36th annual Light the Way Holiday Festival offers in-person celebrations starting Saturday

See the lights through early January

San Antonio – The University of the Incarnate Word hosted its annual Light The Way Holiday Festival as the official holiday start event for San Antonio.

“We are the first place that the lights come on in San Antonio. It’s wonderful we get the opportunity to kick it off here at the head waters where the San Antonio River begins,” said President of UIW, Thomas Evans.

The in-person tradition featured food, activities, performances and shopping.

“I’ve been coming to Light the Way every year since I was three years old and bringing my daughter here and letting her watch all the lights turn on. It’s amazing,” said festivalgoer Clarissa Regino.

University staff and volunteers hung one million lights across the campus. The magic of the lights brought happiness for many families.

“It definitely felt like the Christmas spirit because it’s cold outside…and all the lights just brought a lot of joy,” said festivalgoer Raquel Castillo.

The lights are on from dusk to dawn at UIW through early January when the campus celebrates the Feast of Epiphany.

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About the Authors:

Adam Barraza is a photojournalist at KSAT 12 and an El Paso native. He interned at KVIA, the local ABC affiliate, while still in high school. He then moved to San Antonio and, after earning a degree from San Antonio College and the University of the Incarnate Word, started working in news. He’s also a diehard Dodgers fan and an avid sneakerhead.