Fiesta San Antonio
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Fiesta San Antonio (or simply Fiesta) is an annual event in which the citizens of San Antonio, Texas, celebrate their city's diverse history, heritage, and culture for 10 days in April. Fiesta honors the memory of the heroes of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto.
According to www.fiesta-sa.org, Fiesta is the city's biggest festival. More than three million people take part in Fiesta, and they can choose from over 100 events that contain something to please every age range, pocketbook, and taste.[citation needed]
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[edit] History
Fiesta has been a tradition in the Alamo City since April 1891, when local women decorated their carriages with live flowers, met in front of the Alamo and threw the blossoms at one another—the first Battle of Flowers. Within a few years, the Battle of Flowers Parade (still one of Fiesta's most popular events) was joined by balls, coronations of local "royalty", a carnival, and many other activities.
[edit] Events
Today more than 90 local nonprofit groups, members of the Fiesta San Antonio Commission, stage 100 events over 10 days with the help of some 75,000 volunteers
Fiesta events include three major parades—two along Broadway and past the Alamo, and one on the San Antonio River's River Walk, where the floats actually "float".
San Antonians and visitors can attend fancy balls, a queen's coronation, a satirical review, or a carnival. They can choose from Louisiana's cuisine at Taste of New Orleans, all kinds of oysters at the St. Mary's University Oyster Bake, or the multicultural offerings of Night in Old San Antonio (NIOSA). San Antonians also can enjoy in the coronation of King Antonio and El Rey Feo.
Musical options range from Tejano to jazz to Mariachi to Rock to Big Band to classical to traditional radio-friendly pop. History buffs can remember the Alamo at the Pilgrimage to the Alamo or This Hallowed Ground. Sporting events include races, soccer, rugby, and lacrosse.
[edit] Battle of the Flowers Parade and Fiesta Flambeau
The Battle of Flowers Parade is the oldest event and largest parade of Fiesta® San Antonio attracting crowds of more than 350,000. It is the only parade in the United States produced entirely by women, all of whom are volunteers. These ladies, dressed on Parade day in yellow and wearing yellow hats, direct operations with the valued assistance of the Texas Army National Guard.
Fiesta Flambeau happens when the sun goes down and the parade is illuminated by thousands of lights on the floats, dancers, horses, cars, and bands, becoming a parade of light and fun for all throughout the streets of San Antonio.
[edit] Fiesta San Antonio Commission
Overseeing this massive effort is a single nonprofit organization—the Fiesta San Antonio Commission. Only members of the Fiesta commission may claim the "official" designation during Fiesta week. The sponsoring organizations must meet the commission's criteria before receiving approval and being invited to join.
The commission is governed by an all-volunteer board of community leaders and representatives from its nonprofit participating member organizations. This dedicated group works year 'round, coordinating the thousands of details and day-to-day tasks essential to plan this huge citywide event.
The commission also serves as a liaison between those nonprofit members, local military activities, and the City of San Antonio. City services are essential to the conduct of Fiesta.
The Fiesta Commission returns more than $1 million to the community each year.[citation needed]
- It gives allocations to Fiesta events that are not financially self-supporting.
- It provides bleachers for seating sales to the Battle of Flowers and Fiesta Flambeau parade associations.
- It licenses more than 100 nonprofit groups (church groups, youth groups, civic organizations) to sell street chairs along the parade routes.
- It gives scholarships to art students attending San Antonio colleges.
The commission receives no government funding. Its income comes from corporate partnerships, sales in The Fiesta Store, membership dues, and proceeds from the Fiesta Carnival.
[edit] Trivia
La Semana Alegre was a Fiesta favorite for years. It was a series of concerts over three days that featured an eclectic variety of genres, such as Country, Pop, Jazz and Hard Rock. This often-controversial Fiesta event was sponsored by the San Antonio Jaycees. Increased violence at these concerts caused the event to be shut down in 1995. During Fiesta 2003, an event at Sunset Station called "New Semana Alegre" was sponsored by Budweiser beer. The lineup included Blue Oyster Cult, Mark Farner and the reunited Heyoka. Also, Los Lobos played at Gruene Hall.
[edit] External links
- Fiesta San Antonio Official website
- Guide to the Fiesta San Antonio Commission Records at the University of Texas at San Antonio Archives
- San Antonio Convention & Visitors Bureau
- San Antonio River Walk
- The Alamo
