Luminaria 2009 - Many regretted missing last years.

Last year the new event created with the encouragement of Mayor Hardberger caught many people by surprise. It was a magical event, with music and art in unexpected places downtown.

This year's Luminaria: Arts Night in San Antonio is Saturday March 14.

From the official press release
"The central celebration will be held downtown from 6 pm until midnight. Performances on a variety of stages and streetscapes will include symphonic, operatic, jazz, blues, ballet, international dance, theatre, hip hop, DJ, laser lights, film, and multi-discipline arts."

"The event footprint is extended this year to include seven performance stages with the spectacular fireworks finale. Luminaria will bring together diverse audiences throughout San Antonio for an engaging and educational experience."

"Throughout the day visit artist studios, museum, galleries and artist spaces that will have exhibits on view along with art activities and creative performances throughout the city of San Antonio." An official calendar of events, along with specific performances and exhibition information will be available for download on LuminariaSA.org by March 2."

There will be free parking for the downtown celebration. A map in pdf form is available for download. A list of scheduled performers is found on the official Luminaria San Antonio website.

UPDATE: 3/4/2009: A pdf of the official calendar of events is now available for download.

UPDATE 3/8/2009: Today's San Antonio Express-News has an excellent story by Deborah Martin-Luminaria Bigger This Year.

Do Trish Deberry-Mejia's Republican ads reflect her political outlook?

The website, San Antonio Mayor, reports on Trish Deberry-Mejia's agency's production of negative ads for Henry Bonilla and John McCain and ponders whether the agency's work provides a clue to her political leanings.

The site reports that her agency Guerra Deberry Coody aka GDC produced a Spanish language ad which criticized Barack Obama's stance on immigration and a more controversial ad used by Henry Bonilla against Ciro Rodriguez. This ad accused Ciro of supporting terrorists.

Of course it is possible that Trish Deberry-Mejia and her agency partners accepted work from Republican candidates while opposing everything for which they stand. The agency provides on-site daycare for employees and was named one of the 15 best small company workplaces by the Wall Street Journal in 2007.