The 2026 Oscar race is heating up, and this year’s nominations have brought both historic milestones and a fiercely competitive field. Here’s what you need to know about the frontrunners, surprises, and standout achievements in this year’s Academy Awards.

🎬 ‘Sinners’ Makes History

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is leading the pack with a record-breaking 16 Oscar nominations, more than any other film in history, including Titanic and La La Land. The film received nods in major categories such as Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan. Read more about ‘Sinners’.

🌟 Historic Individual Achievements

• Ruth E. Carter became the most-nominated Black woman in Oscar history with a nomination for Sinners in Costume Design. Learn more
• Emma Stone earned her seventh Oscar nomination for Bugonia, making her the youngest performer to reach this milestone at 37. See details

🏆 Best Picture Contenders

While Sinners leads in nominations, the Best Picture race includes multiple strong films:

• One Battle After Another – 13 nominations and strong awards season momentum. More info
• Marty Supreme – Major contender, especially for Timothée Chalamet in Best Actor. Check predictions
• Hamnet, Frankenstein, Sentimental Value, Bugonia – Also strong contenders throughout predictions. Read more

🎖️ Precursors & Predictions

Awards from critics groups and guilds have set the stage for the Oscars, often predicting momentum:

• Best Picture: Sinners, One Battle After Another, and Hamnet are frontrunners. Full predictions
• Best Actor: Timothée Chalamet (*Marty Supreme*) is leading, with strong competition from Leonardo DiCaprio and others. See odds
• Supporting Categories: Competitive fields may bring surprises. Variety predictions

📅 Dates & Viewing

The 98th Academy Awards will be held on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Conan O’Brien is returning as host. The ceremony will air on ABC and stream on Hulu. Learn more.

🔍 Key Takeaways

• Sinners leads the race with historic nominations.
• Best Picture and acting races remain highly competitive.
• Historic milestones for Ruth E. Carter and Emma Stone highlight the season.
• Keep an eye on precursor awards and critics’ picks—they often indicate the likely winners.

Stay tuned to STM Daily News for live Oscar updates, winner announcements, and expert analysis as the 2026 Academy Awards approach.

NIOSA 2026 Locks In Dates, Ticket Deals, and La Villita Layout Changes Ahead of Fiesta San Antonio

“A Night in Old San Antonio” (NIOSA) is already in full build mode for 2026, and for longtime Fiesta fans, the headline is simple: the experience is staying familiar—just with a few on-the-ground tweaks.

NIOSA, the four-night festival known for turning La Villita Historic Arts Village into a packed, music-filled maze of cultural neighborhoods, will run April 21–24, 2026, from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. nightly, during Fiesta San Antonio. The event remains centered in La Villita, in the heart of downtown San Antonio, with organizers confirming that all 2025 areas will return—though some entertainment and dining areas will be moved around within the roughly five-acre footprint.

A Fiesta favorite with a preservation purpose

Celebrating its 78th presentation in 2026, NIOSA is more than a marquee Fiesta party. Organizers describe it as the top fundraiser for historic preservation in the United States, operating under the motto “A Celebration for Preservation.”

NIOSA is produced by and benefits The Conservation Society of San Antonio, one of the nation’s oldest historic preservation organizations, which marked its 100th anniversary in 2024. Proceeds support the Society’s work preserving historic properties and parks, along with education and advocacy efforts that include scholarships, grants, and funding support for research and restoration projects.

According to the release, NIOSA provides the Society over $1 million annually on average, helping fund preservation seminars, scholarships, a resource library, and house museums. The event also invests heavily back into the community through local suppliers and operational costs tied to hosting the festival in La Villita.

The 14 areas that make NIOSA feel like its own city

The core of NIOSA’s draw is its immersive layout: 14 cultural areas filled with food, music, décor, and continuous entertainment. The press release highlights the festival’s mix of atmosphere booths, entertainment stages, decorations, souvenirs, and an all-hands volunteer effort that brings the village to life each night.

The 14 areas include:

• The Mission Trail, celebrating early San Antonio history with colorful mission-inspired façades
• Arneson Theatre, set along the River Walk with an amphitheater built in 1941
• China Town, featuring Asian flavors
• French Quarter, where beignets share the menu with escargot
• Frontier Town, bringing the old west to life (and home to the famous Shypoke Eggs)
• Irish Flat, known for favorites like Potato Skins
• Haymarket, featuring Tejano sounds and handmade Maria’s Tortillas
• Clown Alley, built for nostalgic fun
• Froggy Bottom, where the music rocks while fans line up for Chicken on a Stick
• Main Street USA, where it’s always the 4th of July
• Mexican Market, featuring popular Anticuchos beef kabob
• Sauerkraut Bend, serving sizzling sausage with a German Oompa band
• South of the Border, with Northern Mexico-influenced cuisine like Pollo Rancho
• Villa España, surrounded by colorful Spanish murals

Organizers note that while some areas will shift locations within La Villita, every area from 2025 will still exist in 2026—meaning the festival’s “choose-your-own-adventure” feel should remain intact, even if your usual route through the grounds changes.

What’s staying the same (for the better)

NIOSA’s message for 2026 is that the fan favorites aren’t going anywhere.

The festival will again serve a long list of staples, including Mr. Chicken, Maria’s Tortillas, Anticuchos, German sausage, Bongo-K-Bobs, Shypoke Eggs, Beignets, Fried Mushrooms, Yak-i-Tori, Steer on a Stick, Gorditas, and Fajitas de Pollo. Organizers also say NIOSA’s favorite entertainers will return nightly for continuous entertainment, and popular souvenirs will be back, including 2026 NIOSA medalsand the event’s collectible beer cups.

A private medal unveiling ceremony is planned for late January, open to media.

NIOSA also emphasizes that it operates rain or shine, with no refunds on tickets.

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Tickets: early discounts and member pricing

For those planning ahead, NIOSA is pushing early ticket savings now.

• Discount tickets are on sale for $17 through January 4, 2026.
• Those tickets are valid for any night of NIOSA 2026.
• Tickets are sold online at: https://niosa2023.ticketspice.com/a-night-in-old-san-antonio-2026

Families should also note: Children 12 and under are admitted free with a paying adult.

The release also points to the best discounted option for regular attendees: joining The Conservation Society of San Antonio by the end of March 2026. Discounted member tickets are listed at $15 per person, with the added benefit of supporting the preservation mission behind the festival.

Powered by volunteers, built for community

NIOSA’s scale is massive—and it runs on volunteer power. The release states that the entire event, including food booths, is operated by an “army” of 10,000 volunteers, with many booths staffed by second- and third-generation families. Volunteers travel from across the country to participate.

The 2026 NIOSA Chair is Julie Terrill, supported by Vice Chairs Monica Reyes, Anita Gonzalez, Lisa Pierce, and Abbi Power, with DeAnna Keesee serving as Treasurer.

The bottom line

NIOSA 2026 is set for April 21–24 at La Villita, keeping its signature mix of cultural areas, live entertainment, and iconic Fiesta food—while shifting a few dining and entertainment zones around the grounds. Early-bird tickets are already available, and organizers are positioning membership as the best way to save while backing San Antonio preservation efforts.

For more information, visit https://www.niosa.org/ or follow NIOSA on Facebook and Instagram.

Last Updated on October 18, 2025 by Daily News Staff

The automotive industry is shifting gears—and this time, it’s not just about horsepower. On November 20, 2025, AutoMobility LA will host the inaugural RACER Creator Awards, presented by Dunlop, marking a pivotal moment where traditional automotive excellence meets the digital-first generation reshaping how we experience cars and motorsports.

Where Red Carpets Meet Racing Culture

The Los Angeles Auto Show and RACER Media & Marketing are partnering to spotlight the filmmakers, photographers, podcasters, and digital storytellers who’ve become the new ambassadors of automotive culture. This isn’t your grandfather’s auto show—it’s a recognition that the future of the industry lives as much on YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram as it does on dealer lots and racetracks.

“AutoMobility LA continues to evolve as a stage for innovation,” said Terri Toennies, president of LA Auto Show. “Hosting the RACER Creator Awards highlights the intersection of creativity, technology, and mobility, uniting the traditional industry with the next generation of automotive storytellers.”

What’s Being Celebrated

The awards recognize excellence across multiple categories:

• Content Creation – Honoring those who craft compelling automotive narratives
• Platform Excellence – Celebrating creators who’ve mastered their chosen medium
• Community Leadership – Recognizing those building engaged, passionate audiences
• Special Recognition – Highlighting unique contributions to automotive culture

Winners will be determined through a combination of expert jury evaluation and fan voting—a fitting approach for an awards program that bridges industry expertise with grassroots enthusiasm.

The Sponsors Driving the Vision

Dunlop steps in as presenting sponsor, reinforcing its deep motorsports roots while embracing the creative culture surrounding performance driving. Meanwhile, KYB brings something special to the arrival experience: the KYB Red Carpet Car Show, open to the public and promising to turn the event’s entrance into a celebration of automotive artistry.

How to Get Involved

Submissions are open now at awards.racer.com, with finalists set to take the stage at AutoMobility LA on November 20. Whether you’re a creator with a growing channel, a photographer capturing track-side moments, or a podcaster breaking down the latest automotive tech, this is your moment.

Why This Matters

Since 1907, the Los Angeles Auto Show has been a bellwether for the industry’s direction. By launching the RACER Creator Awards, the show acknowledges a fundamental truth: the people shaping automotive culture today aren’t just engineers and designers—they’re storytellers with cameras, microphones, and editing software.

The event takes place during AutoMobility LA’s press and industry day, which features vehicle debuts, brand announcements, and thought leadership programming. The public show runs November 21-30 at the Los Angeles Convention Center, including Thanksgiving Day.

For an industry built on motion, this feels like the right next move—celebrating the voices accelerating automotive culture into its next era.

Stay Updated:
Follow the LA Auto Show on Instagram, X, Facebook, and LinkedIn, or visit laautoshow.com and automobilityla.com for the latest news and updates.

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Submit Your Work:
Visit awards.racer.com to enter the RACER Creator Awards.

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