With More than 365 Annual Festivals, Every Day is a
celebration in San Antonio.
Known as one of the friendliest cities in America, San
Antonio is also now the sixth largest. But any new explorer would have no sense
of the city’s scale, its main areas are so walkable and easy to navigate. This
is because it is all connected by the River Walk, a 15-mile, shady, waterside,
pedestrianized park system connecting all of San Antonio’s major tourism hubs.
Whether you’re a history buff visiting the Spanish Missions (the only UNESCO
World Heritage Site in Texas), a flavour fiend seeking out the official home of
TexMex (and a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy) or a culture vulture
exploring the many museums, the River Walk not only connects the city
geographically, but culturally, creatively and convivially!
San Antonio’s multi-cultural community loves to play
together and share. The year-round festival diary includes everything from
Diwali to Dream Week to Dia de los Muertos, many of which are confirmed as the
largest of their kind in the USA. Here are three to get you started.
Dia de los Muertos - October 2 – November 2 2026
With over 60% of San Antonians claiming Latino heritage, the
city’s Day of the Dead or Dia de los Muertos to give it its official name,
celebrations are the largest in the USA. This joyful tradition honouring passed
loved ones includes community celebrations, storytelling, artist installations,
music and parades across the city.
Ofrendas (altars) are created to welcome returning spirits.
They include photographs, foods, flowers and other items symbolic of family
members’ lives. Sugar Skulls (Calaveras) are painted, a trail of Alebrijes
(fantastical creatures) is laid out along the River Walk. Most spectacular of
all, Catrins and Catrinas, the dancing, brightly dressed and decorated Calacas
(skeletons) we all associate with the festival, parade through the city, at The
Pearl, in the Historic Market Place and of course in a spectacular parade on
the river itself.
Let’s Rodeo San Antonio February 11-28, 2027
Welcoming 1.2 million annual visitors, this is a total immersion into western culture. Enjoy breathtaking displays of riding, roping, and racing from the best in the business as cowboys and cowgirls compete for huge prize money on the national circuit. Don’t miss charreada, a uniquely San Antonio celebration of Mexican riding.
It was vaqueros (male) and escaramuza (female) who taught the ‘new frontiersmen’ to ranch. Every night at rodeo is a big-name concert, with not only country megastars, but also rock, hip hop and rappers appearing. Rodeo has something for everyone from massive western wear shopping halls to the Texas-size funfair.
Fiesta Viva! April 15-25, 2027
You’ll need to be ‘Fiesta-fit’ for San Antonio’s very own 10-day long celebration of four major, and a plethora of minor parties, parades and carnivals all dedicated to the joy of being in San Antonio. Fiesta began in 1891 with the Battle of the Flowers, a commemoration of the heroes of the Alamo. Fast forward and now 22,000 volunteers work this not-for-profit with the programme expanding to also include Fiesta Flambeau (a night parade), Texas Cavaliers River Parade and Fiesta Carnival a well as many others. Don’t miss King William Fair, for meeting locals
