Miss Fiesta 2026 to be crowned as official Fiesta poster is unveiled at UIW reception

A milestone event ahead of Fiesta 2026

San Antonio’s Fiesta season takes a formal step toward 2026 with a combined reception that will crown Miss Fiesta 2026 and unveil the official Fiesta 2026 poster. The event is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Rosenberg Skyroom on the University of the Incarnate Word campus, located in the 800 block of East Hildebrand Avenue.

The program joins two long-running Fiesta traditions: selecting an official ambassador for the year ahead and introducing the artwork that will serve as a signature visual for Fiesta 2026, which is scheduled for April 16–26, 2026.

Miss Fiesta 2026: scholarship and yearlong ambassador role

During the ceremony, Miss Fiesta 2026 is set to receive a crown and sash and a $10,000 scholarship from the Fiesta San Antonio Foundation. The titleholder’s responsibilities extend beyond April’s 11-day festival, with the position structured as a yearlong role representing Fiesta and its nonprofit member organizations at community and charitable events.

The Miss Fiesta program also includes scholarship support for finalists, reflecting an emphasis on education as a component of the broader civic mission tied to Fiesta’s network of participating nonprofit organizations.

How the official Fiesta poster is chosen

The reception also marks the culmination of the official poster selection process. Fiesta’s 2026 poster theme is “Fiesta Together,” and the competition has been organized through the Alamo Colleges District, with student participation drawn from each of the district’s five colleges.

Earlier in the process, five finalist designs were presented during the “5 to 1” unveiling event held Sept. 25, 2025, at the San Antonio Garden Center. Fiesta Commission members then voted to select the winning design, which will be revealed publicly at the Jan. 29 event.

• The artist selected for the official 2026 poster is set to receive a $5,000 award.
• The 2026 competition was structured around student entries from the Alamo Colleges District’s art departments.

Fiesta’s broader calendar comes into focus

The poster unveiling and Miss Fiesta coronation function as an early-season marker as Fiesta organizations prepare for April events across the city. Fiesta 2026 is scheduled to open on Thursday, April 16, 2026, with Fiesta Fiesta in Travis Park, the traditional kickoff event featuring an opening ceremony and a public program that introduces official Fiesta figures, including Miss Fiesta 2026.

Fiesta 2026 is scheduled for April 16–26, spanning 11 days of events hosted by participating nonprofit organizations across San Antonio.

The Jan. 29 reception effectively frames two of Fiesta’s most visible public symbols—the ambassador and the official artwork—months before the festival begins, providing an early look at how Fiesta’s institutions, scholarships, and cultural presentation are being organized for 2026.