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Best and brightest ways for Houstonians to celebrate Fiesta in San Antonio this spring

It's time for Fiesta!

Courtesy of Fiesta San Antonio

A cherished Texas tradition is back, just in time for a road trip down I-10 West.

Springtime in San Antonio is synonymous with Fiesta. And following a 2020 cancellation and 2021 delay, the colorful cultural tradition returns to its standard spring runtime, beginning March 31, with more food, music, and entertainment than ever before.

For those planning a trek to Alamo City for the festive celebration, we’ve rounded up the essential events you shouldn't miss.

Opening Ceremony, March 31
Taking place at Hemisfair Park, Fiesta Fiesta celebrates the official Opening Ceremony of Fiesta, where guests can enjoy food and beverage, live entertainment, a parade, military salute, and a fireworks finale. Head to fiestasanantonio.org for a full list of food vendors, event map, parade times, and music lineup.

Taste of the Republic, March 31
The fifth annual Taste of the Republic event helps kick off Fiesta 2022 by highlighting the cuisine of Texas. Located at The Good Kind on 1127 S. St Mary’s St., the culinary event runs from 5-9 pm. More details and tickets are available at tasteoftherepublic.com.

A Day in Old Mexico and Charreada, April 3
Celebrating the customs and family traditions of Mexican horsemanship, this family-friendly event features food vendors, ballet folklorico performances, and live mariachi music during the season opening of our charreada — Mexico’s official sport predating and inspiring the American rodeo. San Antonio boasts the oldest Charro association in the United States: established in 1947, the Asociación de Charros de San Antonios aims to preserve the skill of charreria and educate future generations to come. Tickets are $20 and will be available to purchase on the day of the event, which will take place at Rancho del Charro (6126 Padre Dr.).

Tobin Center, April 4
The Tobin Center will host a Texas Cavaliers Fiesta River Parade Party at 6 pm on Monday, April 4, at the Will Naylor Smith Riverwalk Plaza. Limited $20 parking is available for advance at the tobincenter.org.

Hotel Contessa, April 4
Another hotel with special Fiesta programming, Hotel Contessa is offering river parade tickets and dinner tickets, free live music, specialty cocktails, and more. In addition to tickets for three different viewing areas at the hotel for the Texas Cavaliers River Parade, the hotel will host a special pre-fixe dinner beginning at 7 pm. Featuring a three-course dinner and a carafe of cucumber margarita, tickets for the dinner are $150 per person and include direct access to the parade, plus gratuity, tax, and valet parking. The hotel will also be selling its Fiesta medals for $10 at Ambler Texas Kitchen + Cocktails while inventory is available.

The Ford Mariachi Festival
This free, three-day event takes place along the River Walk and features mariachi bands and folklorico dancers from local schools. The tradition began in 1972 and is one of the best ways to enjoy festival entertainment from the comfort of a patio chair, margarita in hand, at one of the River Walk’s many restaurants. Between 6-9 pm every day, boats carrying performers regularly stop along the route, each wearing traditional mariachi and folklorico costumes. Head to thesanantonioriverwalk.com for more info.

A Night in Old San Antonio (NIOSA), April 5-8
This four-night festival in the heart of downtown celebrates San Antonio’s diverse cultural legacy for more than 85,000 revelers annually. Sponsored by and benefiting The Conservation Society of San Antonio, this year’s event will be the 73rd NIOSA presentation. The event, which started in 1936 as a harvest festival on the grounds of Mission San Jose, is now the top fundraiser for preservation in the country with over 155 booths featuring food, drink, decorations, souvenirs, and live entertainment. Head to niosa.org for tickets and more information on each of the event’s 14 culturally themed areas.

Hotel Havana, April 6
While the official Fiesta 2022 medals are available at venues around San Antonio, Hotel Havana will host its own Fiesta Medal Release Party in the hotel bar from 5-10 pm on Wednesday, April 6. The Havana Bar will have tiki drinks from Denim and Leather, music by DJ Heavy Medals, and its 2022 medal for sale for $12.

The Battle of the Flowers Parade, April 8
Known as the founding event of Fiesta San Antonio, the first Battle of Flowers Parade started it all in 1891. The parade began as a patriotic celebration to honor the heroes of the Alamo, Goliad, and the Battle of San Jacinto, and today attracts crowds of more than 550,000. It's also the only parade in the U.S. produced entirely by women. For a full parade route and tickets, head to battleofflowers.org.

Fiesta Flambeau Parade, April 9
One of the festival highlights every year is the illuminated Fiesta Flambeau Parade, which attracts over 750,000 street spectators. Celebrating its 74th year, this year’s parade features The University of Texas Longhorn Band, followed by spectacular floats, marching units, dance groups, and other attractions for a night to remember. The 2022 Fiesta Flambeau Parade theme is “Celebrating Literary Classics,” and both seating information and tickets can be found at flambeau.org.

festivals

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New Texas museum shines spotlight on Tejano music history

Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum, San Antonio, tejano music

Photo by Edmond Ortiz

Roger Hernandez serves as board president of the Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum.

For a city that proudly calls itself the capital of Tejano music, San Antonio has long been missing a permanent place to honor the genre’s pioneers and preserve its history. That gap officially closed In December with the opening of the Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum at 1414 Fredericksburg Rd.

The music couldn’t have found a better steward than its founder and board president. Roger Hernandez has had his finger on the pulse of Tejano music for decades. His company, En Caliente Productions, has provided a platform for countless performing artists and songwriters in Tejano, conjunto, and regional Mexican music since 1982.

Hernandez says his wife, who ran a shop at Market Square years ago, would often get questions from visitors about the location of a physical Tejano music museum, a thing that simply did not exist. In 2022, he banded together with friends, family, and other local Tejano music supporters to make the nonprofit Hall of Fame a reality.

“I decided I've been in the music scene for over 40 years, it's time to do a museum,” Hernandez recalls.

Hernandez says a brick-and-mortar Tejano music museum has long been needed to remember musical acts and other individuals who grew the genre across Texas and northern Mexico, especially those who are aging. Recently, the community lost famed Tejano music producer Manny Guerra and Abraham Quintanilla, the renowned Tejano singer/songwriter and father of the late superstar Selena Quintanilla-Perez. Both deaths occurred roughly one week after the Totally Tejano museum opened to the public.

“They're all dying. They're all getting older, and we need to acknowledge all these people,” Hernandez says.

The Totally Tejano Museum — named after Hernandez’s Totally Tejano Television Roku streaming — has 5,000 square feet of space packed with plaques, photos, promotional posters, musical instruments, and other memorabilia honoring the pioneers and stars of the beloved genre. Mannequins wear stage outfits from icons like Laura Canales and Flaco Jimenez, and a wall of photos remembers late greats. Totally Tejano Television plays legendary performances on a loop, bringing the exhibits to life.

The newly opened Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum includes a growing collection of memorabilia. Photo by Edmond Ortiz

Hernandez says the museum will soon welcome permanent and rotating exhibits, including traveling shows, a Hall of Fame section, and an area paying homage to Chicano music crossovers, such as the late Johnny Rodriguez, the South Texas singer-songwriter who blended country with Tex-Mex music. Plans call for the organization to hold its inaugural Hall of Fame induction in February 2026.

Eventually, a 2,000 square feet back room will be converted into additional display space and host industry gatherings, community symposiums, and record and video release parties. The museum also plans to add a gift and record shop and a music learning room where visitors can listen to early Tejano music and browse archival photos. Hernandez is already talking with local school districts about educational field trips.

Much like Tejano itself, the museum is a grassroots production. Hernandez and fellow board members have used their own money to rent, renovate, develop, and maintain the museum space. The board also leads the selection of the Hall of Fame honorees and curates the exhibits.

Hernandez has been heartened by the museum’s reception, both from media outlets and music fans around Texas and beyond.

“We had a radio station come in this morning from Houston to interview us,” he says. “People have come in from Lubbock, Texas. We have had people from Midland, Texas. We have another person who emailed us who’s coming in from New York. People are learning all about us.”

That includes many of the musicians who helped shape the genre. Johnny Hernandez, Sunny Ozuna, Elida Reyna, and Danny Martinez from Danny and The Tejanos are among the luminaries who have already graced the halls.

The Totally Tejano Hall of Fame and Museum is now open 10 am-6 pm, Tuesday-Sunday, and closed Monday. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. Fans can call 210-314-1310 for more information.

san antonio tejano music museums hall of fame music openings

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New Texas museum shines spotlight on Tejano music history