Allegretto Music: The Best San Antonio Band takes FIRST PLACE at the Fiesta River Parade

Groove City Band wins First Place for the Best Band at the

TEXAS CAVALIERS RIVER PARADE

Monday, April 20 Groove City accompanied reality TV star and San Antonio singing sensation, Erica Gonzaba, who was herself crowned Miss Fiesta in 2005. Erica and Groove City took part in the Texas Cavaliers River Parade, on San Antonio's Riverwalk. This is the one parade in the country where the floats really do FLOAT! The parade consists of 48 floats, and each has its own theme and live musical entertainment. Groove City provided music for the Fiesta Royalty Float, where all the Fiesta queens are!

Groove City with the Fiesta Queens: Miss San Antonio, Miss Fiesta 2009, Queen of Soul, Miss Charro Queen, Paul Croteau (sax), Miss Fiesta 2005 Erica Gonzaba (vocals), Jose Irizarry (keyboard), Ivette Irizarry (percussion/backups), Jonathan De La Garza (drums)

The parade started in the Municipal Auditorium area at about 7:30pm. Ours was by far the best-looking float. The formula: take barge, stick smiling beauty queens on top and voila, your float looks great! The float, sponsored by the Fiesta Commission had the theme TEXAS ROCKS! It was decorated in yellow, with a big arch with musical notes (you have to hold on to something!) and two giant heads that we are guessing were Buddy Holly and Stevie Ray Vaughn.

As part of the River Parade, there is a contest with two categories: 'Best-looking Float' and 'Best Band'. On Thursday, April 23 we were notified that the Fiesta Royalty Float won the award for the best band!

The parade was a huge success for the TEXAS CAVALIERS. There were over 250,000 people in the audience at the parade. In all, over $300,000 were raised for 40 local charities.

Mis Fiesta 2005, singer, Erica Gonzaba

The parade was a lot of fun for us. People waived and cheered. They danced and they sang along with us as we floated by. The spectators pelted us with beads, flowers and cascarones, and we threw things back at them too!