It’s Fiesta week in San Antonio!
Even though I am now living in Virginia, I am still part Texan.
One of my favorite Texas memories were of Fiesta, so I thought I’d share San Antonio’s week long festivities on my blog this week!
King Antonio! Glittering gowns! Floats! Flowers! Flambeau! Fiesta!
Fiesta began in 1891 to celebrate Texas Independence, while remembering the fallen heroes of the Alamo and San Jacinto.
Although Fiesta began with only the Battle of Flowers Parade in 1891, it is now a ten-day event!
Since tonight was the 62nd annual river parade, I will start with that.
FOUNDED BY TEXAS CAVALIERS
In 1926, the Texas Cavaliers were formed by a group of men who sought to promote horsemanship, which at that time had become a dying art.
The following year, they joined Fiesta festivities by electing one of their own to be King Antonio to preside over Fiesta.
Inspired by boats and barges decorated with flowers in the ‘floating gardens’ of Mexico City, the Cavaliers organized the first River Parade in 1941, which premiered on the newly built San Antonio Riverwalk.
Originally, this river parade opened Fiesta on Monday night of Fiesta, but now misc festivities begin a few days earlier.
By 1989, the Texas Cavaliers’ mission became charitable based, helping area children through various avenues.
MEETING KING ANTONIO
I remember as a little girl in kindergarten, King Antonio came to my school with great fanfare!
To prepare for the big event, we made King Antonio hats (blue with a red fan) to wear.
Wearing them outside our school, we saw him arrive in a beautiful carriage…and he gave us gifts of coins.
ATTENDING THE RIVER PARADE
Fast forward to 2007 when a dream came true for us.
We attended the Fiesta River Parade, courtesy of the Texas Cavaliers!
Every year they host the military by giving them free tickets to the parade with a dinner and concert before the big event!
The link says that the military even gets to meet King Antonio during this event, but we missed him!
I’m sure my kids would have loved meeting King Antonio.
Perhaps we hadn’t arrived early enough.
At least we had an easier time finding parking in one of the garages than I expected, because city offices close early on parade days!
First we had gone to the Alamo for a special event, which I shall share tomorrow.
When we arrived, the party was in progress with a military jazz band performing to get us in the mood!
SOUVENIR GIFTS
Meanwhile we went through the food line: food, soda, and a Blue Bell ice cream cup…along with some American flags and Fiesta medals!
Before we left for the evening’s parade, I had shown the kids my small collection, which began in 1991.
Elated to begin their own collection of medals to proudly wear, my children were ready to begin the river parade!
Meanwhile my son wore his Fiesta tshirt and my daughter wore her Fiesta flower crown from a previous Fiesta attendance.
When not wearing her Fiesta flower crown, she hangs it on a hook in her room for decoration.
MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT DURING DINNER
While sitting near the band to enjoy our food and music, we saw them invite one of the boys to help entertain.
TIME FOR THE RIVER PARADE
As dusk began to fall, we found our seats along the river to view all the floats, that literally float!
Not to worry if we fall in, since the river is only a few feet deep.
King Antonio!
Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison…
One of the parade queens…
KENS 5 weather guy…Paul Mireles (one of our favorites) shot water at us while he navigated on this innertube that had a little motor on it. Other weather men were on their own innertubes, too.
