SAN ANTONIO, Texas — NIOSA is one of the biggest parties at Fiesta, and it kicks off Tuesday in downtown San Antonio.
But there are a few changes for 2023 you should make note of.
Before you get to the gate, make sure to bring the correct type of bag if you need to carry personal items.
“We won’t be checking bags, but you need to bring a clear bag with you,” said Patti Zaiontz, the NIOSA chairman. “If you come with something, you’ll be asked to take it back to your car.”
Other items should be left at home:
“No strollers because of the crowd,” Zaiontz said. “No pets, even the boas that some people want to put around their neck and come in. We can’t have those because of the health department.”
NIOSA is celebrating 75 years. You will see some new food items from the original event including fish and chips.
“The ladies of the Conservation Society, they founded the organization and they were trying to preserve and protect historic sites in San Antonio,” Zaiontz said. “They started with the Missions and they decided that they were going to have to have fundraisers to raise money to purchase land, to purchase buildings, that were in danger of being demolished or just demolition by neglect where they’re just falling down. So they had a fall festival at Mission San Jose and they served fried fish plates.”
Find fish and chips in Irish Flats. Plus you can taste a traditional dish that was popular in the 1800s.
“We’re going to pay tribute to the Chili Queens, because that is some of the first booths we had,” Zaiontz said. “In the mid-1800s, the late 1800s, the plazas in San Antonio, like Military Plaza, Alamo Plaza, during the day were sites where the farmers and ranchers would bring their stock and sell vegetables and cattle and chickens and firewood and hay during the day. Then they would leave and go back to their farms and ranches at night and the plaza would come alive with women that would make food. They made chili primarily and stews. They would set up tables with benches and put oil cloths down on them and lanterns. Then they would feed the visitors that were coming and staying in San Antonio.”
Chili Queens will be in Haymarket. Also, look for Cluck and Wings in Main Street.
“Which will be fried chicken wings,” Zaiontz said. “That’s just your typical Americana fried chicken wing with sauces, different kinds of dipping sauces.”
You will also see a new beverage vendor, Silver Eagle beers and beverage, at NIOSA.
The way you will pay for food and drinks is different this year. There will be no wristbands.
“We are going back to good old paper coupons and that means you’ll have to have cash when you come," Zaiontz said. “There’ll be plenty of ATMs on the grounds to get cash, but all the transactions will be done in cash. The coupons will be in dollar increments. A sheet of 20 coupons is $20.”
Get discounted $20 tickets to the event at HEB. NIOSA will be held April 25-28 from 5:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Tickets at the gate are $25.