Fiesta In San Aantonio, Texas: Oyster Bake

Where can you get baked oysters by the bucket, a big mug of cold beer, a huge turkey leg and a strawberry shaved ice all while watching some fantastic local bands? Why, the Fiesta Oyster Bake in San Antonio, Texas, of course.

Every year in April for ten fun-filled days, Fiesta makes its way to the streets of San Antonio, complete with parades, carnivals and more food than you’ve ever seen in your entire life. One of the biggest events during the week of Fiesta is the Oyster Bake held on the campus of St. Mary’s University. Although the Oyster Bake has been around since 1916, it did not become part of San Antonio’s official Fiesta line-up until around 1974. Although quite far from all the main downtown Fiesta excitement, the Oyster Bake continues to grow every single year.

Sponsored by the Alumni Association for St. Mary’s University, the Oyster Bake’s goals have always been threefold: to accumulate money to go towards the Alumni’s scholarship funds, to promote St. Mary’s University to attendees and to create a unity amongst students, staff and attendees. For the past few years, over 70,000 people have attended the event that spans two nights. While partaking in some oysters, hamburgers, roasted corn, kettle corn, nachos or whatever food tickles your fancy, you can watch any sort of music genre you desire on one of the four to six stages that are set up. Oldies, jazz, rock n’ roll and Tejano are simply a sampling of the many types of bands that play the Oyster Bake. The Dixie Chicks, Los Lonely Boys and Better Than Ezra are just a few of the well-known bands that have played at the Oyster Bake. For the kids, a night-illuminating fireworks display on Saturday night and the ride-packed carnival will keep them entertained for hours. Shuckie and Pearl, the Oyster Bake mascots, will also be walking around during the event to help get the crowds riled up.

With such an overwhelming turnout, the Oyster Bake has averaged half a million in profits for the past decade. The money is distributed to the Alumni Association, the scholarship funds, a new athletics center and various student organizations. With its early beginnings when only beer and oysters were served to a small turnout of alumni students, the Oyster Bake has amounted into a huge success, worthy of being a key Fiesta event.

There is no need to worry about bringing the children along to this event. Many, however, will suggest bringing the kids on Friday since the entertainment acts booked for this day are usually kid-friendly and no kid wants to miss the fantastic fireworks show at the end of the night. Also, if you are thinking to yourself that oysters are not at all appealing, there are plenty of other food items to feast on, like sausage, chicken and cheesecake. As for the types of clothes to wear, you will definitely want to wear loose and comfortable clothes. Texas is notorious for crazy weather, so these April days could be anywhere from cool to incredibly hot, so be prepared for anything. The entire Oyster Bake spans over seventy acres, so you will also want to bring along some comfortable shoes.

The Oyster Bake is a San Antonio tradition that both you and your family will definitely come to love.