So -- you know that San Antonio's Fiesta celebration is one of the largest gatherings in the world. And most of you know, whether you're from Texas or not, that Fiesta is famous for a lot of things, chief among them are the many parades that highlight the 10-day celebration. But what do you really know about the three big parades that help to make San Antonio famous? Can you name them? Know how they got started? We thought we did, but must admit we had to rely on our friends at the San Antonio Express and San Antonio's KENS TV to confirm what we knew and to add to the truth and certainty of it all. (By the way, if you want to know more about Fiesta including all the event schedules, visit one of our favorite Web sites, MySA.COM). After comparing our notes with information of their quality Web sites, we offer the following compilation for your review. The BIG THREE parades of Fiesta San Antonio (and this is the easy one) are: A: The Texas Cavalier's River Parade B: The Famous Battle of Flowers Afternoon Parade C: The More Famous Fiesta Flambeau Night Parade Now that wasn't so hard was it. So let's make the next question a little harder. Ready? Which of the three parades above is the only parade in the United States planned and administered entirely by women? If you answered B above, you're absolutely right. The famous Battle of Flowers Parade, while the brainchild of a man, a Mr. J.S. Alexander, president of the Texas National Bank. Alexander had seen flower parades in Europe where the highlight of the event was a battle between women using flowers. Ellen Maury Slayden, another prominent San Antonian, liked the idea. The Battle of the Flowers became a pet project of Slayden and Mrs. J.S. Alexander. The women received the help of the prestigious all-male San Antonio Club. The men created a committee of their own to assist with the plans for the project. Most importantly, they agreed to raise the necessary funds to inaugurate the event. But it was a women's group, the Battle of Flowers Association, that made the project their own and continue to work their magic every year. Next question: In 1941, what event inaugurated the newly completed San Antonio Redevelopment project? Okay - this is an easy one if you know anything about San Antonio history, because we slyly left out a key word in the question. The question should read, "What was the inaugural event of the 1941 San Antonio River Redevelopment Project?" The answer, of course, is the famous River Parade. In 1905, King Selamat I made his official entrance to the event via the river, and in 1907, King Selamat III followed suit in the first real River Parade. By 1940, with the river redevelopment nearing completion, it was decided that a parade would be an ideal way to show off the river. The Texas Cavaliers wanted to use the River Parade as a way of introducing their King’s entry into his realm. Okay - too easy. So here's the last question: The U.S. military played a major role in developing this famous parade. The truth is, the elite and high society members of the community had somehow managed to largely forget about including or enlisting the aid of San Antonio's large military community until a Fredericksburg man, credited with starting Fredericksburg's famous Easter Fires Pageant, suggested incorporating the military into the annual Fiesta celebration. Which parade did the military help create? The answers is, you got it, the famous Fiesta Flambeau night parade. Civil engineer Reynolds Andricks and Fredericksburg native Bill Petmecky asked the military to start marching - with flashlights. The duo asked the famed Shriners Club to take part in the parade, and the Flambeau was born. Andricks also solicited out-of-towners to include floats in his parade and he agreed to send floats to theirs. This exchange program helped to focus national attention on Fiesta. Well, now you've got it - a little history behind the big three parades of Fiesta San Antonio. For all the details and times, connect to mysa.com.