Roadrunners gather to mark 40 years of Fiesta UTSA

Fiesta UTSA celebrates its 40th anniversary with old and new traditions on April 21.

(April 19, 2017) -- The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) is celebrating a milestone this year during Fiesta San Antonio. The university is marking the 40th anniversary of Fiesta UTSA with "40 Years of Celebrating." The official Fiesta event kicks off Friday, April 21 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Sombrilla Plaza on the UTSA Main Campus. The family-friendly event coordinated by Roadrunner Productions is free and open to the public.

"The first time anyone comes to Fiesta UTSA, their thoughts are 'Wow! What's this? Why are there booths where I usually study?'" said Edward Miranda, president of Roadrunner Productions.

That's because the iconic Sombrilla Plaza is transformed into a colorful wonderland of food and activity booths, music, games and more.

"It's like kids at a candy store," Miranda said. "That's the experience we want for everyone who attends Fiesta UTSA."

Fiesta goers of all ages will enjoy games, live music by The e7 Band, UTSA alumnus DJ Gumby, piñatas and cascarones. Students will sell food, drinks and other items to raise funds for student organizations.

The Fiesta royalty will continue its tradition by appearing at UTSA at approximately 1:25 p.m. Unique to their visit to UTSA, the royalty will visit the booths and interact with the UTSA community.

Fiesta UTSA will include a variety of foods. Community favorites include corn in a cup, hot dogs, sausage, burgers, funnel cakes and agua fresca. International student organizations will also serve food native to their cultures, sharing foods from around the world with the Roadrunner community.

"There's no other event at UTSA like Fiesta UTSA that embraces inclusion and brings the entire community together," said Miranda. "It's amazing that we have an event that's almost as old as the university, so we want to acknowledge that and remind everyone how much it's grown into a lifelong tradition at UTSA."

- Courtney Clevenger

-------------------------------

Learn more about Fiesta San Antonio.

Learn more about UTSA Student Affairs.

Connect with UTSA online at Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo and Instagram.

UTSA's Mission

The University of Texas at San Antonio is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge through research and discovery, teaching and learning, community engagement and public service. As an institution of access and excellence, UTSA embraces multicultural traditions and serves as a center for intellectual and creative resources as well as a catalyst for socioeconomic development and the commercialization of intellectual property - for Texas,the nation and the world.

UTSA's Vision

To be a premier public research university, providing access to educational excellence and preparing citizen leaders for the global environment.

UTSA's Core Values

We encourage an environment of dialogue and discovery, where integrity, excellence, inclusiveness, respect, collaboration and innovation are fostered.