It’s the event that started it all.
The 135th edition of the Battle of Flowers Parade made its way along a 3.2-mile route Friday, as hundreds of thousands watched high school marching bands, military units and floral floats move through downtown San Antonio. Tim Morrow, president and CEO of the San Antonio Zoo, was the parade grand marshal.
Battle of Flowers, which launched Fiesta as a single, one-day event in 1891, is one of the nation’s oldest and largest parades. It is the largest parade in the U.S. that’s produced entirely by women and is completely volunteer-led.
About 15,000 people attended the first Battle of Flowers Parade, which included horse-drawn carriages decorated with fresh flowers and was created to honor the heroes of the Alamo and the Battle of Jacinto. Today, the parade draws about 350,000 along its route, and about 2.5 million viewers watch the live coverage on television.
Fiesta is an 11-day party that includes over 100 events benefiting various non-profit organizations.
Fiesta 2026 kicked off April 16 and runs through Sunday.