There is a sense upon arriving, checking into a hotel and stepping down to the banks of the Riverwalk that you have gotten away, that you can exhale. Fiesta is a rollicking San Antonio celebration in which schools close and city employees get the day off for the Battle of Flowers parade. Local officials say that more than 3.5 million people participate, from the volunteers who stage events to the tourists who attend the parades. That is far different from the first Battle of Flowers Parade in 1891, when a women's charitable organization rode past the Alamo in horse- drawn carriages. There is no shortage of fake royalty as various private organizations crown various monarchs, including King Antonio, who presides over the River Parade, and El Rey Feo, the Ugly King, at the Fiesta Flambeau.
Spring is a wonderful time to visit.
Fall is a rumor here, a close cousin to summer. Events Fiesta, April 20 to 29, is a 10-day celebration that includes scores of concerts and other events and three big parades. A World Odyssey. The theme is Celebration of Lights. For constant music, head to Fiesta del Mercado at Market Square, the city's old Mexican-style market.