Fiesta in San Antonio
By Peter Zimmerman
San Antonio is the beautiful city located "deep in the heart of Texas." It is home to over 1 million people and is considered a tourist paradise by many. When people think of San Antonio, they usually think of the Alamo, the River Walk, and the annual Fiesta San Antonio® celebration, which is the subject of this article.
April in San Antonio signifies a very special time of the year. People from all over the world visit this historic city to join in the citywide party that is known as Fiesta San Antonio. This is a ten-day, citywide event that is loaded with fun and excitement and certainly worth the trip for visitors. In April, the weather is just starting to heat up in South Texas, with daytime highs averaging 80 degrees and evening lows averaging 57, you can’t get much nicer than that.
When most people think of Fiesta, they probably only envision a big citywide party held each year. But Fiesta is so much more than that. Fiesta encompasses a wide and diverse range of activities. There is something for everyone during this annual celebration.
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This year, Fiesta kicks off officially on Friday, April 18th with the opening ceremony being held near the historic Alamo at what is called Alamo Plaza. The festivities are not limited to downtown San Antonio but are spread all over town at a multitude of locations.
Fiesta San Antonio consists of parties, of course, and plenty of them. But along with those parties, visitors can choose from several other diverse types of events:
- Art displays
- Cultural celebrations
- Plenty of music
- Parades
- Sporting events
- Charities
- Family events
- Children’s activities
- Senior events
- Animal displays and events
- Special needs activities
- Tours
- Fashion events
- Military demonstrations and music
- Educational events
- High School Band competitions
Wow! That’s a broad list of activities to choose from, no matter what your interests, you are sure to find plenty to fill your Fiesta experience.
Of course it wouldn’t be Fiesta without a number of parties. Celebrations with food and music are held all over town. The celebrations focus on such things as culture – for instance, the Fiesta Gartenfest is a four-day celebration of German culture, featuring German food, music, and fun! Celebration of Traditions Pow Wow illuminates American Indian culture, and A Day in Old Mexico & Mexican Charreada celebrates true Mexican culture. These are just a few of the cultural happenings during Fiesta.
When it comes to music events, a great example is the Tejano Explosion. This is a 10-day event that is held daily and offers up the sounds of Hispanic Tejano music, a favorite in San Antonio with food booths and seating from 5:00 pm to 2:00 am each day. In addition to this, there are several other musical based events to choose from.
If you’re a health conscious person, you’ll be glad to know that there are a host of sporting events at Fiesta, including two 10K Walks, a woman’s soccer tournament, a rugby tournament, a men’s soccer tournament and others. Many of the events are held to benefit various charities.
One of the most popular and famous events of the 10-day celebration is the Fiesta Oyster Bake. This 2 day kick-off event is held on the first weekend of Fiesta and features over 100,000 oysters! There are plenty of other types of food as well. This event also features top-flight musical acts to entertain the crowd and much more. The event is held on the campus of St Mary’s University and benefits the St. Mary’s scholarship and alumni programs. Last year the charity raised $635,000 for these programs.
The Texas Cavaliers River Parade is another featured event of Fiesta San Antonio. The parade is held on the Monday evening of Fiesta and features floats that ride spectacularly down the center of San Antonio through the famous River Walk. Approximately 250,000 spectators enjoy the parade from the River Walk and hotels and restaurants that line the parades’ path. There are plenty of colorful lights, bands and costumed participants. It’s a great way to spend the evening.
No article about Fiesta San Antonio could be complete without taking about NIOSA® – Night in Old San Antonio®. Over 100,000 people will experience this event that focuses on the magnificent cultural diversity of San Antonio. There are over 250 food booths in 15 cultural districts. The event lasts four evenings beginning on Tuesday the 22nd and ends on Friday the 25th. It is held in the La Villita, a National Historic District in the heart of downtown San Antonio on the banks of the San Antonio river.
One of the inaugural events of Fiesta San Antonio is the famous Battle of Flowers® Parade. This event dates back to the beginning of Fiesta in 1891. The event is entirely produced by women and its purpose has always been to honor the fallen heroes of the Alamo. City workers are given this day off and many other workers find a way to leave early to attend this event.
Similar to other giant parades in the U.S., the participants create spectacular floats covered in flowers, there are also large balloon characters, marching bands and whole lot more. A very special tradition of this parade is that all participants that pass by the Alamo lay flower arrangements on its lawn as a symbol of respect for the heroes of the Alamo. This event is held on the final Friday evening of Fiesta.
There are over 100 events held each year at Fiesta San Antonio. It is impossible to mention them all, but no story about Fiesta would be complete without mentioning the Fiesta Flambeau® Parade. What makes this parade special is that it is held in the evening and the floats are illuminated with thousands of lights. There are dancers; marching bands, and equestrian displays among the many parade participants. Awards are handed out for excellence in marching bands, dancers, international and other categories. Last year the Anheuser-Busch Inc. horse team won the Best Equestrian Award. The Association estimates an attendance of 500,000 people for this spectacular event.
So there you have it. These are just a few of the over 100 events at Fiesta San Antonio, a celebration that is enjoyed by residents and visitors from around the world. Fiesta San Antonio is certainly a great way to spend 10 days in April!
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