SAN ANTONIO – A Night in Old San Antonio will return in 2027, but the longtime Fiesta event could look different as organizers work to address declining attendance, a smaller event footprint and a major financial shortfall.
The San Antonio Conservation Society, which puts on NIOSA, said the event generated no net proceeds this year. About two decades ago, NIOSA was netting roughly $1 million annually, according to Betty Bueche, president of the Conservation Society.
“Any changes to it are important to a lot of people in the community,” Bueche said.
For 78 years, NIOSA has raised money for the Conservation Society’s preservation and education programs.
The organization provides tours for fourth-grade students, offers grants to owners of historic homes and small business buildings, supports an endowed professorship at the University of Texas at San Antonio’s School of Architecture, and recognizes historians and others involved in preservation efforts.
The society also has helped save historic sites including the Granary at Mission San José, the Espada Aqueduct, Casa Navarro, the Old Ursuline Academy and the Aztec Theatre.
Attendance, space and the economy
Bueche said NIOSA’s recent financial challenges stem from several factors, including lower attendance and reduced space at La Villita, where the event has been held in recent years.
She also pointed to broader economic pressures and a national decline in attendance at similar events.
“Part of it is not having sufficient disposable income,” Bueche said. “Part of it is that people are being conservative right now and saving their money.”
Bueche said people are increasingly selective about how they spend their money, making it important for NIOSA to remain an appealing experience.
Community suggestions
The Conservation Society has asked the public for ideas about how to reshape the event. Suggestions have included moving NIOSA to another location, changing the time of year, updating the music and entertainment, changing the food offerings and addressing downtown parking challenges.
One location community members suggested is the Coliseum grounds near the Frost Bank Center on the East Side.
“Specifically, the Coliseum grounds have been suggested, and we have a strong interest in the East Side of San Antonio,” Bueche said.
Bueche said the Conservation Society has supported preservation projects on the East Side and is particularly interested in the historic Baptist settlement area. However, no location or format has been finalized.
The Conservation Society is scheduled to meet with NIOSA team members on Thursday, Aug. 27, to discuss specific ways to reduce the cost of producing the event. Bueche said the Conservation Society, a 100-year-old organization, has “reserve” funds available to help launch the next NIOSA once leaders decide on a plan.
“Rest assured that we will have an event,” Bueche said. “Where it will be and exactly what it will consist of, those are the things that we’re discussing.”
The Conservation Society also said it has paid its own expenses and city fees related to NIOSA.
Since 1988, the organization has paid nearly $15.3 million in fees to the city, according to Bueche. It has also contributed $5.2 million to the La Villita Fund, which she said has a remaining balance of nearly $900,000 for improvements at La Villita.
The society plans to continue collecting public feedback before deciding on NIOSA’s next location, timing and format.
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