Buses full of seniors arrived at the Wonderland of the Americas Mall on Thursday, disembarking to the sound of salsa music.
Following the sound of the music into the second floor of the mall, the over-65 crowd took in the scene of colorful attire, floral crowns, Fiesta sombreros and joyful dancing before making their way down to join Senior Fiesta, the only official Fiesta event specifically for seniors.
An estimated 3,000 seniors attended this year’s Senior Fiesta, according to Catholic Charities, which hosted the celebration.
The party occupied the entire first floor of the mall with vendor booths — mostly health information and insurance groups — and two entertainment stages. Performers included the University of the Incarnate Word Emeraldettes and singers Little Henry and Patsy Torres.
“I’m looking forward to many more events like this,” said Ana Elizondo, 63. “We’re in desperate need of that. Senior citizens are in a crisis of loneliness and dementia and we need to have celebrations as this to make sure we have the support.”
Elizondo ticked off seniors’ health-related concerns, including Alzheimers, diabetes and cancer. She urged organizers to host more events that would bring seniors together and offer them resources.
Elizondo had a message for fellow seniors, too: “You can do it, because I’m doing it,” she said.
Almost every health information booth had lines of seniors clutching swag bags. Other vendors sold Fiesta medals, concha wallets and custom cups, among other items.
Teresa Reyes stood at one of those lines as her husband waited in a nearby seating area.
“I didn’t know it was going to be this crowded,” said Reyes, who heard about the event from her doctor at Gonzaba Medical Group — the related nonprofit Gonzaba Foundation was one of the event’s sponsors. Reyes said she’d gone to Fiesta events her entire life growing up in San Antonio, but this was her first Senior Fiesta.
Stephanie Otis, Catholic Charities’ program coordinator of senior services, said the event helps educate older residents about what resources are available to them.
“It’s something to do to keep them [seniors] from being isolated, because they live longer,” said Otis. “The more they stay at home, their health starts dwindling. This keeps them living a longer life.”
Otis promoted Catholic Charities’ retired senior volunteer program and its foster grandparent program, which pays seniors $4 an hour to spend time with children in the foster care system.
Along the hallway from where her information booth was located, a number of seniors set out lawn chairs and watched the crowds of people passing by.
MJ Luera traveled from Universal City to attend. Wearing a flashing floral crown, she stood near an exit with three friends, getting ready to leave.
“We came early,” Luera said — the event ran from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. — “that’s why we’re leaving early.”
