Every April in San Antonio, TX we throw a party, a FIESTA. (ok not ‘we’, I just attend) If you are not from San Antonio, the best time to come visit is during FIESTA® San Antonio. It’s been going on for over a century and this 10 day party is filled with parades, festivals, food, music and it’s all (mostly) in the name of raising money for non-profits and scholarships. But don’t tell the party-goers, for them it’s all about the cold beer and chicken on a stick.
For the first time, I took my family to the very family- friendly Fiesta Arts Fair to help support the Southwest School of Art. With a whole section dedicated to crafts for kiddos, hot corn on the cob, and live music, it was a success! This will be on our list for sure next year. Oh yeah, there were some amazing artists with their work at the fair. Top artists come from all over the country for this. When I grow up, I’m going to buy some of that art for my grown up house.
An event that is always on my list to attend during FIESTA® San Antonio is NIOSA. A Night in Old San Antonio. Downtown’s village La Villita is overtaken by thousands of fiesta-goers ready to eat up some delicious fried food and chug down some tasty, ice-cold drinks! The venue has an ‘around the world’ theme because of the various cultures that have and do influence our city of San Antonio. Different sections of cultures such as French Quarter, Mexican Market, Mission Trail, Sauerkraut Bend and more serve food and play music accordingly to create a fun atmosphere.
Two food staples I don’t go without:
Maria’s Tortillas – fresh corn tortillas, doused in butter, sprinkled with cheddar cheese and red salsa … The wait is long but worth it! These ladies spend their night cooking these delicious treats while the line of hungry but patient fiesta-goers listen to live beats of Tejano music.
Fried Green Tomatoes – Not the movie. Sprinkle some salt and lightly dip them in ranch and eat ’em up!
A real food blogger would laugh in my face at my Android photography skills. Haha. (Editor’s note: I also won’t leave without delicious Beignets-square pieces of fried dough covered in powdered sugar. So yummy I forgot to take a pic before I ate them!)
A new favorite: Fat Bread – buttery English muffin (I think) with sautéed mushrooms and melted mozzarella! Umm, it is called Fat Bread after all.
Just like the Arts Fair wouldn’t have been a success without my family, NIOSA is never a success without great friends to celebrate and not count calories. Tuesday night at NIOSA is a perfect night for a few ‘mommy’ friends to sip on refreshing sangria slushies, laugh at each other’s stories and gush about the way cooler-and-blingier-than-everyone-else’s fiesta hats we will have next year! ¡Mil gracias Mandy y Deborah!! Your friendship is greatly treasured.
There are MANY more events happening during FIESTA® San Antonio like King William Fair this weekend but for some events, you’ll have to catch next year like Oyster Bake. FIESTA® San Antonio has a balanced blend of family-friendly events all over the city. So don’t miss out on a San Antonio tradition and a chance to create new memories with friends and family. ¡VIVA FIESTA!
For more information about events and the organizations supporting FIESTA® San Antonio, visit www.fiesta-sa.org.
