Events
Art by Adriana Garcia
Peace Market
Visit the 35th Annual Mercado de Paz which supports independent artists as well as the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center. This holiday shopping alternative features local creators (like myself) on Friday & Saturday (1oam-6pm) as well as international artists who will continue vending through Sunday (noon-6pm). Live music, homemade food, handmade goods—beats a chain store any day.
TX Book Fest
Join us as we welcome the best across Texas & beyond for a weekend of readings, art happenings, signings, and discussions ⭐️ Here are my public events featuring REMEMBERING / TE RECUERDO 🐾
SATURDAY: “Texas Institute of Letters Presents: 2024 Children's Literature AwardWinners” ( 11:15 AM - 12:00 PM, Texas Tent…Book Signing to follow at 12:15 PM)
SUNDAY: Reading of Remembering / Te recuerdo (12:00 PM - 12:30 PM, Read Me A Story Tent… Book Signing to follow at 12:30 PM)
Heal Your Life+ Webinar
Sharing one-on-one readings with her Lotería Remedios Oracle deck, Xelena will give you a brand-new way to explore your own magic, embrace your identity, and navigate life with more resilience and understanding. This is a session not to be missed—so mark your calendar! Please visit the attached link to register for this virtual event available through Hay House subscription-based channel Heal Your Life+
Novel Ideas Art Book Fair
Join me and illustrator Jose Sotelo Yamasaki as we share the stories and inspiration behind our new project LOTERIA REMEDIOS in a special presentation on Saturday at 2:30pm as we close out the Novel Ideas Art Book Fair. We will be setup with other artist vendors on First Friday (5-9pm) and Saturday (12-4pm) so come get your LOTERIA REMEDIOS playing tablas, art prints, and decks. I’ll bring my picture books too!
Double Book Launch
Drop by to celebrate the release of LOTERIA REMEDIOS as well as TE RECUERDO. We will have a full exhibition of the new Loteria cards inside the gallery (starting at 6pm), with loteria games and live readings outside (starting at 7pm). If you’d like to dress as your favorite loteria card, be there by 8pm for a costume contest. It’s gonna be a hot one, so bring your water bottles! Fruit cups and aguas will be served while they last, with other food options available nearby for purchase.
ALA Pura Belpre Awards
Catch us at ALA in San Diego! Saturday (12:30 to 2) “Celebrating Joy in Librarianship” panel with signing to follow. Sunday (1-3:30) Pura Belpre Ceremony, celebrating Remembering’s silver medal for illustration :)
TLA in SA
If you’re in town for the Texas Library Association conference, come catch our signing in Author Aisle 6!
Kudos to the San Antonio Book Festival for another great event! We had a blast as always :)
Dia de Muertos with Esperanza
Live music on the Westside, good food, buena gente—what’s not to love about this celebration? I’ll share a reading and will have plenty of books and merch for sale. This will be my last public event for a while :)
Carver Youth Matinee
For all those schools requesting a free author visit, here’s your chance! Adriana and I will be offering a full look at the book and the process it took to make it, plus cultural components of Day of the Dead. RSVP is required at Eventbrite: Remembering—A Day of the Dead Book Celebration (see link below). Mariachis from Herff Elementary will kick off the show!
Muertos Fest
Join us at Muertos Fest where I will be selling signed copies of REMEMBERING as well as related merchandise, plus the first glimpses of our new LOTERIA REMEDIOS designs. Booth 202 with Tu y Yo! Book reading on the Yanaguana Stage at 1pm on Saturday :)
Book Release Party
Join us for our first official book reading in San Anto! We’ll have an ofrenda-building, crafts, food, and fresh cempasuchil flowers (& veggies) for sale through Garcia Farm! Reading starts at 6pm.
Tucson Reading & Book Giveaway
Learn some of the customs surrounding Day of the Dead through this unique picture book celebrating the life of a beloved pet. This program includes an interactive reading, songs, crafts, and a community book giveaway!
Desert Nights, Rising Stars
What an extraordinary event—Sold out! Thank you, writers :)
Peace Market
Come support local and international artists at the annual Mercado de Paz. Forget the malls, and do your holiday shopping amid live music, delicious food, and lots of raffle prizes donated by vendors. Proceeds from all sales support the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center. Xelena will be signing books & vending at the “El Fin” booth. Friday & Saturday 10am-6pm
Words & Movement in the Cave of Knowledge
Join Xelena González & Ceiba Ili for a series of interactive stories that combine music, movement, and improvisation. This is a bilingual, family-friendly event designed to inspire and engage.
The B Side: Ritmos y Remedios
Music lovers know the B Side of an album is where we find the little known gems that never got enough attention – the soulful stuff from an artist’s heart. At this special Latinx Heritage celebration, you’ll hear Ceiba Ili’s unique blend of indigenous beats and global rhythms woven together with words of wisdom and healing from Xelena González’ celebrated collection Lotería Remedios. Xelena will share new remedios inspired by images from a little-known lotería series that includes cards such as La Bruja, El Oso, Las Espuelas, and La Piñata. Ceiba will premiere new tracks from her forthcoming album, which features several guest artists in attendance. This event is the culmination of both artists’ Individual Artist Grants from the City of San Antonio Department of Arts & Culture. Arrive early to sign up for lotería games and a chance to win artful prizes. "¡Corre y Se Va!"
LAS DAMAS: Art, Lotería y Poesía en el Westside
Join celebrated muralist Adriana M. Garcia and acclaimed author Xelena González as they share words and images from their new picture book Where Wonder Grows. Like their award-winning title All Around Us, their followup book proudly features their native Westside of San Anto. Adriana will also share a sneak peek of illustrations from her forthcoming book The Turquoise Room (by Monica Brown). And Xelena will offer new writing from her Lotería Remedios series. We’ll top off this Latinx Heritage kickoff event with a round of lotería games, where audience members will have a chance to win copies of their books and original artwork. Only 50 playing tablas are available, so arrive early!
National Book Festival
I’m thrilled to be invited as a presenting author at the National Book Festival, hosted by the Library of Congress in D.C. My little librarian heart is swooning!
Find me at the “Please Read Me a Story” stage, with a signing to follow.
Picture Books That Pop!
Curious about creating picture books? Join me for an in-person class at Gemini Ink in San Antonio. (Find full course description & registration here). Expect generative exercises, lively discussion, and sound advice. Illustrators are welcome too! Scholarships & CPE credits available.
TX Folklife Showcase
Check out the culmination of my storytelling apprenticeship with performing artist Ceiba Ili (also known as Excy Guardado). She and other Texas artists will share their gifts and skills in this virtual program streaming live on Texas Folklife’s Facebook page starting 6pm CST.
Storytimes at SAPL
San Antonio, join me for two special storytimes at your public library! I’ll be sharing my new book Where Wonder Grows along with related music, movement, and writing fun. The “Summer With SAPL” team is giving away 10 copies of the book at each event!
TUE 7/26 @ Semmes Branch, 3-4pm
WED 7/27 @ Cortez Branch, 11-noon
San Antonio Book Festival
Thanks to Adriana M. Garcia for representing our book at the SABF! And mil gracias to Zeke Pena for depicting us in the festival’s 10th anniversary poster.
WWG Book Launch
Thank you to everyone who came out to Confluence Park to help us welcome our new baby book Where Wonder Grows into the world!