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Market Square’s Fiesta crowds returned Thursday despite a rainy start and a new $5 fee.
That fee, approved earlier this month by the San Antonio City Council, kicks in after 6 p.m. on weekdays, and after 1 p.m. on Battle of Flowers Friday and on weekends. It's intended to help cover security costs and fund scholarships tied to the event.
Fiesta de los Reyes fills Market Square and Milam Park with dozens of booths and five stages of live performances. There are five entrances, where attendees pass through security checkpoints before enjoying their chicken-on-a-stick.
Yvonne and her partner Andy, who didn’t share their last names for privacy, said they don’t mind the newly implemented $5 fee for Fiesta de los Reyes.
“I feel safe, I feel like I can walk around and not be worried that we’re going to be subject to a fight. Yes, they’re going to start charging $5 per entry, but you know what? Oyster Bake charges, NIOSA charges. This is only a $5 charge for my safety, and most important is that it goes to scholarship funds. That is the whole point of this event,” Yvonne said.
The $5 fee did not appear to slow attendance. By Thursday afternoon, crowds filled the square and lines at food booths stretched steadily across the plaza.
Kylie Peterka and Ethan Huffman are from Iowa, and this year is their first time experiencing Fiesta in San Antonio.
“Iowa has nothing like this. They have farmer’s markets, but that is it. This is more fun, a lot of live music, and a lot more friendly people out here,” Huffman said.
“There are a lot of different shops and food options,” Peterka said, holding a plate of tamales. “I don’t know what we were expecting, but it's more than what we were expecting.”
Besides the booths set up all over Fiesta de los Reyes, small businesses inside El Mercado and the Farmers Market building are also open for visitors to walk around.
Fiesta de los Reyes runs through Sunday, with some of the largest crowds expected over the final weekend, starting with Friday’s Battle of Flowers Parade, followed by Saturday night’s Flambeau Parade, and culminating as crowds of San Antonians traditionally close out Fiesta on Sunday at Market Square.
