Fiesta is officially underway, with the annual Fiesta Arts Fair celebrating its 50th year this past Saturday. At the fundraising event supporting UTSA arts, the city of San Antonio “partied with a purpose” near the Southwest Campus. For 20$ dollars or 15$ for students , audiences could enjoy a plentiful of entertainment, good food, and beautiful art.
Performances throughout the day included Mariachi Los Paisanos, Grupo Tan Tan, Sexto Sol, The Texases, George Gaytan and Matt & Sylvia Kirk. The standout performance came from headliner, the Texases. They had the crowd up and active as couples slow danced and children skipped about.
Attendees were decked out in colorful Fiesta outfits and loaded up with as many Fiesta medals as they could carry. One could hardly see the outfits of former District Attorney Susan Reed and the lady King Anchovy of 2025 Blanca Aldaco, crowned at the Cornyation, through all the medals they wore.
Vendors offer products ranging from home decor products — such as handmade ceramics, sculptures and wood carvings — to wearable art in the form of jewelry, scarves and dresses. These vendors came out from all across the country.
Ingrid Hanson, a glassblower from California, traveled all the way down to Texas because of her love of Fiesta.
“It’s been lovely. People have lots of energy and give positive compliments about our work, and it’s been an enjoyable day,” Hanson said.
When asked why she chose to vend at Fiesta, she stated how it was a tradition for her — one she is happy to return for.
“I have been doing the Fiesta Arts Fair for many years. I started about 15 years ago, and I came back again last year and this year,” she stated.
Jennifer Lashbrook is a Dallas-based artist who creates pixelated collages using recycled paint swatches. She has a sign on her display stating, “Look through your phone!” Upon doing so, people would find the quality of the photo takes on a glitchy, unreal appearance despite there being no filter.
“I’ve done the show before, and I always look forward to it. It’s so much fun. The city has such [a] great culture and great vibes, and the show is just an extension of that,” Lashbrook said, “My work is made from upcycled paint swatches from the hardware store, and I have people look through their phone camera to make it more clear, but it’s all upcycled paper swatches.”
Fiesta Art Fair is an event to keep returning to for vendors and audiences alike. It is no wonder Fiesta Art Fair has survived 50 years and will, without a doubt, continue to bring joy to San Antonio.
