Easter is a time of year when San Antonians spend a great deal of time with their families. There is plenty to do at Easter from community Easter egg hunts to camping at Brackenridge Park.
Easter Traditions in San Antonio
- Camping at Brackenridge Park
Thousands of San Antonians camp out at Brackenridge Park (3700 N. St. Mary's Street) on Easter weekend. Families enjoy camping, BBQing, Easter egg hunts, sports and other games throughout the weekend.On Easter weekend, the park's normal curfew is lifted to allow overnight camping from Thursday at 11:00pm through 11:00pm on Easter Sunday.
Other parks throughout San Antonio also lift their curfew. See the Parks and Recreation website for details.
- Seeing "Via Crucis" (Way of the Cross)
Every year San Antonio's San Fernando Cathedral puts on the re-anactment of what is commonly known as The Passion. The 90-minute event is extremely popular in San Antonio and takes place on Good Friday each year."Via Crucis" begins in Milam Park at 10:30am after a 30-minute prayer service. Visitors should plan to arrive very early to find parking or consider taking a VIA bus. Cathedral personnel hand out bottled water for a small donation.
- Making and Breaking Cascarones
Cascarones are confetti-filled eggs which are hand-painted or decorated. At Easter time, families make or buy cascarones. Then at celebrations people break cascarones over the heads of loved ones to spread good luck and cheer. Children often chases each other, smashing cascarones on their playmates' heads.Cascarones are a Mexican tradition and very popular at holidays and festivals in San Antonio and throughout Texas, as well as other Southwestern states.
- Easter Egg Hunts and the Easter Bunny
Each year in San Antonio, there are several large community Easter egg hunts throughout the city. One of the largest and most popular Easter egg hunts is the Giant Egg Hunt and Easter Festival at Shavano Park Church. There are over 10,000 cascarones to hunt, plus lots of prizes. Most of the community egg hunts take place the Saturday right before Easter. The Shavano Park hunt will not take place in 2008. Get information on more San Antonio Easter Egg Hunts.The Easter Bunny comes to North Star Mall, Rolling Oaks Mall and other locations throughout San Antonio several weeks before Easter. You can bring your children to the mall for pictures with the bunny.
- Easter Brunch at San Antonio Restaurants
This information will be updated for 2008 as it comes available. Sunday brunch on Easter is also a common activity in San Antonio. After church, many families go out to brunch at one of the numerous San Antonio eateries. The restaurants located on the River Walk and at San Antonio's downtown hotels are hotspots for Sunday brunch on Easter.