One of the most beloved Fiesta traditions won’t be back for 2027. In a Wednesday, September 16 Instagram post, the San Antonio Conservation Society said it was temporarily suspending A Night in Old San Antonio (NIOSA). “NIOSA is a beloved tradition, and this decision was not made lightly,” wro te the organization. “We are taking this time to pause and re-evaluate how we can deliver the best possible experience for our organization, community, volunteers, and partners who have made this event possible year after year.”Although the annual party’s roots stretch back to 1936, the first official NIOSA festival took place in 1948. Since then, it has been one of Fiesta’s most well-attended events, and an essential stop to chow down on iconic foods like chicken on a stick.In August, however, organizers revealed they were restructuring. At the time, they gave it a positive spin.“We’re hitting the reset button to completely rethink San Antonio’s premier Fiesta event, ‘A Night In Old San Antonio’,” the Conservation Society said in an August post. “Right now, we feel we can dream bigger. So, we’re redesigning the experience from the ground up, and we can’t do it without your voice.”The restructuring was spurred by construction at La Villita, NIOSA’s yearly venue. The event, set to run April 20-23, 2027, would have lost Maverick Plaza and Villita Assembly Hall — 43 percent of its overall footprint. The conservation society said it wanted to take the opportunity to set the event up for future success by streamlining operations and eliminating two staff positions. It’s unclear how long the NIOSA pause will last. CultureMap has reached out to the Conservation Society for updates. ...read more read less