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11h ago

San Antonio Conservation Society Pauses NIOSA and Cancels 2027 Festival

Board leaders said multi-year financial losses coupled with a steep drop in attendance make the event unsustainable without new sponsorship or revenue

The San Antonio Conservation Society announced Wednesday it is cancelling its annual A Night In Old San Antonio, better known as NIOSA, as the organization takes another look at the future of the longtime event. (SBG San Antonio)
The San Antonio Conservation Society announced Wednesday it is cancelling its annual A Night In Old San Antonio, better known as NIOSA, as the organization takes another look at the future of the longtime event. (SBG San Antonio)
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The San Antonio Conservation Society announced Wednesday it is cancelling its annual A Night In Old San Antonio, better known as NIOSA, as the organization takes another look at the future of the longtime event. (SBG San Antonio)

Overview

  • The society’s board voted 17-10 to suspend A Night in Old San Antonio and confirmed there will be no NIOSA in 2027.
  • Organizers said the festival has lost money for four straight years as attendance fell about 48% since the pandemic, reducing ticket and on-site sales.
  • The event requires roughly $600,000 to launch each year and leaders said securing about that amount in outside sponsorships would be needed to limit startup risk.
  • The society cut two of six NIOSA-dedicated full-time staff positions while using reserve funds to keep core preservation programs running as it weighs alternatives.
  • Lost space at La Villita, changing downtown development and the festival’s reliance on some 6,500 volunteers complicate efforts to relocate or retool NIOSA and could reshape how the organization raises funds going forward.