Following outrage over wristband system, San Antonio's King William Fair going back to food tickets

Attendees of last week's festival said they experienced technical glitches with the wristband system.

click to enlarge Some King William Fair attendees said they were unable to use funds loaded to the BlastPass system. - Photo by Adriana Benavides
Photo by Adriana Benavides
Some King William Fair attendees said they were unable to use funds loaded to the BlastPass system.
San Antonio's King William Association is parting ways with Saffire BlastPass, the cashless wristband payment system that drew loud criticism from attendees of the 2023 iteration of its Fiesta event.

On Wednesday, officials with the neighborhood conservation group said it will revert to a paper ticket payment system for food and drink purchases at 2024's King William Fair.

The decision comes after blowback from attendees of last week's King William Fair, who said lagging Internet connections made it hard to load money onto their passes. They also expressed anger that no other form of payment was available.

“The 2023 King William Fair did not deliver to fairgoers the experience they’ve come to know and love,” King William Association Executive Director Lisa Lynde said in a statement supplied to the Current.

The King William Association is working to rectify issues for those who experienced BlastPass problems at the 2023 fair, officials also said.

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