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Every year, Miss Fiesta is crowned in San Antonio. So what is the history behind this Texas tradition?

San Antonio, a city of nearly 1.5 million people, sees 3.5 million people every year to commemorate their annual Fiesta. During this 10-day event in late April, the streets become flooded with music, food, and vendors to celebrate this Texas tradition. If you've never been to San Antonio Fiesta, it's a one of a kind celebration you've got to experience once.

The first Fiesta was a memorial event to honor those who had fought at the Alamo and San Jacinto. Where once it was a more serious and somber event, it's now grown into San Antonio's version of Mardi Gras. It brings in serious tourism funding and brings the local community together for these ten days.

If you're thinking about visiting Fiesta, you've got to get to know the royalty who preside over festivities. The competition for Miss Fiesta is fierce so get to know her.

Who Is She?

Miss Fiesta is part of the nine members of royalty who are part of the San Antonio Fiesta. Miss Fiesta is a young San Antonio woman who has not only won a beauty pageant but has also participated in charitable work.

Miss Fiesta celebrates the accomplishments of young women in the community and is awarded a scholarship along with her sash and crown. Every year, she reigns over the festivities and helps to raise awareness of the Fiesta Foundation in San Antonio.

Since 1949, a new Miss Fiesta was named every year, in conjunction with the Flambeau Parade. Judges choose Miss Fiesta from among the city's college students as part of this Texas tradition.

What Does She Do?

Miss Fiesta is expected to travel to several events leading up to the Fiesta. She spreads the word and builds community excitement about the festivities.

She also has to compile a community project around one of the program areas sponsored by the Fiesta Foundation deals. She describes this plan to the community at her many stops and builds support, often signing up volunteers for community service.

This year's Miss Fiesta is named Carla Juarez, and she has a comprehensive education plan. She wants to reach out to students in underperforming public schools.

She will put together a book drive to encourage reading at home, different community outreach events, and several school presentations.

This Texas Tradition Lives On

While many traditions come and go, this is one excellent condition to shine a light on community activism and support the work of young women in the region. While everyone else is enjoying food, drinks, and fun, Miss Fiesta will be out advocating for better public education. Everyone can raise a glass to that.

If you're planning your own look for the San Antonio celebration this year, check out our article on how to prepare your fiesta medal.  Need some inspiration check out our Fiesta Medal Gallery or our Facebook Page!

Learn everything you need to know about the colorful tradition of fiesta medals in this short guide to their history, culture, and more.

It's Fiesta time and you know what that means - fiesta medals! This vibrant and fun tradition is a signature of the San Antonio area. Where did they come from? What do you do with them? Can you resell them for money? How collectible are they? We've got all of your burning medals questions and we're answering them. Keep reading to learn more about this incredible and fun tradition!

What Are Fiesta Medals?

This guide is comprehensive, so we're answering questions for newbies before we get to the deep stuff. If you're new to the San Antonio area or are just finding out about this trend, we'll clue you in. Fiesta medals are just that - medals - but they're much more than that. These medals are only given out around one time of year. Many businesses and charities create special medals every year, making them highly collectible.

Why Medals?

There are a few different timelines regarding San Antonio's famous fiesta medals. While many are very modern, they're not new. King Antonio was the first one to hand out these collectible medals way back in 1946. In 1971, King Antonio XLIX also put coins on ribbons and handed them out during the festivities.

When Can You Get The Medals?

Fiesta medals are only available for a limited time in the spring. The fiesta behind the medals is meant to honor and celebrate the Alamo and San Jacinto. These days, it's a great reason to honor history, party, and collect these fun, limited edition medals! It's such a big deal the city has spent up to $71,000 on creating new ones for the event.

Beyond Fiesta

Want fiesta medals but you missed the event in the spring? Don't panic. Besides places like eBay and Facebook, there are tons of places you can get medals. For example, Pin Pandemonium is a huge event. It happens before Fiesta's opening night. This is a great opportunity for those who are into collecting the medals to get together and trade. We even showcase our customers on our Fiesta Medals Page.

Wear Them With Pride

There's no wrong way to wear a fiesta medal. While traditionally worn on a jacket, you can definitely get creative with where you pin them. You can put them on a necklace, vest, hat, purse...Put them wherever you'd like, but just make sure you wear them with pride!

Types of Medals

There are tons of different types of fiesta medals. The traditional type of medal hangs from a ribbon, just like the very first fiesta medals. Beyond that, there are medals that hang from a pin, handmade medals, even medals that double as other things, like a bottle opener.

Are You Prepared For Fiesta?

Whether you're collecting them or are making them, you need to be ready for the best time of year - fiesta time! Need to craft some fiesta medals yourself? We've got you covered! We have a team of talented artist ready to help you with your next fiesta medal design. Once you've decided on your design and how many you're going to need, check out our pricing guide and place an order. Don't wait until the last moment - make sure you're ready for fiesta and order your medals today!

No fiesta would be complete without a few things. While parades, dancing, and musical performances may catch an eye, a fiesta medal can really steal the show.

Today's celebrations boast a copious amount of medals that honor just about anything. From honoring famous musicians to Whataburger, the creativity of festival goers runs deep.

For your medal to stand out, you need a high-quality, creative design. It's not enough to just feature a business logo or name.

No- you need something that will create a visceral feeling for the viewers. So, we're stepping in with 5 tips for designing fiesta medals.

1. Reminiscence

A great trick for capturing your audience's heart is to help them spur some nostalgia. If you're able to transport them to an earlier time that bounds many memories, you can create a strong experience.

Think back to things you did as a child growing up in San Antonio. Sunday menudos? Early Fiestas with family members? Find something that is relevant to you or your brand and run with it.

2. Community Ties

If you're looking to stand out as an inclusive entity or want to appeal to a mass audience, look at community ties. What items are significantly relevant to that group of people?

In San Antonio, the meaning of community has a heavy implication. Your audience values their sense of family and has a great appreciation for others who share this feeling.

3. Thicker Ribbon

One common rookie mistake when designing fiesta medals is not giving enough space to the ribbon. A flimsy ribbon won't stay in place and are flat-out annoying.

We recommend going for the 1 3/8” wide, as it's a sturdy enough size to support your medal.

4. Localize National Trends

You don't have to keep it to San Antonio or even Texas trends to relate to the viewers. You should also consider looking towards global or other big-scale cultural happenings that impact everyone.

The trick to this is to make sure it's still relevant to those in attendance. Are they going to care about the newest Kardashian gossip? Maybe not, but we bet they would care about an idea that's related to Fiesta.  Camp Gladiator is a national chain that created a great fiesta medal with us for fiesta san antonio in 2017. They incorporated the design, color, and energy of Fiesta San Antonio into their medal.

5. Evaluate Your Purpose

The last tip we'll leave you with is to consider what you're hoping to achieve through your fiesta medals. What message are you trying to send? Who is your audience?

It takes a little deep digging to find what this purpose is. But, we all know that it isn't just about a medal.

It represents your own symbol as apart of the San Antonio community. Considering who you are is an essential part of this design process.

For Your Fiesta Medals Design

You only have a once year to make an impression, so it's important you nail it each time. But, it can be tricky churning out new ideas or designs for each event.

So, that's where we come in. At Fiesta Medal, we pride ourselves on delivering the most friendly USA-based staff. We're willing to work with you on every step for your perfectly unique creation.

For your next fiesta, we want to help you deliver a medal that really encapsulates your brand. Sound good to you? Drop us a line and let's get chatting!

Are you unfamiliar with fiesta medals or want to learn more about them? Here's everything you need to know about fiesta medal culture.

Have you ever been to San Antonio?

This bustling city lies in the southern region of Texas. Its rich history and large population (over a million residents) makes it a prime travel destination.

The Fiesta is a local tradition that has grown into one of the nation's largest celebrations.

In this post, we'll reveal the fascinating history of the fiesta medal culture.

The Parade

Fiesta San Antonio is a historic event that takes place yearly in San Antonio, Texas. Started in 1891 by a group of women looking to honor the heroes of the Alamo, the celebration grew into a festival filled with fiesta medals, floats, and millions of revelers.

Only New Orleans Mardi Gras rivals the popularity of Fiesta. The Battle of the Flowers is one of the premier events.

A special group, known as the Battle of the Flowers Association, selects local high schools to build nine floats for the parade. Over 300,000 spectators gather to watch the procession.

Origin of the Fiesta Medal

Die-hard Fiesta San Antonio fans have another event to look forward to.

The tradition began in 1946 when the reigning King Antonio distributed coins to the local children. King Antonio is a figure elected by the Texas Cavaliers to represent the organization during the parade.

Soon after, coin-tossing became a tradition and children decorated their coin-purses and tied them around their necks during the march. The tradition grew in 1971 thanks to a man named Charles G. Orsinger.

Orsinger was a prominent member of the San Antonio community, known for his military service and Buick dealership. During his reign as King Antonio, he collected coins from the children and punched holes in the middle. This led to the creation of the Fiesta medal.

Since then, the tradition built momentum, and medal collecting hit its peak in the 1990s.

Evolution

Before Orsinger, fiesta medals were distributed amongst Fiesta royalty. Sterling C. Burke received the King's medal in 1927. Orsinger was the first court member to distribute medals to the crowd.

Festival organizers invented Pin Pandemonium for medal collectors. All the action happens on opening night when enthusiastic medal collectors gather at the Alamo to sell and trade medals.

Fiesta medals have evolved from coins. Today they are emblems and figures attached to colorful ribbons.

Medals can be made to look like any character your heart desires. We've seen horses, rainbows, or the face of your favorite cartoon characters.

Larger companies and organizations commission specialty medals to be made. Participating companies don't have to be local. National and international businesses are welcome at the event.

Companies purchase a booth and a permit which allows them to sell their medals at Pin Pandemonium. Organizers suggest companies buy at least 100 medals to distribute at the Fiesta.

Medals go fast, and you don't want to have an empty table at Pin Pandemonium.

Purchasing Fiesta Medals

If you're new to Fiesta San Antonio, we wanted to give you a quick overview of the festival's history and unique events.

Medals are a key part of the celebration, and Fiestamedal.net is your go-to store. We work with top artists from all over the country to create the most beautiful designs for your company.

We also have a customer service team available to answer your questions and help you step-by-step through the ordering process. Not to mention we are giving back 3% of all sales to support local San Antonio Charities for the 2018 Fiesta Tricentennial Visit our site today to get started!

Fiesta Medal wants to celebrate in a big way for the 2018 Fiesta Tricentennial by giving back to the local community of San Antonio.  We reached out to our local community to help us choose which charity Fiesta Medal should help in 2018.  We know that we owe all of our success as a company to our customers and our community, and giving back is one of the ways we can thank you for helping us thrive.

After reaching out to our San Antonio Fiesta Medal community and customers, FiestaMedal.Net tallied the top three charities which we will be donating to for the 2018 Fiesta in San Antonio. The final three charities will be The Little Black Dress Charity, San Antonio Pets Alive, and to The Club 100. 3% of all Fiesta Medal sales will go to these  3 San Antonio non-profits!

San Antonio Pets Alive

San Antonio Pets Alive is a non-profit  life-saving organization that solely rescues dogs and cats selected for euthanasia at the San Antonio City Shelter. We save these animals after all other options have been exhausted. Our vision is to make San Antonio a No Kill Community. SAPA! was founded by Dr. Ellen Jefferson, who was instrumental in establishing a similar program in Austin, TX, (Austin Pets Alive!) that resulted in that city attaining a no-kill status that’s been successfully maintained for the last 4 years. A nationally-recognized authority on community no-kill practices, Dr. Jefferson’s efforts in San Antonio established a model that’s resulted in remarkable success – more than 20,000 animals have been saved since 2012. To learn more visit: https://www.sanantoniopetsalive.org/

The Little Black Dress Charity

The Little Black Dress Charity is a non-profit organization that exists to Educate our community on domestic violence and abuse and Empower and Embrace survivors. Their belief is to embrace victims and survivors by assisting them with tangible needs like food, clothing and furniture and intangible needs like love, prayer and support. Unmasking the truth about domestic violence and abuse will change the face of a woman and her children generationally. Giving survivors an opportunity to attain a higher education through scholarships. Through our educational workshops, seminars and resources we will empower victims and survivors. Every woman and child is worthy of love and respect. To learn more visit https://lbdsociety.org/

The One Hundred Club of San Antonio

The One Hundred Club of San Antonio is organized to engage in all activities necessary, useful or expedient to encourage, promote and further, effective Law Enforcement and Firefighting in Bexar County, Texas. Our goal is to deliver funds to the family within 24 to 48 hours of their loss in order to help with any immediate expenses that will most undoubtedly arise upon the unexpected death of their loved one. Afterward, we will continue to support the family and place any dependent children into The 100 Club Survivor Fund, where there are currently 12 Survivor Children receiving five year monthly annuity payments to assist with their education, and an additional 18 minor children in line to receive their assistance. To learn more please visit https://100ClubSA.org

We look forward to seeing you at the 2018 Tricentennial Fiesta in San Antonio. If you need fiesta medals for the event we would love the opportunity to help you design your 2018 Fiesta medal. We offer free artwork, free shipping, talented artists, and friendly customer care team to help you with your next medal design. Click here for a free quote or call us at 1-877-351-6883.

About FiestaMedal.Net:

Founded in 2003 and headquartered in Austin, Texas, Fiesta Medal provides promotional medals for businesses and organizations across the United States. Over the course of a decade in business, the company has maintained a great reputation for their commitment to customer satisfaction, custom-made designs created by U.S.-based artists, and operational transparency. Best of all, Fiesta Medal provides a high level of service and creativity at some of the lowest prices in the industry.

What is Fiesta San Antonio?

If you find yourself asking this question, then be sure to read on! Here you'll discover information about Fiesta San Antonio. From April 19-April 29, 2018, the city of San Antonio, Texas will come alive with Fiesta San Antonio festivities.

So, what is Fiesta San Antonio? Known as "the biggest party you've never heard of," Fiesta San Antonio is ten days of parades, events, art shows, and exhibitions. It is a celebration that draws millions of people from across the state of Texas, the nation, and even the world.

Curious to know more about Fiesta San Antonio, its history, and the annual events that make up this diverse celebration? Read on to discover all the information you need about Fiesta San Antonio.

1. The History of Fiesta San Antonio

Fiesta San Antonio began in 1891 when a group of women decorated horse-drawn carriages and paraded in front of the Alamo, throwing flower blossoms at each other as they did.

This early parade was organized to honor the heroes from the battles of the Alamo and San Jacinto. Originally known as the "Battle of Flowers Parade," it has evolved over the years to become a vibrant celebration that lasts many days.

In 1959, the Fiesta San Antonio Commission took over responsibility for making the festival happen, and has grown it beyond what could have ever been imagined back in 1891.

2. Fiesta San Antonio Today

While Fiesta San Antonio has a rich history, it's worth asking, "What is Fiesta San Antonio today?" In its current iteration, Fiesta San Antonio is a citywide celebration of San Antonio's unique and diverse culture.

Fiesta San Antonio is organized by the Fiesta San Antonio Commission, which funds all events that aren't financially self-supporting. The commission also works with all of the nonprofit organizations who oversee the individual events.

Today the festival contributes $340 million to the local economy of San Antonio and benefits hundreds of local charities.

3. What is Fiesta San Antonio Known For?

The original purpose of Fiesta San Antonio has not been forgotten; the commemoration of the battles of the Alamo and San Jacinto still take place today.

As its grown, though, the festival has become known for its diverse events and celebrations. During the ten days of Fiesta San Antonio, locals and visitors alike can experience the city's culture in a new and immersive way.

Some signature events of the ten-day celebration include:

Certain events are designed to look back at the history of San Antonio, while others celebrate the more modern personality of the city today.

Ready to Plan Your Visit to Fiesta San Antonio?

With dozens of events and visitors from near and far, Fiesta San Antonio is a celebration that you don't want to miss. It honors an important history, while still paying homage to what the city has evolved to be.

Between the arts events, food festivals, parades and fashion shows, there is something for everyone to enjoy.

For more information about how we can help you make your fiesta experience one to remember with custom Fiesta Medals, please contact us at any time.

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