Día Nacional del Vaquero!

Tippin’ its hat and celebrating the legacy of the cowboy, cowgirl and vaquero, the Briscoe presents its annual National Day of the Cowboy | Día Nacional del Vaquero celebration on Saturday, July 25, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The free community event, which includes free admission to the museum, features indoor and outdoor activities across the museum’s River Walk campus for cowpokes of all ages to enjoy and explore the west.

Long before the American cowboy became a symbol of the West, vaqueros perfected the horsemanship, ranching techniques and traditions that continue to define cowboy culture today. On Saturday, July 25, the Briscoe Western Art Museum invites visitors to experience that living legacy during its annual National Day of the Cowboy /Día Nacional del Vaquero celebration, a free day of live demonstrations, music, history and hands-on family activities celebrating cowboys and vaqueros, the original cowboys of the American West.

Held throughout the museum and in the scenic McNutt Sculpture Garden, National Day of the Vaquero / Día
Nacional del Vaquero brings the West to life with music, art, storytelling and hands-on activities for visitors
of all ages. Guests can enjoy cowboy and vaquero traditions including lasso demonstrations, crafts, cowboy
poetry, chuckwagon treats and live Western music while celebrating the rich cultural heritage that continues
to influence Texas and the West today.

Register for free, saddle up with your family and head west for a free day of fun you won’t forget! 

📅 July 25, 2026 | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

🎟 ️FREE Community Event

🖼️ Free Museum Admission!

One of the Briscoe’s most treasured annual events, National Day of the Cowboy highlights and preserves America’s cowboy culture and pioneer heritage. The day began in 2005 to celebrate and preserve the heritage of the American cowboy, cowgirl and vaquero in the United States. The state of Texas declared it a day of honor in 2015 and the Briscoe annually hosts a free community day marking the occasion, throwing open the doors of the museum to honor the cowgirl, cowboy and vaquero in us all.

Full Day of Fun Activities!

ARTS & CRAFTS

Stick ponies and barrel racing

Felt horseshoe toss

Lil Buckaroo corral-lassoing and bull riding

Silversmith etching (drawing on tin foil) 

Dress like a Vaquero: Make your own spur, Make your own vaquero hat

Braiding Station

Accordion Longhorn

& More!

Artist Demonstrations

Engraving with Troy Flaharty

Rawhide Braider with Leland Hensley

Sculpting with Jason Scull

Painting with Brenda Murphy & Mike Capron

& More!

ACTIVITIES

Chuck wagon

Story Time

San Antonio Rodeo

Cowboy Poetry

Food Trucks

Games & More!

Special Activity Times

11:30am-12pm & 1:00pm-1:30pm : Danzavida De San Antonio Dance Company

12:30 pm-1:00 pm : Cowboy Poetry with Don Mathis

1:30 pm and 2:00 pm : Story time with Antoinette Lakey reading about Mary Fields

2:30pm-4:00pm : Cowboy Ballads with Sons of San Antone

Looking to Lend a Hand?

Volunteers needed for our annual National Day of the Cowboy Community Day! We will have live performances, food, and activities throughout the day for guests to experience.

Get wrapped up in Western fun and meet Cowboy Santa at the Briscoe’s annual Cowboy Christmas.

Included with museum admission, Cowboy Christmas is the perfect way to enjoy holiday fun and make memories with your family. The celebration falls on the Briscoe’s monthly “Locals Day” so all Bexar County and San Antonio residents receive free admission to enjoy the museum.

Cowboy Christmas features a day of family fun exploring the museum!

🎨 Holiday crafts, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

🎅 Visit & Snap Pictures with Cowboy Santa 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

🕵🏻‍♂️ Enjoy a special 12 Days of Christmas scavenger hunt leads you through the Briscoe’s fantastic collection.

Tippin’ its hat and celebrating the legacy of the cowboy, cowgirl and vaquero, the Briscoe presents its annual National Day of the Cowboy celebration on Saturday, July 26, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

The free community event, which includes free admission to the museum, features indoor and outdoor activities across the museum’s River Walk campus for cowpokes of all ages to enjoy and explore the west.

This year’s celebration includes a salute to the paniolos of Hawaii, island cowboys who learned their skills and traditions thanks to Mexican vaqueros, a history shared in the museum’s Aloha Vaqueros exhibition.

Register for free, saddle up with your family and head west for a free day of fun you won’t forget! 

📅 July 26, 2025 | 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM

🎟 ️FREE Community Event

🖼️ Free Museum Admission!

One of the Briscoe’s most treasured annual events, National Day of the Cowboy highlights and preserves America’s cowboy culture and pioneer heritage. The day began in 2005 to celebrate and preserve the heritage of the American cowboy, cowgirl and vaquero in the United States. The state of Texas declared it a day of honor in 2015 and the Briscoe annually hosts a free community day marking the occasion, throwing open the doors of the museum to honor the cowgirl, cowboy and vaquero in us all.

Full Day of Fun Activities!

ARTS & CRAFTS

Stick ponies and barrel racing

Felt horseshoe toss

Lil Buckaroo corral-lassoing and bull riding

Silversmith etching (drawing on tin foil) 

Pipe cleaner Branding

Dress like a Paniolo: Make your own spur, Make your own cowboy hat

& More!

Artist Demonstrations

Cowboy Poetry

San Antonio Rodeo

Story Time

Food Trucks

Games & More!

Looking to Lend a Hand?

Volunteers needed for our annual National Day of the Cowboy Community Day! We will have live performances, food, and activities throughout the day for guests to experience.

Cancelled Due to Inclement wintery weather.

The Museum will Also be Closed.

Free All-Day Community Event!
Saturday, January 24 | 10am – 4pm

To celebrate one of the four pillars of Western Art, wildlife and animals of the west, the Briscoe Western Art Museum will hold a FREE community day on Saturday, January 24, 2026. All activities will revolve around the theme of Western wildlife with a focus on Texas habitats and wildlife. We will have ALL DAY animal-themed art activities and local wildlife experts participating.

Free All-Day Community Event!
Saturday, November 8 | 10 AM – 4 PM

Highlighting the continued vibrancy and artistic traditions of Native American communities – and the local tribes who helped shape San Antonio – the Briscoe Western Art Museum invites everyone to enjoy its annual Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival. The event is FREE and includes admission to the Briscoe, making it a perfect way to celebrate the important role Native Americans played in shaping the West while enjoying art and artifacts that highlight Native American history.

The event starts with a Native American spiritual blessing, followed by a ceremonial drum circle that invites everyone to join. 

The annual event is named in honor of the Payaya people who were indigenous to the San Antonio area. “Yanaguana” was the word they used to describe what is now known as the San Antonio River. The festival groups with historical roots in the San Antonio area and highlights a core pillar of Western art featured in the Briscoe’s collection. The festival has been held annually since the museum opened.

Fun for all ages to enjoy, so come on down with your family and friends! Register today! 

Want to Lend a Hand?

Volunteers help make this a fun and safe event for all our visitors. Volunteers will help with check-in, support staff with arts & crafts with the kids, help keep art supplies neat and organized and help with light clean up.

Honoring

The Kowalski Family

Rosemary Kowalski

Greg and Bekki Kowalski

Travis and Jamie Kowalski

Jennifer Heinz

The Legacy Award Luncheon is an opportunity to honor very special and deserving members of the community. Established to celebrate the philanthropic spirit of the late Texas Governor Dolph Briscoe, Jr. and his wife Janey, the museum recognizes generous contributions, advocacy, and volunteerism. The Briscoe Western Art Museum is pleased to announce the seventh annual Dolph & Janey Briscoe Legacy Award will be presented to the Kowalski Family. Please join us on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, as we honor a San Antonio woman and family whose commitment to philanthropy has significantly impacted the Briscoe Western Art Museum, our community, and South Texas.

Learn More

We invite you to join us as a sponsor of this important event honoring Rosemary and the Kowalski Family. Sponsors become active champions in sharing the art, heritage, and culture of the American West. Proceeds from the luncheon benefit upcoming exhibits, education, and arts-access programming for area students.

For future sponsorship information, please contact, Amber Phifer, Director of Development and Externals Affairs, at (210) 507-4864 or by email at aphifer@briscoemuseum.org. Proceeds from the annual Legacy Award Luncheon directly benefit the museum’s educational outreach, exhibitions, and programming throughout the year.