SAN ANTONIO – Free admission for Fiesta De Los Reyes at Market Square ends Saturday for all locals and visitors. Starting Sunday, the city will begin enforcing a $5 admission fee at the gate.
Fiesta De Los Reyes, one of the city’s largest events, brings in more than 250,000 visitors during Fiesta.
To help fund security efforts, the City of San Antonio voted to enforce a $5 admission fee on April 9.
“We come to see these events all the time, so definitely wanted to get here before the crowd,” Gabriela Ibarra said. “It’s manageable (when it’s busy). I feel like you see the culture, community, so it’s really nice.”
Jared Morris attended the event early Saturday morning with his grandmother.
“We parked nearby,” Morris said. “They had police out front, they have security out there, walked us right in. Super easy. We got in two seconds.”
As guests enter the gate, they walk through metal detectors while all bags are checked, and only small bags are allowed in.
Fiesta De Los Reyes runs through Sunday, April 26, typically between 10 a.m. and 11 p.m., apart from an extension to midnight on the Saturday of the Fiesta Flambeau Parade (April 25).
“Everybody just celebrates together,” Lizette Garcia said. “That’s the most fun for me. And the energy, because everybody’s doing a pachanga here, you know, so everybody’s dancing and having a good time.”
The new fee applies to attendees 13 or older who arrive after 6 p.m. on most weekdays and after 1 p.m. on weekends, including the Friday of the Battle of Flowers Parade.
If someone enters before those times, they can stay in the event for free.
Visitors can buy tickets in advance on the event’s website.
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