SAN ANTONIO (Jan 30, 2026) – Fiesta® San Antonio is a “Party With A Purpose” and celebrates a “Fiesta Together” in the Alamo City this year April 16 to 26. This eleven-day celebration, with more than one hundred official Fiesta events held throughout the city, started in 1891 as a one-parade event to honor the memory of those who passed away in the Battle of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. That historic commemoration still takes place, but Fiesta® has grown into a celebration of San Antonio’s rich and diverse cultures, and today, is one of this nation’s premier festivals.
Travelers are invited to join 2.5 million guests from San Antonio and around the world to enjoy a variety of events including parades, music festivals, cultural celebrations, arts and educational programs, athletic events and much more that support San Antonio area charities. Each of the more than 100 official Fiesta® events, coordinated by nearly 100 San Antonio area non-profit organizations, is unique and special to the overall experience, and funds raised at these events provide services to San Antonio citizens throughout the year.
Fiesta will officially begin with Fiesta Fiesta on Thursday, April 16 in downtown San Antonio’s Travis Park. This free admission festival will feature an opening ceremony with the Mayor of San Antonio, a military salute, live music, Fiesta favorite Food including the iconic Chicken on a Stick, Pin Pandemonium (an area to buy and trade Fiesta Medals), a People’s Parade, sponsor activations and much more.
Every Fiesta San Antonio event is special, a few highlights include:
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Fiesta Oyster Bake® brings together thousands of revelers, great dancing and music, and food and drinks on the campus of St. Mary’s University. Over 100,000 oysters are served! (April 17-18)
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Texas Cavaliers River Parade – a one-of-a-kind extravaganza on the San Antonio River Walk where dozens of brightly lit, highly decorated barges float and delight revelers lined up on either side of the river. (April 20)
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The 135th Battle of Flowers® Parade – an amazing street parade (April 24) that this year features the theme "From Pages To Possibilities." Celebrating literature and imagination, the theme showcases storybooks, fairy tales, and, notably, 10 school floats representing different book genres, including mystery, fantasy, and science fiction. The Battle of Flowers is one of the few parades in the United States produced entirely by women, all of whom are volunteers.
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King William Fair – takes over historic King William with great arts, crafts, food, music and dance performances, kids kingdom, a quirky parade and more! (April 25)
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Fiesta Flambeau® Parade lights the night on the streets of San Antonio (April 25). It is a great way to light the way through the final weekend of Fiesta.
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For fun with food and drinks, do not miss NIOSA (A Night in Old San Antonio) in historic La Villita. Through the magic of 155+ food, drink and atmosphere booths and entertainment stages; continuous live music acts; decorations; souvenirs; and many dedicated volunteers, NIOSA brings the city’s heritage alive in its 14 cultural areas. (April 21-24)
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Explore distinctive cultures with deep roots at events like A Day in Old Mexico & Charreada (April 19 and 26), the Ford Mariachi Festival (April 22 and 23) and more.
For more information on Fiesta® San Antonio, visit www.fiestasanantonio.org. To make your overall plans to visit the Alamo City, best place to start is VisitSanAntonio.
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About Visit San Antonio
Visit San Antonio is a 501(c)6 and serves as the sales and marketing arm of San Antonio as a leading leisure and meetings destination. In 2023, San Antonio welcomed approximately 35.6 million visitors. Hospitality is one of the top five industries in the city, contributing $21.5 billion to the local economy annually and employing more than 147,000. More information about Visit San Antonio and the city’s vast offerings can be found at VisitSanAntonio.com.
About the Fiesta® San Antonio Commission
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.
More about Fiesta:
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 one hundred San Antonio Area Non-Profit, Fiesta Member Organizations coordinate more than one hundred Official Fiesta® Events to raise funds to provide services to San Antonio citizens throughout the year.
The Fiesta San Antonio Commission proudly supports Fiesta Member Organizations that support:
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Higher Education Scholarships and Programs
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Diverse Cultures
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Historical Significance / The Alamo
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Arts / Nature
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Military Programs
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Children’s Events / Programs
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Pets / Animal Welfare
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Inclusive Events / LGBTQ
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Sports / Health and Wellness
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Special Needs Community
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Older Adult Community
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Local Community Building
Media Contacts:
VISIT SAN ANTONIO
Dee Dee Poteete
Deedeepoteete@visitsanantonio.com
FIESTA COMMISSION
Steve Rosenauer, Executive Director