Fiesta in San Antonio, Texas

Once a year in April, the people of San Antonio have a HUGE throw down and show us gringos how to fiesta. And that’s what they call it – Fiesta. Today kicks off the 10 day festival for 2007 with the opening ceremony, oyster bake, carnival, live music in the Market Square and a masked ball in La Villita. I’ve always wanted to go to a masked ball. Obviously if you’re in town for business, you have neither the attire nor the tickets for such an event. I would suggest heading to the Market Square. It’s a large enough space for several bands to play at once. I was in San Antonio briefly for the South by San Antonio (similar to the South by Southwest in Austin) and Market Square was great. Take some cash (to buy tickets to make purchases) if you don’t want to wait an hour and a half for a restaurant table. There will be vendors with burritos and beer. What more could you ask for?

As I mentioned, Fiesta lasts for 10 days. The events draws about 3.5 million people to San Antonio, so lodging options may be scarce. If you’re one of those business travelers who plans your business trips around your fun, I’m sure you’ll find a way. If you hate crowds, make yourself scares in San Antonio at this time of year.

How did it all get started?

In 1891, a group of ladies decorated horse-drawn carriages, paraded in front of the Alamo, and pelted each other with flower blossoms. The parade was organized to honor the heroes from the battles of the Alamo and San Jacinto. That original Battle of Flowers parade became an annual event and has grown into a multi-cultural community celebration unlike any other in our country. From its small beginnings, Fiesta San Antonio has grown into an elaborate 10-day celebration featuring more than 100 events, including a parade where floats really float down the San Antonio River.

There is an official Fiesta Blog, so check it out for more details.