SAN ANTONIO – Viva Fiesta! After two years of COVID-19 pandemic obstacles, Fiesta San Antonio is back this year and in full force.
The Fiesta Commission President-elect recently sat down with KSAT12 to discuss final preparations and what the party with a purpose means for the Alamo City, its charities and its economy.
“Oh, it is just the excitement of getting going again. Everything is back to normal. Everybody is getting together. All parts of town. We have events everywhere. You know, we have events from San Antonio and Palo Alto out to Boerne,” John Meyer, Fiesta Commission President-elect said.
Like many people in San Antonio and its surrounding areas, John is excited for Fiesta this year. And with two days until the start, the final stages are close to ready.
“There are thousands of volunteers getting ready, everything from building booths, organizing ticket sales, just getting everything ready to have a fabulous Fiesta,” Meyer said.
And it’s not just the volunteers returning – the crowds are also coming.
“Events look like they’re going to be full. A Night in Old San Antonio, Oyster Bake, All the parades, the UTSA events, just everything is going to be full. It’s going to be great,” Meyer said.
And while it is known that Fiesta is a big party, the event also means so much financially for local non-profits and charities.
“That’s the thing about it. We call it ‘the party with a purpose’ because that’s really what it is. We’ve got 100 different non-profit organizations that make most of their money for the year during Fiesta. And when they don’t have a Fiesta, they don’t make any money and it’s very difficult for them to operate throughout the rest of the year. So it is vitally important to all these organizations that we have a good Fiesta,” Meyer said.
Fiesta however, isn’t just a San Antonio tradition. People come far and wide to celebrate.
“This is a $340 million economic impact to the city of San Antonio -- that is bigger than the Indianapolis 500 and bigger than the Kentucky Derby. It’s a top 10 national event and we’re happy to have it here,” Meyer said.
So, just 48 hours away, it’s time to get ready and prepare accordingly.
“They can expect things to be back to normal and bigger and better than before,” Meyer said.
