by Sabrina Williams | Staff Writer
In 1891, women decided to commemorate the Alamo by assailing each other with flowers. Today, it has been turned into a ten day event that turns San Antonio into a festive explosion with confetti eggs flying everywhere, brightly-lit ships on the river, and enough scents of food in the air to choke you. Starting on April 18th and ending on the 28th, the 122nd anniversary of the city wide party will commence; Fiesta San Antonio. You can’t escape it, so you might as well enjoy it, starting with these five top attractions that you can’t miss.
1) Battle of the Flowers Parade:
This parade was made to honor the Battle at the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. In it, the heroes of Texas are remembered and celebrated, along with our five branches of the military, San Antonio’s rich and diverse culture, and local businesses. The parade holds a sense of pride and unity for us Texans, and is sure to be exciting and entertaining every year. This year, it will be on Friday, April 26th, and starting at 12:30p.m. on Broadway@Josephine, traveling throughout San Antonio and ending at Martin@Santa Rosa.
Parade seating information:
$25 for Alamo Grandstand seating
$20 for Cenotaph stands
$15 for Alamo Street Bleachers- North (Travis/Houston)/South (Crockett/Commerce)
$15 for Alamo Plaza Bleachers
$12 for Maverick/Broadway Bleachers
2) Fiesta Carnival:
Not only is the carnival a great way to include the whole family, the prices are cheap and they offer military discounts. With a ferris wheel and too many rides to choose from, along with great food and games, the Fiesta Carnival is definitely one of the best attractions to choose from around fiesta. It isn’t like any of the carnivals that happen to roll through town for a weekend; sponsors and volunteers worked hard to make it extensive and unforgettable.
April 23, 6-11p.m. (remember the red night)
April 24, 5-11p.m.(dollar night-all rides just $1)
April 25, 6-11p.m.
April 26, noon-midnight
April 27, 11a.m.-midnight
April 28, noon-11p.m.
3) Any of the Riverwalk float processions:
Almost every night for all ten days, the river walk will feature floats with local businesses, schools, and organizations showing off their decorating skills and San Antonio’s diverse cultures. Access to viewing is practically free, but if you want a good seat, admission badges to seating areas come with a small fee of $10. From the floats, candy, toys, and other goods are thrown to the outstretched hands of children and adults alike. All of the different themes of the floats are bracing, especially at night when the riverwalk is lit up with multicolored lights reflecting off of the water.
4) Fiesta Flambeau Night Parade:
At this parade, the streets of downtown are beautifully illuminated with glowsticks and millions of twinkling lights. This year, the University of Texas’ band is playing in the parade, which proceeds for about 2.6 miles. It starts at 7:00p.m. and will feature dozens of brightly lit and thrilling floats, attractions, and live music.
Parade seating information:
$25 for Alamo Grandstand seating
$20 for Cenotaph stands
$15 for Alamo Street Bleachers- North (Travis/Houston)/South (Crockett/Commerce)
$15 for Alamo Plaza Bleachers
$12 for Maverick/Broadway Bleachers
5) Night In Old San Antonio (NIOSA)
Go find yourself and connect back with your roots in the nation’s largest heritage and culture fest. With 15 different heritage-themed sections, San Antonio proudly displays it’s diversity and rich legacy. But the best part would have to be how it’s practically a giant pot luck, with probably hundreds of different traditional dishes being shared among all of our distinct backgrounds. It runs from 5:30p.m. to 10:30p.m. at La Villita.
Additional ticket information:
$10 in advance
$12 at the door
$2 for children 6-12/ $1.50 in advance
