NIGHT COURT

Everything you need to know about Cornyation, one of Fiesta's silliest secrets

Confetti drops on a skit from Fiesta Cornyation.

It’s gayer than an episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race, bluer than a burlesque review, and raises millions for local charities. What may be the strangest of Fiesta’s oddball traditions is back for a limited engagement at the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre.

Known to few outside of San Antonio, Cornyation began in 1951. Originally presented as the Court of the Cracked Salad Bowl, it was a costume pageant meant to spoof Fiesta’s elitist old guard. After hitting pause in the mid-sixties, the tradition reemerged in the ‘80s with just as much silliness and a sharper social bite.

Today, the spectacle is a three-day affair showcasing some of Alamo City’s most twisted creative talent. Months of preparation go into creating the lavish (and often garish) costumes, sets, and choreography. Even more time goes into brainstorming the skit’s scripts, which skewers local and national politics, celebrity culture, and noteworthy events from the previous year.

The spectacle is presided over by King Anchovy, the original garnish on top of the inaugural event’s salad. The honor has been held by City Council members, U.S. Representatives, and well-known philanthropists but requires no status. It’s also not gendered. Pig Liquors proprietor Anet Alaniz will rule this year’s Court of the Chaotic Wisdom.

Cornyation isn’t all pomp, of course. The volunteer-run organization has long supported HIV and AIDS education and other LGBTQ+ causes. The annual performances have raised more than $3 million for San Antonio AIDS Foundation, BEAT AIDS, the Thrive Youth Center, and scholarship recipients from area high schools.

Fiesta Cornyation runs April 25-27, with nightly shows at 7 pm and 10 pm. Tickets, starting at $15, are available online.

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schools with high achievers

These 7 San Antonio K-8 schools rank among Texas' best for 2025

Basis San Antonio - Shavano Campus

Congratulations are in order for the Dragons.

Several San Antonio elementary and middle schools are at the top of the class when it comes to educating and preparing the next generation for a successful life and career, according to U.S. News & World Report's list of 2025 Elementary and Middle Schools Rankings.

One such school – Basis San Antonio - Shavano Campus – is the No. 17 best middle school in Texas for 2025.

This November, U.S. News ranked over 79,000 public schools on the state and district level using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Schools were analyzed based on their students' proficiencies in mathematics and reading/language arts on state assessments, and tie-breakers were decided based on student-teacher ratios.

"The 2025 Best Elementary and Middle Schools rankings offer parents a way to evaluate how schools are providing a high-quality education and preparing students for future success," said LaMont Jones, Ed.D., the managing editor for Education at U.S. News. "The data empowers families and communities to advocate for their children’s education. Research continues to indicate that how students perform academically at these early grade levels is a big factor in their success in high school and beyond."

Texas' best middle schools for 2025
In all, five San Antonio middle schools achieved spots among the top 100 best Texas middle schools for 2025, according to U.S. News.

The Shavano Campus of the Basis San Antonio charter school has a total enrollment of 1,018 students, with 84 percent of the student population scoring "at or above the proficient level" in mathematics, and 90 percent scoring at that level of proficiency in reading. The school has a student-teacher ratio of 16:1, with 63 full-time teachers.

Students at this charter school performed far better with its test scores than the rest of Texas, U.S. News said.

Four additional San Antonio schools ranked among the top 100 best middle schools in Texas, including:

No. 53 – Eleanor Kolitz Hebrew Language Academy
No. 62 – Lopez Middle School, North East ISD
No. 80 – Idea Carver College Preparatory
No. 97 – Young Women's Leadership Academy, San Antonio ISD

The best elementary schools in Texas
Jesus A. Kawas Elementary school in Laredo was crowned the No. 1 elementary school in Texas for 2025, while two San Antonio schools made it into the top 100.

Basis San Antonio Primary Medical Center is the No. 75 best elementary school statewide, boasting 787 students, 48 full-time teachers, and a 16:1 student-teacher ratio. Students at this school scored 80 percent efficiency in math and 85 percent efficiency in reading.

Landing at No. 90 in Texas is San Antonio's Hardy Oak Elementary in North East ISD. Hardy Oak has a student population of 683 with 37 full-time teachers, and one full-time counselor. The school's student-teacher ratio is 18:1, and 77 percent of students are proficient in math, and 85 percent are proficient in reading.

U.S. News says student success at Hardy Oak is significantly higher than the rest of North East ISD.

"In North East Independent School District, 56 percent of students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 46 percent tested at or above that level for math," U.S. News said in Hardy Oak's profile. "Hardy Oak Elementary [also] did better in math and better in reading in this metric compared with students across the state."

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