Fiesta 2014

This guy's hat was awesome.

   Every year in San Antonio people get ready for a city wide event in the Spring. It's a nice way to welcome Spring if it is nothing else. This event is none other than "Fiesta." Today I went downtown to pack onto the sidewalks with thousands of other people to watch one of two parades, hear music, smell expensively priced food, and watch people get drunk.

   Although they are not really part of Fiesta, the whole thing starts with the Strawberry Festival in Poteet, a neighboring city, and the Oyster Bake. After that there is a whole bunch of events during the week prior. It is no surprise to see about 2 cookouts or parties on your block for seemingly no reason.  Finally on the Friday of Fiesta San Antonio schools, businesses, and offices close up shop and everyone heads downtown for the day parade. I really do mean everyone, there are tons of people that pack onto the parade route and even more milling around the stands. If you are a people watcher like I am, this is an awesome day to do so.

   After the first day it's not over. No way, the very next day there is also a night parade. This one is particularly fun because most adults are out of work. (Those who work for companies that don't close for Fiesta.) All of the parade participants usually put on a cool light show as they walk by and the whole thing is pretty spectacular to witness.

I wanted to reach over and steal those bell peppers.

   Fiesta has a lot of history to it and not being from San Antonio originally I sadly do not know most of it. Shame on me for not learning it after 5 years but, well, what can you do? Actually I don't feel too bad about that, ask any local what Fiesta is about and they'd probably say, "I don't know...getting drunk?" They'd be right too because that's about the sum of it all...and food.

   It really is a lot of fun though and it's good to see people of all ages and walks of life just coming together to celebrate basically being from San Antonio. It really makes you feel like part of San Antonio when you go and you feel proud. Whatever it is you go for, you won't be disappointed.

Check out the video I made. In it I show you some of what goes on at Fiesta!


Link to the official site:
http://www.fiesta-sa.org/events.aspx