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Shoebox float tradition brings Fiesta to San Antonio classrooms

Students make the floats ahead of the Battle of Flowers Parade

SAN ANTONIO – The countdown is on to one of San Antonio’s most cherished Fiesta celebrations — the Battle of Flowers Parade.

Student across the city will get a day off from school on Friday for the parade, which has become a tradition in the Alamo city.

Another tradition that’s especially popular among elementary schools in the area is the creation of shoebox Fiesta floats. Many people who grew up in San Antonio may even remember making their first Fiesta float back in kindergarten or first grade.

This year, 5-year-old Bridget De La Torre is joining in the fun for the very first time.

“It’s Pusheen Cat ... the Pusheen Cat,” she said proudly, describing the drawing of an orange cat that inspired her float design. Bridget, a kindergartener at Montgomery Elementary, is getting plenty of help from her mom, Katie McCart.

“We’re doing a little tiger-themed one,” McCart said. “It’s her favorite animal. She loves cats and the color orange. We just wanted her to express herself.”

This is their first experience making a Fiesta float together. McCart said they first painted the shoebox, added stripes, crafted ears and even gave the float some flair with a pair of earrings.

But the project is about more than just creativity — it’s about community and connection.

“I think it’s just a great way to involve the kids, introduce them to the community and really just work together,” McCart said.

Bridget’s grandmother, Laura Rullan, agrees. She said watching her granddaughter embrace this local tradition for the first time was a special experience.

Bridget is the first generation in their family born in San Antonio, and the float project feels like a meaningful way to tie her into the city’s culture.

“To have your family continue the traditions that have gone on for generations and generations ... it just makes you feel proud, excited and happy at the same time,” Rullan said. “And then to watch her really enjoy it, the way she’s enjoying it right now, it’s really special.”

As Fiesta approaches, families across San Antonio are embracing both the celebration and the memories being made along the way — one shoebox float at a time.


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