10 Best Festivals in San Antonio

Held annually in April, Fiesta San Antonio is a flagship event that pays homage to the Battle of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto – both of which led to the Texas liberation from Mexico in the early 19th century. Dating back to 1891, this show-stopping spectacle is awash with colour and culture thanks to its multiple parades and illuminated carnival.

Across 10 energetic and immersive days, you’ll learn what makes this Bexar County city the icon that it is by attending multiple events on the festival calendar. Visit the flower show at Woodward Mansion, stop by the Texas Corvette Car Show, or tantalise your tastebuds at Pickles y Sombreros.

San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo attracts more than 1.3 million visitors annually. Across 18 days in February, you’ll be a part of all the high-octane action including bronc riding, barrel racing, bull riding, and mutton busting.

This Alamo City tradition is as authentic as it gets thanks to a roster of events like the junior livestock auction, shoot-out competition, and charreada (a Mexican roping and riding contest). There’s plenty of food and country music too (think Dwight Yoakam, Ryan Bingham, and Lady Antebellum).

Celebrating the best gastronomy the Lone Star State has to offer – the Tasting Texas Wine & Food Festival is a San Antonio stalwart that serves up four days of sensual delights in historic city centre. A partnership between Culinaria and the James Beard Foundation, the event showcases established and burgeoning culinary talent from Texas, Mexico, and beyond.

Wander through the Culinary Market and sample an eclectic array of cuisine from more than 100 award-winning chefs. Later on, enjoy a top-shelf tequila on the banks of the San Antonio River or a live cooking demonstration.

Every year, San Antonio’s official jazz music festival, Jazz'SAlive, takes place in the leafy expanse of Travis Park or Hemisfair Park. The main stage plays host to world-renowned and Grammy-winning artists such as John Scofield, Mike Sailors, Kandace Springs, and Katchie Cartwright.

Buy yourself a single-day ticket or splash out on a VIP Experience Package that includes a private table, premium seating, complimentary drinks, and a chef-prepared meal. You can also partake in jazz workshops, watch jam sessions, or sample tasty bites from the on-site food trucks.

Dating back to the 1940s, San Antonio’s Poteet Strawberry Festival has metamorphosed from a small-time gathering of WWII veterans to a cultural extravaganza. Attracting over 100,000 attendees in April every year, the event features a carnival, rodeo, gunslingers, and – you guessed it – all things strawberry.

Try tasty treats made from the beloved sweet red berry, like chocolate-dipped strawberries and strawberry jam. Take in a magic show, watch the parade, or enjoy toe-tapping live music on one of the ground’s 14 stages.

Every year, the San Antonio Highland Games and Celtic Music Festival hosts over 30 Scottish clans. You’re invited to watch age-old traditions and athletic competitions including Highland dancing, bagpipe blowing, hammer throwing, stone putting, sheaf tossing, and caber tossing.

Learn about the fascinating heritage of each clan before tucking into iconic Scottish foodstuffs including haggis (a savoury pudding made with sheep’s pluck and onions.) Watch sheepherding trials and Scottish cooking demonstrations before getting your groove on to live Celtic rock.

Billed as the most prominent arts festival in southern Texas, the Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival is a celebration of visionary creativity and impassioned community activism. Here, fine art, music, theatre, and film mix with poetry, installations, and digital displays.

Taking place every October or November, the festival is helmed by Luminaria: a not-for-profit arts organisation committed to the proliferation of the arts across Alamo City. Watch a dance recital, browse gallery collections, or be inspired by local and national artists whose stories transform streets and event spaces.

The oldest outdoor performance in America, Fiesta Noche del Rio is an effervescent celebration of San Antonio’s cultural roots with a focus on its rich Hispanic heritage. Taking place annually at the open-air Arneson River Theatre on the San Antonio River Walk, you’ll delight in song and dance performances from Mexico, Argentina, Spain, California, and Texas.

A riot of Latin energy, the show consists of 2 acts where you’ll witness the magic of the tango, bachata, salsa, and cha-cha, all to raise money for local children’s charities. The costumes are vibrant, the colours are loud, and the flamenco guitar is soul-stirring.

Taking place in November each year, Diwali San Antonio is a free, fun-filled event that coincides with one of the most significant religious festivals in India. Also known as The Festival of Lights, Diwali is a powerful symbol of knowledge transcending ignorance, light eclipsing darkness, and good overcoming evil.

Shop the India Bazaar, join a Bollywood dance party, have your hands adorned with henna, or explore the Illumination Maze. After sampling Indian delicacies, watch 2000 floating diyas as they’re released into the river, followed by a brilliantly glittery fireworks display.

Every April, San Antonio springs to life when the three-day Ford Mariachi Festival cruises into town. Free to all, this Latin spectacular features Folklorico dancers, live mariachi bands, and boatloads of performers that sail along the River Walk.

Sip a margherita and watch children and teens from local high schools perform mariachi music in vibrant traditional costume. The festival features delicious food, photo booths with fun-filled props, and plenty of singing and dancing.