SAN ANTONIO — Hundreds of people gathered at Wonderland of the Americas mall on Saturday for San Antonio’s 10th annual Frida Fest, celebrating Mexican artist Frida Kahlo through art, music, dance, fashion and culture.
The free, family-friendly festival featured more than 60 vendors and galleries, performances and a Frida Kahlo look-alike contest that brought together participants of different ages.
Organizers also attempted to set a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of people dressed as Kahlo. Organizers counted 80 participants wearing Kahlo-inspired outfits, flower crowns and the artist’s signature unibrow.
Janie Villarreal McClinchy, owner of Que Retro Arts and one of the festival’s organizers, said the event has grown over its 10-year history because of Kahlo’s continuing influence, particularly among women.
“She was all about women’s rights,” Villarreal McClinchy said. “And she was her own person. … A lot of women look up to her because they want to be independent like she was.”
Kahlo, who was born in 1907 and died in 1954, lived with chronic pain and lifelong injuries after childhood polio and a bus accident. She drew on those experiences in her artwork and became one of Mexico’s most recognized artists.
For attendees, her story represented more than artistic achievement.
Finding strength in Kahlo’s story
Deborah Valenzuela, who has collected Frida-themed jewelry, dolls and other items for about 20 years, said Kahlo’s experiences helped inspire her during her own health challenges.
Valenzuela said she drew strength from Kahlo after receiving a breast cancer diagnosis. She has been cancer-free since 2018.
“When a life-changing event like that happens to you, you look at life in a different way,” Valenzuela said. “Frida, you know, she had 35 surgeries, she had a horrible back accident, and so she endured over 35 surgeries. She was all about color and life, and she did not let something like that bring her down.”
Military veteran Nina Guerra also said Kahlo’s resilience and Mexican heritage resonated with her.
Guerra, who runs a nonprofit focused on mental health services for veterans, said Kahlo’s story also speaks to people who face accessibility challenges and other barriers.
“She was a revolutionary,” Guerra said. “Her voice … empowers a lot of not only women but people of color and (sexual) orientation … to really use their voice to speak out about what they believe in.”
Passing culture to a new generation
Jessica Gonzalez brought her three daughters to the festival to help them connect with their Mexican heritage.
Gonzalez said her daughters initially resisted dressing as Kahlo, but their aunt helped put together their outfits. Gonzalez also used the animated film Coco to explain the importance of remembering cultural traditions.
Her daughters joined children, teenagers and adults in the look-alike contest, creating a multigenerational celebration of Kahlo.
Participants wore colorful dresses, flowers, shawls and jewelry while recreating elements of the artist’s distinctive appearance.
Artists and vendors join the celebration
The festival also gave local artists and small businesses a marketplace to showcase their work.
Diana Larson, known as DD of DD’s Mixed Media, was among the vendors selling handmade jewelry and other Kahlo-inspired items.
Larson creates earrings featuring quotations associated with Kahlo and sells artwork featuring symbols connected to the artist, including skeletons, parrots and painter’s palettes.
She said Kahlo’s life and struggles continue to draw people to her story.
“I think people are fascinated with her life and that she struggled so much,” Larson said.
For many of the festival’s attendees, that combination of art, culture and resilience made Kahlo’s legacy relevant across generations.