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FIESTA FAQS

What is Fiesta® San Antonio?

With Fiesta San Antonio FAQs, you’ll find the answers you need about Fiesta® San Antonio.

Fiesta® San Antonio started in 1891 as a one-parade event to honor the memory of the heroes of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. That historic commemoration still takes place, but for more than a century, Fiesta® has grown into a celebration of San Antonio’s rich and diverse cultures and today is one of this nation’s premier festivals with an economic impact of more than $340 million. Each year, more than 100 San Antonio Area Non-Profit, Fiesta Member Organizations coordinate more than 100 Official Fiesta® Events to raise funds to provide services to San Antonio citizens throughout the year.

The Fiesta San Antonio Commission’s purpose is to help each of its Member Organizations be as successful as they can be.

The Fiesta San Antonio Commission proudly supports Fiesta Member Organizations that support:

  • Higher Education Scholarships and Programs
  • Diverse Cultures
  • Historical Significance / The Alamo
  • Arts / Nature
  • Military Programs
  • Children’s Events / Programs
  • Pets / Animal Welfare
  • Inclusive Events / LGBTQ
  • Sports / Health and Wellness
  • Special Needs Community
  • Older Adult Community
  • Local Community Building

FAQs

The Fiesta® San Antonio Commission Inc. is a nonprofit, volunteer, self-supporting organization that plans, promotes, coordinates, and preserves Fiesta San Antonio through support of its Participating Member Organizations in presenting a safe, educational, annual celebration of the diverse heritage, culture and spirit of San Antonio for its residents and visitors. Learn more at the About Us page.

Fiesta San Antonio is traditionally held in the month of April because the Battle of San Jacinto was fought on April 21, 1836. Congressman James Luther Slayden’s wife, Mrs. James L. Slayden, was inspired by the flower parades of Spain and suggested that San Antonio stage its own flower parade on April 21st in memory of the fallen heroes of the Alamo and Battle of San Jacinto. The idea gained support and the Battle of Flowers Association was born. The ladies first paraded their flower-covered carriages around the Shrine of Texas Liberty in April 1891. Thus, began one of Fiesta’s most notable parades, the Battle of Flowers Parade, which is now the largest parade in the country to be managed entirely by women. The Battle of Flowers Parade is what started Fiesta San Antonio in 1891 and is the oldest event of Fiesta San Antonio, celebrating more than 130 years. To learn more about the Battle of Flowers, click here.

2026: April 16 – 26
2027: April 15 – 25
2028: April 20 – 30

Fiesta® San Antonio is 11 days long.

According to an economic impact study done in 2017 by the UTSA Center for Community and Business Research, more than 2.5 million people attend Fiesta San Antonio every year.

Fiesta® San Antonio has occurred every year since 1891 except during World Wars I (1918-1919) and II (1942-1945), and in 2020 due to COVID-19.

A Participating Member Organization (PMO for short) is a local (San Antonio/Bexar County) nonprofit organization that hosts an official Fiesta® event. The complete schedule of official Fiesta events can be found here, and you can support your favorite PMO by purchasing parade tickets here.

Link here for the complete list of Fiesta® 2026 organizations and events.

Your organization must be a local, nonprofit organization whose volunteer membership is responsible for the planning, organization, supervision, control, and execution of the event at all levels. You will need to become a non-profit member of the Fiesta Commission, click HERE to  submit your completed application with required documents described in the policy no later than September 1 for approval as an official Fiesta event after the following year’s Fiesta.

In addition to other requirements listed in the attached New Event Policies, your organization must first be a Non-profit Member of the Commission for at least one fiscal year (August 1 – July 31) prior to the event review year and your event must:

  • Reflect the volunteer, community spirit of Fiesta.
  • Be open to the public and shall be conducted so as not to discriminate against any individual based on race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex or sexual orientation, age or physical condition.

Example of the process:

  • Non-Profit Organization submits its New PMO / PMO Event Application and pays its Non-Profit Member dues by September 1, 2025
  • Fiesta San Antonio Commission accepts the application and dues from the Non-Profit Organization in 2025
  • Non-Profit Organization conducts its event in 2026 during Fiesta, but receives no support from Fiesta and cannot call its event a Fiesta event
  • Non-Profit Organization submits its 2nd Year PMO / PMO Event Application and renews its Non-Profit dues by August 1, 2026
  • Fiesta Commission’s Accreditation and Compliance Committee will review the Non-Profit Organization’s Application in the fall / winter 2026
  • Non-Profit Organization conducts its event in 2027 during Fiesta, but receives no support from Fiesta and cannot call its event a Fiesta event
  • Fiesta Commission’s Accreditation and Compliance Committee will perform a site visit review of the Non-Profit Organization’s event in 2027
  • Fiesta Commission’s Accreditation and Compliance Committee will evaluate the event and make a recommendation in May 2027 to the Fiesta Commission’s Executive Committee for approval of the Non-Profit Organization / Event becoming an Official Fiesta PMO / Event
  • The Fiesta Commission’s Executive Committee will vote to approve a new PMO / PMO Event for 2028
  • The Fiesta Commission’s Executive Committee will forward its recommendation to the Fiesta Board of Commissioners for their vote to approve a new PMO / PMO Event for 2028

For other questions, please refer to the Fiesta® San Antonio Commission Bylaws / Policies or contact Executive Director, Steve Rosenauer (steve@fiestasanantonio.org).

 

Attached are all of the pertinent documents:

If the Accreditation Committee makes a favorable recommendation and the Executive Committee approves, the final step is a vote by our Board of Commissioners.

The number of Fiesta events vary from year to year depending on how many Participating Member Organizations there are, but typically there are always 100+ events.

For a calendar and map of events, link here.

The Fiesta® San Antonio Commission is managed by a small, but mighty staff and governed by a nine-person executive committee, nine-member board of directors, up to twenty-one elected commissioners and one representative from each PMO.

Fiesta® Fiesta presented by Toyota, held on the first Thursday of Fiesta, is the official kick-off event of Fiesta San Antonio’s 11-day celebration. Fiesta® Fiesta 2026 location is at Travis Park (301 E Travis St.)!

What started as women in heels wanting to be more comfortable on the Battle of Flowers® parade floats began a tradition of today where the queen, princess, and duchesses wear sneakers, boots, and other forms of comfortable shoes.

But it’s much more than that. The “Show me your shoes” has become both a crowd pleaser and a sight to see. The ladies have stepped up their game each year to put on more elaborate customized footwear in more and more creative ways – you just have to see it!

When the ladies show their shoes at the request of parade attendees, they reveal bedazzled sandals, customized sneakers, boots and even bunny slippers.

Yes, Fiesta® has several free events. To see a full schedule of events, click here. You can filter events by cost. Or find the event you are interested in, click the event and scroll to the description of the event. At the bottom, there will be a note if the event is free.

Yes, Fiesta® has several free events. To see a full schedule of events, click here. You can filter events by family-friendly. Or, once you find the event you are interested in, click the event and scroll to the description of the event. At the bottom, there will be a note if the event is family-friendly.

Yes, Fiesta® has several pet-friendly events. To see a full schedule of events, click here. You can filter Fiesta® events by pet-friendly. Or, once you find the event you are interested in, click the event and scroll to the description of the event. At the bottom, there will be a note if the event is pet-friendly.

VIA Park and Ride offers various pick-up and drop-off locations to Fiesta® events. Fiesta® events with special VIA Park and Ride vary from year to year. Check the VIA Park and Ride website for updates as we get closer to Fiesta®.

The Westin Riverwalk,  San Antonio, on West Market St., is our Official Fiesta® Hotel. The Westin Riverwalk, San Antonio is the perfect place to stay during Fiesta® since it is downtown and close to several events including Fiesta® Fiesta, the Battle of Flowers parade, the Fiesta® Flambeau Parade, the Texas Cavalier’s River Parade, various events at the Alamo, and more! San Antonio has many additional downtown and surrounding area hotels.

Yes, Corporate Sponsorships are welcome and we customize each corporate sponsorship to meet their objectives and goals. If you are interested in a Fiesta® corporate sponsorship, please contact Suzi Otis, Director of Marketing and Sponsorships, at suzi@fiestasanantonio.org. 

If you are interested in being a vendor for any given Fiesta® event, please contact the event organization directly. To find contact information for the event organization, visit our schedule of events here. Select the event you would like to be a part of, then scroll down to find the public phone number and email address provided as a contact. You can also contact Violet Vargas at (726) 248-7898 or violetv4booths@gmail.com.

If you are interested in being a vendor for the Battle of Flowers Parade and/or Fiesta Flambeau Parade, please contact violetv4booths@gmail.com. If you are interested in sponsorship opportunities, please contact suzi@fiestasanantonio.org.

Attire varies depending on the event you plan on attending, but Fiesta® is all about color! Feel free to wear your most colorful outfit. Traditional Latin Guayabera shirts are popular for men and embroidered tops and dresses are favored by the ladies. And don’t forget those over-the-top hats and decorated (but comfortable) shoes to show off when people yell Fiesta’s notable line, “Show Me Your Shoes!”

Yes! To get your official Fiesta® medals, merchandise, and souvenirs:

  • For general merchandise, click HERE!
  • For Fiesta Medals, click HERE!
  • You can also shop online by clicking the “Fiesta Merch” button on our website.

Current retail locations:

Regarding security, hours of planning are expended each year, and numerous law enforcement personnel are hired to make Fiesta® a safe and enjoyable event. 

An express goal is to make each attendee, either patron or volunteer, comfortable and relaxed in the enjoyment of all Fiesta® has to offer.  Many events utilize First Aid Stations and work with members of the San Antonio Fire Department, San Antonio Health Department, and trained paramedics with fully equipped ambulances. 

For specific security information on a particular Fiesta® event, please contact that event, or visit its respective web site.  Our PMOs spend many hours developing and implementing their safety and security plans, and several have been recognized nationally and internationally as some of the best for festivals and events.