SAN ANTONIO — Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza is back! It's pegged as the largest and longest-running mariachi music event in Texas and perhaps in the U.S.
The annual festival kicks off on December 2 and wraps up on December 4 in downtown San Antonio. It celebrates the history and cultural impact of mariachi music. The 3-day festival includes concerts by world-renowned musicians and competitions with participants from all across the country – featuring the best mariachi music in the world.
The event dates back to 1979 when Mexico City-based Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán performed in San Antonio in the country's first mariachi festival. From there, it expanded with organizers combining mariachi group performances with a full symphonic orchestra.
It's held at the Lila Cockrell Theater and tickets are available through Ticketmaster.com, by phone at (800) 745-3000 or by buying them in-person at the Alamodome Box Office, located at 100 Montana Street.
The Mariachi Vargas Extravaganza consists of two national competitions – the national group competition and the national vocal competition. These competitions feature hundreds of young mariachi musicians and vocalists in performances that inspire and impress audiences year after year.
To learn more, visit the official website at MariachiMusic.com where you can also find information about a songwriting competition, along with a thorough history of the event.
The first event listed is "Serenata en el Rio" which is set for 5:30 p.m. at the Shops at Rivercenter in the Lagoon Area. To see a complete schedule of all the events and important deadlines, click here.