No mere bauble, the Fiesta medal is available for pre-order and will be released on the first day of San Antonio’s grandest shindig.
San Antonio is gearing up for the biggest party of the year, Fiesta. The annual event — which runs April 18 – 28 this year — is a series of festive happenings that includes A Night in Old San Antonio, a mariachi festival, crowning of royal courts, balls, carnivals, float parades along the San Antonio River Walk, and more.
One of the most popular aspects of Fiesta is the commemorative medals that are sold and traded in the months ahead of the grand shindig. Released by local businesses, organizations, and individuals, the medals — SA Flavor makes several of our favorites — are the focal points of dazzling premieres, pop-up markets, and trading sessions. Fans form online and real-life groups to share their love of the flashy trinkets.
“Flashy trinkets” is perhaps not a fair assessment. Some Fiesta medals are collectors’ items. Some are more than collectors’ items. Some Fiesta medals are art.
This year’s Fiesta medal collaboration between the Tiny Finch shop and gallery in San Antonio’s Historic Pearl Brewery district and upcycle and mixed media artist Dolan Geiman definitely qualifies as art.
“The creation of the medal came about when a Tiny Finch employee, Jackie Nelson, reached out to me and proposed the idea,” says Tiny Finch owner Courtney Beauchamp. “I immediately thought it was brilliant, and the collaboration started. We thought it would be something completely unique — just like Dolan’s work.”
Beauchamp and company gave Geiman creative license as far as the medal’s design. The artist dived in with one of his signature Dia de los Muertos cowgirl designs (at left).
The 200 medals produced are available as preorders here. All proceeds go toward Kitchen on the Street, a local organization offering food assistance programs.
The public can pick up their preorders and purchase remaining medals when the limited series is released Thursday, April 18, the first day of Fiesta and the date of the meet-and-greet with Geiman at the Tiny Finch. From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. that evening, customers will be able to meet Geiman, mingle, shop, and watch an onsite collage demonstration by the artist.
Pre-order the Dolan Geiman-designed Tiny Finch Fiestal medal here. For more information on Fiesta, visit the festival’s website.
Photography: The Tiny Finch/Facebook, Courtesy Courtney Beauchamp
