, phone 210-207-9180
Circular Economy Happy Hour
Friday, May 10, 5:30 - 7 pm (ish)
Partner: Circular San Antonio
Location: Burleson Yard, 430 Austin St
Free, Registration Encouraged!
Join Circular San Antonio and the City of San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation for a casual Circular Economy Happy Hour on Friday, May 10, 5:30 - 7:00pm at Burleson Yard Beer Garden! Meet and mingle with fellow local reuse enthusiasts from different industries including the built environment, transportation, food systems, and more.
Silk Road Cultural Heritage District Community Listening Session
Saturday, May 11, 10 am - 12 pm
OHP Event
The Office of Historic Preservation is hosting a community meeting to talk about the new Cultural Heritage District in District 8! Join the conversation. Refreshments will be provided.
Cemetery Stewards Workshop
Saturday, May 11, 9 am - 12 pm
OHP Event
Cemetery stewards will complete marker cleaning in the Historic Eastside Cemeteries in Cemetery #2. Interested participants should RSVP at parkvolunteer@sanantonio.gov
Women in Architecture & Historic Resources Social Hour
Tuesday, May 14, 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Partner: AIA San Antonio
Location: Indeco NEW Showroom, 1901 N. New Braunfels
Registration Encouraged - AIA Membership NOT required
Attention all preservation designers / architects! We invite you to showcase your work at our social hour! Send us a 3-page PDF of your work (single or multiple projects) to belinda@aiasa.org. We will include it in a slide show that will display at the social. We may even ask you to present about your work at the event!
MACRI 5th Anniversary Celebration Luncheon
Wednesday, May 15, 11 am - 1 pm
Partner: Mexican American Civil Rights Institute
Location: Westin San Antonio North
Launched in 2019, the Mexican American Civil Rights Institute (MACRI) is the only national history initiative dedicated to preserving and disseminating Mexican American civil rights history. Based in San Antonio, Texas, the cradle of Mexican American civil rights. Highlights of our fifth-anniversary luncheon will include special guests, and announcements about our ambitious plan to shine a spotlight on San Antonio as a national destination to learn about Mexican American civil rights history, including our rich local history as the birthplace of many significant Mexican American civil rights organizations and leaders, as well as the larger national story of Mexican American civil rights endeavors across the Southwest, the Pacific Northwest, the Midwest, the New South, and beyond. Learn about how we plan to grow MACRI into a national center housing significant historical archives and collections, preserving the legacy of Mexican American civil rights endeavors for generations to come, and offering an unparalleled opportunity for the public to learn about this vital history.
Become a Citizen Historian
Thursday, May 16, 12 pm to 2 pm
OHP Event, Free, Registration Required
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!
MACRI Symposium 2024
Friday, May 17 - Saturday, May 18
Partner: Mexican American Civil Rights Institute
Get inspired by Mexican American civil rights! Join us live at the San Antonio Central Library or from the comfort of your home.
Preservation Month Seminar
Saturday, May 18th, 1 pm
Partner: Conservation Society of San Antonio
The Architecture of Modern American Synagogues, 1950s-1960s, featuring author Dr. Anat Geva, Texas A&M University
AIA San Antonio - 1344 S Flores
Polo Homecoming
Sunday, May 19th, 2 pm - 7 pm
Partner: Brackenridge Park Conservancy
Tickets Required - General Admission & VIP Opportunities Available
In honor of Brackenridge’s polo history, the Conservancy is partnering with First Tee - Greater San Antonio and San Antonio Polo Club to host an exhibition polo match in celebration of the park's 125th year.
Circular Chats: Predicting Demolition and Code Enforcement
Monday, May 20, 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Partner: Circular San Antonio
Loction: AIA San Antonio, 1344 S Flores
Developing processes for assessing demolition and code enforcement can help cities to plan for neighborhood preservation, infill, and adaptive reuse, as well as deconstruction. Join us for our May Circular Chat to hear how these processes contribute a circular city with a dive into the research from Esteban López Ochoa, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Urban and Regional Planning Program Lead from the School of Architecture and Planning at UTSA.
Heritage & Horizons: Women in Preservation
Tuesday, May 21, 5:30 pm
Co-hosted by OHP and Ford, Powel & Carson Architects and Planners
Location: Culture Commons Gallery, 115 Plaza de Armas
Free and open to the public!
Please join us for a lecture and panel discussion on the legacy and future of women in historic preservation. Located at the Culture Commons Gallery (115 Plaza de Armas, San Antonio, TX 78205). Light refreshments will be provided.
Tejas Tastebuds: Aguas Frescas
Tuesday, May 21, 6 pm
Co-hosted by OHP, World Heritage Office, Bexar County Clerk, and the Texas Historical Commission
Location: Casa Navarro State Historic Site, 228 S Laredo St.
Free, Registration Required
Join us as we explore San Antonio's culinary heritage by highlighting traditional dishes dating back to the 1870s. This event will feature a live demonstration and tasting. Advanced registration required.
All-Americas Sister Cities Summit
Tuesday, May 28 - Friday, May 31
Partner: Sister Cities International
Location: Henry B. González Convention Center, 900 E Market St
The All-Americas Sister Cities Summit will advance the shared missions of Sister Cities International and the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and the newly created department of subnational diplomacy. This summit is dedicated to cultivating people-to-people ties to foster mutual understanding and peace with other countries and states.
Brackenridge Park Conservancy Urban Wild Launch
Thursday, May 30th, 5:30 - 8:00 pm
Partner: Brackenridge Park Conservancy
Urban Wild is a group for young leaders in the community with the purpose of building a constituency who will advocate for Brackenridge Park, and most importantly, further activate the park to preserve and enhance it's rich history. For more information, please email Audrey Schneider Medina at asmedina@brackenridgepark.org.