After a hiatus due to the pandemic, the 14th annual On and Off Fredericksburg Road Studio Tour presented by Bihl Haus Arts returns. More than 50 participating artists will open their studios in San Antonio’s historic Deco District to the public from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 23 and Sunday, April 24. New this year is a second weekend on Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1 when many but not all participating studios will open again from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“On & Off Fred” is a self-guided tour of private homes, art studios and galleries of participating artists of all kinds – painters, sculptors, photographers, and clothing designers. The studio tour kicks off with the On & Off Fred Autograph Party and opening reception from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Friday, April 22 at Bihl Haus Arts, 2803 Fredericksburg Road. Guests, who bring their catalogs for artists to sign, enjoy poolside music by Latin-fusion band Los Nahuatlatos, a family-friendly art project and refreshments.

Artists featured in “On & Off Fred” live and/or work in surrounding Fredericksburg Road communities: Alta Vista, Beacon Hill, Los Angeles Heights, Jefferson, Keystone, Monticello Park Woodlawn Lake, and Edison.

“It’s great to bring ‘Fred’ back, and all of the artists are excited to open their studios once again,” said Kellen McIntyre, executive director of Bihl Haus Arts, the nonprofit that organizes the event each year. “We invite the community to come enjoy two weekends of art and opportunities to meet the artists and purchase artworks directly from them. Our goal is also to highlight the quality, variety and sheer number of professional artists who live and/or work in these neighborhoods.”

To take the tour, attendees purchase either the hardcopy color catalog featuring the indispensable tour map plus individual artist bios and images of their artworks, or the online catalog app for $10 in advance or $15 during the tour. For more information, visit www.OnandOffFred.org or call Bihl Haus Arts at (210) 383-9723. Catalogs are available in advance at these local businesses: Deco Pizzeria, Vee’s Hair Salon, The Junction Antiques and The Twig Bookstore.

McIntyre, who has lived in the Deco District for more than 20 years, is a founding member of the studio tour, which was created in 2007. She envisions the studio tour as helping to brand and bring exposure and economic growth to the Fredericksburg Road Cultural Corridor.

“I’m proud to say there has been an investment and development in the neighborhood as an indirect result of the exposure that On & Off Fred has provided to the area over the years,” she said.

Additional Events

Saturday, May 7, 2-4 pm: Fred Reads: “Common Ground, Open Territory, Pasts, Futures, Legacy and Promise,” an annual inter-generational Poetry Month SA reading by the Bihl Haus Golden Writers and the Young Women’s Leadership Academy Young Poets Society and Creative Writing Class. Bihl Haus Arts, 2803 Fredericksburg Road.

Sunday, May 15, 2-4 pm: Fred Swings, a jazz concert by George and Aaron Prado and friends. Bihl Haus Arts, 2803 Fredericksburg Road.