{"id":255370,"date":"2026-04-18T06:08:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T06:08:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/255370\/"},"modified":"2026-04-18T06:08:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T06:08:19","slug":"fiesta-san-antonio-has-new-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/255370\/","title":{"rendered":"Fiesta San Antonio has new rules"},"content":{"rendered":"

As Fiesta kicks off<\/a> today, San Antonio officials are urging attendees to plan ahead \u2014 from navigating new security measures to preparing for road closures, crowds and rising temperatures.<\/p>\n

San Antonio Police Department Capt. Robert Vara, who is overseeing security for Fiesta de los Reyes<\/a> at the Historic Market Square, the largest single fiesta event, said the goal is simple.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the day, we\u2019re focused on keeping the public safe,\u201d Vara said. \u201cWe want people to have fun here, but at the end of the day, we also want to make sure that you go home safely.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

What\u2019s new at Fiesta de los Reyes<\/p>\n

Fiesta de los Reyes<\/a>, which runs April 17\u201326 at Historic Market Square, will operate from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily, within a secured footprint with four designated entry points, down from five last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This year the historically free event will charge a $5 entry fee<\/a> during peak hours including after 6 p.m. on most weekdays and after 1 p.m.\u00a0 on weekends and the second Friday to help pay for enhanced security measures.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

To avoid the lines, Vara recommends purchasing tickets online<\/a> in advance, guests who enter before the ticketing window begins will not have to pay to stay inside, kids age 12 and under receive free admission.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you come out here, it should just be a QR code that\u2019s on your phone, and you can just walk through the line,\u201d he said. \u201c It should not be a long line when you come in.\u201d<\/p>\n

Attendees will enter through checkpoints at Commerce and South Santa Rosa streets, Houston Street near Milam Park, and two entrances along Dolorosa Street.\u00a0<\/p>\n

At each entrance, visitors should expect screening, including walk-through metal detectors and bag checks.<\/p>\n

Bags must fit within a 12-by-6-by-12-inch size limit, though diaper bags are allowed as an exception. Backpacks are not permitted.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"A 12-by-6-by-12-inch box shows the maximum bag size allowed \u2014 all bags must fit inside it to enter Fiesta events. Credit: Diego Medel \/ San Antonio Report<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recommend bringing clear bags, but it\u2019s not mandatory. You can bring any bag, as long as it can fit into that container right there.\u201d Vara said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Officials also emphasized several prohibited items, including outside food and drinks, alcohol, vaping devices and firearms.<\/p>\n

\u201cLast year, we saw a lot of people trying to come in with their vape pens,\u201d\u00a0 Vara said. \u201cI know those things cost money, so don\u2019t bring them to Fiesta, because we would hate for you to have to go and try to either put them away somewhere else or get rid of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Inside the footprint, fencing will include a new dark mesh covering designed to prevent items from being passed through from outside.<\/p>\n

Concrete barriers will also be placed around the perimeter to protect against potential vehicle threats.<\/p>\n

\"\"Concrete barriers are placed at entrances to the Fiesta de los Reyes event at Historic Market Square. Credit: Diego Medel \/ San Antonio Report<\/p>\n

Bexar county officials also confirmed they will be using eight new Meridian Archer 1200 mobile vehicle barriers<\/a> that were purchased last year but did not arrive in time for last year\u2019s fiesta celebrations. Officials said they would not disclose the location of these barriers for safety purposes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The portable steel barriers are designed to stop vehicles from entering crowded areas and can be deployed quickly at major events.<\/p>\n

Police, EMS and security presence<\/p>\n

Beyond the perimeter measures, officials say a visible law enforcement and emergency response presence will remain a key part of the event.<\/p>\n

Vara said SAPD will have roughly 90 officers working inside Fiesta de los Reyes at any given time, with total staffing reaching up to 150 officers when including surrounding areas and support units.<\/p>\n

Those officers will be backed by additional resources, including traffic units, drones and specialized teams trained to respond to critical incidents.<\/p>\n

The San Antonio Fire Department will also have EMS bike teams and first responder vehicles stationed throughout Fiesta events, allowing for quicker response times in crowded areas. Paramedics will be staged nearby and called into the event footprint when needed.<\/p>\n

Officials noted that many medical calls during Fiesta are related to dehydration and heat, making preparation just as important as security.<\/p>\n

Plan ahead: transportation and closures<\/p>\n

With large crowds expected downtown, city officials are urging attendees to make transportation plans in advance.<\/p>\n

There will be no public parking at Historic Market Square during Fiesta, except for staff, according to the city.<\/p>\n

Several streets around downtown will be closed throughout the celebration, and congestion is expected near major events and parade routes.<\/p>\n

Officials recommend using ride-share services, biking or public transit to get to and from events.<\/p>\n

VIA Metropolitan Transit will offer additional Fiesta service,<\/a> including Park & Ride options from three locations: Crossroads Park & Ride, Stone Oak Park & Ride and Brooks. Round-trip fares start at $2.60, with reduced fares available for students, military members and qualifying riders.<\/p>\n

For Fiesta de los Reyes, attendees can also use VIA\u2019s Pr\u00edmo Route 100 or VIA Link Downtown service to reach Market Square.<\/p>\n

\"\"City officials recommend using ride-share services or VIA busses to get to and from events. Credit: Amber Esparza \/ San Antonio Report<\/p>\n

A full list of closures<\/a> shows impacts beginning as early as April 16 around Travis Park, with additional closures tied to Fiesta de los Reyes and other major events.<\/p>\n

Streets will also close early for the Battle of Flowers Parade<\/a> and Fiesta Flambeau Parade<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Safety tips for attendees<\/p>\n

Officials say personal safety planning is just as important outside secured event areas.<\/p>\n

\u201cTry to partner up with people. Come with your friends,\u201d Vara said. \u201cIf you partake in the refreshments that they have here, make arrangements with your family or friends or maybe Uber or Lyft to try to get you a ride home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Attendees are encouraged to go in groups, stay aware of their surroundings and make arrangements for how they will get home \u2014 especially if they plan to drink.<\/p>\n

\"\"San Antonio Police Department Capt. Robert Vara encouraged residents to attend with a friend and plan a way to get home after the celebrations. Credit: Diego Medel \/ San Antonio Report<\/p>\n

\u201cRemember, alcohol impairs judgment and reaction time, affecting coordination and raising the risk of accidents, injuries, and fatalities,\u201d city officials wrote in a statement. \u201cIf you plan to drink, plan to get home safely. Designate a sober driver, use a ride-share service, or call a taxi.\u201d<\/p>\n

With warm temperatures expected, officials are also urging attendees to take precautions against heat-related illness.<\/p>\n

The city recommends drinking water regularly, avoiding prolonged sun exposure and taking breaks in shaded or air-conditioned areas when possible.<\/p>\n

While security measures have expanded in recent years<\/a>, officials say safety ultimately depends on both enforcement and public awareness.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you see something, say something,\u201d the city said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"As Fiesta kicks off today, San Antonio officials are urging attendees to plan ahead \u2014 from navigating new…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":255371,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[96223,698,11532,5615,7185,91619,37075,4805,14621,96224,633,82,11576,84,83,5264,92,3028,21310,94],"class_list":{"0":"post-255370","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-san-antonio","8":"tag-barriers","9":"tag-bexar-county","10":"tag-city-of-san-antonio","11":"tag-ems","12":"tag-fiesta","13":"tag-fiesta-de-los-reyes","14":"tag-historic-market-square","15":"tag-icymi","16":"tag-market-square","17":"tag-robert-vara","18":"tag-safd","19":"tag-san-antonio","20":"tag-san-antonio-fire-department","21":"tag-san-antonio-headlines","22":"tag-san-antonio-news","23":"tag-san-antonio-police-department","24":"tag-top-story","25":"tag-typedaily","26":"tag-via-metropolitan-transit","27":"tag-wc-750-1000"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/255370","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=255370"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/255370\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/255371"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=255370"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=255370"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=255370"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}