Hoop Dreams

7 slam-dunk Final Four events for Houston Cougar fans in San Antonio

Fans don't need tickets to join in San Antonio's Final Four fun.

Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

The Houston Cougars men's basketball team will shoot for history as it takes on Duke in an NCAA Final Four showdown in San Antonio on Saturday, April 5. A win could send the Coogs to their first national championship game in four decades.

UH fans headed to San Antonio for the game will have to wait patiently until 7:49 pm Saturday for tip-off at the Alamodome. How to fill the rest of the weekend? Much of the thrilling Final Four action will be off the courts, including concerts from Grammy-winning artists, meet-and-greets with San Antonio Spurs legends, and tailgating fun.

Downtown San Antonio will explode with can't-miss events from April 4-7 — and many of them are free. Read below for our guide to the essential events during San Antonio's slam-dunk Final Four weekend.

Fan Fest
April 4 & 7, noon-6 pm; April 5-6, 10 am-6 pm at Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center.
Make a full-court press to this celebrity-filled party packed with interactive games, exhibits, demonstrations, autograph signings, and appearances from greats like David Robinson and Avery Johnson. Event sponsor Capital One Bank will welcome cardholders with early entry and free swag.

March Madness Music Festival
April 4, 4:30-10 pm; April 5, 3-9 pm; April 6, 2:20-10 pm at Hemisfair Tower Park.
Top athletes won't be the only VIPs gracing San Antonio during the Final Four. This electrifying music festival includes three days of free outdoor performances from musical heavyweights like Pitbull, Doechii, Jelly Roll, T-Pain, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, and Chris Stapleton.

Men's Final Four Friday
April 4, 10 am-6 pm at Alamodome.
Basketball fans of all ages can hoop it up during this complimentary day of interactive activities featuring each Final Four team squeezing in one last practice. Guests can also preview future NBA draft picks as top senior student-athletes compete in the National Association of Basketball Coaches All-Star Game.

Tip-Off Tailgate
April 4 and 7, 3-10 pm; April 5, 1:30-11 pm; April 6, noon-5 pm at Civic Park.
These free watch parties for the men's and women's Final Four games include giveaways, basketball-themed activities, and a curated selection of food and drinks. There are also meet-and-greet sessions with Spurs icons David Robinson and Manu Ginobili, former Duke Blue Devils star Christian Laettner, and Los Angeles Lakers legend James Worthy.

River Rally
April 5, 11 am-noon at the Lagoon at Shops at Rivercenter, 849 E. Commerce St.
Show your team spirit by watching free performances by bands and spirit squads from each of the four participating schools floating along the River Walk.

Final Four Dribble
April 6, 10 -11 am at Travis Park.
While there are no more participatory spots, guests can cheer on more than 3,000 local kids and teenagers dribbling a basketball through a one-mile course downtown. Each participant will move the ball freestyle while wearing a specially designed branded shirt.

Championship River Parade
April 7, after the title game at La Villita.
Fans of the newly crowned national champion can hoot and holler as players and coaches celebrate on barges drifting down the San Antonio River. The victorious team will show off their trophy and hold a final rally at the Arneson River Theater at 418 Villita St.

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out to sea

Carnival opens 2028 bookings for showstopping new ship's Caribbean cruises

Carnival Tropicale begins sailing in 2028

Photo courtesy of Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival Tropicale will begin sailing from Galveston to destinations in the Caribbean, The Bahamas, and Mexico in 2028.

The Carnival Tropicale, Carnival's newest cruise ship that will set sail from Galveston, is now accepting reservations for its maiden voyages to destinations throughout The Bahamas, the Caribbean, and Mexico, beginning in 2028.

Carnival Tropicale is the fifth and final Excel-class ship that will be offered from the cruise line, and it will be able to accommodate over 6,000 passengers. It is named after MS Tropicale, Carnival's original "Fun Ship" from 1982, but the new luxury liner promises showstopping experiences inspired by Las Vegas' "golden era of show business."

Four-to-eight-day cruises are now available to book with departure dates as early as April 15, 2028. Six destinations in Carnival's Paradise Collection are on the itinerary, including Cozumel and Progreso, Mexico; Isla Tropicale in Roatan, Honduras; and Nassau, Bahamas. Eight-day cruises will include stops at Celebration Key and RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, two private islands owned by Carnival.

"From innovative attractions and dining to unforgettable destinations throughout the Caribbean, The Bahamas, and Mexico, Carnival Tropicale will bring an exciting new vacation option to Texas when she debuts in 2028," said Ben Clement, EVP of maritime and new builds at Carnival Cruise Line, in a release.

These are the cruise options passengers can book on the Carnival Tropicale starting in 2028:

6-Day Western Caribbean Cruise to Cozumel and Isla Tropical, Roatan – 26 dates from April 15, 2028 to April 29, 2029
8-Day The Bahamas Cruise to Nassau and RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay – 26 dates from April 29, 2028 to May 6, 2029
8-Day The Bahamas Cruise to Celebration Key and RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay – April 21-29
5-Day Western Caribbean Cruise to Cozumel and Progreso, Yucatán – December 23-28 and December 28-January 1, 2029
4-Day Western Caribbean Cruise to Cozumel – January 2-6, 2029

Major attractions on the new Carnival Tropicale include Sunsation Point, a top deck "family fun" entertainment zone, and Carnival WaterWorks Ultra, an all-ages water park with six waterslides and splash pads for kids.

Other family-friendly attractions include multiple sport courts — including a redesigned Fairway 66 Mini Golf course inspired by Route 66 — a Treehouse Adventure Trail, new arcade spaces, and to-be-announced "new entertainment experiences and exclusive spaces."

Carnival Tropicale Grand Central Atrium A rendering of the Grand Central Atrium. Courtesy of Carnival

Carnival Tropicale will also feature three new dining concepts that highlight "flavors from around the world," including one in partnership with famous chef Emeril Lagasse.

"Guests will be able to enjoy Uku Lei Lei, offering Hawaiian-inspired cuisine with Asian influences; Fetaccine, blending Greek and Italian flavors; and Emeril's Coastal Seafood, showcasing seafood dishes inspired by America's coastlines and created in partnership with Carnival's Chief Culinary Officer Chef Emeril Lagasse."

Carnival Tropicale cruises departing from Galveston can be booked on the Carnival website . Rates vary depending on the duration of the trip and accommodation preference.

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