SAN ANTONIO — Your favorite Fiesta events are so much more than just a party.
They serve as the largest fundraiser for local non-profits.
KENS 5 wanted to take a closer look at where your money goes when you party with a purpose.
After two years away from Fiesta, setup is underway at St. Mary's University.
"We have 100,000 oysters, over 30,000 chicken on a sticks," said Mike Martinez, Chairman of Fiesta Oyster Bake 2022.
Starting tomorrow, St. Mary's University will welcome thousands for Oyster Bake. The theme this year is "Return of the Bake".
There's a thrill in the air. The biggest fundraiser for the university's Alumni Association is back.
"We tend to make probably a million to a million and a half dollars, gross," said Martinez. "Where can you spend $25 and see over 35 bands?"
100% of the proceeds go back to student scholarships and university activities.
Taste of New Orleans begins tomorrow, benefiting the San Antonio Zulu Association.
"We have a feature donor that will receive a percentage of the proceeds. This year it's Texas Donate Life," said Tremell Brown, the Marketing Chairman of the San Antonio Zulu Association.
Every tasty dish will be cooked to perfection. Each sale will help send more students to college.
"We send 20 young men and women to school with college scholarships," said Brown.
The King William Fair is the major fundraiser of the King William Association and helps support neighborhood school libraries and provide art instruction programs, plus offer scholarships for inner-city students; and create revitalization and preservation efforts in the King William Historic District.
Around 4,000 people are estimated to get a Taste of the Northside.
It's the biggest fundraiser for the Brighton Center.
"We are able to fund our pediatric therapy clinics, our home-based therapy that we do for babies 0 to 3," said Denise Thieme, the Marketing Manager for Brighton Center.
Like other Fiesta events, they got creative during the pandemic by trying new ways to bring in dollars.
Now, everyone is ready to Fiesta the way San Antonio does best.
"Come hungry and be ready to have a good time!" said Thieme.
NIOSA, known as a "Celebration for Preservation" is the top fundraiser for historic preservation in the U.S.
It benefits The Conservation Society of San Antonio, which is one of the nation's oldest and most active organizations of its kind.
To learn more about other Fiesta events for 2022 and who they support, visit https://fiestasanantonio.org/.
