Fiesta San Antonio facts for kids
Fiesta San Antonio, often just called "Fiesta," is a huge yearly party in San Antonio, Texas. It happens every April and is the city's most famous event. Some parts of Fiesta even take place in nearby towns like Boerne, Schertz, Windcrest, Balcones Heights, and Alamo Heights.
This festival started way back in 1891. It remembers two very important battles: the Battle of the Alamo (which happened in San Antonio) and the Battle of San Jacinto. The Battle of San Jacinto helped Texas become free from Mexico in April 1836.
Fiesta is San Antonio's biggest celebration. It brings in about $340 million for the city! More than three million people join in. There are over 100 different events happening all over the city and beyond.
Contents
The History of Fiesta San Antonio
How Fiesta Began
Fiesta started in 1891 with a special event. Local women decorated carriages, baby strollers, and even bicycles with fresh flowers. They met in front of the Alamo and playfully threw flowers at each other. This fun activity gave the festival its first name: "Battle of Flowers."
Soon, more activities were added to the flower parade. These included fancy balls, fun parties, and a carnival. Over the years, the celebration's name changed a few times. It went from Carnival to Spring Carnival, then to Fiesta San Jacinto. Finally, in 1960, it became Fiesta San Antonio.
Fiesta Royalty and Traditions
In 1895, the Battle of Flowers Parade Association started choosing a "Carnival Queen." Later, in 1909, a local businessman named John Carrington created "The Order of the Alamo." Their goal was to crown a queen, a princess, and 24 duchesses. Twelve duchesses were from San Antonio, and twelve were from other towns.
These coronations of local "royalty," along with the carnival and other events, became the start of the Fiesta we know today. In 2016, Fiesta celebrated its 125th birthday with many special events.
There were a few years when Fiesta did not happen. These were 1917–18, 1942–45, and 2020.
Exciting Fiesta Events
Today, over 100 local groups work together to put on Fiesta. These groups are all non-profit organizations. They are part of the Fiesta San Antonio Commission. With the help of about 75,000 volunteers, they organize more than 100 events over 17 days!
Parades and Floats
Fiesta has three main parades that everyone loves. Two parades travel along Broadway and past the historic Alamo. The third parade is a unique boat parade on the San Antonio River Walk. Here, the "floats" are actually boats that float on the water!
Food, Music, and Fun
You can find delicious food at Fiesta! For example, Louisiana-style food is sold at "A Taste of New Orleans" in Brackenridge Park. You can also enjoy oysters and other tasty foods at St. Mary's University's Fiesta Oyster Bake.
There are also many music and cultural events, often lasting two days. You can hear all kinds of music, including Tejano, jazz, mariachi, rock, big band, classical, and pop.
Special Fiesta Gatherings
"A Night in Old San Antonio" (NIOSA) is a very popular event. It's a four-evening block party held at La Villita in downtown San Antonio.
Another yearly event is "Fiesta in Blue." This event features the USAF Band of the West. They perform two evenings of concerts in downtown San Antonio, playing classical, jazz, and rock music.
Fiesta also includes history events, like the Pilgrimage to the Alamo. Sporting events are also part of the fun, with races, soccer, rugby, and lacrosse.
As a souvenir, residents and visitors can collect special pins and medals. You can get them from important people or from members of the Fiesta royalty.
The Big Parades: Battle of Flowers and Fiesta Flambeau
The Battle of Flowers Parade
The Battle of Flowers Parade is the oldest event at Fiesta. It is completely organized by women volunteers. This parade draws huge crowds, with more than 350,000 people watching on the second Friday of Fiesta. It's the only parade in the U.S. that is produced entirely by women volunteers.
On parade day, these women wear yellow clothes and yellow hats. They direct all the operations, with help from the Army National Guard. Many school districts in San Antonio even treat the day of the Battle of Flowers as a local holiday, so schools are closed!
The Fiesta Flambeau Parade
The Fiesta Flambeau Parade begins at sunset on the second Saturday of the festival. This parade started in 1948. It is famous for being lit up by thousands of lights! You'll see lights on the dancers, the band instruments, the horses, the cars, and the floats. In 2011, an estimated 600,000 people lined the parade route to watch the bright Fiesta Flambeau Parade.
How Fiesta is Organized
The Fiesta San Antonio Commission
A single nonprofit organization called the Fiesta San Antonio Commission oversees the entire festival. Groups that want to be part of Fiesta must meet the commission's rules before they can join.
The commission is led by a board of community leaders. All of them are volunteers. Representatives from the nonprofit groups that participate in Fiesta are also on the board. This group works all year long to plan every detail of the citywide event.
The commission also helps connect its nonprofit members with local military activities and the City of San Antonio. City services are very important for Fiesta to happen smoothly.
Funding Fiesta
The Fiesta San Antonio Commission does not receive any money from the government. Its income comes from different sources. These include partnerships with companies, sales from the Fiesta Store, membership fees, and money earned from the Fiesta Carnival.
Future Fiesta Dates
Here are the dates for upcoming Fiesta celebrations:
- April 15-25, 2021
- March 31-April 10, 2022
- April 20-30, 2023
- April 18-28, 2024
- April 24-May 4, 2025
- April 16-26, 2026
- April 15-25, 2027
- April 20-30, 2028
Images for kids
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Carnival Flags—The Battle of Flowers, San Antonio (postcard, circa 1907-1911)
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On the way to the Battle of Flowers (postcard, circa 1907-1911)
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Popular float in the Battle of Flowers, San Antonio, Texas (postcard, circa 1907-1911)
