Fiesta® San Antonio takes place every April to honor the memory of the heroes of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. More than three million people take part in Fiesta. They can choose from 108 events that contain something to please every age range, pocketbook and taste.

Some 100 local nonprofit groups, members of the Fiesta San Antonio Commission, stage most of the events, with the help of some 75,000 volunteers. Local military organizations also take part, producing their own activities and supporting many others.

It’s a really big party, with an economic impact of $284 million for the city of San Antonio.

Fiesta events include three major parades—two along Broadway and past the Alamo, and one on the San Antonio River, where the floats really do float.

San Antonians and visitors can attend fancy balls, a queen’s coronation, a satirical review or a carnival. They can choose from Louisiana’s cuisine at Taste of New Orleans, all kinds of oysters at the St. Mary’s Oyster Bake or the multicultural offerings of Night in Old San Antonio.

Musical options range from Tejano to jazz to Mariachi to rock ’n’ roll to Big Band.

 History buffs can remember the Alamo at the Pilgrimage to the Alamo or The Alamo: These Sacred Walls. Want athletics? Look for races, soccer, rugby, lacrosse and more.

Each year new events add their spice to Fiesta. The 2009 celebration will have three new or returning activities and a big change to the official Fiesta opening:

 
* Fiesta Fiesta, April 16 in front of the Alamo. The Fiesta San Antonio Commission, the nonprofit that coordinates all things Fiesta, marks its 50th birthday in 2009. To celebrate, it’s moving the official start of the festival from Friday morning to Thursday evening. Look for live music on three stages, booths with food, beverages and Fiesta merchandise, and a spectacular fireworks finale.

* Tee Off to Fiesta, Golf with Royalty, sponsored by El Consejo de Reyes Feos Anteriores, April 13 (the Monday before Fiesta’s official start), Silver Horn Golf Course, 1100 Bitters Rd.. This golf tournament will pit Fiesta kings and queens against all comers. It will raise funds for scholarships.

* Fiesta Pops (returning event), sponsored by the San Antonio Symphony, April 17-19 at the Majestic Theatre.

* Chips ’n’ Salsa, sponsored by San Antonio Youth Centers, April 18 at El Tropicano Hotel, 110 Lexington Ave. The event is a casino night and Salsa dance that includes live Salsa music and Salsa dance lessons and features the coronation of the Chips King and Salsa Queen.

* Concert by the San Antonio Municipal Band, April 26 at San Antonio College’s McAllister Auditorium, 1300 San Pedro Ave.

* This Hallowed Ground, sponsored by Alamo Chapter of the Sons of the Republic of Texas, returns to the Alamo April 18. Guides will lead a walking tour of the original perimeter walls of the Alamo.

Overseeing this massive effort is a single nonprofit organization—the Fiesta® San Antonio Commission.

The commission is governed by an all-volunteer board of community leaders and representatives from its 100 local nonprofit participating member organizations. This dedicated group works year ’round coordinating the thousands of details and day-to-day tasks essential to plan this huge citywide event.

The commission also serves as a liaison between those nonprofit members, local military activities and the City of San Antonio. City services are essential to the conduct of Fiesta.
The Fiesta Commission returns more than $1 million to the community each year:

    --It gives allocations to Fiesta events that are not financially self-supporting.
    --It provides bleachers for seating sales to the Battle of Flowers® and Fiesta Flambeau® Parade associations.
    --It licenses more than 100 small nonprofit groups (church groups, youth groups, civic organizations) to sell street chairs along the parade route.

The commission receives no government funding. Its income comes from corporate partnerships, sales in The Fiesta Store®, membership dues and proceeds from the Fiesta Carnival.

The Fiesta San Antonio Commission is a nonprofit organization that plans, coordinates and preserves Fiesta San Antonio through the support of its participating member organizations. Visit its website at www.fiesta-sa.org.

Fiesta 2009 sponsors include Capital One Bank, H-E-B, Toyota, Bud Light/Budweiser, Pocket, E. & J. Gallo Wineries, Coca-Cola, Lone Star Special Tees, Macy's, Tequilame and GoVision.  Underwriters include Capital One Bank, Steves & Sons, Inc., Clear Channel Communications Foundation, and Valero Energy Corporation.  Media sponsors are KABB/KMYS Television Stations, La Prensa, Scene in SA, San Antonio Express News, Prime Time Publications, 210SA, KJ-97, MIX 96.1, Q 101.9, WOAI-AM, TICKET 760, KZEP, 925 The Outlaw and KRTU.  In-kind sponsors include Martin & Drought, PC, Historic St. Anthony Hotel, CE Group, Ad Ideas, Inc., Santikos Theatres, Dixie Flag, and DPT Laboratories.