SAN ANTONIO – The fate of Fiesta 2020 remains in limbo due to San Antonio’s surging COVID-19 case count, but fans can still take in the tradition at an upcoming exhibit.
The Witte Museum will open the “Fiesta Couture: Behind the Seams” exhibit on Saturday, shining a light on the art and skill that go into the making of the dresses worn in the Coronation of the Queen of the Order of the Alamo.
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The Coronation, scheduled to take place on Nov. 11 after it was postponed due to the pandemic, features elaborate dresses and trains of the queen and her court.
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According to the Witte, the annual event is organized around a theme that is selected two years in advance. The gowns are then designed off that theme.
The museum’s exhibit will give guests a peek into the “design processes, skilled artisans, and trade secrets that result in the most glamourous night of Fiesta.”
“The Mistress of the Robes, the Court Artist and the dress makers are responsible for translating the theme into coronation robes for the queen and her court,” a news release states. “Together they weave fabric, threads, sequins, beads and rhinestones into a unique form of storytelling.”
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Museum-goers will be able to view examples of coronation robes, sketches, and workrooms where the dresses are made. Guests will also be able to touch fabrics and jewels.
The exhibit is included in the museum admission.
Fiesta was postponed in the spring as the city saw the first impacts of the coronavirus crisis. It is scheduled to take place on Nov. 5-15, but Mayor Ron Nirenberg has said the city will make an announcement on the 11-day party this week.