What are the hours and location of the recreation center?

The center is located at 2100 East 3rd St., Austin, TX 78702. Its regular hours are Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and it is closed on Sundays.

What kind of programs and events are offered here?

The center offers year-round recreation and leisure programs for youth, teens, adults, and seniors. Activities include youth boxing, sports, day camps, and community events such as the Hillside Summer Concert Series, the Annual Halloween Carnival, and a Community Thanksgiving Dinner.

What should I check before going?

Use Gyde for context, then check official sources for current hours, tickets, construction, and closures.

Oswaldo A.B. Cantu / Pan American Recreation Center & Hillside Theater in Austin

Oswaldo A.B. Cantu / Pan American Recreation Center & Hillside Theater

Discover a vibrant cornerstone of East Austin’s Mexican American heritage at this historic recreation center. Home to the city's longest-running outdoor concert series, it features a stunning, community-crafted 4,000-square-foot mural.

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What is the history of the Oswaldo A.B. Cantu / Pan American Recreation Center & Hillside Theater?

The site first opened in June 1942 under the National Youth Administration as the first Latin American recreation center in Austin. A new recreation center was dedicated at its current location in 1956, and the Hillside Theater was completed beside it in June 1958. In 1996, the center was renamed to honor Oswaldo A.B. Cantu, a cherished community pillar and boxing coach.

What is the Hillside Theater known for?

The Hillside Theater was built for music, plays, and dance events, and is famous for hosting what is described as Austin's longest-running outdoor live music series. It is also known for its story-filled, 4,000-square-foot mural painted by Raúl Valdez in 1978, which depicts historical narratives from the Aztecs to the Chicano civil-rights movement.

What to know

The Oswaldo A.B. Cantu / Pan American Recreation Center is a vital historic hub deeply tied to East Austin's Mexican American and Chicano roots. The site first opened in June 1942 under the National Youth Administration, making it the first Latin American recreation center in Austin. Its Pan American name was selected to honor unity across North and South America. On September 7, 1956, a new recreation center was formally dedicated at 2100 East 3rd Street, just west of its original location. In 1996, the facility was renamed in honor of Oswaldo A.B. Cantu, a beloved community pillar and boxing coach. The name change celebrated Cantu's dedicated efforts to bring boxing, cooking classes, and art classes to local youth, as well as his impactful work keeping neighborhood kids away from drugs and gangs. Today, the center continues to serve the public by offering year-round recreation and leisure programs for youth, teens, adults, and seniors. It hosts a variety of activities, including youth boxing, seasonal camps, and popular community events such as the Annual Halloween Carnival and a Community Thanksgiving Dinner. Adjoining Zavala Elementary School, the outdoor Hillside Theater was completed in June 1958 at the base of the park's grassy hill. The theater is home to the Hillside Summer Concert Series, celebrated as the longest running outdoor concert series in Austin. The amphitheater is visually defined by a monumental 4,000-square-foot mural painted in 1978 by artist Raúl Valdez. Valdez worked hand-in-hand with East Austin community members and local youth to determine the mural's design. Centered around themes of birth, life, and struggle, the mural's continuous historical narrative depicts the Aztecs, Spanish conquistadors, the Chicano civil-rights movement, and contemporary life, featuring vivid illustrations of labor organizer Cesar Chavez leading workers and a Mexican family in a pickup truck.

Visitor tips

The recreation center is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The park area is easily accessible and provides ample parking.
Try to coordinate your visit with the historic Hillside Summer Concert Series to experience live music at the theater.

Nearby context

Located at 2100 East 3rd Street, the recreation center adjoins Zavala Elementary School in East Austin. This neighborhood serves as a historic heart of the city's Mexican American community, where local culture, community activism, and public art seamlessly blend.