Fiesta San Antonio was started as a celebration of Texas heritage and to



honor the heroes of the Alamo and battle of San Jacinto. Now, over a hundred

years later and with an estimated 3.5 million people in attendance, it is

one of the biggest and most energetic celebrations in the state. One hundred events are scheduled throughout the 10-day celebration. Among

them are three parades, each with a distinction that makes it unique in the

nation. The oldest is the “Battle of Flowers” parade, first staged by a

group of women in 1891 that placed flowers on the lawn in front of the Alamo

to honor those who died there. The tradition has continued ever since - it

is still produced entirely by women, all wearing yellow dresses and hats on

parade day just as so many generations before them have done. Today, it is a

spectacular pageant of brilliantly colored costumes, floats festooned in

flowers and horse drawn carriages, but its original purpose was never lost

as participants still place floral tributes to the heroes of the Alamo. “Fiesta Flambeau” is the biggest night parade in the country. After the sun

goes down, spectators are treated to a procession of dazzling displays

illuminated by literally thousands of lights. The Texas Cavaliers River

Parade may be the most unique in the festival, and possibly in the nation.

Beautifully decorated river barges float along the river, including the

royal barge of King Antonio and the royal entourage.

Parades and pageantry are a big part of Fiesta, but it is the spirit of the

festival that weaves through all of the different events and ties them

together. Fiesta is a celebration of Texas and its people who came from all

over the world. From diverse cultures than span almost every continent they

blended together and formed a unique culture that honors all of them.

Fiesta is steeped in those amalgamated traditions of Texas that are always

characterized by vibrant colors, lively music, and delectable aromas.

The vast array of food offerings is an example of those traditions. The

enticing smell of hot sizzling fajitas, smoked sausage, chili, roasting corn

and other regional favorites waft in and out of the festivities, along with

traditional fare from old Mexico such as tamales and enchiladas. Mingling

with those aromas are the scents of ethnic dishes that came to Texas with

immigrant settlers and are still enjoyed by their descendents. German food,

for example, has been part of Central Texas tradition since the

establishment of the German settlements of Fredericksburg and New Braunfels

more than 150 years ago. Among the first German settlers was a brewmaster

that introduced beer to Texans, which (not surprisingly) was received with

huge success.

Food is such an important part of Fiesta that two popular events are food

themed. The Fiesta Oyster Bake is a 90-year old tradition sponsored by St.

Mary’s University Alumni Association and operated by 7,000 volunteers on the

University grounds. A carnival area, fireworks show, “Shuckie the Oyster”

and 6 live music stages provide continuous entertainment while 100,000

oysters – raw, fried, or baked – are consumed. Even though the humble oyster

is elevated to star status in this event, there are plenty of alternatives.

Turkey legs, fried chicken breasts, hamburgers and fajitas are among the

many offerings to make sure no one leaves hungry.

With a tradition that is a little over 20 years old, “A Taste of New

Orleans” is considered a more recent addition to the Fiesta Food scene. From

the Sunken Gardens Theater in Brackenridge Park, patrons can enjoy authentic

Cajun and Creole specialties such as jambalaya, gumbo, Étouffée, boudin,

fresh crayfish boil, beignets, and all the other treasures from our closest

easterly neighbor that Texans have come to hanker for. No Cajun style meal

would be complete without music and “Taste” delivers, with a lineup of live

New Orleans jazz, blues and continuous entertainment. Laissez les bon temps

rouler, y’all!

Cathy Hastings is a writer about the finer living for the lifestyles and travel destinations of Texas. You can find some great information on Texas restaurants; destinations and attractions that you would not want to miss by visiting and .