News Release: November 3, 2006

What: Holiday Tamalada (party to make tamales)
Where: Central Library, 600 Soledad
When: Saturday, November 18, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Photo opps: Kids making tamales; live theatrical presentation

¡Tamalada!
“Wrap Up” the Holidays with the San Antonio Public Library!

On Saturday, November 18, Bolner’s Fiesta Products, Burras Finas Productions, Mex-Sales Company, the San Antonio Public Library Foundation and the San Antonio Public Library will celebrate the sixth year of a new tradition - ¡Tamalada!

Many San Antonians remember going to grandma’s house early in the holiday season to make tamales. The tamalada was more than a cooking session – it was a family reunion, a party in itself, a chance for the kids to play and the adults to catch up on all the news about the aunts, uncles, cousins and family friends. It was the warm-up session for the family celebrations to come.

On November 18, San Antonio families are invited to the Central Library for their own tamalada! Sandra Vásquez of Mex-Sales Company, inventor of the Más Tamales Masa Spreader, will present two tamal-making classes, one from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., and one from 12:00 noon to 1:30 p.m. After a discussion about the tamalada tradition, the kids will have a chance to get their hands in the masa and see what making tamales is all about. The sessions are free and open to the public, but class capacity is limited and admission will be by ticket only. Tickets may be picked up at the Central Library 2nd-Floor Reference Desk while supplies last.

Following the hands-on tamal classes, at 2:00 p.m. kids and parents are invited to the Central Library Auditorium for a free viewing of the hilarious bilingual play Las Nuevas Tamaleras. A comedy which can be enjoyed by English-speakers and Spanish-speakers alike, Las Nuevas Tamaleras follows the adventures of three modern Hispanic women as they try their hands at making tamales for the first time. During their “ordeal” they are guided by the spirits of traditional Hispanic women who have been allowed to return as invisible angels to oversee the project.

Las Nuevas Tamaleras was written and is directed by San Antonio author and playwright Alicia Mena, and opened in Houston at El Teatro Bilingüe’s First Annual Latino Playwright’s Festival. Its first San Antonio performance was in 1993 at the Guadalupe Cultural Center. It has since moved to Jump-Start Theater in the Blue Star Art Space, where it has become an annual tradition. This preview at the Library is free and open to the public. However, seating is limited, and admission will be by ticket only. Tickets are available at the Central Library 2nd-Floor Reference Desk, while supplies last.

One hour of free parking is available in the Central Library parking garage with a validated ticket. For more information, the public may call (210) 207-2500.

Posted/Updated: 11/06/2006