The UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures hosts the 47th annual Texas Folklife Festival June 8-10.
(May 31, 2018) -- When the UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures opened 50 years ago, it was revolutionary. It presented a comprehensive story of Texas heritage through exhibits documenting the many cultures that had settled in Texas and added their character and traditions to the Texan identity.
Four years later, the institute continued to innovate: it brought culture to life with the inaugural Texas Folklife Festival. The tradition continues Friday, June 8 through Sunday, June 10 at the UTSA Institute of Texan Cultures, located at the UTSA Hemisfair Campus, 801 E. César E. Chávez Blvd. in downtown San Antonio.
>> Purchase tickets to the 47th annual Texas Folklife Festival.
“The institute did a great job presenting our heritage through exhibits, images, artifacts and stories, but the key was to make culture something to experience and participate in first-hand," said festival director Jo Ann Andera. "We could relate to common experiences and really start to understand our cultural communities.”
The Texas Folklife Festival gathered dozens of cultural organizations from across the state to share their traditions through music, dance, food, and hands-on experiences. Festival founder O.T. Baker emphasized that through sharing a meal particular to a certain culture, or joining in a dance particular to a certain culture, people could understand that culture a little bit better.
In addition to the cultural organizations, Folklife gathered artisans who maintained the skills Texas pioneers used to build the Lone Star State. There were opportunities to sit and work with basket weavers, leather workers, wood carvers, potters and dozens more. This remains a critical part of the festival.
“No one knew what to expect that first year,” said Andera. “When we saw the crowd and the genuine interest and excitement of discovering and learning our Texas heritage, we were overwhelmed. This was something special. It had to continue and it had to grow.”
Through the years, festival organizers have discovered new participants, welcoming the community to experience these newfound pieces of Texas tradition.
The Romanian and Congolese communities join the festival for the first time this year. The Romanian community will offer a sweet treat as a food vendor: Transylvania Chimney Cakes. Dough gets rolled around a pin, baked over an open flame, then rolled through toppings such as walnuts or cinnamon.
The Congolese community will attend their first festival as well, gathering their choir to sing gospel music. Festival organizers met the Congolese through the Archdiocese, which hosts a Folklife Mass the weekend before the festival.
Folklife recalls bygone fragments of Texas heritage. Organizers discovered J.D.’s Chili Parlor to prepare classic chili, with styles and recipes reminiscent of San Antonio’s “Chili Queens.”
“Texas is so full of history and tradition, and it grows every day,” said Andera. “It’s wonderful to discover and welcome these new communities, and to find hidden gems that remind us about key components of our past. Folklife is our living history, heritage and culture, and the best way to pass our traditions to the next generation.”
Festival hours:
For more on the Texas Folklife Festival, visit TexasFolklifeFestival.org.
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