This story is presented by Epitacio R. Resendez V and Hunter Resendez, in support of Brackenridge Park Conservancy’s mission to preserve and enhance San Antonio’s 400-acre historic urban oasis—protecting its natural beauty, cultural heritage, and community legacy for future generations.
Under a glowing full moon, guests gathered for a night of beauty and purpose at The Party in the Park, the Brackenridge Park Conservancy’s annual fundraising gala. This year’s celebration was held at Miraflores, the storied sculpture garden created by Dr. Aureliano Urrutia, a visionary physician who emigrated to San Antonio in 1914 during the Mexican Revolution.
For decades, Miraflores has been a hidden treasure, never before open to the public. Now, through the Conservancy’s leadership and community support, this extraordinary space is being brought to life once more. Created between 1921 and 1940, the garden was Urrutia’s tribute to Mexican heritage, where nature, art, and architecture intertwined along the banks of the San Antonio River. Inspired by the water-rich landscape of Xochimilco, Miraflores became a living symbol of memory and meaning, a love letter to Mexico and a reflection of San Antonio’s deep cultural roots.
The evening honored the Steves family, whose multigenerational commitment to the park and to Miraflores reflects their enduring love for the city and its Mexican heritage. Marshall and Patsy Steves shared a lifelong appreciation for this connection between San Antonio and Mexico, a passion that continues through their children, Marshall and Jane, Edward and Nancy, and Sam Bell and Sarah, who carry forward the family’s spirit of civic generosity and cultural stewardship.
With dinner and dancing under the stars, The Party in the Park marked more than an elegant evening; it signaled the beginning of a renaissance. The Conservancy’s re-envisioning of Miraflores aims to ensure that it will be a secret no longer, opening its gates for all of San Antonio to enjoy.
Founded in 2008 by the City of San Antonio and the San Antonio Conservation Society, the Brackenridge Park Conservancy has become the guardian of one of the city’s most beloved spaces. Its work protects and enhances the park’s natural, historic, educational, and recreational resources, from improving river water quality to restoring the Sunken Garden Theater, preserving native habitat, and elevating the park’s visibility toward a National Heritage Area designation.
For generations, Brackenridge Park has been the heart of San Antonio’s story, where families gather, cultures connect, and history flows alongside the river itself. The Conservancy’s vision ensures that this heritage endures, keeping Brackenridge a place of shared joy and belonging for generations to come.
THE VOICE:
Eve Slemp
Eve Slemp is a marketing and communication student at Trinity University, where she blends creativity with storytelling across multiple platforms. Originally from Connecticut, she moved to San Antonio for college and quickly embedded herself in the city’s cultural and media scene. Eve is currently an editorial content intern with Voice of San Antonio and serves as the arts editor for The Trinitonian, Trinity’s student-run newspaper. She works as a creative producer intern for Trinity’s marketing department, capturing campus life through photography and videography. She also interns with Giant Noise, an Austin-based PR firm, and previously worked with the Classical Music Institute as a development intern. With a deep love for writing, film, and literature, Eve hopes to one day write a novel and break into the film industry as a screenwriter or creative producer. She’s especially drawn to stories that explore identity, memory, and the strange beauty in the everyday.