SAN ANTONIO — One of San Antonio’s best-known Fiesta traditions is officially being put on pause.
The San Antonio Conservation Society announced Wednesday it is cancelling its annual A Night In Old San Antonio, better known as NIOSA, as the organization takes another look at the future of the longtime event.
“The four-night celebration will take a hiatus to allow organizers to fully review, retool, and reinvigorate the beloved tradition,” the Conservation Society said in a statement.
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“In recent years, NIOSA has contended with significant challenges, including declining post-pandemic attendance, an impending reduction of its physical footprint due to redevelopment construction at La Villita, and significant financial shortfalls,” according to Conservation Society president Betty Bueché.
The decision follows an announcement last month that the Conservation Society was preparing to “hit the reset button” on NIOSA, its largest annual fundraiser. The Conservation Society announced in August it was reducing its staff.
NIOSA sales average more than $1 million annually.
“As the single largest fundraiser for historic preservation in the United States, NIOSA has raised millions of dollars across its seven-decade history to support the Conservation Society’s work to preserve and protect the city’s architectural and cultural heritage.”
Organizers said NIOSA was facing several challenges, including rising costs, declining attendance, and the loss of about 43% of its event space. The event will no longer have access to La Villita Assembly Hall.
“Rather than compromising the quality of the experience under shrinking logistical parameters, we are using this intermission to streamline operations, explore potential new locations and formats,” said Bueché.
No timeline for NIOSA’s return or details about what a reworked event could look like were announced.