Fun and Festivities at Fiesta
Nowhere is excitement more obvious than on the Riverwalk during Fiesta. At least 10,000 people crowd into the world famous San Antonio Riverwalk for a dose of fun, like none had in another place or any other time. The fun started in 1954 when the Fiesta Noche di Cinco began as part of a Mexican celebration for those who lost the Alamo. Although floats and costumes were not part of the Festival, this is where the original Riverwalk Margarita was started, and the event grew from 5 people in 1954 to nearly 10,000 today!
Last year, UTSA students were selling their “Med School” Margaritas in huge numbers on the Riverwalk, just outside Iron Cactus where they normally cost $9. While too young to drink, they’re not too young to serve, and were liberally pouring the tequila. Texas offers generally subsidies to Real Texans™ studying in the great state of Texas, and it’s a Riverwalk Tradition for them to buy books using Margarita Money™. “I practised at Hooters,” said Shelly Gunther, 17, from a town just north of San Antonio, “so I’m real good at handing out drinks to yall and knowing when yall had enough!”.
This year’s Fiesta Spectacular, a monumental 55th anniversay, with be taking place on the world famous San Antonio Riverwalk, starting at the Rivercenter Mall and ending at the San Antonio Police Department. Students are distribution tickets at UTSA and San Antonio College, hoping to raise at least $8,000 to replace the Linda Pace Memorial Library that burnt down in 2007.
