Main Campus was transformed into a Fiesta event April 24, drawing an estimated 6,000 people down to the city’s South Side to celebrate Festival de Cascarones. There was something for everyone, participants said, offering the kind of event that benefits the university, students, and families who want a safe and kid-friendly Fiesta event.
Let’s take a look at how campus student organizations benefited.
Sixteen A&M-San Antonio student organizations participated in the festivities in some way. Whether it was giving away free items or selling food and drinks such as Frito pie, nachos, turkey legs and raspas, the groups’ goals were to raise money for their organizations. Funds raised to help pay for activities, materials, conferences or other expenditures needed to help continue their mission on campus and the community.
Sorority Sigma Delta Lambda, along with Fraternity Beta Theta, a chapter of Omega Delta Phi Inc., often team up together to help give back to the community. They have volunteered their time with Child Advocates of San Antonio (C.A.S.A), The Woman’s Battered Shelter and St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
“Our main goal is to graduate brothers, and to serve the community,” said Hector Soto, prospective member educator and former Beta Theta Chapter president.
Sigma Delta Lambda, which began in 2012 at A&M-San Antonio, currently has 17 members.
“We focus our philanthropy on at-risk youths,” said Ashley Gardner, fundraising chair. “We use the money raised to help pay for supplies that are needed at volunteer events.”
Two student organizations, Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) and Council for Learning Disabilities (SCLD) have teamed together and welcome any student interested in helping within the special needs community. Currently at 16 members, the A&M-San Antonio chapter of SCLD is also the only student chapter in the nation.
Maria Gaona, president of CEC/SCLD, said she hopes that funds raised at Sunday’s event will help their group accomplish more for the special needs community, help members attend conferences, and help in their research studies.
“We would like to attend camps over the summer for special needs children with a goal of one day starting similar camps at our (A&M-San Antonio) campus,” said Gaona.
University offers kid-friendly Fiesta venue
By Chris DeLeon
While the students raised money to benefit their clubs, the kids were having their own adventures.
The smell of tacos and turkey legs filled the air while children slid down a towering inflatable slide and ran around to get back in line for a second go. Confetti littered the sidewalks surrounding the inflatable games as children chased their parents to crack a post-Easter cascaron on their parents’ heads.
Alicia and Faith Ramos explained that they “made a lot of mess” during all the egg cracking but managed to help their uncle at his snow cone and sausage wrap booth.
Festival De Cascarones is a family oriented finale to Fiesta, which focuses on entertainment for children without excluding the adults. Entire families, babies and even grandmas, come to enjoy the refreshing atmosphere at Texas A&M-San Antonio annually.
“It’s the only Fiesta event we feel comfortable bringing our kids to,” Mayra said, mother of two-year-old Maya.
Children and adults alike lined up to play giant inflatable Connect Four, Skee-Ball, basketball and much more in an alcohol-free zone designated for children and their families.
Adry, 10, enjoyed an exciting day with her cousins.
“We were doing some of the games, and we were eating, and we cracked eggs on each other,” Adry said.
The Whataburger fry-toss and Top Golf washer-toss lines never dwindled as children pulled their parents back in line for a second go at one of the many prizes given to winners.
Art booths offered face painting and a chance for children to paint their very own masterpiece to hang on the fridge at home.
The Ramos family created some artwork and climbed in the fire truck where they could take pictures and learn about being firefighters.
Energized from sugary funnel cake, children raced each other and tossed hacky sacks around in the open grassy areas between the main square of food booths and the concert area.
Across campus, the auditorium offered a place to cool down and eat in the foyer as well as two movie showings from 2-6 p.m. This year the school auditorium was opened to allow kids to take a break from the sun and enjoy free movies, Big Hero 6 and Don Quixote.
Children and their parents happily took advantage of the opportunity to cool off and enjoy a film in the auditorium, but few stayed for the entire showing.
Music in the Festival
By Ami Sarabia
Country music’s sister trio Cirby Ryan, Celbi Rheygan and Carli Rayne, former X-Factor contestants, headlined the Festival De Cascarones, alongside country legend Tracy Lawrence.
The Texas natives, born in the small Texan town of Mont Belvieu, experienced their first taste of San Antonio’s Fiesta festivities.
“It’s our first Fiesta. It’s a really fun event. It feels good to be back home in our old stomping ground. I just wish there were more Margaritas,” said Cirby Ryan.
Sister C opened up the final Fiesta event with a cover of Dolly Parton’s classic song “Jolene” and continued their set with original upbeat country pop songs “Take Me To The Water,” “Cry Tomorrow” and “Faint Of Heart.”
Children of all ages attended the family friendly festival. Among the families were the Aggie sisters who previously attended last year’s Fiesta de Cascarones.
“It’s a great event for children and adults; it’s such a relaxed atmosphere,” Martha Castillo said. “I love how they set up the stage this year, and I love how there’s a lot more food this year too.”
To end the Festival De Cascarones, Multi-platinum artist Tracy Lawrence took the stage at sunset to conclude Festival de Cascarones.
People gathered on the lawn in between the Patriots’ Casa and the Central Academic Building hoping to catch a glimpse of the country superstar.
“This is my second year in a row attending the Fiesta De Cascarones,” Francis Rodriguez said. “This event is always so great to attend, especially because of the entertainment.”
Tracy Lawrence played songs off his Greatest Hits album: Evolution. He opened the show with track “Speed of A Fool” and played crowd favorites like “Used To The Pain,” “Texas Tornado” and “Sticks and Stones. Lawrence ended the night with his Billboard Top 5 hit “Paint Me a Birmingham.”
Lawrence received a high demand of applause from the audience, performing an encore to his hit song “Find Out Who Your Friends Are.”
Brandon Oliver, creative design manager for A&M-San Antonio, took part in booking Sister C and Tracy Lawrence.
“This is a big deal and a big step for the university,” Oliver said. “We’re honored to have a legend like Tracy Lawrence come and headline our event.”
“We’re like a crown jewel in the South Side of San Antonio. We have this beautiful thriving campus that is continuing to grow, but a lot of the city still is not aware of our presence,” Oliver said. “We want a headliner that captures people to come out here, in addition to supporting student organizations. This is a beautiful campus. It needs to be showed.”
As the university continues to grow, organizers say the festival will continue to thrive.
“We’re thinking bigger and outside the box when comes to the next step for the Festival,” Oliver said.
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