San Antonio Weekend Guide: Live Music, Markets, Dinosaurs, Reptiles & More
August 28-30, 2026
San Antonio has a surprisingly stacked weekend ahead. From Gary Clark Jr. downtown and glowing dinosaurs at the zoo to local makers at Pearl, a huge reptile expo, home-improvement shows and a professional beauty convention, there’s something happening in nearly every corner of the city. 🎸🦖🌮
Here are some of the standout events happening Friday, August 28 through Sunday, August 30.
Friday, August 28
Gary Clark Jr. at the Aztec Theatre
Grammy-winning guitarist and singer Gary Clark Jr. brings his blend of blues, rock, soul and hip-hop influences to downtown San Antonio. Doors open at 6 p.m., with the show scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Aztec Theatre. Ticketmaster also confirms the August 28 date.
Where: 104 N. St. Mary’s St.
Tickets: Starting around $66 according to MySA.
Full event and ticket link: Ticketmaster
Neighbors in Nature at the San Antonio Botanical Garden
Bexar County residents can explore the Botanical Garden at a discounted $7 admission Friday. The offer runs from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., giving families plenty of time to explore the 39-acre garden.
Where: 555 Funston Place
Full Botanical Garden ticket link
Fourth Friday at The Rock at La Cantera
Jason Kane & The Jive perform a free outdoor concert at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Frost Plaza. Families can also use the splash pad, basketball areas and other outdoor amenities while food and drinks are available for purchase.
Where: 1 Spurs Way
Cost: Free.
Saturday, August 29
Dinos After Dark at the San Antonio Zoo
This might be the family pick of the weekend. San Antonio Zoo transforms after sunset with 22 large animatronic dinosaurs, lighting, fog, a DJ, fire dancing, stilt performers, roaming paleontologists and themed food. The event runs 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $14.99, while active zoo members get in free.
Where: 3903 N. St. Mary’s St.
Full Dinos After Dark event page
AquaGlow at Aquatica San Antonio
Aquatica is keeping the water park open after dark for AquaGlow, transforming the park into a neon-lit nighttime experience with entertainment and water attractions. The special event operates on select nights after 6 p.m., including Saturday's listed San Antonio event. Tickets start at $29.99.
Where: SeaWorld/Aquatica San Antonio
Full AquaGlow event page
San Antonio Home Show
Homeowners thinking about renovations, landscaping or interior upgrades can meet contractors, suppliers and home-improvement professionals at Freeman Coliseum. The show runs Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and continues Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free passes are available online, while adult admission at the door is listed at $10.
Where: Freeman Coliseum Expo Hall A, 3201 E. Houston St.
Full San Antonio Home Show website
Reptilian Nation Expo
Freeman is pulling double duty this weekend. 🐍 The Reptilian Nation Expo fills the venue with reptiles, amphibians, arachnids, exotic animals, breeders, vendors, supplies and educational presentations.
The expo runs 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. Organizers describe it as one of the larger reptile events in the country, featuring thousands of animals.
Where: Freeman Expo Hall
Full Reptilian Nation Expo website
William Beckmann at Floore's Country Store
For a Texas-country option, Del Rio native William Beckmann performs Saturday night at the legendary Floore's in Helotes. Doors open at 7 p.m., Cole Phillips performs at 8:30 and Beckmann is scheduled for 10 p.m.
Where: 14492 Old Bandera Road, Helotes
General admission: About $35.76 according to MySA.
Sunday, August 30
Pearl Makers Market
Sunday morning at Pearl brings more than 40 local artisans and makers together for handcrafted goods, culinary items and locally made creations. Pearl's official event calendar confirms the market for 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday, rain or shine. Admission is free.
Where: Pearl
Full Pearl Makers Market event page
Premiere San Antonio
Beauty professionals, barbers, nail artists, makeup artists and students descend on downtown San Antonio Sunday as Premiere San Antonio presented by SalonCentric opens at the Henry B. González Convention Center.
The show includes live demonstrations, classes, brands, competitions and professional education covering hair, barbering, nails, skincare, spa, wellness and makeup. Sunday's exhibit floor and classes run 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: Henry B. González Convention Center, 900 E. Market St.
Full Premiere San Antonio website
C.S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters
The stage adaptation of C.S. Lewis' famous satirical novel comes to H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center for a Sunday-only San Antonio performance.
The production begins at 3 p.m. and runs approximately 90 minutes without an intermission. It's recommended for ages 13 and older.
Where: Tobin Center, 100 Auditorium Circle
Full Tobin Center events page
Edith Márquez at the Aztec Theatre
Mexican singer Edith Márquez closes out the weekend downtown with her Eterna E Inolvidable Tour Sunday. Doors open at 6 p.m., and the concert begins at 7 p.m. Ticketmaster's Aztec Theatre calendar confirms the date and time.
Where: Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s St.
Full Aztec Theatre event calendar
One Weekend, Very San Antonio
This is a nice snapshot of what makes a San Antonio weekend different. You can watch Gary Clark Jr. on Friday, stare down a glowing T. rex Saturday night, shop from local creators at Pearl Sunday morning and finish the weekend with theater or Latin music downtown.
That's a pretty serious three-day menu. 😂
Main Sources
MySA, 20 Things to Do in San Antonio This Weekend
Full MySA weekend events guide
Visit San Antonio Events Calendar
Full Visit San Antonio events calendar
Freeman Coliseum Events Calendar
Full Freeman Coliseum events calendar
Pearl San Antonio Events
Full Pearl events calendar
Tobin Center Events
Full Tobin Center calendar
San Antonio Zoo
Full San Antonio Zoo website
Premiere San Antonio
Full Premiere San Antonio website
One useful heads-up: major highway construction is expected around Loop 1604/I-10 and portions of I-35 this weekend, so anyone heading toward La Cantera or traveling across the North/Northeast Side should give themselves extra time.