San Antonio is now famous as the Fiesta City, but long before the Battle of the Flowers became nationally known or HemisFair ’68 re-shaped Downtown, San Antonio played host to other festivals and expositions. One of these was the San Antonio International Fair. This exposition and livestock show was held annually during October or November from 1888-1911.
Like the World’s Fairs and other expositions held in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the San Antonio International Fair offered a display of the latest in business and technology. An 1899 description praised it as being “as fine a line of exhibits from mills and factories as was ever shown at any fair south of St. Louis.” Truck farmers and fruit growers also displayed their accomplishments, and a 1906 description mentions Ladies’ art, and floral departments as well.