Arts & Cultural Placemaking

San Antonio's Silk Road Cultural Heritage District

On December 18th of 2024, the City of San Antonio Historic and Design Review Commission passed the fourth Cultural Heritage District in San Antonio, the Silk Road. The SRCHD was created to recognize the many cultures and communities whose roots stem from North and Central Africa to Eastern Asia that shop, live, and interact within a geographic cluster along Wurzbach Road in northwest San Antonio. The district name is a reference to the historic Silk Road which consisted of a series of trade routes extending over thousands of miles, interconnecting the Mediterranean Basin with East Asia and allowing for shared commerce, cultures, and belief systems. These routes were named in the English language after silk, one of the most iconic products that made it halfway across the world for centuries (COSA).

International Plaza's History Here Marker

"International Plaza is a community anchor within the Silk Road Cultural Heritage District. Established in 2024, the district celebrates San Antonio's global community along the Wurzbach corridor with representation from Northern and Central Africa, the Middle East, and Northern, Central, Eastern and Southeast Asia. Since Ali Baba International Food Market opened in 1999, the plaza has become a center for other culinary destinations and shops with the goal of bringing various cultures together. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pasha Mediterranean Grill and Zaatar Lebanese Grill, along with local organizations such as the Mehr Foundation, distributed thousands of free hot meals." 

News Articles and Reports of SRCHD

Silk Road Cultural Heritage District Culinary Guide.pdf

Culturingua's Annual Welcome Walk & Festival

Culturingua’s Welcome Walk is an annual event dedicated to celebrating San Antonio’s cultural diversity and in welcoming newly arrived refugees and immigrants that come from all cultures and backgrounds. It is a collective celebration that walks along the journey of immigrants and refugees who chose to create a home in San Antonio, Texas. The event includes a 1-mile walk, local food, a small business bazaar, cultural performances, and festivities for children and families. 

2023 Welcome Walk & Festival

2022 Welcome Walk & Festival

2021 Welcome Walk & Festival

VISUAL ART CONTEST AND EXHIBIT

Ali Baba International Market

 September 26 to October 10, 2020

Igo Branch Library

October 22 to December 7, 2020