I know I'm getting old but there are a few things that would have made my first time at this fair more enjoyable. They really need a FAQ telling you to bring your collapsible chairs as there is seating for only about 30-40 people. They also need to specify that the tickets you purchase are only for food and beverages. Taste of New Orleans does a great job letting you know all the helpful hints. Otherwise, this is just another overcrowded fair selling stuff you don't want or need. Milling around all the dogs , strollers, and people in the hot Texas sun becomes exhausting very quickly. read more

29 Apr 2023 I was a parade participant. One of my bucket list wishes. Me and another woman carried the 'King William Fair 1968' banner. Yes, the fair has been around for 50 years! We had a designated spot to meet and get our assignments. Once the parade started, you get told when to enter the flow. The route is bout 1.5 miles. Stupid me brought no water. By the end, I was parched and had to go to the Friendly Spot to quench my thirst (wink, wink). It was a blast. The crowd yells and claps at you. The golf cart in front of us was playing upbeat music, so I couldn't help but dance a little. The crowd seemed to enjoy my shenanigans. Those of you who know me, know that I am not shy. The fair itself had all the artisans throughout the two main streets. Food and drink everywhere. Music at several venues. I continue to be bummed at the price of admission to the big Fiesta events. The fair was $25 at the gate. Whew! I learned there are a couple of parts of streets not considered inside the fair where you can watch the parade for free. Who knew? Generally closer to the high school, near where the parade starts. It's still a pretty fun event. Go next year. read more

This was our first time at Fiesta and first time at King William Fair. When we first showed up, they were have electronic glitches for their tickets. This led to extremely long and slow moving lines to purchase entrance tickets or even to just get in. Fortunately, we found out some of the other entrances were moving faster and walked a block or 2 to one of those. The price to get in and then the tickets on top were a little pricey in my opinion. Once inside, you have to buy tickets to use for food and drinks. I am not a fan of that concept at events, but since it's a fundraiser I'm sure it has to do with divvying out the funds at the end. The food selection was great. There were plenty of options and many vendors you could peruse through. Art vendors were scattered throughout with a nice variety of different concepts and items to buy. First aid stations were strategically were placed throughout offering free water which was a life saver (Haha. Get it?) when the sun came out. The live music was great when you just wanted to sit back and relax. The added bonus of this event is you get to see the gorgeous houses in the area and spot the extravagant hats people wear. All in all, this is a fun event. read more

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King William Fair is definitely the best family friendly fiesta event. The most beautiful neighborhood in San Antonio, art vendors, yummy food, and a parade that offers surprises on each float. This is an early one, and I would recommend heading down by 8 AM. This year the blast pass was a miss, hopefully they will either rectify the process or go back to tickets. Even with the hiccups this is still my favorite parade and I love seeing all of the artisans that come out every year. read more

King William Fair - Local Flavor Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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The best part of the day was watching the parade outside the official Fair boundaries. Much less crowded. Saw my gym friend in a bicycle group. Always eclectic and fun. But it went downhill fast. Long lines to get into the Fair. The crowds have outgrown the space. It was just as crowded as NIOSA with queues for food booths blocking pedestrian traffic everywhere. My recommendation is to expand the area of the fair and to leave more space between food booths to queue up. Having all the food booths right next to each other caused real crowding issues. I felt bad for families with strollers. It was nearly impossible for them to navigate the congestion. The Blast Pass was a complete failure and mood breaker. Like a rocket launch that looks beautiful, but explodes seconds later. Please go back to tickets. You wait in a long line to get into the fair, and then have to wait in HUGE lines to either get or add money to the wristband. And then they charge you extra for the privilege of having the band that only works one day. I'm sure the Blast Pass company made a huge profit! And when you go to use the wristband at the food booths they had trouble connecting to the wristband to complete the purchase. At the gordita booth it took them trying several times and with several units to complete the purchase. Not fair to the vendors and it slows down the number of customers they can serve. And the prices for food and drink were outrageous. I asked several vendors how they liked the Blast Pass and they all hated it. read more

I bought the tickets online and bought a food bracelet too. But what a mess to activate your bracelet and the lines were endless. People irritated from waiting so long and of course, nobody knew what to do. The lines were as long as when you go to a concert. There was nothing marked. After activating the bracelet, we had to wait about 10 minutes before we could buy food or something to drink. And I don't know who had the wonderful idea to organize something that might work for "them" but not for the public. The website did not have any instructions on what to do. It was... "sink or swim" situation. And what happened to the tickets? Tickets are faster and immediately tangible. It was an unforgettable experience to not want to return. read more

This fair is amazing. I thought I was walking into a small fiesta event but to my surprise the event is huge! There are so many booths with food and drinks. We had some chicken on a stick and chicken and waffles. There was a kids play area for smaller kids. Take lots of money because it goes fast. We didn't even get through half the fair because of how huge it is. I can't wait to go back next year. read more

King William Fair - Local Flavor Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

This was my first year at King William Fair, and I can definitely say that "I can't wait for next year"! The King William district is honestly one of the most beautiful and historic places of our city and the state of Texas. I love that King William Fair allows you to appreciate the beauty of this district, and also let's local artists and vendors showcase some of their work at this official Fiesta event. The King William Fair is an eclectic mix of family-friendly, food-loving, artsy-fartsy, puro-San Antonio event...it honestly has a little bit for everyone! They even have a whole area just for kids, where they can jump around in different games, and have food catered specially for the little ones. They also have the more "grown up" area where you can find a bier garten with live music, and some of the Fiesta classics like Chicken on a stick, tacos, gorditas and my new favorite Pork Chop on a Stick (yaaas!). My recommendation for everyone would be: GET HERE EARLY! I made the huge mistake of arriving around noon, right when the sun was going to hit that max point of the day, and I was melting! There's nothing worst than walking in the Texas heat, with a warm beer in your hand. read more

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The King William Fair takes you back to the hey-day of San Antonio with a modern twist! You have many booths to visit ranging from artists, food, eclectic items, and I'm sure this is an ever changing event based on vendors and sponsors each year. You won't be disappointed! Walking around the historically conserved homes in the King William District is awesome and provides much more shade than the other Fiesta events. So, if you ever find yourself bored on the last weekend of Fiesta, the King William Fair is a nice way to spend a day from 9am-8pm! Treat yourself, check it out like a read more

King William Fair - Local Flavor Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I love the King William Fair we've been going for years. It's a party with a purpose. Even though I don't live there, I participate in many of their programs. It's the first time I've been back since 2018. They introduced something called BlastPass Credit. It's very convenient except that you don't know how much you have unless the merchant tells you or you keep close track of it. I bought a mangonada from one of the vendors and when I asked how much I had left instead of checking the balance they deducted the price of another mangonada which was $10. I didn't discover this until later when I bought something else. So please be very careful about your balance and potentially losing your credit because there's no refund. Other than that, it was a good time and a beautiful parade. There's still shopping if that's what you want to do plus live music and assortment of food vendors. I didn't take any pictures of the fair itself which is unlike me, I guess I was too busy enjoying it. read more

King William Fair - Local Flavor Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

This is my second year attending the event and I must say, there is something very unique about it. The flare of it all makes going entertaining. Vibrant colored Fiesta hats with out landish designs really inspire. The artists that line the streets of King William are absolutely amazing. One of a kind finds for the art lover in you. The food vendors well, what can I say. Not calorie conscious. Chicken on-a-stick, corn in-a-cup, and any street fare embibe you can think of. Parking is always costly but if you don't mind walking you can park for free and walk to the district. Admission and ticket purchase is required to partake in this amazing Fiesta tradition. read more

King William Fair - Parade flair - Local Flavor Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I was disappointed in how the Fair handled the entrance and the food credits. There was no way to combine credits between wrist bands so if you had some money left on the band, but not enough to buy anything, you just lost the money. Also, the food credits were in $25 increments. This is ridiculously high. The food prices were not marked on the signs; There was no one to assist the golf carts trying to get through the crowds with supplies; the line to get in, even with pre-purchase, was long. read more

I love a parade but not just any parade - the King William Fair parade! It's definitely the kind where you can be a little goofy and maybe just a tiny bit obnoxious and everyone is a-okay with it. The beautiful King William district also lends itself to a bit more intimacy in terms of a shebang of this caliber. And I love that you don't have to buy tickets to sit on the sidewalks or lounge in your lawn chair to watch (it's totally free!) Just get there early enough to claim a seat for your booty and you're good to go. If you do decide to purchase tickets for the vendor area, however, I would suggest you try to attempt to buy your tickets at the Fiesta Store on Broadway beforehand. Folks who waited until after the parade was over this year hopped in a line that went down most of Guenther Street. If you can't go to the store, then do try to get there a bit early to purchase. My friends and I got there around 8 and there was hardly anyone buying tickets at that time. read more

I remember many years back I had a friend who lived on Guenther Street, who invited me to the King William Fair and parade. Back then it was free. It seemed like some alternative to the Fiesta, which at that point had become a bit stale and redundant. There were a few vendors, all artists with food and drink dispersed evenly. I still think of the parade that was half satire the other half, a jab at some of the residents there. The impression of college students wearing a costume of Sandra Cisnero's Purple House, at that time a big headache for the neighborhood association, is still etched in my mind. But now it has grown and morphed like one of the big, crazy hats you might see there. And yet of all of the Fiesta Events, it seems like the most mature(seemingly)of the lot. It is an amalgamation of the Oyster Bake and NIOSA. The last big event before Fiesta puts away its party hat for the year. That's what draws everybody to it in all honesty. I have noticed in recent years that it has become more family oriented and pet friendly. For example there is a section of the fair dedicated to children with rides and entertainment geared towards them. As I alluded to patrons walk their pooches with bright outfits, some as colorful as their owners; a pet sporting a Guayabera shirt. Throughout the streets there is ample opportunity to see the city's most beautiful historic homes. This is also an occasion where ladies and gentlemen come dressed to the nines. Women wearing mile-high wedge shoes.(I don't get that!) Men dressed in full Don Johnson mode ala Miami Vice fashions. In addition the smells and scents can be quite intoxicating, grills cooking fish to be made into tacos. Batter being whipped that will eventually become funnel cakes. The famous chicken on the stick, with jalapeño resides here. The King William Fair is definitely not for the diet conscious. As you weave your way through the huge crowds, every nook and corner is cohabited by drink, food or art. On the art front you will find booths from local and national artists. I saw huge paintings of cats, Dia De Los Muertos prints, purses, jewelry, candles, t-shirts, fancy mirrors, folk art etc. It is almost like where 1st Friday had left off before the fun was sucked away from it. Pieces ranged from inexpensive to Sotheby's prices. And certainly not to be outdone food and drink options have grown exponentially over the years as well. This year I saw a more local presence of items in full force. Such eateries as the Cove, Alamo Street Cafe, Stout's Pizza and Luke were selling their unique cuisines, unheard of in years past. There even seemed to be a greater sharing of wealth, as far as drink options were concerned, some vendors sold wines and craft beers. The Blue Star, Firestone Walker and local brewery Busted Sandal had brews on tap. One criticism of the King William Fair is that everything here is overpriced. And I agree to some extent. However, you have to factor in the cost vendors must put in to make it all happen each year. Divide, multiply, subtract supplies and the high price to actually rent a booth and it all adds up. Most of the revenue generated at this event goes to preserve this historic area and also to various charities throughout the city. Another critique is that it is overcrowded, again I do agree. But I think it reflects how Fiestas' popularity intensifies with each year. Locals and the growing trend of tourists who attend events, like the King William Fair should not be discounted. In each case it is best to factor in what your budget is, as far as how much you will spend, to include time and act accordingly. Yes, it is 10 dollars to get in. Yes, you will have to inevitably pay for parking somewhere. But even some investments, which in reality all Fiesta events truly are, are paid back in good memories with friends and family. ps A band did a cover of The Smiths, "There is a light that never goes out," to me, well worth the admission to get in. read more

King William Fair - My favorite Fiesta event! Poco de todo! - Local Flavor Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

4.5 star. It's only fitting to review King Williams fair when Fiesta is winding down. It's another favorite Fiesta events of mine besides Oyster Bake. The King William historic area is awesome to begin with. It's so beautiful and full of history. Hosting a fair/celebration in this lovely neighborhood is even better. I enjoyed walking around looking at all the houses decorated in fiesta themes, browsing and chatting with all the wonderful art and craft vendors, sampling fair food, and just having some random fun. I love art and the King Williams fair draws me to it because of that. I bought several small arts and crafts from local artists that were deff one of a kind. Those could make terrific gifts also. Two years ago, this artist guy had an open house during the King Williams fair. He had paintings on display and food and drinks in his house. The public was invited to come in to enjoy everything. That was a cool experience for sure. One downside though is the cost. It's a bit high I have to admit. For example, the same chicken on a stick is almost twice the price here than Oyster Bake. Plus all the arts and crafts I want to buy, I usually spent lots of money. For that reason, I've only been once so far. read more

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It's the last weekend of Fiesta and my favorite event comes along. King William Fair. Set in the historic King William neighborhood, these old, and many times historic homes, set a wonderful backdrop for the vendors and music acts. With a parade to start the day and dog's welcome throughout the day, it's a great start to the event. With a myriad of food and drink vendors. . . from many booths to food trucks, there is something for everyone. Throw in individual craft booths and you have yourself an all-in-one visitor experience. One thing I really like about the area are all the mature trees that line the streets. Much appreciated on a sunny, or even semi-sunny day. Nature's shade is the best. If you haven't been to this celebration, get to it next year! You won't be disappointed. See you in 2018! read more

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This was my second Fiesta event for 2018 and was such a nice way to spend the earlier part of my afternoon. I had only passed by this area a few times in my life, so to actually take the time to walk around and see some of the historic buildings of our city was a real pleasure. But what I really liked about this event was the people. It was crowded but everyone was having themselves a good time, from the various sellers on the side of the street, to the randoms you passed by. I saw a lady dressed up in some fun Fiesta garb and carrying around a picture of my boy, Coach Popovich. I had to get a picture with her! And she was all smiles about it! And if you have any friends who live in the area and decide to throw a private party, you'll have the best seats in the house. read more

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Hands down THE BEST fiesta event to attend other than the Pooch Parade. I've been a Fiesta goer for years growing up and this year I was able to attend 11 events and this one is by far the best. I have to be honest ... it has the best layout for flow, the most beautifully dressed people, the most hospitable vendors, festival attendees, and volunteers. It's laid out so well, and there's maps and signs everywhere. The bathrooms are plentiful and the lines aren't bad at all. The vendor beer/wine lines are easy to get through because they have them fully staffed and that's the same for the food vendors and the lines for that too. I don't know what else to say but that it's a fantastic event in all aspects. You will need to purchase tickets/coupons to eat and drink. Pretty much every vendor for product goods accepted credit cards. We were able to buy ticket/coupons with our card too but cash is probably best. Parking is always an issue but sometimes it's not, that goes for every Fiesta event, you just get used to it. You are allowed to bring your lawn chair and blankets to the event but no ice chests. Dogs are welcome too. It's always so nice to see the beautiful homes, and the house parties they throw. It's just so nice and again, hands down the best dressed fiesta people are at this event. If you were saving a special fiesta outfit to wear for fiesta, this would be where you would want to wear it. read more

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The Blast pass idea was a nuisance. People had to wait in line forever. It was a disappointment. Plus, if you didn't use all your money, it was lost. Bad idea! Getting the admission online was ok but you still had to wait for someone to check you in. It was a mess. Go back to tickets for food and drink. read more

It was a sunny day when the king william fair was held. It was my first time also attending. One thing to remember is If you are going to attend make sure you get your entrance tickets and food tickets online before the event. This makes your attendance run smoother and more money in your pocket. Alot of the people at the event give away fiesta medals online. Use sunscreen as it is very warm outside and be sure to get there early for a table. If you don't want to eat there, there are plenty of restaurants around. read more

It was in the twilight of my adolescence that I first became aware of the mythical Fiesta event held in our historic King William district offering a respite from the drunken masses that had come to symbolize the typical Fiesta affairs like Oyster Bake, NIOSA and the now defunct La Semana Alegre. Tales woven of lush oak canopied sidewalks, family friendly activities, artisans displaying their crafts, tours of the renovated historic mansions, folk bands, lemonade stands and free admission to the innocence spread wide across tiny streets named Beauregard, Sheridan and Madison. Alas, as the years of my ebullient adolescence have become a distant faded memory so too must have the days of such a peaceful neighborhood event just south of town in the area now affectionately and appropriately known as Southtown. For my first visit to the Fair (as a volunteer) it became apparent all too quickly that, even though NIOSA had ended just a few hours earlier and just a few short blocks down the road, DIOSA had immediately taken up the mantle here in the historic King William. I enjoyed myself, of course, because I have never known any Fiesta event not to involve thousands of people paying way too much for bean gorditas and standing in lines way too long for chicken on a stick, beer in plastic cups, sausage wraps, shrimp kabobs, bad margaritas and funnel cake while bands play interchangeably on stages strewn strategically throughout the park in close proximity to the alcoholic booths. I have never known anything other than that and apparently I never shall. read more

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Favorite Fiesta event! I've watched it grow in just four short years since I moved to SA and it makes my heart happy. Don't miss the parade, which leads the way into the fair. It's definitely a quirky parade and not mainstream like Battle of Flowers, but the people watching is out of this world. Not to mention, you don't have to contain yourself. Run out there and give the half-dressed drag queen a hug if you want! Join in with the Napolean Dynamite themed float. Holler inappropriate sweet-nothings to the scantily clad belly dancers. Be sure to start walking towards the fair a bit before the parade ends, or else you'll be stuck shoulder to shoulder with all the other spectators who waited to get in line. There's your run of the mill festival food, but they also host a variety of local food trucks. Last year, Rickshaw Stop was there (winning), but not this year :(. But hands down, my favorite food at this festival is the Texas Twisters (or something like that). thinly sliced, greased up potatoes that are shaved into a spiral. I have yet to find them at any other Fiesta event. My bff and I actually have a running joke since every year we are determined to get the twisters, but by the time we get to KW Fair we are either 1) Too hungover to wait in line or 2) Too hungover to eat the damn things once we have them in hand. Even still, we give it a valiant effort each time. Bring a lawn chair and post up on the lawn in the square and enjoy the live Tejano, sun, and cheer! read more

Fiesta sucks when you live downtown. King William has always been the one sparkling exception to that rule in my experience, but I fear that I've seen the end of an era with this beloved event in San Antonio's history. I lived right on the other side of the river, off Arsenal street, for a couple of years and I had the pleasure of the blockades on my street and the port-a-potty row within shouting distance from my porch, but I was never offered an invitation to get into the fair without paying. I gave it a shot this year, having moved away from that mess, and I left with mixed feelings. The fair used to be free, and within five years now they're not only charging to get in, but it was $10 to get in this year. I'm all about supporting the things that the fair goes to benefit, but everything inside the fair is already so expensive. The quality has slid backward in recent years. Since last year I noticed a few things, like the replacement of the fresh lemonade with with grossly overpriced bottled lemonade. There are even bigger crowds than ever, and it is nearly impossible to navigate certain parts of the fair. And despite all of that, everything costs more than ever. This used to be a community event, I would go and run into people that I knew. I would wander around and get to see things and meet people I wouldn't otherwise have crossed paths with. This year it felt like Six Flags, and that totally breaks my heart. read more

My favorite fiesta event. Make sure to arrive by 8:45am for 9am parade. Cash is need for the entrance, atms are available on site. read more

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This is a wonderful San Antonio event! There's all kinds of things to see and do. Make sure you show up early for the parade that goes through the center of the neighborhood. It's kind of a bummer that they've started charging admission to this place. It's already kind of expensive without the admission fee. But everyone seems to always have such a good time. The parade is kind of a satire of the whole San Antonio Fiesta thing, with a more fanciful type of theme to it, usually. Every year there's always a great lineup of artists who come from all over the place to show off their goods. However, a lot of these artists are local, or at least from around Texas, and have Texas themed art. The music lineup is always impressive. My favorite place to catch an act is the gazebo at the King William Park. There's so many great options for food. I can't tell you who has the best tacos or food on a stick, but I always get in the longest line, because the crowd is usually savvy as to who has the best food. read more

Although by the end of Fiesta, we're all saying we're sooooo ready for Fiesta to be over, in a few days, we'll be wishing it was here again. King William Fair is one of my fave Fiesta activities and it was just as great this year as always! I love the parade, the atmosphere, the kids, the costumes, the drinks. Everything. This event has really grown over the years. It used to be sort of an alternative Fiesta event, now it's almost just as big as the big ones. But, people seem to remain laid back here and very family-oriented which is always nice. So, back to my first sentence, I was all Fiesta-ed out this weekend, now I'm wishing there was still tons of fun stuff to look forward to over the next few days! read more

We go to the KE Fair every year but this year was very disappointed. We purchased our tickets online the day before and when we tried to redeem the $80 worth of tickets at the fair, we couldnt because there wasn't adequate WiFi. the wristbands they gave out were super difficult to put on. We were then told that instead of tickets, there were reloadable wristbands for food and drinks. The guy selling the wristbands didnt know if they could be used at the kids kingdom rides. each wristband was $2 plus whatever funds you loaded on to them. It was difficult with the wristbands if you went as a family bc that meant only one person could stand in line to purchase things. At the end of the day, we found out we couldnt combine the balance of the two wristbands we purchased together and when we tried to use the remainder $25 on one, the wristband stopped working. altogether we felt it was very disorganized and we were cheated out of a lot of money. read more

Terrible! Invited by a friend to a garden party on one of their Fair days, I am blocked, 12.00PM 28th April, by their official, Joyce Mitchell, from reaching the house on King William St. San Antonio which is inside the menagerie. Too, annoyed at having walked half mile from the nearest parking, and midday sun beginning to take its toll, both my Violinist friend, who came along to play for the party, and I decide to wait a while to see if we can reach the party via Facebook. No luck, we decide to go home. I would not have minded had we been delayed but allowed to proceed but blocked entirely? It occurred to me that this against both Federal and State Law here, 'right of way' etc. Planning further action on that account, after all we did not go there for the Fair, but a resident's garden party. Yet the misery is not entirely over for while we are away from it some of the local thugs bust the driver door mirror on our vehicle. As on reaching it, I see the parts neatly stacked on a side spot of the rear fender. My friend comments that perhaps the local thugs do not like my bumper stickers, e.g. Donal Duck, Native Texan, Guitar Tex, I VOTED, and so on, but I think the reason is we are tourists? near S. Presa parked on Vance Street in Gangland San Antonio Texas. If you happen to have both seen the idiot who smashed my Mirror and are reading this, hey send me a message about it. Love to have a good old Texas tate-a-te with the moron. read more

My favorite of all San Antonio Fiesta. ...great food and drink and lots of artists... crafts homade candles soaps fragrances glass works unique art and quirky things n more ...give yourself 3 hours at least to look eat and listen to music . $10 to get in food by tickets only art cash or credit..just a great time that keeps getting bigger pet friendly a parade for the doggies and people to kick it off ..go early closes at 6pm and they do run out of some foods n drink every year.1 day event on Saturday read more

This year is the first year that I attend this fiesta event. We came a little late and we weren't able to see everything, but for the most part it is family friendly and a great atmosphere where you see old friends and make new ones. There are two things that I don't like- one that it's a one day event and two the cost to get in. Make sure to arrive early do not arrive late, some food booths ran out of food and beverages. You can take your lawn chairs and your tent. I really like the King William Fair, it's one of the classiest fiesta parties I've been to. To compare it to the crowds from NIOSA its not as bad. Plus as we entered there were people walking out giving away unused tickets so that saved us a little money. PS- they need to sell more medals!! read more

It has its goods and it has its bad, probably better wo kids.. of course what isnt'! Below is a link to my blog review: http://houseoffaucis.blogspot.com/2014/04/king-williams-fair-san-antonio-fiesta.html read more