Visitors to the Alamo over the next several days will get to experience San Antonio’s biggest party, Fiesta. Today Fiesta is San Antonio’s premiere festival and consists of eleven days of parades and events, all of which benefit various nonprofit organizations. As partygoers enjoy the food, music, pins and cascarones that Fiesta has to offer, hopefully many will also stop to reflect on the origins of Fiesta and the reason San Antonio celebrates.
Fiesta began in 1891 with a single event, the Battle of Flowers parade. The parade was organized by a group of San Antonio women to honor the memory of the Alamo defenders and to commemorate the anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto. The parade was scheduled for April 20th rather than the anniversary of San Jacinto on the 21st to coincide with a visit by President Benjamin Harrison to San Antonio. Due to rain, however, the parade ended up being postponed until April 24th. The inaugural parade’s floats were horse drawn carriages decorated with real flowers. The riders in the parade also threw flowers at the other floats, hence the name Battle of Flowers. The parade has grown considerably over the years, attracting around 350,000 annual spectators in recent years. The floats no longer battle each other with flowers, but instead as the parade route takes them in front of the Alamo, the floats stop and leave a floral offering in memory of the Alamo defenders. This year, the Battle of Flowers parade will take place on Friday, April 22nd.
Another Fiesta event connected with the Alamo is the annual Pilgrimage to the Alamo, which was begun by the Alamo Mission Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas in 1925. During Pilgrimage, groups walk silently through the streets of San Antonio carrying wreaths, which they lay in front of the Alamo as the defenders names are read. The event ends with a short memorial service for the defenders. Pilgrimage to the Alamo was scheduled for today, Monday April 18th, but was cancelled due to severe rain in the San Antonio area. Many groups pilgrimaged to the Alamo on their own, however, to lay their wreaths.
Several other events and ceremonies take place in front of the Alamo and in Alamo Plaza. Military days at the Alamo are always a crowd favorite. The United States Air Force, Army, Marines and Navy each celebrate Fiesta at the Alamo. These days honor the history of the United States’ armed forces and include live music from military bands, demonstrations and much more. A full schedule of Fiesta events can be found on the Fiesta San Antonio website.
