Arneson River Theater

Built from 1939 to 1941, the Arneson River Theater is a seasonal cultural venue on the Paseo del Rio, San Antonio's River Walk. Each summer, from early June through the beginning of August, the open-air theater is the site of Fiesta Noche del Rio. Sponsored by the Alamo Kiwanis Club, a local charitable organization, the festival features Mariachi bands, flamenco guitarists, Latin singers, and traditional dance performances, including tango and salsa. The Mexican American singer, Rosita Fernández, hailed as "San Antonio’s First Lady of Song," performed at the festival from 1957 to 1984. Arneson River Theater was named for Edwin P. Arneson, who worked as a regional engineer for the federal Works Progress Administration (WPA). The venue was designed by Robert H.H. Hugman, the architect whose original vision and overall design for the landscape led to the creation of the San Antonio River Walk.

Built as part of a San Antonio River beautification program, the Arneson River Theater is a cultural venue on the Paseo del Rio, San Antonio's River Walk. An open-air theater, the small stage is located on one side of the river, while the amphitheater-style seating is located on the other. Audiences are able to watch the live performances from across the river while seated on the tiered stone steps, which are covered with a thin layer of grass. The acoustics are unique, as the river naturally carries the sound of the performance from the stage to the amphitheater. The venue was designed by the architect Robert H.H. Hugman, who was known as "the father of the River Walk" for his overall vision and design plan for the interactive, walkable landscape. When bells were added to the stone arches behind the theater's stage many years later, Hugman was invited to come and ring the bells during a special ceremony, which was held two years before he died.

Each summer, the Arneson River Theater hosts Fiesta Noche del Rio (Party Night on the River), celebrating the songs and dances of Mexico, Argentina, Spain, and Texas. Sponsored by the Alamo Kiwanis Club, the festival began in 1957, making it the longest continuously operating outdoor theater event in the United States. Saturday night performances are still held from the beginning of June through early August. The Alamo Kiwanis Club was founded in 1947 as a charitable organization within the city, and the funds that are raised from Fiesta Noche del Rio benefit causes serving local children, with over $2.5 million raised from the event to date. Adjacent to the outdoor amphitheater is La Villita, San Antonio's earliest Spanish village, now an art district and historic site with shops and galleries filled with traditional arts and crafts. A rounded arch passageway provides pedestrian access connecting this site with the Arneson River Theater.

Over the years, the Arneson River Theater has hosted various theatrical performances, from tuba concerts to performances by the acclaimed Mexican American singer, Rosita Fernández, who was known as "San Antonio’s First Lady of Song." Although Tejano music was initially a male-dominated musical style, Fernández became one of the first female performers of the style to be heard the radio and one of the first Tejana recording artists. At the height of her musical career, she performed for U.S. presidents and international leaders. She also had a long career in film and television. At the Arneson River Theater, Fernández performed for over 26 years, from 1957 to 1984, as the star of the annual summer festival. Because she usually entered the stage from the picturesque bridge next to the theater, in 1982 city officials dedicated the bridge in her honor, renaming it "Rosita's Bridge."

The Fiesta Noche del Rio is entertaining as well as educational for many viewers, as it shares aspects of the city's Spanish heritage. This is reflected through the performance of Latin dances such as flamenco, tango, and salsa, as well as through the music of different countries and regions. Songs are performed by Mariachi bands, flamenco guitarists, and singers, while dancers wear elaborate, colorful costumes that reflect their heritage and traditions. Described as an "annual extravaganza," the summertime event includes seven acts in each performance, beginning with a theme song and concluding with a grand finale. Due to the theater's small scale and proximity to the audience, performers will sometimes invite audience members onto the stage to join them in the dances, and performers are often available to talk with theatergoers after the event. In addition to the amphitheater seating, the small riverboats which traverse the river directly in front of the theater offer a prime view of the performance, as the boats pass briefly by the stage.

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Homepage, Fiesta Noche del Rio. Accessed March 17th, 2023. https://www.fiestanochesa.com/.

"Rosita Fernández: San Antonio’s First Lady of Song", The Witliff Collections. Accessed March 17th, 2023. https://www.thewittliffcollections.txst.edu/exhibitions/past/Rosita-Fernandez.html.

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