SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio families are ready to go back to a full-scale Fiesta fun with all their favorite foods, but indulging in those goodies will cost a little more this year, thanks to inflation.
Steve Rosenauer with the Fiesta Commission wants everyone to remember that every dollar spent at one of the more than 100 official Fiesta events benefits a local nonprofit in the San Antonio community.
“As you’re spending your money, it goes to support a great cause,” he said.
Each organization sets its price point, but Rosenaure said most organizations are working hard to keep their prices low and maintain a family-friendly event. Fiesta funding is pivotal for nonprofits.
“It’s the lifeblood of the organization in order for them to support their mission, scholarships or other endeavors, charity fundraiser. The impact of not having a Fiesta or a reduced Fiesta impacted them in a financial standpoint,” Rosenaure said.
Jana Foreman, chair of NIOSA, said they have worked hard to keep prices low at this year’s event.
“We have tried to keep all the prices from last year the same. There’s a few items, but maybe 10 overall, that we had to increase a little bit because of supply and demand,” Foreman explained.
The NIOSA entry fee stayed the same, and they will be using a cashless system called Blast Pass. The following foods went up by $1:
Crispy Shrimp Wraps $6, Pot Stickers $5, Corn on the Cob $6, Corn in a Cup $8, Sopapillas $4, Lemonade/Tea $3.
Organizers for the King Williams Fair are facing rising costs, too, forcing them to raise entry prices. They issued the following statement:
“Many contractors have doubled in price, trash clean-up has tripled, and due to Covid protocols we are implementing contact-less transactions by using a new BlastPass system. As a result, our Admission entry fee has increased from $15 in 2019 to $20 for 2022. Our food vendors are also facing shipping and supply-chain issues, so our prepared meats prices have risen slightly; yet not as much as seen in the grocery stores. Despite these inflation challenges, we continue to work to ensure a full family-fun Fiesta event for our fairgoers.”
The entry fee for Oyster Bake will stay the same this year, but organizers say all the foods and drinks will go up an extra dollar. The fixed costs, they say, have increased over 20% or more this year.
The entry price for a Taste of the Northside has gone up by $30 to $125 pre-sale or $150 at the door.
Organizers for A Taste of New Orleans say they have increased admission prices by $2 to $17 for standard and $14 pre-sale. All drinks have gone up by $1 as well.
But there are still plenty of free fiesta events that you can attend. Those attending can also save by using rideshare or public transportation.
Foreman is counting on the crowds to get out and Fiesta.
“We’re just hoping we’re going to have a lot more sales, a lot more customers down here buying a lot more because I think everybody is ready to party. And I hope they do it here,” she said.
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