May Scene and Heard

If you haven’t heard about Morgan’s Wonderland by now, you’ve been missing one of the most important stories in San Antonio. The amazingly accessible theme park inspired by Gordon Hartman’s daughter, Morgan, is the first of its kind in the world; a place of creativity and wonder, celebrating the bonds of understanding and human connectedness through the joy of child’s play. In his Power of One column this month, Ken Rodriguez introduces you to the girl behind the vision, whose bright spirit inspired her father to turn an abandoned quarry into a 25-acre oasis where every child can play. The transcendent power of a father’s love; the power of one to inspire countless others; the deep common bonds of humanity; these are the true wonders of Morgan’s Wonderland. When folks thank Gordon Hartman for the money, time and love it took to create a place so extraordinarily special in S.A., he’s quick to say his main role was bringing many people together to make his dream a reality. When he said that to me recently, it got me thinking. Remember back in 2005, when Hartman left his successful home-building business? He wanted to spend more time on family and philanthropy, he said. And so he has.

April Scene and Heard

It’s hard to get San Antonians too worked up about second-tier pro football teams, but the optimists of the United Football League are back, pitching the idea like mad. Prediction: not gonna happen.  For big league sporst fans, however, this year’s Fiesta brings good news. This town’s going pro right now with something completely different. Something (ahem) wicket. Yes! Put your hands together for professional croquet. For years now, Sister Odilia Koronek, Sylvia Aguilar and their colleagues at Blessed Sacrament Academy have put on Fiesta’s Sticky Wickets croquet tournament to raise money for their historic South Side school. It’s a charming event, with hat and costume contests, a silent auction and a lot of folks whacking croquet balls around. This year, they’ve changed their game plan and upped the ante, going pro. Sticky Wickets is now the first official US Croquet Association club in South Texas. Blessed Sacrament’s nuns (check them out at www.netnuns.com) are taking their Fiesta tourney at the Red Berry Mansion pro-am, with cash prizes for the pros and the “ams” in the event. To stir up more interest they’ve been putting on Croquet Fridays for months down at Rene Guerrero’s Friendly Spot on South Alamo. Aguilar says croquet pros (really) from around the U.S. are already signed on, and there’s a big surge of Gen-X interest, too – lots of collegiate types love the retro fun, and have started their own amateur teams. There’s a fee to register your team, but the April 18 event is free to all non-players, with Southtown food booths, live jazz, a silent auction and arts vendors. Ladies and gentlemen, brandish your mallets!

March Scene and Heard

Sandwiched between February's Stock Show and Rodeo and Fiesta, March used to be a relatively calm month in the Alamo City. No more. First, former Mayor Phil Hardberger and his wife, Linda, helped S.A.'s vibrant arts community get the annual Luminaria celebration off to a brilliant start. This month, the 3rd annual Luminaria―fast becoming a major national arts event and tourist attraction―is set for March 13. Most remarkable of all, perhaps, is the fact that it's free to everyone, so families and folks from all walks of life can revel in our city's rich creative culture together.

Folks who worried Mayor Julian Castro might not support the creative community as passionately as his predecessor should feel relieved―while the young mayor is all over the map with initiatives from high-tech to pre-school preparation for our youngsters, he's also voiced strong support for the arts.