On April 22, the Confucius Institute of University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA ) participated in the annual Fiesta San Antonio 2016, and won second prize in the parade square.

This year, as the only representative of Asian culture, the "colorful Chinese style" parade square from the Confucius Institute of UTSA made a stunning appearance. At 1 p.m, a float wound around by a Chinese dragon led the parade square slowly pulling out on Broadway Street. A drum team composed of Chinese and American students in Chinese red clothes with drums hanging around their waists beat the drums jubilantly. Teachers from the Confucius Institute dressed in colorful Han Chinese clothing waved their long silk fan and danced along with the sound of drums. A Double Butterfly Dance performance roused a burst of cheers from audience. The parade square was like a flowery dragon boat, wandering about in a sea of flowers. Wherever the square went, cheers and applause were heard.

The annual carnival is an important celebration in San Antonio, Texas. The fiesta was first held in 1981 to commemorate the Battle of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto in the Texas War of Independence. The carnival lasts from April 14 to 24 and The Battle of Flower Parade on April 22 is the most wonderful part. The parade route is up to three miles and attracts nearly one million people from across the country. The carnival was live or broadcast on national mainstream TV stations.

The Confucius Institute of UTSA has been frequently participating in social activities in recent years. The Institute demonstrated the charm of Chinese culture to locals as well as increase its influence. The Confucius Institute of UTSA, by building a Sino-US cultural bridge, will continue to contribute to developing economic and cultural exchanges and deepening communication and understanding between two countries.