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Sandboxes, treehouses and a meandering water channel with wading and splash areas are all part of a proposed nature play area at Brackenridge Park.
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This year, Fiesta attendees will have a chance to support the $10 million park improvement. Texas Cavaliers, organizers of San Antonio’s River Parade, announced Thursday that the Brackenridge Park Conservancy would be the organization’s charitable honoree this year.
The 2-acre play area, dubbed the Nature Playscape, will focus on accessibility and inclusivity for children of all abilities, says Brackenridge Park Conservancy CEO Chris Maitre, and give them an opportunity for exploration and free play.
It will also be free to the public.
“It’s not really found anywhere in San Antonio, in terms of it being a free space,” Maitre said.
A rendering shows the proposed design for the Brackenridge Park Nature Playscape. Credit: Courtesy / Brackenridge Park Conservancy
The Nature Playscape will offer 11 distinct features, Maitre added, and include a bridge to enhance connectivity to nature trails, the San Antonio Zoo and the Witte Museum.
The playscape is part of ongoing efforts to improve the park, including a 2017 city bond for the first phase of work: replanting native species, controlling erosion around riverbanks and restoring Lambert Beach.
Texas Cavaliers will help fundraise for the new playscape, using proceeds from this year’s river parade for the project.
At a press conference at the Brackenridge Park Conservancy on Thursday, Cavaliers officials also share their Fiesta medal and announced the grand marshal and King Antonio for the parade.
Texas Cavaliers River Parade Past Commander Gardner Peavy was named as the 2026 King Antonio for next year’s Fiesta river parade event. Credit: Amber Esparza / San Antonio Report
Gardner Peavy, a cavalier who works in commercial real estate with Sageview Partners, will serve as the 103rd King Antonio. Peavy was excited for the opportunity to engage with local community members and youth and celebrate a century of history — it’s the River Parade’s 100th anniversary.
The parade’s grand marshal will be Leon McNeil. He and his wife, Leticia McNeil, lead City Kids Adventures, a nonprofit focused on helping inner city youth access outdoor opportunities.
Leon McNeil thanked the San Antonio community for its support and said he would use the opportunity to encourage local youth to go outside.
The Texas Cavaliers River Parade will be held on Apr. 20. Tickets go on sale Jan. 1. The Fiesta medal is now available online.
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