[00:00:01]
ARE Y'ALL FEELING IN THE SPIRIT? YES, I SURE AM.
WE'VE GOT THREE CEREMONIALS TONIGHT, AND SO I'LL, UH, INVITE US ALL TO GET FESTIVE.
THE FIRST IS A PROCLAMATION FOR THE OUR CENTRO SAN ANTONIO AMBASSADORS.
THE CENTRAL SAN ANTONIO AMBASSADORS WILL PRESENT THEIR 2019 FIESTA METAL.
THE AMBASSADORS HELP ACCOMMODATE THE GROWING RESIDENTIAL POPULATION THROUGH THEIR EFFORTS IN THE PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT TO POSITION OUR DOWNTOWN AS A PREMIER CONVENTION AND VISITORS DESTINATION.
THESE MEN AND WOMEN SERVE AS GOODWILL AMBASSADORS BY ASSISTING DOWNTOWN USERS, PROVIDING INFORMATIONAL AND DIRECTIONAL SERVICE, AND GIVING EXTRA ATTENTION TO THE OVERALL APPEARANCE OF DOWNTOWN.
SO, I'D LIKE TO CALL FORWARD EDDIE ROMERO AND MIKE PACHECO FOR THEIR PRESENTATION.
UH, ELIZABETH BERT IS HERE AS WELL, REPRESENTING OUR ORGANIZATION HAS A FEW WORDS TO SAY.
THANK YOU MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL FOR HAVING US TODAY.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF PLACEMAKING AND PROGRAMMING FOR CENTRO SAN ANTONIO.
UM, IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE BEFORE YOU, UH, ESPECIALLY WITH OUR BELOVED AMBASSADOR TEAM.
UH, THE LEADERSHIP NEXT TO ME, UH, INCLUDES, UH, MR. MIKE PACHECO, WHO HAS SERVED AS THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE AMBASSADOR TEAM FOR 10 YEARS.
UM, I SHARE THIS WITH YOU BECAUSE DESPITE THE CHANGE OUR CITY HAS EXPERIENCED AND THE CHANGE, UH, THE CENTRAL ORGANIZATION HAS SEEN OVER THE YEARS, THE AMBASSADOR TEAM MIKE, UH, LEADING THEM, HAS REMAINED FOCUSED ON PROVIDING THE BEST DOWNTOWN EXPERIENCE POSSIBLE FOR BOTH SAN ANTONIO RESIDENTS AND VISITORS ALIKE.
UM, BEFORE MR. PACHECO TAKES THE MICROPHONE, UM, I'D LIKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK HIM FOR HIS LEADERSHIP.
UH, DURING THE PAST, UH, SIX YEARS THAT I'VE BEEN WITH CENTRO, UM, MR. PACHECO AND HIS LEADERSHIP TEAM HAVE BUILT A CULTURE OF PRIDE, UH, AND COMPASSION WITH OUR AMBASSADOR TEAM.
HE'S A COMMUNITY LEADER, A CANARY ISLAND DESCENDANT, A FRIEND, AND A ROLE MODEL.
UH, THESE WOMEN, UH, AND MEN WORK EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE OUR DOWNTOWN IS CLEAN AND SAFE.
UM, WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY'S, UH, CENTER DEVELOPMENT OFFICE, UH, THE TRANSPORTATION CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT VIA TRANSPORTATION, THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT, UH, HAVEN FOR HOPE.
AND THAT'S JUST THE NAME OF YOU.
IT'S TRULY A PRIVILEGE TO SERVE THE DOWNTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF VISITORS WE HELP EACH YEAR.
LAST YEAR, WE HELPED 1.4 MILLION VISITORS GET TO THEIR REQUESTED PLACE AND EVENTS DOWNTOWN AND OTHER PLACES AROUND THE CITY.
DURING FIESTA LAST YEAR, OUR AMBASSADORS ASSISTED 34,000 PEOPLE IN TWO WEEKS AND COLLECTED 6,000 LARGE TRASH BAGS OF TRASH.
YOU KNOW, OUR JOB IS TO CREATE THE ILLUSION SO WHEN FOLKS WAKE UP IN THE MORNING TO VISIT DOWNTOWN AFTER FIESTA EVENTS OR ANY OTHER EVENTS DURING THE YEAR, IT LOOKS FRESH LIKE A PARTY NEVER HAPPENED.
OUR AMBASSADORS ARE THE ILLUSIONISTS.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT IN THE WORK THAT WE DO, AND ALLOWING US TO SHARE THE VALUE THAT WE PROVIDE TO THE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS IN SAN ANTONIO.
AS A SYMBOL OF OUR APPRECIATION, WE ASK OUR AMBASSADOR TEAM TO, UH, TO REP TO PRESENT YOU WITH OUR 2019 FIESTA MEDALS.
AND WE WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO ALL OF THE AMBASSADORS.
AND I, I WILL TELL YOU OF, OF ALL THE INVESTMENTS AND ALL THE, UM, I GUESS, STRUCTURES THAT, THAT WE'VE EVER PUT IN PLACE, I THINK THE AMBASSADORS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE GREATEST PROGRAMS THAT, THAT WE COULD HAVE INSTITUTED.
UH, AND IF I RECALL, I, I THINK, I THINK THIS WAS DONE PROBABLY ABOUT 13 YEARS AGO WHEN I WAS PREVIOUSLY ON COUNCIL.
AND I THINK, UH, I THINK THE DOWNTOWN RESIDENTS ASSESS THEMSELVES, UH, IN ORDER TO BE ABLE TO CREATE THIS, THIS ORGANIZATION.
AND SO I THINK IT'S, UH, I THINK IT'S BEEN WELL WORTH IT.
YOU KEEP OUR, OUR, THE STREETS CLEAN.
PEOPLE COME TO YOU FOR ALL KINDS OF QUESTIONS.
AND SO, UM, I APPRECIATE THE AMBASSADORS AND I THINK SO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS DO AS WELL, AND CERTAINLY, UH, MANY OF OUR VISITORS.
SO WE THANK ALL THANK YOU ALL, AND THANK, THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO.
COUNCILMAN BELI, I, UM, YOU KNOW, I REPRESENT A NORTH SIDE DISTRICT, UH, UP, UM, FAR, FAR NORTH.
AND IF Y'ALL WANNA VISIT DISTRICT EIGHT, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO BRING A BOTTLE OF OXYGEN.
[00:05:01]
IT IS THE MOST NORTHERNLY DISTRICT YOU GOT.UH, BUT, UH, I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY, COUNCILMAN, WHAT CAN WE DO TO GET THOSE NICE PEOPLE IN YELLOW TO BE UP HERE ON THE NORTH SIDE TOO? AND, UH, WHAT A COMPLIMENT, RIGHT? I MEAN, IT'S NOT JUST TOURISTS THAT LOVE YOU, BUT THE PEOPLE OF SAN ANTONIO OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN SEE THE VALUE, RIGHT? OF HAVING YOU ALL, UH, OUT THERE, NUMBER ONE.
NUMBER TWO, IT IS NOT LOST ON ANYBODY.
THAT IT'S NOT JUST A FRIENDLY FACE THAT YOU'RE PROVIDING, RIGHT? AND A WELCOMING, UM, EXPERIENCE FOR PEOPLE THAT APPROACH YOU AND TALK TO YOU.
BUT SAN ANTONIO IS ACTUALLY SAFER BECAUSE OF YOU, RIGHT? UM, AND THEN NUMBER THREE, I'VE SEEN PEOPLE REACT TO YOU WHEN I'M DOWNTOWN.
I'VE SEEN TOURISTS AND WATCH THEM, YOU KNOW, WATCH YOU COME BY AND I SEE THEM AND THEY TALK ABOUT Y'ALL, AND THEY DO IT WITH A SMILE ON THE FACE.
YOU KNOW, 38, 30 9 MILLION PEOPLE COME THROUGH HERE EVERY YEAR, AND YOU GUYS ARE MAKING MILLIONS AND MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLE SMILE.
THAT'S A REALLY SPECIAL THING, RIGHT? I BARELY MAKE TWO OR THREE PEOPLE SMILE IN A WEEK.
UH, AND YOU GUYS DO IT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND I GOTTA TELL YOU, I'M A LITTLE JEALOUS.
I WISH I COULD MAKE THAT MANY PEOPLE SMILE.
AND, UM, YOU GUYS ARE FANTASTIC.
I'M SO PROUD OF YOU, AND THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO TO MAKE MY CITY EVEN BETTER THAN IT IS.
AND COUNCILMAN COURAGE, THANK YOU.
I JUST WANT TO COMMEND ALL OF YOU TOO, FOR THE GREAT JOB THAT YOU DO.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME BY AND, AND WALK FOR AN HOUR OR TWO WITH, UH, ONE OF YOU.
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHAT, IT'S HARD WORK, ESPECIALLY, UH, IN JUNE AND JULY AND AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER, BUT I KNOW ALL YEAR LONG, UH, I, I JUST HAVE A QUESTION.
HOW MANY OF YOU HAVE HAD A PICTURE TAKEN BY A TOURIST WITH YOU? HOW MANY OF YOU SAID, LET ME HAVE YOUR PICTURE? ALMOST ALL OF YOU, I'M SURE YOU REALLY ARE GREAT AMBASSADORS FOR THE CITY.
THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU DO IN KEEPING DOWNTOWN CLEAN AND, AND JUST GIVING A, PUTTING A GOOD FACE ON OUR CITY.
I, I, OF COURSE, WANTED TO ECHO ALL THE SENTIMENTS AND, AND OFFER MY CONGRATULATIONS AND THANK YOU AS WELL.
UM, LAST YEAR, OR EXCUSE ME, LAST WEEK, I, UH, HAD IN THE STATE OF THE CITY ADDRESS, I MENTIONED THAT ONE OF OUR GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS OVER THE LAST DECADE WAS THE REVITALIZATION OF DOWNTOWN.
UH, IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT BUILDINGS.
IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT LANDSCAPES AND EMPLOYERS THAT ARE NOW, UH, RESIDING DOWNTOWN.
IT'S ALSO ABOUT THE PEOPLE WHO WORK THERE HAVE MADE IT GREAT TO MAKE IT BEAUTIFUL TO WALK AROUND, BUT MAKE IT A FRIENDLY PLACE AS WELL.
AND THAT'S THE WORK OF YOUR HANDS.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO TO SAN ANTONIO.
DO FOR SAN ANTONIO TO MAKE US A GREAT CITY IN AMERICA.
AND VIVA FIESTA MAYOR, WE'RE GONNA HAVE HIM COME IN THERE.
WE'RE GONNA SIT, WE'RE GONNA STAND IN THE MIDDLE THROUGH THE GATE.
LIZ, CAN EVERYBODY COME THROUGH THE GATES? YEAH, SHE'S STILL COMING AROUND THOUGH.
OKAY, GUYS, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO LOOK UP THE CAMERA, OKAY.
THANK YOU AGAIN BEING THAT'S GOOD.
[00:10:06]
DENISE HAS I'LL, YES, SIR.OH, I GOT, CAN I GIVE THIS ONE TO MY WIFE? OKAY.
OUR SECOND ITEM TONIGHT IS OUR FBO NIGHT PARADE.
THE 71ST ANNUAL FIESTA FLAMBE PARADE WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, APRIL 27TH, 2019.
THIS YEAR'S THEME IS REFLECTIONS OF MUSIC PAST AND SERVING AS GRAND MARSHALL IS CHUBBY CHECKER.
THE FLAMBOROUGH IS ONE OF THE PREMIER EVENTS OF FIESTA, HAS BEEN CALLED AMERICA'S LARGEST ILLUMINATED NIGHT PARADE.
SO I'D LIKE TO CALL FORWARD BONNIE CAROUSEL TO ACCEPT THIS PROCLAMATION, AND I'LL READ THAT NOW.
SAN ANTONIO CONSERVATION SOCIETY WILL HOST A NIGHT IN OLD SAN ANTONIO.
WHOOP, THAT'S NOT THE RIGHT ONE.
THE FIESTA FLAMM BOW PARADE ASSOCIATION WILL HOLD HOST THEIR 71ST ANNUAL FIESTA FLAMBE NIGHT PARADE ON A APRIL 27TH, 2019.
AND THIS YEAR'S THEME IS REFLECTIONS OF MUSIC PAST.
AND THE GRAND MARSHALL IS CHUBBY CHECKER.
AND WHEREAS THE MAGIC HAPPENS WHEN THE SUN SETS AND THE PARADE STREAMS THROUGH THE STREETS OF BEAUTIFUL DOWNTOWN SAN ANTONIO, ILLUMINATED BY THOUSANDS OF LIGHTS TO GIVE COOL THE COOL TEXAS EVENING, THE APPEARANCE OF BEING LIT BY THOUSANDS OF STARS.
AND WHEREAS THE FLAMM BOW PARADE, ONE OF THE PREMIER EVENTS OF FIESTA, HAS BEEN CALLED AMERICA'S LARGEST ILLUMINATED NIGHT PARADE, AND IS ENJOYED BY MORE THAN 700,000 PEOPLE ALONG ITS ROUTE, AND ANOTHER ONE AND A HALF MILLION ON TELEVISION.
AND WHEREAS FLAMBEAU IS KNOWN AS THE PEOPLE'S PARADE, SHOWCASING THE BEAUTY OF THE VARIOUS CULTURES AND DIVERSITY OF THE COMMUNITY, AND IS DEDICATED TO THE CITIZENS OF SAN ANTONIO.
NOW, THEREFORE, I RON NURENBERG, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, IN RECOGNITION THEREOF, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 27TH, 2019 TO BE FIESTA LAMBO PARADE NIGHT.
THANK YOU, COUNCIL, WE ARE SO EXCITED.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE HERE AND AN HONOR TO BE NAMED THE PREMIER EVENT OF FIESTA.
WE WERE NAMED ALSO THE BEST PARADE BY THE INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL AND EVENTS ASSOCIATION.
SO WE'RE SO EXCITED TO CLAIM THAT HONOR IN OUR, IN OUR BUDGET CATEGORY, BUT WHAT AN HONOR IT IS TO HAVE WORKED WITH YOU ALONG ALL ALONG THROUGH THE, UH, UH, STREETS AND CLOSURES AND EVERYTHING.
Y'ALL HAVE BEEN THERE AND VERY SUPPORTIVE, UH, SUPPORTED WITH US.
Y'ALL READY TO TWIST WITH US? SHELBY CHECKERS READY TO TWIST WITH Y'ALL, SO WE'RE READY TO GET THIS PARTY STARTED AND CELEBRATE WITH US.
AND LET'S TWIST ON APRIL 27TH, 2019.
ALRIGHT, WELL, THAT'S, THAT'S AWESOME.
AND YOU KNOW, SAN ANTONIO, WE LOVE ALL OF OUR PARADES, ESPECIALLY THE THE FLAM BOW PARADE.
UM, I JUST LOVE THE NIGHT, THE NIGHT AND THE LIGHTS.
UH, SO THAT'S ONE OF OUR, MY FAVORITE PARADES.
AND THANK YOU ALL FOR 71 YEARS OF, OF SERVICE AND 71 YEARS OF EXCITEMENT FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO.
YOU KNOW, THIS IS REALLY SPECIAL TO ME THAT CHUBBY CHECKER'S GONNA BE HERE,
I, I USED TO WIN AWARDS FOR MY TWIST CONTEST,
I WON'T, I WON'T SAY ANYTHING OTHER THAN IT WAS IN THE LAST CENTURY
AND YOU, YOU ALL PUT ON SUCH A WONDERFUL SHOW FOR SAN ANTONIO.
THIS IS THE FACE I MAKE WHEN I FIND OUT THAT JOHN COURAGE WAS A CHAMPION.
I DON'T BELIEVE IT UNTIL I SEE IT.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M SO EXCITED THAT, UH, THAT'S THE THEME FOR THIS YEAR'S PARTY.
AND I WILL BE OUT THERE WITH A CAMERA TO TRY TO CAPTURE JOHN COURAGE, TWISTING, AND, UH, I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS AND I'M PROUD OF Y'ALL.
[00:15:01]
YOU, THANK YOU FOR MAKING SAN ANTONIO SPECIAL.MY KIDS LOVE THIS PARADE AND THEY LOVE EVERYTHING THAT YOU DO.
AND, UM, I TAKE CREDIT FOR ALL OF IT, BUT REALLY, I KNOW IT'S YOU DOING THE HARD WORK.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK, SAY THANK YOU.
UH, THIS IS ALWAYS A VERY FUN PARADE.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S ONE OF THE MORE INTERESTING EVENTS DURING FIESTA, BUT I ALSO WANNA SAY THANK YOU TO THE LEADERSHIP OF FLAM BEST FLAM BOW, UH, FOR BE REALLY LISTENING TO THE COMMUNITY IN AND RESPONDING IN, IN WAYS THAT HAS MADE THE PARADE EVEN BETTER EVERY YEAR.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND THANK YOU FOR MAKING FIESTA FUN ALL THE WAY TO THE END.
WELL, THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING THAT WE ARE PROUD TO PUT ON THIS PARADE FOR OUR CITY AND FOR ALL THE CITIZENS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
THANK YOU EVERYBODY, PROBABLY.
NOW WE'VE LEFT YOUR, WE'VE LEFT GIFTS FOR YOU WITH OUR MEDALS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO WALKING YOU.
LAST BUT CERTAINLY NOT LEAST, KNIGHT IN OLD SAN ANTONIO.
THE SAN ANTONIO CONSERVATION SOCIETY WILL HOST ITS SIGNATURE FIESTA EVENT A NIGHT IN OLD SAN ANTONIO OSA, APRIL 23RD TO 26, 20 19.
THE FORTNITE FESTIVAL IS HELD IN LA VITA, NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT AND CELEBRATES SAN ANTONIO'S DIVERSE CULTURAL HERITAGE.
WHAT BEGAN AS A HANDFUL OF SOCIETY LADIES SERVING FOOD AND DRINK FROM RIVER BARGES HAS GROWN INTO THE TOP FUNDRAISER FOR THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN THE NATION, AND TRULY LIVES UP TO ITS MOTTO AS A CELEBRATION FOR PRESERVATION.
SO THANK YOU MARGIE, AND TO YOUR LEADERSHIP FOR BEING HERE TONIGHT.
AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND READ THE PROCLAMATION RIGHT NOW.
WHEREAS THE SAN ANTONIO CONSERVATION SOCIETY WILL HOST A NIGHT IN OLD SAN ANTONIO, APRIL 23RD TO 26TH, 2019, IN THE LOBBY TO NATIONAL HISTORIC DISTRICT.
AND WHEREAS WHAT BEGAN AS A ONE DAY INDIAN FESTIVAL AT MISSION SAN JOSE TO CELEBRATE THE HI HERITAGE OF THE CITY'S EARLY SETTLERS, HAS GROWN INTO THE NATION'S LARGEST HISTORIC PRESERVATION CELEBRATION TO SHOWCASE SAN ANTONIO'S UNIQUE AND CULTURAL TRADITIONS.
AND WHEREAS THE FORTNIGHT EVENT IS PRODUCED BY 13,000 DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS AND OFFERS 15 ETHNIC THEMED AREAS WITH OVER 240 BOOTH FOOD BOOTHS TO PROVIDE ENTERTAINMENT FOR MORE THAN 85,000 REVELERS.
AND WHEREAS PROCEEDS FROM NSSA FUND THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY'S MISSION TO SUPPORT RESTORATION AND PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES, PARKS, WATERWAYS, TRADITIONS, AND THE INTANGIBLE HERITAGE OF OUR MULTICULTURAL CITY IN NEIGHBORING COUNTIES THROUGH EDUCATION, POLICY ADVOCACY GRANTS, AND PRESERVATION PROJECTS AND PROGRAMS. NOW, THEREFORE, IRAN NUREMBERG, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO AND RECOGNITION THEREOF DO HEREBY PROCLAIM APRIL 23RD THROUGH 26 20 19 TO BE A NIGHT IN OLD SAN ANTONIO DAYS.
UM, AS YOU SAID, I'M MARGIE ARNOLD.
I'M THE CHAIRMAN OF A NIGHT IN OLD SAN ANTONIO.
WITH ME THIS EVENING, I HAVE MY TREASURER, JACKIE FILLERS, UH, VICE CHAIRMAN SHARON HEARN.
HE'S BEHIND ME,
UM, A NIGHT IN OLD SAN ANTONIO BENEFITS OUR COMMUNITY BY CELEBRATING AND PRESERVING THE CUSTOMS AND THE CULTURE THAT'S UNIQUE TO OUR REGION.
[00:20:01]
IT'S WHY WE BECOME ONE OF THE PREMIER FIESTA EVENTS OVER THE YEARS, AND WE ARE ALSO THE LARGEST HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUNDRAISER IN THE COUNTRY.UH, A FACT THAT MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT AWARE OF.
UM, ALL OF OUR MONEY THAT WE RAISE GOES BACK INTO THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY COFFERS FOR OUR, OUR PRESERVATION AND EDUCATION AND RESEARCH PROGRAMS THAT WE, UM, PROVIDE THE RESOURCES FOR RESTORATION AND REHABILITATION OF HISTORIC PROPERTIES IN THE SAN ANTONIO AREA.
AND THAT INCLUDES, UH, THE CITY OWNED LATA HISTORIC ARTS VILLAGE.
AND OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS, THE CONSERVATION SOCIETY AND THE FUNDS THAT NISA GENERATES HAVE BEEN OVER $5 MILLION TO THE CITY.
AND ALSO WE'VE, UH, GIVEN BACK ABOUT $1.9 MILLION TO THE LATA HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUND.
SO WE APPRECIATE WHAT THE CITY DOES, AND TODAY WE BROUGHT SOME LITTLE, UH, GIFTS ALONG FOR YOU.
WE, UH, INVITE YOU TO USE YOUR COMPLIMENTARY TICKETS THAT WE GAVE YOU TO COME AND ENJOY THE 71ST PRESENTATION OF A KNIGHT IN OLD SAN ANTONIO, VIVA NIOSA VI.
AND WE WANNA THANK YOU ALL TOO FOR WHAT YOU ALL DO FOR SAN ANTONIO.
AND THE GREAT CAUSE THAT, UH, THAT NSA RAISES MONEY FOR, UH, NSA WAS, WAS MY FIRST, UH, FIESTA EVENT WHEN I CAME TO SAN ANTONIO SEVERAL YEARS AGO.
AND IT'S BEEN ONE OF MY FAVORITE.
NOW I WILL TELL YOU THAT, UH, WE HAVE A DAUGHTER NOW, AND I TRIED BRINGING HER WITH, WITH US WHEN SHE WAS A BABY, AND, UH, I LEARNED THAT I HAD TO BRING HER EARLY, PROBABLY BEFORE SIX.
UM, BUT ANYWAY, IT'S STILL A WONDERFUL EVENT.
WE, WE, WE LOVE GOING TO NSA EVERY YEAR.
OH, THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PAL.
I, I WANNA TELL YOU, I ALSO, UH, MY VERY FIRST TIME AT NSA WAS MY FIRST YEAR OF LAW SCHOOL, AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO DO IT CORRECTLY.
SO AT THE END OF THE NIGHT, I HAD A STACK OF LIKE 30 BEER CUPS, UH, AND I SPENT MOST OF MY EVENINGS STANDING IN LINE AT PORTA-POTTIES.
AND, UH, AFTER MANY YEARS, I NOW KNOW HOW TO DO IT CORRECTLY.
AND, UH, I'M, I'M MUCH BETTER AT IT.
BUT MAYOR, I WANT, I WANNA READ OFF A FEW THINGS TO YOU.
13,000 POUNDS OF BEEF, 5,300 TAMALES, 2000 POUNDS OF CHEESE, AND 1,300 POUNDS OF SHRIMP, FISH AND FROG LEGS.
THAT'S JUST SOME OF THE AMOUNTS OF FOOD THAT IS SERVED AT DI NIOSA.
COINCIDENTALLY, LADIES, THAT IS THE AMOUNT OF FOOD THAT THE MAYOR AND I EAT WHEN WE'RE TRAINING FOR BODYBUILDING TOURNAMENTS,
AND SO, UH, LISTEN, CONGRATULATIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WHAT YOU DO, AND IT'S BEAUTIFUL TO SEE YOU ALL OUT HERE.
YOU KNOW, IT, IT'S REALLY A TESTAMENT TO OUR COMMUNITY BECAUSE ALTHOUGH WE TALK ABOUT THE FOOD, IT'S THE ETHNICITY BEHIND SO MANY OF THOSE DIFFERENT TYPES OF FOODS THAT ARE REALLY THE BEST PART OF NSSA.
IT'S BRINGING ALL THESE DIFFERENT ETHNIC COMMUNITIES TOGETHER, ALL THESE DIFFERENT CULTURES AND SHARING OF THEMSELVES.
AND I THINK EVERYBODY ENJOYS GOING AROUND AND TRYING FOOD FROM EVERY PART OF THE WORLD THAT'S REPRESENTED THERE.
AND IT, IT'S REALLY A THRILL IF YOU CAN JUST STAND THE CROWD, UH, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE, YOU'RE ALL LIKE SARDINES IN THERE.
BUT, UH, IT'S VERY WELL WORTH IT.
SO THANK YOU FOR PERPETUATING THIS WONDERFUL PART OF FIESTA AND, UH, THE CULTURE, UH, AND THE MIX OF CULTURES IN SAN ANTONIO.
WELL, AND OF COURSE, I, I ALSO WANT TO OFFER, UH, A BIG THANK YOU TO YOU.
IT'S, IT'S A SAN ANTONIO TRADITION.
IT'S SORT OF A TRADITION, UH, TO BRING A GUEST FOR THEIR FIRST TIME TO NIOSA AND HAVE THEM GO THROUGH THE RITE OF PASSAGE OF TRYING THEIR FIRST ROCKY MAN ROUND OYSTER
UM, BUT IT IS THE EVENT WHERE PEOPLE GET TO HAVE A LOT OF FUN, BUT BE REMINDED THAT IT'S ALL FOR A GOOD CAUSE.
UM, IT IS THE PARTY OF FIESTA, AND IT IS A REMINDER THAT WE DO THIS FOR A PURPOSE, AND THAT IS TO PRESERVE THE HISTORY OF SAN ANTONIO.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THAT TRADITION POSSIBLE IN VIVA FIESTA.
MARY, DO YOU WANT THE FLOOR
WHY DON'T YOU COME OVER TO THE CENTER? LET GET ON THE OTHER END SWITCH WITH HER.
UH, MAYBE SO I COULD KIND OF EVEN OUT.
NOW SCOOT OVER THIS WAY SO THAT YOU'RE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE PODIUM THERE AND RIGHT CENTER OF THE PODIUM.
AND THEN MARY, DO YOU WANNA PUT THIS SIDE IS MARY IS,
[00:25:01]
THEY'RE ALL GOOD SIDES.WERE YOU READY OR DID I SURPRISE
ALRIGHT, LET'S, ONE MORE, ONE MORE.