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 .