Get your cascarones ready. NIOSA is just a little more than a month away.
In 1937, the San Antonio Conservation Society planned a one-day Indian Festival along the banks of the San Antonio River to celebrate the heritage of the city's early settlers while raising funds for historic preservation. Rain, however, actually prevented that first start.
Subsequent years were very successful and gave rise to the event's expansion and official naming as A Night In Old San AntonioŽ (NIOSAŽ) in 1948.
What began with a handful of Society ladies serving food and drink from river barges, has grown into a mammoth enterprise orchestrated by over 16,000 volunteers who stage and man the annual four-night event each April. The historic, downtown village of La Villita takes center stage as 100,000 visitors now come through the gates during NIOSAŽ.
As in years past, a chairman elected by the Societys board of directors plans the event along with appointed vice chairmen. It is a year-round endeavor that includes volunteers who continue the tradition of filling and decorating the celebrated cascarones (confetti-filled eggs) and creating lavish paper flowers and banners that contribute to the festive atmosphere.
NIOSAŽ (pronounced "knee-oh-sa") is a four-night event that celebrates San Antonio's diverse cultural heritiage with 15 ethnic areas that serve fabulous foods in over 250 food booths and provides entertainment to over 100,000 revelers.
NIOSA will occur April 22-25, 2008, from 5:30 pm. to 10:30 pm. nightly during the city's 10-day Fiesta celebration. La Villita National Historic District - the 18th century Spanish neighborhood set on the banks of the San Antonio River in the heart of downtown San Antonio - becomes the venue for "A Night In Old San AntonioŽ".
Produced by 16,000 dedicated volunteers, this will be the 60th year. Ask anyone who attends NIOSA what the four-day event is all about, and just about everyone will say that it's about meeting and eating.
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