SAN ANTONIO – Fiesta is celebrating 127 years of fun, but did you know that it started from one parade in 1891?
That’s right.
In the spring of 1891, a parade was held to honor the heroes of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto.
Horse-drawn carriages decorated with flowers, by a group of local women, filled the streets of San Antonio. The name of the parade - the battle of flowers - where people threw flowers at each other.
Surprise, surprise - everyone loved it.
The floats, the flowers, the music - what’s not to love?
The battle of flowers became a San Antonio tradition. The following year, other events got added on and around the parade day.
Another Fiesta tradition is the fiesta medals.
Fiesta medals started in 1946 when king Antonio handed out coins at fiesta events around town. The collectible coins were a hit, and soon everyone started making their own.
The only time Fiesta has been put on hold since it started was during world war 1 and world war 2.
Now, Fiesta’s battle of flowers parade is second in size only to the tournament of roses parade in Pasadena, California.
When Fiesta started, 38,000 people swarmed the streets to celebrate and remember the Alamo.
Now, visitors from all over the world come to the party with an estimated attendance of 3.5 million people each year that bring an economic impact of at least 350 million dollars to San Antonio.
Get ready to party, San Antonio. Drink responsibly, drive safe and be courteous to each other as we honor the heroes of the Alamo!
Facts & Images Courtesy: https://www.fiesta-sa.org/history-of-fiesta/