This is your average fair. Decent festival food and entertainment. Everyone seems friendly and I like that there are hand sanitizers throughout the fair. They do have rides but I'm not a fan of pop up carnival rides. Overall, I would come back. read more

Fiesta Oyster Bake - Festivals Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Go early! It got hot today. It was our first time. Now I wish I would have bought the flower tiara. They were so colorful. The food is pricey but most festival food is. We even rode a ride. Wear comfy shoes. Oh and check out the salsa hot booth. My hubby won a care package for tasting them all like a champ. Everything was so colorful. Parking is pricey at 20.00, but goes toward the army rotc for st Mary's. Try to Uber if you can. Everyone was so nice all day. read more

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We got the vip tickets.Able to get in early and have a separate restroom and reserved tables and chairs.Unlimited drinks and it includes snacks,6 tickets for alcoholic drinks and 50 dollars tickets for foods/merchandise/souvenirs. All the foods is good. It got really crowded around 5 pm. Overall we will do it again next year. read more

Fiesta Oyster Bake - Festivals Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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If the Rodeo and ACL had a baby, it would be the Oyster Bake. - Live music on multiple stages? [check] - Carnival rides and games? [check] - Overpriced food and drinks? [check] - Fair food such as fried oreos, protein on a stick, funnel cakes, and drinks? [check] - Free stuff at multiple booths sponsored by several companies? [check] This was my first time attending the Oyster Bake and it was a lot bigger than I imagined. A group of 6 of us took the VIA bus to avoid paying for parking. If you show your student ID, you get a discount! My bf and I only paid $5 total for the both of us for a round trip. Now that's a deal. We arrived around 4:30 PM and it was already getting packed. You'll have to pay for "coupons" to redeem them for food, drinks, and ride/games. Everyone was raving about the chicken on a stick so we had to try it. Honestly, it was actually pretty good. We also tried the corn in a cup, corn on a cob, and fried oreos. Nothing was great, but it was carnival food so you can't expect much. The layout of the Oyster Bake was really confusing. The stages were placed in random areas. I wish there was a map to navigate but I ended up following my friends. For the most part, we walked around to explore and figure out what to do. The music was just okay, I didn't know any artists or bands except Sean Paul. If only they brought out more popular artists. Towards the end of the night, it got super packed. Trash cans were piling up and there was trash everywhere. There should be more volunteers to take care of that. Overall, I had a good time, but I wouldn't come back. I'd rate this 3.5 stars if I could. read more

Fiesta Oyster Bake - Chicken on a stick - Festivals Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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Fine, I am biased b/c I work for St. Mary's but Oyster Bake is one of my fav Fiesta events fo sho! I love FOB (stands for Fiesta Oyster Bake here not Fresh Off the Boat), lol! I have volunteered in the past two years for this event so I got to come for free. I also don't pay for parking b/c I was able to park at the law school clinic the first year as an employee and at one of my co-workers' house in the neighborhood the following year. Gotta love the perks! Another reason I love Oyster Bake is that I am an oyster fanatic. I love 'em in all shapes and sizes, cooked or baked, and I love 'em raw, baby! I've had the oyster shot, baked oyster, and fried oyster. All were delicious! Besides the oysters, you gotta get the chicken on a stick! Yes, juicy chicken on a stick with jalapeño on top! Hmmm, it is a must!! Of course the most important reason I love Oyster Bake is that it raises scholarship funds for our students for a good cause! I deff enjoyed being part of it and would encourage everyone to come check it out! read more

We had not been to the Homecoming Oyster Bake for many years. I don't know why really. It's free admission for us alumni. It's a nice scaled down version of the Fiesta Oyster Bake. 16 oz Beers, oysters, oyster shooters, corn on the cob, several items on a stick and some other food stuffs. We had a really nice, relatively calm evening. Good family outing. read more

Fiesta Oyster Bake - Fiesta banner - Festivals Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

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Overall I had a good time at Oyster Bake. I enjoyed​ shrimp​, ​steak​, ​ and chicken on a stick. I also had about a dozen oyster shots. Yummm! I enjoyed some beer but it wasn't until I found the lonely craft beer tent that I became satisfied with the beverage choices. However, I do have some issues (don't hate me). 1) Is that it's really crowded. It's to be expected since it is Fiesta. This is why every year we choose to go early, the crowd is more bearable. ​ 2) I feel as though the name is misleading. I was expecting all kinds of vendors selling various types of oyster dishes. There wasnt very many oyster choices at Oyster Bake. I was expecting oysters prepared in ​various ways. But from what I saw, you only had 2 options, baked oysters that you have to pay a $10 deposit​ for a knife to shuck yourself. Or, oyster shots. The oyster shots were my choice. In the future, I would like to see more variety in the oyster choices. read more

This Fiesta event will forever hold a special place in my heart and while it's gotten bigger and there's so many more things to do and experience ... it's still one of my fave fiesta event of the year. I've gotta be honest ... the BEST AND MOST FUN area of the Oyster Bake is the Mexican/Tejano stage area. That is true old school Oyster Bake from when I was little, through my teens to my twenties, to now. It's just so freaking festive and fun and partyish and people actually dance the whole time too. It's got the best music, the best people, and the quickest beer lines. They offered VIP this year and while this event would be fun to attend as VIP with all that you get with that ticket price, this particular event is one that I would want to be with the people. I had all stages wristbands which is fun and getting to go backstage and watch from the side of the stage for music is awesome, at this particular event it's even more fun being with the people. You'll for sure spend some money on parking, food, and drinks and if you have kids expect to spend even more. This isn't an event that you can attend on a budget friendly mindset, for real. Besides ... all the money goes towards the scholarship fund and back into the community ... totally worth it. The oyster bake has THE BEST chicken on a stick vendors and the oyster shots are freaking awesome. Do yourself a favor and go check out each music stage area, different strokes for different folks but well worth the check out. I prefer the Tejano staging area the best. Enjoy and Viva Fiesta. read more

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What a great time! As a visitor to San Antonio, I was pleasantly surprised by how much is going on during Fiesta- all over the city. The annual Fiesta Oyster Bake was my favorite family friendly event, I highly recommend it! It feels like a fair/carnival/backyard family affair. Unless you're an alum- it's $25+ To save a few dollars, purchase tickets from H-E-B ahead of time. Bring a great attitude and comfy shoes; you will have to walk and wait in lines. It's so worth it- the oysters and crawfish were delicious! What a cultural delight- from Mexican music and other bands (Latin, Country, mainstream Top 40) the live music flowed, there's open space to dance. There are quite a few canned beer options, and festive. I loved seeing all of the colors, and cazadores, so fun! read more

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Go Rattlers! I absolutely, positively love and adore Oyster Bake. This is one of the main events of Fiesta every year that attracts literally thousands and thousands of people. This amazing two day festival every year has a "Family Friendly" Friday aside from an all day Saturday event. Of course both festival days are appropriate to bring your clan or friends; however, "Family Friday" is only open from about 4/5pm so it allows families who want to experience Oyster Bake without being there on Saturday which is the main day. This is a widely popular event so a lot of people will be there but don't worry! There are plenty of hang out spots and bathrooms to accomadate the crowds. Tickets are available not only at St. Mary's University but other outlets as well such as HEB. Tickets are roughly about $20-$25 a person per day. Part of the proceeds help raise scholarships and funds for St. Mary's University. So it's ok to say you're having a great time for a great cause! This two day festival features carnival-style food, alcohol and non-alcohol drinks, rides, exhibits, and plenty of great concerts. Let me tell you there are some key things you must try when you're there... Chicken on A Stick. Frozen Lemonade. Chicken on A Stick. Funnel Cake. Chicken on A Stick. I can't get enough of those and you'll get hooked on them too. Anything actually 'on-a-stick' is pretty darn good if you ask me. There are about five stages that feature a specific genre of music. Some of the past acts have been amazing and the genres are usually Tejano, Rock, Children's, Country, and Top 40. Oyster Bake teams up with the city bus services so you don't have to worry about parking. This is a huge and popular event so parking can be a little difficult if you don't get there early enough. I can't get enough of Oyster Bake and am counting down the days till Fiesta season begins. Viva Fiesta Ya'll! read more

It's inevitable! If you live in San Antonio during Fiesta and don't live under a rock you will go to the Oyster Bake at some point in your life. It's unavoidable! Whether you had a Tio that had spare tickets and you were able to score one, it's the boys night out, it's the girls night out, you are going as a couple, you're going with couples. Hey, you might be just going by yourself! Whatever the reason you will go to this event at some point in your life. And if you went you have probably seen it all before. The dude with the twelve empty beer cups stacked up high like it was some badge of honor. The girls who wear ten mile high wedge high heels and see them roll down the hill. The Rattler Frat boys who think that a "burp" is a clever pick up line. There is lots of food to be had here. There are tacos, burgers, steak, steak on a stick, turkey legs and of course the must have oysters. Then there is the must have chicken on the stick with a jalapeno resting on top. Delicioso! So why do I give this popular Fiesta event three stars you say, well, do you have two days? First, this event is extremely overcrowded as well as overpriced! We have to admit as the city grows, celebrations citywide will increase too. Which means the cost of our favorite foods must equal to that. Secondly, there is absolutely no parking whatsoever! The Bake people themselves charge twenty bucks to park in their lot. You can park in the residential area, but you have to do so right when it starts up. Otherwise you can do the Park and Ride at Crossroads and sit next to some inebriated jerk who forgot he is no longer at The Bake! Still not convinced of the three stars rating let me give some more examples. While you are bobbing and weaving through the crowds, if you take a shower substituting beer for water this is your event! Expect to nudge into someone and vice versa and have someone spill beer on you. It's a known fact. But not to worry on the music front they have entertainment for all tastes country, rock, hip hop and easy listening music. The only thing is some of these artists haven't been relevant since Drakkar Noir and Nelly were big back in the day! But you always have the porta potties to look forward to after you have had too many drinks and way too much food. Good luck with that! Do I have to remind you the toll twenty beers and thirty turkeys legs has on the stomach? TMI you say? Well, it is what it is. Before I go on and I can let me offer you some tips, as a recovering Oyster Bake participant and also to them as well. To you: 1.) Go early and leave early. The crazies get there after 5. Get your oyster fix then bail! 2.) Parking grows scarce as the day draws on. Go early and park in the residential area. Or if all else false do the Park and Ride at Crossroads. Let someone else chauffeur you to this event. They even have a kiosk where you can buy tickets for the bake and forgo long lines. 3.) Eat and drink plenty of water before you go. You are gonna buy food and drink items but this at least lessens the frequency that you have to. 4.) Wear sunblock. Buy and drink water. Period. 5.) As cute as your high heels are they are useless here. Wear shoes. If you choose to wear flip-flops or sandals be prepared to have people step on your feet, especially as the night draws in. 6.) Bring plenty of cash and an ID, as they card you when you by alcoholic beverages. Plus if you lose your cash it's better than losing your credit cards. 7.) Travel lightly, no need for big purses or anything that will make it harder to push through the crowd. 8.) Travel in a pack. Safety in numbers is true here. Also set a rendezvous point in case you get lost or separated from friends. 9.) Your phone is more than for social media, use it to help keep your friends and family close to you. 10.) If you have a friend that can't hold their liquor make sure to keep them at home. Liquid courage, machismo and in politeness are rampant here! To them: 1.) Since we are tax payers and we help pay for street improvements let there be parking through all the residential area without fear of being ticketed. 2.) With the twenty dollar ticket price I think the entertainment could and should be alot better than Fastball for the umpteenth time! Instead of just having the big stage area for 99.5 KISS bring an up and coming act that has some buzz that will fill the Rattler Stadium area! 3.) I know Budweiser is the King of Beers, but at least devote one booth for just Texas brews! 4.) It would be cool to bring in different culinary experiences, for example invite food trucks. It would be a hit. Have a contest who has the best food for the event. Make an event within an event. 5.) I like the layout of the Oyster Bake now, but some food areas should be moved, to keep the flow of people moving and without incident. 6.) You need more seating. A twelve hour day is tough on the old dogs. Go but be mindful! read more

I hate manuevering drunken crowds, so my game plan at most Fiesta events is to get in and hang out early so I can go home before the drunks move in. However, what normally happens is I get in early and have some drinks and then feel like staying and hanging out all night. Either way I have a blast! I am a big fan of oysters. I, like Christa L, have always wondered about the "only eat oysters in months that end in R" mantra being broken for Oyster Bake. But, most of the oysters here are fried or steamed, not raw, so I haven't worried much more about it. Plus, at any Fiesta event it's the meat on a stick that I'm after more than the oysters so that's that. And yes, I said meat on a stick. If you're not a local and have never experienced the phenomenon of meat on a stick go there immediately. As with any Fiesta event, the beers are pricy. I think it was about $4.50/beer here and this year they were serving aluminum bottles of Bud Light instead of cups like in years past. At those prices it's easier to not over-imbibe, but the other thing I thought was great was the number of taxis on board to take people home! And the city's initiative to pay the first $20 of your cab ride from official Fiesta events is one I fully support!! read more

Fiesta Oyster Bake - Festivals Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

I went for the first time in 7 years last night. It was fun, but the price of admission ($25 at the gate) is steep when you then have to pay for food and drinks but those are reasonably priced considering its a festival. $3 for a glass of wine, $5 for a beer or malt beverage. I do have to complain about the crawfish plate I got ($6) originally it had only 6 crawfish on the plate with a pile of potato, corn and sausage... how does that even make sense? Crawfish is the cheapest thing! but I asked the guy working for more and he didnt hesitate to add more to the plate. And for all you chicken on a stick lovers, that line was outrageous. read more

Excellent time had with friends.Lots of diverse people having a great time listening to all types of music,oysters of course,and activities for kids.Being from San Antonio i highly reccomend to visitors in town during Fiesta its a must do while in town. read more

Why do I do this to myself? About every 5-10 yrs I decide to go to a Fiesta function to remind myself why I don't go to Fiesta functions. Ah oyster bake, a special event that falls on one the months that doesn't end in "r." For the professional oyster shuckers out there, April is not usually a good time to do "oyster shots." Nonetheless, Oyster Bake this year wasn't too bad. They did a great job keeping the grounds as clean as possible. This was the first year Budweiser got sponsor it, I guess Miller Lite moved on to other things. The beers ran about 9 coupons ($4.50 a beer.) They served the aluminum bottles which isn't a bad deal, compared to other Fiesta events. They had plenty of bathrooms and on top of it they were decent even towards the end of the night. The food was the usual, on a stick, fried, or in a tortilla. I did partake in a bucket of steamed oysters. This time it was a disappointment for me.... I swear in years' past they would give the shells a quick rinse to get most of the dirt and grime off. Not this year, it was if you reached into Gulf and pulled one out and shucked it. So the oysters came with the following condiments, hot sauce, cocktail sauce, crackers, & mud/dirt. But hey, after 5 beers I still ate them. So I can't complain that much. Since SA wants us to be responsible drinkers we called the TAXI on the way to the event and got to use the FIESTA Voucher $20 is paid by the city and you cough up the rest & driver tip. This worked out great on the ride out there, not so much on the way back. In fact, our party called 30 min. prior to the event being over and still no cab. I know it's busy, but come on. We ended up flagging one down and it turned out they stated the voucher doesn't apply and that the local media was misleading everyone. So we ended up paying full fare instead of waiting for another hour for a cab. (sad face) read more

Fiesta Oyster Bake, which is a huge tradition in SA, is a family fun, 2 day event hosted by St Mary's University. My boyfriend and I didn't want to hassle with parking so we utilized the events park and ride services (round-trip for 2 $10), which I'm so thankful they provided. They also gave us 2 vouchers for free bottled soda or water for using their services. The pre-sale entry lane moved at fair speed. Definitely be prepared to wait in lines. I counted a total of 5 concert stages set up across the campus, all providing different music genres. The food, what we really went for, was typical fair food: Steak on a stick, sausage on stick, chicken on a stick, shrimp on a stick, corn in a cup, bacon wrapped stuffed jalapeños, fried pastries, beer/malt/wine, oh and oysters of course! $30 (0.50 per ticket) worth of tickets was enough for the two of us. We did not ride or play games. Fun family or date night event; however, I would not attend again! read more

This year was the 99th year of the oyster bake. Talk about tradition, right? You could buy your tickets for a little bit of a discount at HEB, or just pay at the door. 23-25$ depending on what you did. Once you're inside the event is huge. It spans the entire campus and there's food and festivities around every corner. Make sure you get tickets when you get inside to buy food and drinks. We had problems finding a ATM that was working to get cash out, so be sure to stop before you come in! The food is typical fair food. Fried everything, corn dogs, funnel cakes, beer and wine. They did have oyster shooters and buckets of oysters either shucked or do it yourself. I'm not big on oysters, but I did watch friends take some shooters. It's pretty crazy inside. Very crowded. LOTS of trash. People not using bins, or bins being overfilled and pouring out. I don't think I'd come back if I had to pay that entrance fee again. It's pretty steep for just access to live music and food for purchase! read more

Oysters! Food on a Stick! Beer! This is a great Fiesta event. It goes on for two nights, Friday and Saturday. Go early if you really want to eat oysters. They run out occasionally. Usually, it's baked oysters. They're liberal with the hot sauce and crackers. You've gotta rent the oyster shucker, and pay a deposit. Just don't lose that thing! There's plenty of beer here. I recommend going over to the tejano stage where they sell all the imports at nearly the same price as the Bud Light. There's always lots of great bands that play here. They have a main stage where the most famous bands play, but I always enjoy going to the smaller stages where you get a more intimate performance. You've gotta get the Chicken on a Stick. It's delicious. All the best Fiesta foods come on a stick. It's deep fried chicken breast, on a skewer, with a jalapeno and sometimes with a pickled carrot. Ask for it "juicy" where they dip the whole chicken breast in the jalapeno juice. There's lots to see and do around here. Be sure to take the bus down from Crossroads Mall to avoid parking. It's a nightmare around there. For a few bucks roundtrip, you can sit back and let Via do the driving. Yea, this is a bit of an expensive Fiesta event, but it all goes to a good cause, and all the booths support good causes and the university. Go Rattlers! read more

This is the third time attending Oyster Bake and I have to say I really enjoyed it because they have a variety of food, drinks, and music. I went on a Saturday which had perfect weather despite the fact that the weather prediction was 50-60% chance of rain. It was a beautiful day for the most part. I went through VIA Park and Ride which saved money. What is the other reason I go to Oyster Bake? No not for oysters (gross) but for chicken on a stick! This is the only reason why you should go to this event! I love the selection of beer and also it carries wine in the wine tasting garden. It also has a carnival for family fun. Plus this all goes to raising money for scholarships for students attending St. Mary's University. This is definitely one of my favorite fiesta events. There is something for everybody here. Viva fiesta! read more

My boyfriend and I went to Oyster Bake for the first time this past weekend and had a BLAST!!! We parked at crossroads and took the VIA bus. It was only $5 each for roundtrip and it was so fast and convenient. If you have a student or military ID it's discounted! Even better, when you ride the VIA bus they give you vouchers for free soda or bottled water! We arrived a little after 6pm and since we had volunteer passes we got to skip the long line at the gate. My only complaint about this event is that all of the areas are really spread out and there's no specific flow of traffic so sometimes you get stuck in big crowds when you're trying to get from place to place. My boyfriend and I came with a game plan in mind and got Chicken on a Stick first. SO GOOD!! The crispy, juicy chicken comes with jalapeno and carrots and is so yummy! They had a good selection of beer and other types of carnival type food. We sampled the roasted corn, turkey leg and fried oreos - everything was delicious and at pretty good prices if you ask me. We both spent around $20 each. (You buy coupons worth 50 cents each to pay for food/drinks, so bring cash!.) Also, the lines were not as bad as I thought (we waited max 3-4 minutes for food/drinks). I liked the different music stages! I feel like there was something for everyone: country, rock, pop and jazz (in the chill zone!). The lawn is a great place to chill out (I wish we had brought a picnic blanket and saw that several people brought their own lawn chairs). We will definitely be going back next year! read more

I have been coming to Oyster Bake for 20 years!!! Best Chicken on a stick and kids like carnival rides!!! read more

I got there at 8pm last night which I don't recommend unless there is a particular performer you want to see. It was trashed worse than the last one I went to a couple years ago. Budlight was a sponsor and the bottles were everywhere. Still pricey but at least the money goes to the school. I felt bad for the campus and clean up crew. They should have a beer can collection contest. I guess it's always like this but it just looked particularly bad. Most garbage cans looked ignored while others overflowed. I went to the 96.1 stage 5 and there was a 104.5 car there in front that this group of people were bouncing on. They broke the windshield and dented the hood with their ton of weight. If they are reading this, thanks for giving us the view of your butts. Glad they kicked you off. But who knows why else they had the car there.... read more

Ok, not sure what the hype is? Save your money for NIOSA. $25 per person $20 for parking $.50 a ticket for food and drinks? So you spend at least $6 or more for food and at least $10 for beer. WTF? There isn't anything special about this event. There are barely any oyster or oyster related booths. There is corn, more corn, chicken on a stick, basically carnival food. There were better, cheaper food tents outside the event. Nothing unique!? Hello this is San Antonio, there should be a variety of food. I guess if you just want a different place to get drunk just go here. I would have stayed for Sevendust and POD and that would have been worth it but I couldn't stay for kid reasons. On the upside proceeds fund scholarships so at least the $100 I spent went to education. read more

Love coming to oyster bake. Great food and family fun. Enjoy volunteering at this fiesta event.

Charged me to get on property but didn't have money to buy oysters. $30 to get on campus.

For something called Oyster Bake, they really did not have a lot of oysters on the menu. Their fried oysters were very greasy and burnt. But their steamed oysters were delicious and so were the oyster shots! Other than that, it is the usual fiesta fair food. It is spread out pretty good and I had a great time. Wouldnt mind going again. Just wish for more oysters read more

This was a great Family fun filled festival. A good friend of mine works at St. Mary's and invited us to come down the weekend of fiesta oyster bake to partake in the festivities and to say good by because the family is being stationed in Japan. Friday was A little warm but once the sun went down the weather was perfect. On Friday night they had acts such as Eddie Money and the Ying Yang twins performing. They also had a jubilant fireworks display that lit up the night sky. I was lucky enough to find a pop up bar with seats and big screen tv's. This is where I spent most of my night, people watching and watching the playoffs. All was right with the world. I even grabbed a bite to eat on the way out. Fried Chicken on a stick was by far the best thing they had out there. who ever made that needs to open a fried chicken on a stick restaurant. Over All its a great festival filled with rides, games, food, and entertainment. read more