Corpus Christi history re-enacted at Frontera Fest

Immerse yourself in the history of Corpus Christi this November. The Sparkling City by the Bay comes alive with Frontera Fest, a three-day festival held Nov. 2-4. Events at the inaugural Frontera Fest include ghost tours, a gameshow, presentations, theatrical performances, re-enactors, a chuck wagon brunch, and much more.
Most events will take place in Heritage Park, Retama Park, and the Old Bayview Cemetery over the three days.
Lights, Camera, Action!
Front and center at Frontera Fest are the live performances across the city: a musical, a gameshow, a play, and a historical re-enactment.
“Hector!”
“An unsung hero finally gets his song” in one of the biggest performances, a new musical about the life of Hector P. Garcia: soldier, doctor, Mexican-American, civil rights leader, and a man who fought for his people.
Written in the style of the Broadway hit “Hamilton,” “Hector!” uses hip-hop lyrics and music to tell the story of the founder of the American GI Forum.
There are six showings at La Retama Park:
• FRIDAY: 7:30-9 p.m., 9:30-11 p.m., 11:30 p.m.-1 a.m.
• SATURDAY: 7:30-9 p.m., 9:30-11 p.m., 11:30 p.m.-1 a.m.
“Voices of South Texas”
The Old Bayview Cemetery comes alive with the stories of its residents (there won’t be any zombies, we promise). The cemetery became the resting place for soldiers who died in service during the Mexican-American War as well as for the many residents who helped build Corpus Christi.
Explore Old Bayview Cemetery from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 3, to see historical re-enactments across the grounds.
“Gameshow Corpus Christi”
Join the audience for a fun, interactive play that tests guests on historical knowledge. There are four showings at La Retama Park, each with a different theme:

• General Corpus Christi History Edition: 6-7 p.m. Friday
• Pop Culture Edition: 3:30-4:30 p.m. Saturday
• Old Bayview Cemetery Edition: 5:30-6:30 p.m. Saturday
• Cattle Industry Edition: 11 a.m.-noon Sunday

The Sunday showing of “Gameshow Corpus Christi” ends with the Chuckwagon Brunch, a cowboy-style breakfast prepared on a real chuck wagon! Enjoy freshly brewed coffee and savory Old West-style biscuits and gravy.
While most of the festival is free to the public, tickets are now on sale for the chuck wagon brunch, “Gameshow,” “Mean Girls,” and “Hector!”
Walk Through Time
Join a guided tour to see the history of Corpus Christi right before your eyes. The tours take place at various locations across the city.
Doc McGregor’s Corpus Christi Guided Tours
From the 1930s to the ’70s, a chiropractor named John Frederick McGregor explored the streets of Corpus Christi with a camera — creating a treasure trove of photographic history. This guided walking tour takes guests to the actual places where he shot his photographs for a true ‘then and now’ perspective of the city.
Join a tour at La Retama Park:
• Friday from 5:30-9 p.m.
• Saturday from noon-9 p.m.
La Retama Tunnels:
• Friday at 5:30 p.m.
• Saturday at noon.
Downtown Ghost Tours:
• Friday at 9 p.m.
• Saturday at 8 p.m.
Artwalk in Artesian Park (self-guided):
• Friday at 5:30 p.m.
• Saturday at noon
Take a Look in a Book
Feed your brain at Coastal Bend Booknotes. This series gives residents a chance to meet and greet with authors who have unique perspectives on the Coastal Bend. The presentations take place at various venues, including the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History and House of Rock.
This portion of the festival is free to the public:
Friday, Nov. 2
6 p.m. — “The Inspiring Life of Texan Hector P. Garcia” by Cecilia Garcia Akers
House of Rock, 511 Starr St.
Saturday, Nov. 3
11 a.m. — “Corpus Christi: A History” by Jim Molony and Murphy Givens
La Retama Central Library, 805 Comanche St.
1 p.m. — “Life in a South Texas Colonia” by Manuel Andres Soto
La Retama Central Library, 805 Comanche St.
2:30 p.m. — “Thursday Night Lights: The Story of Black Football in Texas” by Michael Hurd
House of Rock, 511 Starr St.
4 p.m. — Special Presentation: “A Hard Lot: Texas Woman of the Runaway Scrape” by Dr. Stephen L. Hardin
La Retama Central Library, 805 Comanche St.
4 p.m. — Special Presentation: “The Texas Music Trails: Identifying Significant Music Landmarks in Texas” by Stephen Ray with the Texas Music Office
House of Rock, 511 Starr St.
4 p.m. — “Josefina Cannot Make Round Tortillas” by Michael Sepulveda
Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, 1900 N. Chaparral St.
6 p.m. — Special Presentation: “Coco: A Story of Music, Shoes and Family” by Diana Lopez
Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History, 1900 N. Chaparral St.
Frontera also features an artisan mercantile, a dutch oven cook-off, interactive period arts and crafts, an old-time photo booth, historical re-enactments, and live music.
For more information, visit the website or follow the event at Facebook.com/FronteraCC.