Ever wonder why San Antonians flock to the Battle of Flowers celebration every Fiesta? Most of the Alamo City is closed for the historic holiday allowing 550,000 people to attend the event. Origins can be traced back to 1891, making it one of the largest + oldest parades in the country.
The Battle of Flowers Association can be traced back to Ellen Maury Slayden , wife of Congressman James L. Slayden . Ellen wanted to commemorate the fallen heroes at the Battle of the Alamo, Goliad, and San Jacinto.
With the help of J.S. Alexander and the San Antonio Club, they decorated horse drawn carriages + buggies with live flowers. The group met in front of the Alamo and threw flowers as the parade went by, and thus the annual parade was born.
Fast forward to 2024, you can expect:
- Ticketed seating
- Fiesta food and drinks
- Colorful floats with Fiesta royalty towed by trucks and jeeps
- Local + national marching bands, organizations, and businesses