PRESIDIO — A new series of family movies and activities kicked off last week at the Presidio Activity Center, featuring an all-ages karate workshop and a screening of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish. The Mexican Consulate, local vendors and more came together to help fill long summer nights with fun for local families.
Parquesito Nights is the brainchild of Diana Hernandez and her husband, Victor. The two manage the Riata on the outskirts of town; Diana also runs La Goldita, the food truck parked out front.
They have a toddler who is old enough now to enjoy spending time out and about with friends — but they felt there weren’t a lot of activities for families with young children to sign up for, especially during the long summer months. “The idea is just to have something different to take part in,” Diana said.
She pushed her husband to approach Presidio City Council in April. During public comment, Victor asked for community input and support for the new project — and proposed that Daly Park should be the venue. “It has everything — safety, water, electricity,” he said. “Everybody’s ready to do something for our kiddos.”
The city agreed to allow the Hernandezes to host the event in the park, and other businesses and organizations around town pitched in as well. Victor secured a state-of-the-art soundsystem and a huge 20-foot projector screen; he also installed lights around the park to add a cozy, whimsical touch to the space after dark.
Unfortunately, after the recent rains, Parquesito Nights became Mosquito Nights, and the event had to change its venue to the PAC. The Consulado de México sponsored a karate class with local martial arts star Tomary Ortega, followed by a screening of the latest Puss in Boots movie.
Still, the Hernandezes felt that Parquesito Nights was supposed to be held at its namesake — Daly Park. “It just wasn’t the same,” Diana said.
The couple made the difficult decision to postpone the entire lineup until August, but so far folks who signed up to participate this month seem willing to shift their calendars — Mariachi Santa Cruz has pledged to perform later in the summer, and other businesses and vendors have signed on too.
Victor is hopeful that the next installment will be a success — but thinks he has all of the magic ingredients lined up. “The whole point of this is hopefully to have an event every Thursday where people can bring their families — a community thing,” he said. “It’s a beautiful park, and it’s a beautiful place.”