CIA Texas Student Events, Clubs, and Recreation

Participate in several events that cater to food lovers, including:

• Annual Chili and Cornbread Cook-off
• Annual Festival of Tamales
• Annual Fiesta Medal Design Competition (San Antonio’s largest festival with roughly three million participants)
• Annual Paella Challenge (hosted by CIA alumnus Johnny Hernandez)
• Blended Burger Bash
• Driscoll’s Berries Competition
• Jeune Chefs Rotisseurs Competition
• Leo’s Sauces and Dressings Competition
• Ripley’s Believe it or Not, Oddest Cake Challenge

Additional events include:

• Annual Latin Festival
• The Latin American Cuisine Summits
• Día de Los Muertos @ the Pearl
• Habla Fresca: Monthly Guest Lecture and Demo Series
• SA Flavor at the San Antonio Museum of Art

To honor heroes among the CIA community, we host several veterans recognition events, such as:

• Thank a Vet during the week of Veteran’s Day
• Ribbon tree tying to honor different branches of the military
• Veteran pinning ceremony

• Barbecue Club, which hosts fundraisers and weekend barbecues, as well as participates in the local farmers market. Contact: ciabarbecue@gmail.com.
• Garden Club, which plants, maintains, and harvests planters on campus. Contact: CIAGardenClub@gmail.com.
• Sugar Rush, a baking and pastry club that hosts fundraisers and participates in the local farmers market. Contact: Sugarrush_club@yahoo.com.

The CIA Texas campus in San Antonio is a unique education and research center that is dedicated to raising the profile of Latin American cuisines and culinary traditions. Outside of our teaching kitchens and classrooms, you can:

• Hang out with classmates at the Pearl complex
• Browse the Farmers Market
• Enjoy San Antonio’s vibrant dining scene
• Check out the retail shops or take a yoga class
• Have fun at special events like Tamales at Pearl, Paella Challenge, and Fiesta
• Enjoy San Antonio's world-famous River Walk
• Attend amazing events like the CIA’s annual Latin Flavors, American Kitchens, and Healthy Flavors, Healthy Kids conferences right on campus
• Join student clubs where you can meet classmates who share your passions
• Travel to Austin, Texas Hill Country, or the Gulf Coast—home to world-class wineries and restaurants, as well as hiking, horseback riding, bicycle trails, and more