Community Calendar

Continue the First Friday at Blue Star experience by curving around the SA River to the newly relocated Blue Moon Mexican Restaurant (formerly Burgerteca!)
Enjoy music by a guest DJ, participate in a community mural painting sponsored by Masa Collective, and purchase some great artworks & products by amazing local artists, creatives, & makers!

Free parking in the garage (past the restaurant to the left)

Paintings Inspired by Late-Night NYC Subway Life Opening February First Friday at Flight Gallery

San Antonio, TX — February 2026 — Flight Gallery at Blue Star Arts Complex presents a new exhibition of paintings by San Antonio based artist and NYC expat Ann Enzminger. Based on late-night photographs taken on the New York City subway, the exhibition opens with a soft opening on Thursday, February 5, from 6–9 PM, followed by an opening reception on First Friday, February 6, from 7–10 PM. Both events are free and open to the public.

The paintings are drawn from photographs taken during the artist’s daily commute from Williamsburg, Brooklyn to the Morris Park neighborhood of the Bronx during late-night hours between 2010 and 2015. The work reflects years of commuting across the city after midnight, documenting shared moments of waiting, fatigue, and quiet presence among strangers moving through New York together.

Rather than spectacle, the exhibition focuses on the ordinary intimacy of public transit at night—when time stretches, service falters, and riders are bound together by the simple goal of getting home. The work functions as a quiet love letter to those anonymous passengers captured in passing.

Event Details:
Soft Opening: Thursday, February 5, 6–9 PM
Opening Reception (First Friday): February 6, 7–10 PM
Location: Flight Gallery, Blue Star Arts Complex, San Antonio, TX
Admission: Free and open to the public

Un Grito Gallery is proud to present "desesperado”, a solo exhibition of new drawings on paper and on site by international artist Heimo Wallner. This show will open Thursday, February 5th, and Friday, February 6th, 2026, from 7-10 pm with a closing reception held on February 19th, 2026.

Born in 1961 in Tamsweg, Austria, Heimo Wallner attended the “Akademie der Bildenden Künste” in Vienna from 1981 – 88. He divides his time between Vermont, USA, where he teaches at the Middlebury Liberal Arts College and the University of Vermont and Scheifling, Austria, where he runs and curates the artists in residence program “hotelpupik”.
His work oscillates between wall drawings, drawing/animation and sculpture.

Statement

“I draw, and this ongoing process manifests itself in piles of drawings, animations and when possible: room drawings - made quickly, with a clear deadline, these wall drawings force me to generate imagery on the spot.
Little strands of narratives crystalize, interweave, connect, and disrupt. They become rhythm, texture, ornament: wallpaper.

The human condition is my quarry. Stupidity (my own and the general) an endless source. The banal and the essential, daily news vs eternal truths, private painful secrets turn into practical jokes - catharsis and damnation all at once”.

The Texas Mental Health Creative Arts Contest 2026 invites Texans of all ages to reflect on their mental health and share what it means to them through creative expression.

Hosted by the Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health, this statewide contest is open to all Texas residents—from elementary students to adults. Participants are invited to respond to the theme “What Does Mental Health Mean to You?” through traditional art, digital art, photography, or writing.

Mental health is shaped by personal experiences, culture, and community. By encouraging creative reflection, the contest creates space for people to tell their stories, explore emotional well-being, and contribute to broader conversations about mental health across Texas. Submissions may address topics such as stress, healing, resilience, relationships, or everyday moments that influence mental well-being.

Selected works may be featured in virtual and in-person galleries, offering opportunities for learning, connection, and public dialogue.

Eligibility: Open to all Texas residents, youth and adults
Submission period: January 15 – March 31, 2026
Learn more: https://www.tiemh.org/artscontest/

The Governor's Community Achievement Awards (GCAA) recognize Texas communities that are turning ideas into measurable impact through environmental stewardship, beautification, and collaboration. From small towns to larger cities, past winners have used this program to strengthen partnerships, elevate local projects, and tell a compelling story about their community's work.

Applications are now open and close on March 12. Visit the GCAA webpage to explore past winners, see what makes a strong application, and learn how your community can get involved.

Keep Texas Beautiful is a Texan by Nature conservation partner.

Ready to make a lasting impact on San Antonio’s urban forest? Become a Tree Steward! Join us for the orientation session for the Tree Buds Citizen Forester Program.

This hands-on volunteer program is made possible by the Alamo Forest Partnership, San Antonio Arborists Association, and Bexar Branches Alliance, with support from the City of San Antonio Office of Sustainability. Together, we are empowering citizens to help our city’s young trees thrive.

We train volunteers in proper pruning techniques to improve the health and structure of newly planted trees across our community’s public spaces, including city parks, historic cemeteries, and along creekways. This essential care ensures their survival and long-term growth, directly supporting the city’s sustainability, beautification, and canopy goals.

What You’ll Do:

Learn the “why” behind pruning and how it benefits our urban canopy in diverse ecosystems.
Get hands-on training with proper tools and techniques from certified arborists.
Connect with a community of like-minded volunteers.
Directly contribute to the health and resilience of San Antonio’s vital green spaces.
This orientation is your first step to joining our monthly volunteer sessions, which run on the first Saturday of each month from October through May. No prior experience is necessary—just a willingness to learn and help!

Spots are limited. Registration is required. Please sign up to receive full details and confirm your attendance.

Sign Up & Learn More: https://forms.office.com/r/AkMGDX6qjT

Help San Antonio’s urban forest flourish from the ground up. Become a Tree Bud today!

The riparian restoration demonstration at Castroville Regional Park is part of the implementation of the Medina River Below Diversion Lake Watershed Protection Plan (WPP). This demonstration project will showcase practical, on-the-ground restoration techniques that help stabilize streambanks, filter runoff, and improve habitat using native plants.

By participating, volunteers will aid in path construction, fence installation, planting of riparian area and native demonstration garden, mulching, and watering.
Texas Water Resources Institute s a Texan by Nature conservation partner.

This hands-on workshop explores the fascinating story of Texas during the Cretaceous Period, approximately 145 to 66 million years ago, when much of the state was covered by a warm, shallow sea. Designed for adults and young adults, this interactive workshop welcomes participants to bring their own fossils for assistance with identification and discussion.

Texas Botanical Gardens & Native American Interpretive Center, Inc. is a Texan by Nature conservation partner.

Join us every Saturday morning for Story Hour where are very own Ms Leslie will read to your little ones, followed by a craft activity.

Ages 3-8. Parents must stay with kiddos during Story Hour.

Support the Friends of the Collins Garden Library by purchasing items or by donating books, puzzles, records, CDs, and DVDs. The Friends of Collins Garden Library are looking for new members! Yearly membership is $15. Your membership helps fund activities and events that the library coordinates for the community.