Calling next year's Tricentennial event 'the most important milestone of our lifetime, Mayor Nirenbergt today worked to get beyond the controversy surrounding the Tricentennial Commission to announce the opening of the city's 300th birthday, a major downtown party on New Year's Eve, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
The City plans a family friendly event on New Year's Eve to ring in the year long Tricentennial celebration, including performances from seventies icons REO Speedwagon and Pat Benetar, as well as local performers Little Joe and Sam Riggs.
The downtown event will also feature 'giant screen' movies, as well as food and games.Nirenberg says the Tricentennial alone will bring in more than a quarter million additional visitors to San Antonio.
"San Antonio is one of the unique cities in America, and our story deserves to be shared," he said. The Tricentennial, like Hemisfair fifty years ago, will bring with it buildings, art exhibitions and other long term reminders
."These initiatives will leave an imprint on our cities' legacy through infrastructure and public art projects for future cities to enjoy."
The highlight of the Tricentennial will be Commemoration Week, the 300th anniversary of the opening of the area to civilian settlement, when the Spanish government gave permission for the construction of Mission San Antonio de Valero. Five days later, the Presidio de San Antonio de Bexar was founded along the San Antonio River, with thirty civilian families the first to be settled.