Overcast skies loomed before rain fell for hours Saturday as the inaugural Botánica Music Festival unfolded at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. But some of the wettest weather San Antonio has seen in weeks didn’t stop more than 12,000 music fans from riding the park’s rollercoasters and jamming out to more than 30 acts performed across five unique stages.
Headliners included Logic, Deftones, and 2018 Grammy Award-winning best new artist Alessia Cara. Local acts such as Piñata Protest, Carlton Zeus, Femina-X, and seven Mariachi bands performed alongside regional and national acts for more than 12 hours throughout the day.
The indoor stage in the Sängerfest Halle, and the park’s arcade rooms, restaurants, and bars gave festival goers a chance to escape the rain, which maintained throughout much of the afternoon and evening. And while some rides’ operations were repeatedly halted due to inclement weather, holding the festival inside the park allowed attendees of all ages to enjoy both the festival’s musical acts and rollercoasters.
Concert goers weren’t the only ones enjoying the park’s amenities: One fan snapped a picture of rapper Logic riding the 205-foot-tall Scream ride.
Other rollercoasters like the Goliath sent passengers zooming over stages booming with hip-hop, rap, and rock sets.
“San Antonio Spurs fans put your hands up,” Shaquille O’Neal yelled while performing as DJ Diesel. The former NBA player, who attended Cole High School in San Antonio, received roars of applause in response from the audience gathered in front of the Picnic Grove stage.
Organizers described the festival as family-friendly, with some artists’ acts identified as having explicit content on the setlist. Adriana Manchilla, who said she hadn’t been to a music festival in San Antonio in years prior to Botánica, said she thought it was great her family could see one of their favorite artists together.
Main stage acts performed under the cover of Lone Star Lil’s Amphitheater, where a wide lawn and rows of benches made up the general admission section. VIP ticket holders enjoyed exclusive access to the front of the stage as well as chef-catered bites and curated cocktails in a nearby area.
Local artists Cruz and Olivia Ortiz designed artwork placed around the festival grounds for the day, with some serving as backdrops for selfies and group pictures.
David Heard, Botánica co-founder and CEO of local tech advocacy organization TechBloc, told the Rivard Report in a text message that “we hope to” continue the festival next year.
