The biggest San Antonio events and festivals fall in four windows. Fiesta San Antonio fills downtown for 11 days each April, next from April 15 to 25, 2027. The San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo runs through most of February, next from February 11 to 28, 2027. Día de los Muertos brings a river parade and a free festival in late October; in 2026 the parade is Friday, October 23, and the festival runs October 23 to 25. And the holiday season opens with Luminaria on November 14 and the Ford Holiday River Parade on November 27, 2026, when the River Walk’s lights switch on for the season. Around those anchors come smaller, often free events every month: First Friday at Blue Star, the Pearl’s markets and free Thursday evenings downtown.
This guide is for visitors who want to plan a trip around an event, or plan around one to avoid the crowds. For each season it covers what’s on, how far ahead to book, how events affect hotel prices and traffic, which streets and bus routes change, and how to confirm an event before you commit. The caveat is that event dates move and details change, so treat every date here as a starting point and confirm it with the organizer. Dates were checked September 23, 2026 against Fiesta San Antonio, the San Antonio River Walk, VIA Metropolitan Transit and the other official sources listed at the end.
| Event | Next dates | Where | Cost | Crowds and hotels | Book ahead? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Día de los Muertos Tradition Trail | From October 3, 2026 | Downtown River Walk | Free | Light | No |
| Day of the Dead River Parade | Friday, October 23, 2026 | Downtown River Walk | Reserved seats sold; free standing-room viewing | Busy downtown | Yes, for seats |
| Muertos Fest | October 23 to 25, 2026 | Hemisfair | Free | Busy downtown | No |
| DiwaliSA | November 7, 2026, 5 p.m. to midnight | Arneson River Theatre and Hemisfair | Check the organizer | Moderate | No |
| Luminaria | November 14, 2026, 6 p.m. to midnight | Houston Street | Free | Busy downtown for one night | No |
| Ford Holiday River Parade | November 27, 2026, 6 p.m. | Downtown River Walk | Free viewing area; reserved seats sold | Very busy; holiday weekend | Yes, for seats and hotels |
| River Walk holiday lights | From November 27, 2026 into early January | Downtown River Walk | Free | Busy evenings, especially weekends | No |
| San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo | February 11 to 28, 2027 | Frost Bank Center grounds, East Side | Ticketed | Busy weekends | Yes, for concerts and weekends |
| Fiesta San Antonio | April 15 to 25, 2027 | Citywide, centered downtown | Some events free, others ticketed | The busiest stretch of the year downtown | Yes, hotels and parade seats |
How far ahead should you book around a big event?
San Antonio rarely sells out, except around a handful of events. The rule is simple: book as soon as you know you’re going, and pick refundable rates while dates are still being confirmed. Here’s what to lock in for each:
| Event | What to book | When to book it |
|---|---|---|
| Fiesta San Antonio | A downtown hotel, parade seats, ticketed events | As soon as your dates are set; Fiesta’s official schedule fills in during the months before |
| Ford Holiday River Parade | Reserved seats or a restaurant dinner package; a hotel near the river | When seats go on sale; they’re non-refundable, so be sure of your dates |
| Day of the Dead River Parade | Reserved seats, or free standing room | Early in the fall |
| Stock Show & Rodeo | Rodeo and concert tickets, especially on weekends | When the schedule posts; the 2027 dates appeared on Visit San Antonio before the rodeo’s own site |
| Luminaria, Muertos Fest, First Friday | Nothing but a plan to arrive early | Check the date a week before |
Event weeks also move hotel prices. Every stay in the city carries the 16.75% hotel occupancy tax, and the busiest weeks push room rates up before the tax is added. If your dates are flexible and you’re not coming for the event itself, shift by a week and you’ll likely pay less and share the River Walk with fewer people. Our guide on where to stay in San Antonio explains what drives hotel totals.
What’s on in spring? Fiesta San Antonio
Fiesta is San Antonio’s signature festival: 11 days of parades, parties, food and music in April, held each year to honor those who died at the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. It began as a single parade and has grown into a citywide celebration run by dozens of nonprofit organizations. Fiesta 2027 runs April 15 to 25. The official schedule is subject to change, and some events are free while others need tickets.
The parades
Three parades anchor Fiesta. The Battle of Flowers Parade, the oldest, rolls through downtown on Fiesta’s second Friday; in 2026 that was April 24. The Fiesta Flambeau, a night parade, follows on Saturday; in 2026, April 25. If the usual pattern holds in 2027, expect them on Friday, April 23, and Saturday, April 24, but confirm on the Fiesta schedule before you book. The Texas Cavaliers River Parade takes to the River Walk with decorated floats on the water; in 2018 it ran on the Monday of Fiesta week. All three draw huge crowds, and parade seating is the thing to arrange early.
What else happens during Fiesta
Beyond the parades, Fiesta means neighborhood festivals, food events, concerts and coronations across the city, with the most visitor-friendly events downtown, in La Villita, Hemisfair and Market Square. Expect confetti-filled cascarones, collectible Fiesta medals, and more street food than you can reasonably eat. A separate guide will cover Fiesta for first-time visitors, and another the parades in detail.
Getting around during Fiesta
Downtown traffic and parking are at their hardest during Fiesta. In 2026, VIA detoured its buses around downtown during the Battle of Flowers Parade and the Fiesta Flambeau, told riders not to rely on printed schedules those days, and ran Park & Ride service to Fiesta events from outlying lots. Check VIA’s Fiesta page before you go; you can get real-time trip information by texting your five-digit stop number to 52020 or calling 210-362-2020. The City also publishes a downtown events and street-closures guide.
Plan it: book a downtown hotel early; arrange parade seats before you arrive; use Park & Ride or walk rather than drive downtown on parade days; April’s average high is about 80°F, so bring sun protection for parade seats; check every event’s date on the official Fiesta schedule, not on older listings.
The rest of spring
March and May are quieter, with March averaging a 74°F high and May 87°F. May is also the city’s wettest month on average, at 4.4 inches of rain, so pack an indoor backup. Spring is excellent for outdoor sightseeing even without a festival, and our San Antonio itineraries show how to fit the missions and the River Walk into a few days.
What’s on in summer?
Summer is San Antonio’s quietest festival season, largely because of the heat: average highs run 92 to 96°F from June to August, and about 18 days a year reach 100°F. Events move to the evenings and indoors. What you can count on:
- Downtown Thursdays: the City runs free events on Houston Street every Thursday after 5 p.m. through the end of 2026, and City garages are free on Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. over the same period.
- The Pearl’s markets: the Saturday farmers market runs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine, with a Sunday makers market.
- First Friday at Blue Star: the free art walk runs from 6 p.m. on the first Friday of each month.
- Theme-park and water-park seasons: every park is open daily in summer; our San Antonio theme parks guide compares them.
A separate guide will lay out a summer itinerary. The short version: outdoors before 11 a.m., indoors from 1 to 4 p.m., and events after dark.
What’s on in fall?
Fall is San Antonio’s busiest stretch for free events, and October, with an average high of 82°F, is one of the best months to visit.
Día de los Muertos
San Antonio’s Día de los Muertos season has grown into a month of events across downtown. Starting October 3, 2026, the Día de los Muertos Tradition Trail sets 5-foot alebrijes, the fantastical painted creatures of Mexican folk art, and ofrendas along the downtown River Walk. On Friday, October 23, the Day of the Dead River Parade sends decorated barges with altars, catrinas and costumed riders down the river, with reserved seats sold for the best views and a free standing-room area along the route. The same weekend, Muertos Fest fills Hemisfair with a free festival.
A reminder about what the holiday is: Día de los Muertos is a Mexican tradition of remembering and honoring people who have died, observed around November 1 and 2. The altars, or ofrendas, are acts of love and memory. Enjoy the color, and treat the altars with respect.
Markets, art and parks
- The Pearl’s Wednesday night markets run 5 to 9 p.m. from September 16 to November 25, 2026.
- First Friday at Blue Star falls on October 2, November 6 and December 4, 2026.
- DiwaliSA, the city’s festival of lights, fills the Arneson River Theatre and Hemisfair on Saturday, November 7, 2026, from 5 p.m. to midnight.
- Theme parks: Fiesta Texas runs Oktoberfest on select dates through October 31, Fright Fest on select nights and Tricks and Treats on weekends through November 1, 2026; SeaWorld runs Howl-O-Scream on select weekend nights through November 1.
Luminaria
Luminaria, a free contemporary arts festival, takes over Houston Street on Saturday, November 14, 2026, from 6 p.m. to midnight. It’s one night, it’s free, and it draws a big downtown crowd, so come on foot or by rideshare. Note that Luminaria has moved around the calendar over the years; it was once a March event, which is a good reminder to check any festival’s date for the current year.
What’s on in winter?
The Ford Holiday River Parade and the lights
The holiday season on the River Walk opens with the 45th Ford Holiday River Parade on Friday, November 27, 2026. It starts at 6 p.m. at the Tobin Center, and the live broadcast begins at 7:05 p.m. from the Arneson River Theatre. You have three ways to watch:
- Free: a first-come viewing area on the east side of the River Walk between Pecan Street and Richmond Avenue. Bring your own seating.
- Reserved seats: sold online in advance. They’re non-refundable and can’t be exchanged.
- Dinner packages: most riverfront restaurants sell a meal with a view of the parade.
ADA seating is available in nine sections along the route. Strollers, ice chests and carriers are not allowed. The parade lights up the river, and the holiday lights then shine nightly from sundown to sunrise into early January; the River Walk’s 2026 event page counts about 200,000 of them. Go Rio adds River North narrated tours from December 19 to January 4, 6 to 9 p.m. Separate guides will cover the parade and the lights in detail.
Other holiday events
- SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration runs on select dates from November 12, 2026 to January 3, 2027.
- Holiday in the Park at Six Flags Fiesta Texas runs on select dates from November 21 to December 23, with a New Year’s event from December 26 to 31.
- Holiday closures: the Alamo closes on December 25, and the four national park missions close on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
The San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo
The rodeo is San Antonio’s big winter event, running February 11 to 28, 2027, at the Frost Bank Center grounds, 723 Frost Bank Center Drive on the East Side. It combines professional rodeo, livestock shows, a fair and concerts. Weekends and concert nights draw the biggest crowds, so buy tickets for those when the schedule posts. With January and February highs averaging 63 to 68°F, it’s also a pleasant time to see the rest of the city. A separate guide will cover the rodeo for visitors.
What’s on month by month?
A year at a glance, with the dates confirmed for late 2026 and 2027 and the seasonal openings that shape a trip.
| Month | What’s on |
|---|---|
| January | Holiday lights on the River Walk into early January; SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration through January 3, 2027; the missions close on New Year’s Day; Government Canyon closes on some dates for hunts |
| February | San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, February 11 to 28, 2027 |
| March | Hemisfair’s splash pads open for the season; Aquatica and Morgan’s Wonderland begin their seasons |
| April | Fiesta San Antonio, April 15 to 25, 2027 |
| May | Morgan’s Inspiration Island opens; Schlitterbahn New Braunfels held Surf & Blast Days on May 8, 14, 15, 21 and 22 in 2026 |
| June and July | Theme parks open daily; Market Square stays open until 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays from June 1 to July 31 |
| August | The hottest month, averaging 96°F; water parks and evening events |
| September | Fiesta Texas’s Oktoberfest from September 5, Fright Fest from September 11 and Tricks and Treats from September 12; SeaWorld’s fall season from September 11; the Pearl’s Wednesday night markets from September 16; Morgan’s Wonderland on weekends only |
| October | First Friday on October 2; the Día de los Muertos Tradition Trail from October 3; the Day of the Dead River Parade on October 23 and Muertos Fest, October 23 to 25, 2026 |
| November | First Friday on November 6; DiwaliSA on November 7; SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration from November 12; Luminaria on November 14; Holiday in the Park from November 21; the Ford Holiday River Parade and the lights on November 27; the missions close on Thanksgiving |
| December | First Friday on December 4; Go Rio’s River North tours from December 19; Fiesta Texas’s New Year’s event, December 26 to 31; the Alamo and the missions close on December 25 |
How do events affect traffic, parking and transit?
- Parade days close streets. The Battle of Flowers Parade and the Fiesta Flambeau close downtown streets and push VIA buses onto detours. Walk, use VIA’s Park & Ride, or park well outside the center.
- River parades fill the River Walk. On river-parade evenings, the downtown loop is packed; allow extra time to reach your hotel or restaurant, and use elevators early if you need them.
- Houston Street hosts the big street events. Luminaria and the City’s Thursday evening events use Houston Street, and the block of Houston Street beside the Alamo gets street work from January 2027, after which it becomes pedestrian-only.
- Parking costs rise and spaces vanish. City garages are free on Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. through the end of 2026; on big event nights, arrive early or skip the car.
- Check official sources the day before. VIA posts detours on its site, and the City publishes downtown event and closure information.
How do you confirm that an event is really happening?
This is the step most visitors skip, and it’s the one that saves trips. Event dates move, events get renamed or cancelled, and plenty of websites still show last year’s dates. Before you book travel around an event:
- Go to the organizer’s own site. Fiesta San Antonio for Fiesta, the San Antonio River Walk for river parades and the lights, the rodeo for the Stock Show & Rodeo, VIA for transit changes.
- Check the year on the page. Many listings show the previous year’s dates well into the next.
- Read the small print. Fiesta’s own schedule says it is subject to change; river-parade seats are non-refundable.
- Look for a second official source. The rodeo’s 2027 dates appeared on Visit San Antonio before the rodeo’s own site listed them; wait for the organizer if you’re booking something you can’t cancel.
- Remember that events move. Luminaria was once a March festival and is now in November.
- Book refundable where you can, and check the weather: storms and heat can cancel or shorten outdoor events.
How can you avoid the crowds?
If you’d rather see the city without a parade in the way, plan around the big weeks instead of toward them:
- Skip Fiesta’s 11 days in April, the Thanksgiving weekend of the holiday river parade, and weekends during the rodeo if you want a calm downtown and normal hotel prices.
- Choose weekdays. Across the year, Tuesday to Thursday is calmer on the River Walk and at the Alamo than Friday and Saturday.
- Consider early December or January. The holiday lights are up, the parade crowds have gone, and the weather is cool.
- Use summer mornings. The heat keeps summer festival-light, and the mornings are quiet everywhere; build the afternoons around museums and pools.
- Watch the convention calendar. Large conventions fill downtown hotels on dates that don’t show up on festival lists. If downtown prices look oddly high for your dates, a convention is often why; try the Pearl or a different week.
What should you know on the day?
- Arrive early. Free viewing areas, like the one for the holiday river parade between Pecan Street and Richmond Avenue, are first come, first served.
- Travel light. The holiday river parade bans strollers, ice chests and carriers; check each event’s rules for bags and chairs.
- Plan your way out. Street closures move rideshare pickups away from event areas, so agree on a pickup point a few blocks away, or use VIA’s Park & Ride during Fiesta.
- Pick a meeting point. Crowds split groups quickly; name a landmark before you set off.
- Carry water and sun protection for daytime events from April to October.
- Check accessibility in advance. The holiday river parade offers ADA seating in nine sections. For the River Walk itself, the City’s accessibility maps and its Disability Access Office (210-207-7957) can tell you where the elevators are, and Paseo del Alamo reopened on July 2, 2026 with one.
How does the weather line up with the events?
| Month | Average high | Main events | Weather note |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | 68°F | Stock Show & Rodeo | Mild; cool evenings |
| April | 80°F | Fiesta San Antonio | Warm and sunny for parades |
| May | 87°F | Quieter | The wettest month on average |
| June to August | 92 to 96°F | Evening and indoor events, theme parks | About 18 days a year at 100°F or more |
| September | 90°F | Pearl night markets begin, theme-park fall events | Still hot, and one of the wetter months |
| October | 82°F | Día de los Muertos, First Friday | One of the best months to visit |
| November | 72°F | DiwaliSA, Luminaria, the Holiday River Parade | Pleasant days, cool nights |
| December and January | About 63°F in January | Holiday lights, park holiday events | Bring a jacket for evening river tours |
Averages are NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normals for the San Antonio airport.
Which events suit families, and which suit history lovers?
For families: the Día de los Muertos Tradition Trail and Muertos Fest are free, colorful and easy with children in daylight. Fiesta Texas’s Tricks and Treats runs on fall weekends for younger kids, and SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration and Fiesta Texas’s Holiday in the Park suit the holiday season. The River Walk lights are best on a weeknight, when the paths are calmer. Luminaria and the big Fiesta night parades run late and draw dense crowds, so they’re better for teenagers than toddlers. Remember that strollers aren’t allowed at the holiday river parade.
For history lovers: Fiesta exists to honor those who died at the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto, which makes an April visit to the Alamo feel different; the Alamo closes only on December 25. Día de los Muertos connects to much older Mexican traditions of honoring the dead, and the altars along the River Walk are the easiest place to see them. The Saga, the free projection show on San Fernando Cathedral, tells the city’s story every night except Monday at 9 p.m., and the four missions, closed only on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day, are quiet counterpoints to a festival week.
Which events are free?
More than you might think. These cost nothing but your time:
- The River Walk holiday lights and the free viewing area for the Ford Holiday River Parade.
- Luminaria on Houston Street, and the City’s Thursday evening events there through 2026.
- Muertos Fest at Hemisfair and the Día de los Muertos Tradition Trail on the River Walk.
- First Friday at the Blue Star Arts Complex.
- Browsing the Pearl’s Saturday farmers market and Wednesday night markets.
- The Saga, the projection show on San Fernando Cathedral, every night except Monday at 9 p.m.
- Many Fiesta events, although the headline parades are best seen from seats that cost money.
For the rest of what’s free in the city, see our shortlist of things to do in San Antonio, and for the setting of most of these events, our River Walk guide.
Where should you stay for an event?
For Fiesta, the river parades and the holiday lights, stay downtown near the River Walk, where you can walk to everything and skip parking entirely. Book early, because these are the weeks when downtown fills. For the rodeo, a downtown base works too; the grounds are on the East Side, a short drive away. For theme-park events like Fright Fest and Holiday in the Park, the northwest and west-side resorts put you closer. And if you’re traveling with children, our guide to San Antonio with kids flags which events work for which ages.
What do three event weekends look like?
- A Día de los Muertos weekend (October 23 to 25, 2026): the Tradition Trail’s altars on a morning River Walk stroll, Muertos Fest at Hemisfair in the afternoon, and reserved seats or the free standing-room area for the river parade on Friday night. October’s 82°F average makes it one of the easiest event weekends of the year.
- A holiday lights weekend: skip the parade crowds on November 27 and come the following weekend, or any weeknight into early January. Walk the loop after dark, add a Go Rio River North tour between December 19 and January 4, and fill the days with the Alamo and the missions, remembering their holiday closures.
- A Fiesta weekend (April 2027): arrive Thursday, see the Battle of Flowers Parade on Friday and the Fiesta Flambeau on Saturday night if 2027 follows the usual pattern, and spend Sunday at smaller Fiesta events in La Villita or Market Square. Book the hotel and parade seats first, and plan to walk everywhere.
San Antonio events FAQ
When is Fiesta San Antonio in 2027?
Fiesta San Antonio 2027 runs April 15 to 25. If the usual pattern holds, the Battle of Flowers Parade will be on Friday, April 23, and the Fiesta Flambeau night parade on Saturday, April 24, but confirm both on the official Fiesta schedule, which is subject to change, before you book travel around them.
Are the River Walk holiday lights free?
Yes. The lights are free to see, shining nightly from sundown to sunrise from the Ford Holiday River Parade on November 27, 2026 into early January. Walk the downtown loop after dark, or see them from a Go Rio boat; Go Rio’s River North narrated tours run only from December 19 to January 4, 6 to 9 p.m.
Do you need tickets for the Ford Holiday River Parade?
No, but it helps. There’s a free, first-come viewing area on the east side of the River Walk between Pecan Street and Richmond Avenue, where you bring your own seating. Reserved seats are sold online and are non-refundable, and most riverfront restaurants sell dinner packages with a parade view.
Can you bring a stroller to the river parade?
No. For the Ford Holiday River Parade, strollers, ice chests and carriers are not allowed. Plan to carry small children, or watch the live broadcast, which begins at 7:05 p.m., and see the lights on a quieter evening. ADA seating is available in nine sections along the route for guests who need it.
When is the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo?
The 2027 Stock Show & Rodeo runs February 11 to 28 at the Frost Bank Center grounds on the East Side. Those dates were first published by Visit San Antonio, so confirm them on the rodeo’s own site, along with concert nights and ticket prices, before you book.
What happens in San Antonio for Día de los Muertos?
A month of events. From October 3, 2026, the Tradition Trail places 5-foot alebrijes and altars along the downtown River Walk. On Friday, October 23, the Day of the Dead River Parade floats decorated barges down the river, with reserved seats sold and a free standing-room area along the route, and from October 23 to 25 Muertos Fest fills Hemisfair with a free festival. Many businesses build their own altars too.
What’s the best month to visit San Antonio for events?
April for Fiesta, if you like crowds and parades. Late October and November for Día de los Muertos, Luminaria and the start of the holiday lights, with pleasant weather and mostly free events. February for the rodeo. Summer has the fewest festivals and the most heat.
Related San Antonio Guides
- San Antonio River Walk Guide: the setting for the river parades and the holiday lights.
- Where to Stay in San Antonio: which bases work best during Fiesta and the holidays.
- San Antonio Itineraries: one, two and three days, with the season’s swaps.
- San Antonio Theme Parks: Fright Fest, Howl-O-Scream and the holiday park events compared.
- Things to Do in San Antonio: what’s worth your time between events.
Sources and How We Checked
This guide was checked on September 23, 2026 and is compiled from the organizers and agencies listed below, not from other travel lists; it describes events from those sources and claims no first-hand attendance.
- Fiesta San Antonio: Official schedule
- VIA Metropolitan Transit: Fiesta service
- San Antonio River Walk: Ford Holiday River Parade, Holiday lights, Day of the Dead River Parade, Tradition Trail, FAQs
- Festivals: Muertos Fest, Luminaria, DiwaliSA, First Friday, Pearl markets
- San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo: Frost Bank Center, 2027 dates listing
- City of San Antonio: Hotel Occupancy Tax, Affordable Parking, Downtown events and street closures
- Theme parks: Six Flags Fiesta Texas events, Holiday in the Park, SeaWorld San Antonio events
- Go Rio River Cruises: Narrated tours
- The Alamo and the missions: The Alamo, National Park Service hours, Alamo area construction news
- Downtown: Main Plaza: The Saga
- Weather: NOAA monthly normals, NOAA annual normals
San Antonio Tourism Guide is an independent publication. We are not affiliated with Visit San Antonio, the City of San Antonio, the Alamo or any attraction listed here, and no one paid to be included.
Photo Credits
- Texas Cavaliers River Parade: photo by U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Robert Biermann, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
- Battle of Flowers Parade: photo by Johnny Saldivar, Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
- Día de los Muertos altar: photo by Adrianna Chavez, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- Luminaria on Houston Street: photo by Corey Leopold, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
- River Walk holiday lights: photo by Nan Palmero from San Antonio, TX, USA, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)