SAN ANTONIO – Hundreds of thousands of people are expected to head downtown over the next 10 days, and just like Fiesta -- figuring out how to get there is an experience.
Stephen Dipple is visiting San Antonio, and his family has been preparing him for his first cascarone.
“She made it very clear that if we didn’t get hit with one of those eggs and sprinkled with confetti, we didn’t come to a true Fiesta,” he said of his family member, Lynn Lada.
Lada has been going to Fiesta on and off since the early 2000s.
She said the flower crowns and confetti are “part of the deal” of attending Fiesta, and so is figuring out how to get there.
“I highly recommend park and ride,” Lada said. “We have used park and ride to go to the Battle of Flowers Parade.”
VIA’s Park & Ride service will be available from Friday, April 19 to Saturday, April 27 for the biggest Fiesta events.
People traveling to and from Fiesta events can cash in on a ride-share discount through Uber.
If you decide to brave the traffic, Kelly Saunders, a public relations manager with the City of San Antonio, said drivers have options, whether it’s parking lots, garages, or street parking.
“We do want people to plan ahead, though,” she said. “They might need to walk a little ways there.”
Saunders said event rates will be in effect throughout the duration of Fiesta. The most drivers could pay is $15 depending on the lot.
She said the city’s Downtown Tuesday program will be temporarily suspended on April 23 for a Fiesta “siesta”.
If you’re lucky enough to find a coveted spot on the street, there’s two ways to pay for it.
“You can either pay the traditional way using your credit card, inserting it, following the instructions and paying ahead of time, or you can download our SA Park app,” she explained.
It’s a small fee for a ticket that could be double the price of parking.
According to city ordinance, failing to pay a parking meter or at a pay station could lead to a $30 fine.
Parking enforcement officers will be out checking to see if people are following the rules.