Rio San Antonio Cruises Radio On Stereo 7

     On Tuesday, April 17 at 5:30 p.m., Bohanan’s Restaurant & Bar, the San Antonio River Foundation and Rio San Antonio Cruises will join forces for a celebration at Bohanan’s Restaurant & Bar in which all three businesses will unveil their 2012 Fiesta medals and celebrate the river, with cocktail proceeds benefiting the San Antonio River Foundation. The community is invited to this medal unveiling.
     JoAnn Boone, president and CEO of Rio San Antonio Cruises, will reveal the fifth edition of the Rio San Antonio Cruises Fiesta medal. This year’s pin takes a humorous look at Boone as a “Queen of the Nile” bobble head aboard Rio San Antonio Cruises. She pokes fun at herself as she rides the Rio to help raise awareness for the River Foundation, which works to enhance the natural beauty, recreational use and public appreciation of the entire San Antonio River through Bexar, Wilson, Karnes and Goliad counties.
“I’m a huge supporter of both the San Antonio River Foundation and Bohanan’s,” said Boone, a River Foundation board member for the past three years. “We look forward to unveiling our medals together at this exciting collaborative event.”The 2012 Fiesta medals for the River Foundation and Bohanan’s Restaurant & Bar will also be unveiled that evening.
“We are so thrilled to kick off Fiesta this year and to raise awareness and funds for the River Foundation mission,” said Estela Avery, executive director of the San Antonio River Foundation. “This partnership will make such a difference in enhancing the river for locals, visitors and generations to come.”
San Antonio River Foundation
In 2012, the San Antonio River Foundation will continue to:
- Further the vision of the San Antonio River Improvements Project’s Art Master Plan through installations including bridge railings, shade sculptures, and art benches;
- Develop Confluence Park and its educational and recreational programs and offerings: and
- Collaborate with the San Antonio River Authority, Bexar County, River Oversight Committee and the National Park Service in creating “Mission Portals” or meaningful connective plazas between the missions and the San Antonio River.
FIESTA® Medals
The River Foundation’s 2012 Fiesta medal features beautiful flowing blue waves, dancing figures, colorful sunbursts and polished gold letters. Bohanan’s medal showcases its “Number 2 Best Steak in Texas” ranking coupled with a ribeye steak and the restaurant’s logo.
“The San Antonio River and Fiesta are both integral parts of who we are as a community,” said Executive Chef and Owner Mark Bohanan. “It seems only natural to partner with organizations that preserve and nurture the river’s existence, importance and beauty, while also celebrating our beloved Fiesta.”
Drink and Raise Money
All proceeds from the Rio Snap cocktail during this event and throughout the 11 days of Fiesta will go to the San Antonio River Foundation. A “mocktail” version of this cocktail will also be offered, which does not include liquor and is served over ice. In addition, Bohanan’s will host six lunches for the River Foundation to help showcase its various projects and commitments to keeping the river beautifully maintained and making it a platform for the arts, culture, history and education that makes San Antonio a wonderful place to live, work and visit.
Free Parking
In conjunction with the Downtown Tuesday program, FREE parking is available on Tuesday evenings at any of the city-operated parking garages, lots and meters from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Visit www.sanantonio.gov/dtops/pdf/ParkingPrintableMap.pdf for a map of eligible parking facilities. Valet parking is also available at Bohanan’s Restaurant & Bar for $10.
RSVP…Please RSVP to Rhonda Farias with the San Antonio River Foundation at (210) 224-2694.

Visitors can experience the City of Yellow Roses February 10-19 in many ways:

• Three River Walk barges will charm visitors with floating serenades. Acoustic guitar, marimba and mariachi musicians will entertain with live music the weekends of February 10 and 17, as well as Valentine’s Day, February 14.
• In addition to the serenade barges, 10 other barges will be decked out in yellow roses, ribbons and more, to add even more color and romance to the River Walk during Valentine’s Week.
• Romance-themed hotel packages offer special getaways. A dozen are currently listed, with more being added every day. One hotel is even including 1,000 yellow rose petals in its package offering.
• A Valentine Value Card will offer other “City of Yellow Roses” specials. The card is available online. Visitors can also pick one up at hotel reception desks of downtown hotels, bed and breakfasts and resorts (next to a bouquet of yellow roses), as well as the San Antonio International Airport, the Visitor Information Center on Alamo Plaza, and at the Convention Center. Romantic offerings include everything from yellow roses at hotel turn-down service or presented at check-in, Yellow Rose drink specials, Yellow Rose cupcakes, spa specials, and more.
• San Antonio is also partnering with American Greetings as part of “City of Yellow Roses.” Starting February 10, there will be a themed romance card on Americangreetings.com that will carry the yellow rose and San Antonio romance messaging.

A dreamy mix of European-like canals, Spanish flair, Old West charm, and Texas big hearted warmth – there will be more romance than ever in San Antonio this Valentine’s Week.  At CityofYellowRoses.com, visitors can learn more about what makes San Antonio que romantica! Information includes 10 Great Romantic Spots in San Antonio, Tips from Locals, San Antonio After Dark, Food & Wine, Four-Day Romance Itinerary, and videos showcasing San Antonio as a romantic and relaxing destination.
(Courtesy of Sara Gruber – the San Antonio Convention and Visitor’s Bureau)

San Antonio Riverwalk Christmas Time Lapse from Jake Barnwell on Vimeo.

Are you feeling nostalgic for the twinkle frenzy along our Narrated River Boat Tour during the holidays?  Well, enjoy a time-lapse version made by one of our very own drivers, the talented Jake Barnwell.  Remember that we do book a year out for our private events so if you do not want to miss out on that private tour next year, now is the time.  We are already getting a pile of requests.  Until then, just watch the video over and over.

Click to Enlarge

This is a first in a series of posts that will better acquaint you with the types of services we offer.  In this post, we’re reviewing the options we have on our boat configuration.  In the photo you will notice there are three different types of setups each with different advantages.  Keep in mind that although you may book these boats on your own, you will have to contact a catering establishment and coordinate your event with them.  Many of our customers prefer to have the Restaurant/Hotel/Caterer contact us and book the boat for them.

• The Narrated Tour Configuration

This is the configuration millions of people ride each year.  It seats 40 maximum (38 recommended) with 10 seats along each side and 2 rows on the inside.  Our narrated tours are all configured this way and if you are interested in a private tour, it is available to you as well.  We even allow catering on these boats, when applicable, for certain parties like conventions.  This does not make it easy for a waiter to maneuver so you can expect to be passing people a drink or 10.

• The Cocktail Configuration

Now we’re talking.  This configuration replaces one of the rows of seats (Table 1) in the diagram with a flat surface for plates, food, decor, and drinks.  Due to the inclusion of the table you now have 30 seats maximum (28 recommended). Not everyone will have table space in front of them so the table should be treated as a shared space and the food should be planned accordingly.  Hors d’oeuvres work well here and it lends itself to cocktails with more room to display good eats and tasty drinks.

• The Dinner Configuration

Let’s eat! This configuration replaces both center rows with tables and gives everyone table space to enjoy a multi-course meal.  You can seat 20 maximum (18 recommended) and waiters are able to deliver delights with ease.  Most of our River Walk restaurants book these.  Some also offer per seat purchases on certain evenings if you would like to take advantage of this lovely experience without getting 16 of your closest friends together.  They are highlighted in bold on our River Walk Restaurant/Catering List.

Join SoHo Wine & Martini Bar for a cocktail mixer on Friday, January 27, 2012 from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. Guests will have the opportunity to taste fine products provided by Cinco Vodka, Treaty Oak Platinum Rum, Dulce Vida Organic Tequila and Waterloo Gin and have the chance to meet the people who run the distilleries that create these brands.

Join Ocho Lounge at Hotel Havana for a cocktail party on Friday, January 27, 2012 from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. for a Classic Cuba cocktail party. Guests will enjoy a selection of traditional Caribbean libations sponsored by Bacardi, signature Ocho passed hors d’oeuvres and live entertainment.

Buy tickets here.