Here Comes Spelunker Claus

Texas caverns' underground concerts take holiday visitors caroling in the caves

Austin Gilliam San Antonio Natural Bridge Caverns

Performers like Austin Gilliam have been enjoying this unique concert venue.

Photo courtesy of Natural Bridge Caverns

An underground Christmas celebration sure sounds edgy and cool, but little could prepare visitors for this literally underground venue. Natural Bridge Caverns, just on the northeast edge of San Antonio, is hosting its 10th Christmas at the Caverns "season of celebration," but this one adds even more shimmer to these dark depths.

Natural Bridge's "Caroling in the Caverns" opportunities and new Holiday Live Underground Concert series bring the public up close with professional singers and musicians for resonant performances in the stunning underground space. This year, the cavern's festivities are extended five days longer than usual, lasting December 2-30.

The live concerts will take place in a newly developed space dubbed by a release "the deepest underground event venue in Texas."

Photos highlight the unique offering, highlighting performers bathed in light from nowhere amid the quasi-cathedral natural environment. Considering the acoustics, it's almost weird that we don't have more concerts in caves.

"Our 'Live Underground' concerts have been so popular, when we were looking for a way to celebrate our 10th anniversary, it seemed like the perfect way to extend the festivities," said President of Natural Bridge Caverns Brad Wuest in the release.

There are five artists scheduled to play during the holiday series:

Zack Walther Band on December 21
Scotty Alexander on December 26
Matt Castillo on December 28
Payton Howie on December 29
Clay Hollis on December 30

Both below and above ground, classic traditions are returning, starting on December 2: a trail of lights that stretches a third of a mile (with some new additions), a 30-foot Christmas tree, a visit from "Spelunker Claus" and Mrs. Claus. More unusual, the 5,000-square-foot "Reindeer Roundup Maze" gives kids a festive mission.

It's not all just entertainment; in the spirit of the holidays and Christmas at the Caverns tradition, the venue will be collecting food and financial donations for the New Braunfels and San Antonio Food Bank. It will also donate a portion of ticket sales, adding to its previous cumulative donation of $125,000 and 1.25 million pounds of food.

While visitors are there, they might as well take some of the year-round tours that will still be running throughout the holiday festivities. A concert ticket also gets guests into all of the other holiday events, and there are multiple other ways to organize a visit.

Tickets for Underground Live Concerts are available at naturalbridgecaverns.com.

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LIVING HISTORY

Texas Revolution comes to life at new immersive attraction in Gonzales

Facebook/Texas Legacy in Lights

'Texas Legacy in Lights' puts audiences in the midst of Texas history.

A brand new way to experience the history of the Lone Star State has debuted at the Gonzales Memorial Museum, located about two hours from Houston. Texas Legacy in Lights bills itself as the "world's first permanent, narrative-driven, live-action projection mapping film."

The film was produced and directed by Gonzales native John Franklin Rinehart, who used 3D mapping projection to bring to life the story of the Texas Revolution starting in 1835, including the Battle of Gonzales. It is projected in HD on the museum’s façade after dark, and audiences are encouraged to sit on the museum lawn to take in the one-of-a-kind visual presentation that puts them in the middle of the action.

"It's a great experience for our city," says Gonzales Mayor Isaac Anzaldua. "Everybody here seems to be enjoying themselves, and with this, they begin to understand where they came from. We still embody the same spirit of 'come and take it' that they had back in 1835."

The film delves into the little-known history of the iconic "Come and Take It" flag created by Sarah DeWitt, who sewed it from her daughter's wedding dress. Peggy Schott (Fear the Walking Dead) portrays the iconic Texas pioneer.

"I had family in Texas before the Revolution who were there, and I was so excited to join this project," Schott says in a press release. "It's hard to find stories of the women from that time. I'm honored to play Sarah DeWitt and to tell her story in a way that will inspire people for years to come."

A woman's face in the Texas Legacy in Lights Show An image from the immersive new Texas history projection show. Photo courtesy of Texas Legacy in Lights

Most stories of the Texas Revolution focus on the more famous moments at the end of the war, such as the fall of the Alamo and the decisive victory at San Jacinto. Texas Legacy of Lights, instead, highlights the opening volleys in the war for independence from Mexico, many of which took place in and around Gonzales.

"One hundred years from now," Mayor Anzaldua says, "our community will look back and see how we continued to embody the Come and Take It spirit — a spirit of determination, love, and peace. To know that we share a part in shaping the future of our great city is exciting and very rewarding."

The outdoor presentation runs Tuesday-Sunday at 8:25 pm and 9:15 pm at the Gonzales Memorial Museum (414 Smith St). Screenings are free and open to the public. Watch the trailer for the film here:

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