By Shawna Mount
The rain cleared up Saturday relieving San Antonio from its unrelenting heat. Downtown Market Square was filled with the smells of roasting brisket and fajitas, tamales and tacos.
“It is definitely the perfect day for this,” Ray Guajardo, Fiesta Festival Rental owner said. “It’s an act of God that the rain cleared for today.”
Mild weather and a festive atmosphere kicked off the three-day Fiestas Patrias, a cultural and historical celebration celebrated in San Antonio as part of Diez y Seis de Septiembre, Mexico’s Independence Day.
Proceeds from Fiestas Patrias support the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) college scholarships.
Elia R. Mendoza, Texas State LULAC director, said the LULAC college scholarships were distributed on Sunday despite the poor weather that kept Fiestas Patrias closed for the day. She estimated that seven scholarships were provided to area students.
Meanwhile, participants said they enjoyed the celebration.
“The food is amazing,” Beeville resident Rose Rodriguez said Saturday. “This is my first time and so far I’m really enjoying it.”
While locals and visitors sampled from the booths, various bands entertained people milling around the stages. Couples danced to Mariachi music booming from the speakers, only stopping to quench their thirst with tall margaritas and cups of aguas frescas.
“I’m also really liking the music,” Rodriguez said.
Little girls adorned in festive dresses performed mariachi dance routines in front of an enthusiastic crowd and passersby.
“We’re from Florida and we thought this would be something fun to do,” freelance fashion specialist Barbara Roy said. “We are really enjoying the cultural festivities.”
Vendors set up shop carving wood into names and animated figures, threading names into bracelets, sketching detailed pictures of celebrities and drawing people into mishapen animated figures.
“The culture here is amazing,” Miguel Rosales, sociology senior at University of Texas at San Antonio, said. “My son is even enjoying it.”
Stores and restaurants opened their doors offering specials and sales for the day of celebration.
“The people here are so friendly,” Roy said. “It makes it all the more enjoyable.”
Guajardo said Fiestas Patrias began here in San Antonio and has been going for several years. He said that the festival used to be a five day event.
“It was overwhelming, but San Antonio still seems to have some kind of fiesta about every weekend,” Guajardo said. “However, this did turn out to be a really nice festival.”
