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Why food is the "real attraction" of Fiesta San Antonio
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Find chicken-on-a-stick at NIOSA's Froggy Bottom section. Photo: Courtesy of The Conservation Society of San Antonio
Fiesta is a food lover's dream, and for many, it's the reason for the confetti-covered season.
Why it matters: For 11 glorious days, eating chicken-on-a-stick — and other party favorites — for breakfast, lunch and dinner is socially acceptable.
- "Let's get real, the real attraction of Fiesta is the food," Edmund Tijerina, longtime food writer and former Express-News food critic, tells Axios.
- "The parades are nice and it's always fun to reconnect with friends, but Fiesta is an excuse to romp on food that you don't normally enjoy the rest of the year."
State of play: Food is available at most — if not all — Fiesta events, official and unofficial.
- But the epicenter of iconic Fiesta eats is a Night in Old San Antonio (NIOSA), held April 29 through May 2 at La Villita, NIOSA chairperson Lisa Pierce tells Axios.
- Tijerina agrees: "If you're going to do only one event for the food, eat your way through NIOSA."
- Some of the most popular eats are chicken-on-a-stick (fried, skewered chicken patty), Bongo-K-Bobs (beef shish kebabs) and Maria's Tortillas (fresh corn tortilla with melted cheddar).
Flashback: Chicken-on-a-stick, arguably Fiesta's most recognizable food, got its start at NIOSA 77 years ago, Pierce says. The original idea was to make everything handheld for easy partying.
- "Everything at NIOSA is on a stick. They wanted it to be easy to carry and still stack those cups," Pierce says.
- Back then, the chicken breasts were hand-battered and fried onsite.
By the numbers: NIOSA said 22,000 chickens-on-a-stick, 11,500 Bongo-K-Bobs and 6,600 Maria's Tortillas are gobbled up on average throughout the four days.
Behind the scenes: NIOSA is entirely volunteer-run. Last year, 10,318 volunteers participated. Pierce says the level of volunteer dedication often surprises organizers throughout the events industry. Many booths are passed down through generations of Fiesta families.
- "They've always been taught, 'Never let that booth go,'" she says. "This is something that's bred into these people. It's a generational thing, and no one can redo what we're doing."
Zoom out: Tijerina also recommends trying Peruvian-style anticuchos, escargot and beignets at NIOSA.
- If you're looking for a change of scenery, he also recommends Taste of New Orleans, happening Friday through Sunday at Sunken Garden Theater, for gumbo, etouffee and catfish. And don't forget the alligator — which he says tastes like chicken.