Picnic & a Movie in the Eastside Cemeteries

Published on May 14, 2026

Picnic & a Movie in the Eastside Cemeteries

A unique screening of Jumanji is bringing attention and care to the Eastside Cemeteries

SAN ANTONIO (May 14, 2026) – The City’s Office of Historic Preservation is hosting another Picnic & a Movie in the Eastside Cemeteries, screening the 1995 adventure classic “Jumanji” in celebration of Preservation Month. The event takes place on Saturday, May 16, with gates opening at 7 p.m. for the movie screening at sundown. 

The movie is free and open to families. RSVP online to receive more information and reminder emails or contact 210-207-3327. Visitors can bring snacks or dinner to enjoy a picnic. Picnicking in the cemetery is a long-held tradition for families in the United States and around the world, offering an opportunity to gather with loved ones who have passed and enjoy the park-like setting of cemeteries. Blankets and lawn chairs are encouraged. 

“This was such a wonderful activity,” said an attendee of the first Picnic & a Movie. “It brought back the memories of when families had picnics and gathered in the Cemetery, and was very well organized. Please do this again.” 

This is a movie with a purpose, and it is the third similar event hosted by the Office of Historic Preservation. Visitors are invited to explore the picturesque Eastside Cemeteries and learn more about OHP’s ongoing work with the Cemetery Steward Program. The program launched in 2020 and aims to bring attention to the beauty of the cemeteries, educate the public on the historic site, and restore and care for sacred spaces. 

There are 31 cemeteries that make up the historic Eastside Cemeteries; some are privately owned, while 9 are City-owned and maintained. Prominent San Antonians, like Clara Driscoll, Samuel Maverick, and Sandra West, are interred in the historic Eastside Cemeteries, along with the everyday people who helped to shape the city that we know and love today.