28th Annual CultureFest and Rib Cook-Off

St. Philip’s College was bustling with energy on Thursday, April 27 for the 28^th Annual CultureFest and Rib Cook-Off. As the largest official Fiesta San Antonio event on the Eastside, nearly 1,500 were in attendance. The event featured a rib cook-off, a mainstage with live music, a car show, food and non-food vendors, and several raffles of BBQ pits constructed by students in the SPC Welding Club.

Kickoff for the event began with a parade of flags, celebrating the various countries and cultures represented at SPC accompanied by the Sam Houston Hurricane Marching Band. Directly following was a blessing from the Tehuan Band of Mission Indians of San Antonio.

Musical entertainment for the mainstage included Mariachis Las Alten͂as, the Palacio Brothers, Carbonlily, Roger Velasquez and the Latin Legends, and DJ Such and Such.

At the center of the event was the Rib Cook-off. Both beef and pork competition categories were judged by a community member panel. Judges included The Honorable Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Calvert, Essence Preparatory CEO and Superintendent Mr. Akeem Brown, Fiesta San Antonio President John Meyer, Senior Advisor to the Mayor Teresa Menendez Myers, and Director of Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Liaison & Title VI Coordinator, Small Minority Women’s Business Enterprise of Bexar County Renee Watson.

CultureFest Rib Cook-Off Winners:

Beef

1. Simon Zuniga – Cook County Cookers
2. Rochel’l Le Duran – Las Vaqueras Cocineras
3. Francisco Antonio

Pork

1. Benjamin Ochoa – Cardiac Sonography (SPC)
2. Alexandra “Sasha” Wilhelm – Smoke Therapy
3. Burbank High School

Student Choice

Benjamin Ochoa – Cardiac Sonography

Over 50 individuals from across the community participated in the CultureFest Car Show. The following car clubs were represented at the event: Alamo Corvette Club, Performance Mustang Car Club, Southwest Texas Shelby Car Club, Tundra Car Club, Push Rods Car Club, and the Alamo City Rods.

Cars Show Winners:

Classic

1. Joseph Winkler
2. Drew Somers
3. Rupert Caro

Hot Rod

1. Walter Fletcher
2. Chant Ovalles
3. Miguel Ramirez

Modern

1. Chris Pandei
2. Ken Agres
3. Miguel Rosario

Truck

1. Adrian Gonzales
2. Francesca Cruz
3. Mo Patel

President's Choice

William Moseley

The event concluded with the BBQ pit raffle from mainstage. Winners are Daniel Chavez, Daniel Garcia, and Adrian Jackson.

CultureFest also included an open house, bringing approximately 600 high school students to the main campus for program exploration, tours and enrollment assistance. The students traveled from Community in Schools and Lee High School from Baytown, Texas; and, locally, Kennedy HS, Southwest Legacy HS, Southwest Legacy CAST STEM, South San Antonio HS, Judson Learning Academy, Sam Houston HS, Holmes HS, Brennan HS, Burbank HS, Somerset HS and Lytle HS.

Two students each received $1,000 scholarships to attend St. Philip’s College – Isaiha Morones from Holmes High School and Cameron Marie Escobar from Southwest Legacy High School.

The event is truly a community collaboration. Nearly 200 volunteers – students, employees, alumni and community members -- worked together to bring Fiesta to the Eastside of San Antonio, honoring the heritage of San Antonio and the cultural influence of St. Philip’s College. All proceeds from the CultureFest and Rib Cook-Off go directly toward student scholarships.