DRUM UP SOME FUN Whether you’re a folk art lover, a foodie, or just ready for a fall frolic, here’s an itinerary that should make your mouth water. Head to San Antonio November 1 and begin with First Friday, a monthly art walk that takes over the funky Southtown neighborhood’s streets and galleries with festive openings and displays of newly produced art. And this month, First Friday happens during Día de los Muertos, meaning the entire city will be alive with cultural activity and revelry. Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is not a time for mourning but for remembering the dearly departed by feasting on their favorite foods, listening to their favorite music, and creating special altars in their honor. One such ofrenda will be for George Coleman, better known to his fans as Bongo Joe, who passed away in 1999. While the beloved street musician’s mixture of Delta-influenced vocals, poetry, and oil-drum percussion can no longer be heard along the River Walk, where he performed for more than twenty years, you can visit his altar, which will be on view all weekend at the Institute of Texan Cultures. After investigating the inner-city happenings, drive out later Friday night to nearby Helotes to hear the Gourds, Austin’s alt-country rockers, jam at the John T. Floore Country Store. The feasting of the senses continues back in downtown San Antonio during the New World Wine and Food Festival. Suit up on Saturday and go to the Buckhorn Saloon and Museum for Texas in Tuxes, a black-tie dinner hosted by celebrity chefs including Texans Mark Bliss, Tim Keating, and David Garrido, and chill out on Sunday with a raspa (snow cone) during Totally Tejas, a gastronomic bash held in the Assembly Building in historic La Villita. While there, close your eyes for a moment and think of Bongo Joe. You might just hear the sound of drumming rising up from the nearby River Walk. (See San Antonio.)
