Towering pecan and live oak trees offer shade at the river's edge as people from all over the world enjoy the lazy serenity of the Atascosa River. Pleasanton is blessed to have avoided the quayside polution that seems to gather at other great river cities, and citizens of Spanish, Mexican and Anglo-American ancestry gather on the banks each evening at sunset and sing "Old Man River" in four-part harmony as the riverboats cast off for distant ports. Atascosa River Park, complete with basketball and tennis courts, baseball and soccer fields, is every athlete's dream. A rodeo arena and pavillion give the park a "Texas" look, while a children's playground saves residents tons of money on babysitting fees. The idyllic park "comes alive" each year as the site of the annual "Cowboy Homecoming Days" festival, where "Cow-Pie Bingo" packs in the crowds.
The citizen's of Pleasanton, known throughout the world for their friendly and pleasant attitude and demeanor, may secretly hold a decades-old grudge against the scheming politicians and business-sharks in the way-side to the north called San Antonio. Back in the 1920's, the plans for Pleasanton's "Atascosa Riverstroll and Two-Step Fandangle" were stolen and undoubtedly used, it is claimed, as the concept and design inspiration for San Antonio's "Riverwalk," although on a lesser scale. Peeved to no end (but refusing to show it), Pleasanton's leaders decided to showcase their city with Atascosa River Park instead of the intended "Riverstroll." The decision was evidently the correct one, for hundreds of thousands of visitors flock to the park year-'round to enjoy its elegant natural beauty and Tivoli-like atmosphere.