San Antonio’s Mariachi Extravaganza is the largest and longest running mariachi music event in Texas with a history of featuring the best of mariachi music in the world. The event dates back to 1979 when the world’s preeminent, and Mexico City based, Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán performed in San Antonio in the first mariachi festival in the country. The early days of the mariachi festival featured some of the first school based mariachi music programs established in the U.S., mariachi group competitions and concerts featuring the world renowned and Mexico City based Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán. The events held between 1979 - 1985 gave birth not only to the first mariachi festival in the U.S. but also to the concept of combining mariachi group performances with a full symphonic orchestra. Mariachi music festivals have blossomed throughout the Southwestern part of the United States and Latin America over the past 2 decades. San Antonio’s Mariachi Extravaganza took a 10 year hiatus and was resurrected in 1995 under the leadership of Cynthia Muñoz, President of Muñoz Public Relations. Muñoz grew up playing mariachi music through the church and in school as a youngster and began producing San Antonio’s Mariachi Extravaganza after starting her own public relations firm in 1993. Muñoz has grown the event extensively to one of the most reputable mariachi music festivals
in the U.S. The event serves host to the largest and most competitive mariachi group and vocal competitions in the world along with a slew of entertaining and educational mariachi music events held throughout a 7-day period. San Antonio’s Mariachi Extravaganza serves as a platform to promote cultural preservation and higher education and attracts numerous colleges and universities with mariachi music programs. Berklee College of Music in Boston, Harvard University, The University of Texas in Austin, The University of Texas Pan Am in Edinburg, The University of Texas at San Antonio, Texas State University and Texas A&M Kingsville are some of the many colleges and universities who participate. San Antonio’s 28th Annual Mariachi Extravaganza is scheduled for November 16 through the 18 and will attract an estimated 15,000 participants from throughout the US and Mexico. One concert will be held with Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán at the Lila Cockrell Theater on November 18. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000 or at the Alamodome Box Office at 100 Montana St., San Antonio, Texas. San Antonio’s 28th Annual Mariachi Extravaganza is sponsored by Cano Health, HEB, KHS America, and MariachiMusic.com.
