Cumbia music spills onto the carless street, reclaimed by festivalgoers donned in traditional fiesta wear- flower crowns nested atop women’s heads, vests dotted with jingling medals and a cerveza in hand.
Past the check-in, a group of women laugh and throw fake chanclas at a board to warm up for the chancla throwing contest on April 26 at The Greenline Park. Nicole Sanchez, first time attendee, watches her friend, Melissa De La Fuente, throw one with all her might. Like many first-timers, she had never heard of Chanclas y Cervezas before, but was brought along by a returning attendee. This was De La Fuente’s third year attending.
“It’s a great thing being in the community, volunteering, like you hear about all these things and then we also see the people who receive these scholarships and how happy they are and how much of an impact it makes,” said De La Fuente.
De La Fuente became aware of the event through her job as Community Engagement Specialist with Via and her friend, Lorraine Pulido, chair of the Brooks board of directors and an adjunct professor at Texas A&M University-San Antonio.
Making an impact on the community is the goal for Camp Gladiator trainer Estefania Serna. She has been partnered with Brooks since 2017 and has been involved in many events, fundraisers and any type of volunteering needed for the area.
“So really, just to impact the community, whether it’s through fitness or, you know, anything else around us. This is where I live and work, so I want to be part of it,” said Serna.
Her group of Camp Gladiator volunteers run the chancla throwing contest despite it being their first year at the event. They’re familiar with the area as Serna often uses Greenline as the group’s running spot. Volunteers Joe Montanez and Edward Torres said the close-knit fitness club volunteered to show appreciation to Serna.
“She’s got a good group of people and everyone’s willing to help out,” said Montanez.
The contest from which the event gets half of its name has sign markers decorated with common household pests, common victims of a chancla and the numbers for the scorekeeper to keep track of. The contest will determine the Rey or Reina of the chancla court who would be crowned on stage, said Shelbi Young, Communication Director of CE Group, a marketing group for the event.
“I love the fact that anybody has the chance to be Rey or Reina of something. If you’re in the competition and you win you get crowned and a sash,” said Young.
I heard about Chanclas y Cervezas because I’m starting to have work in the area said Nick Barnes, Rey of the 2025 Chancla Court. After hearing about it from the community he brought his family and the first time attendee scored the highest in the chancla throwing contest.
“It’s our sixth annual one, so it’s about that time that it’s getting to become a familiar name on the southside,” said Brooks Senior External Affairs Manager Liana Puente about the uptick in new attendees.
Chanclas y Cervezas became an officially sanctioned fiesta event four years ago which Puente credits to its growth. This year’s event sold more online tickets than ever before, had the longest line up yet and the plan is to grow the event bigger and better with each year Puente said.
She wants the event to stay at The Greenline Park as it’s a spot in the community that people are familiar with and enjoy. Right now the event only takes up a portion of the park and can be expanded in the future.
Chanclas y Cervezas is one of the main events Brooks Gives Back uses as a fundraiser, said Loretta Hajovsky as she held a leash to a black alpaca wearing a colorful striped poncho adorned with fiesta medals and a small sombrero. She is the owner of Texas Party Animals, a service that brings alpacas dressed in costumes to events, and has been a part of the event for the last 4 or 5 years.
Brooks Gives Back is an organization that focuses on the Brooks area and supports programs and organizations that directly impact the community. Last year they raised $255,000 whichthat was split amongst a small group of nonprofits and schools.
