41st Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival en San Antonio Starts May 17
The 41st annual Tejano Conjunto Festival en San Antonio will be held on May 17-21, 2023, with events at the historic Guadalupe Theater in addition to Rosedale Park. This event is the first and longest-running conjunto festival in the country and is internationally recognized as the most significant event for this popular Texas musical tradition. The highlight of the 41st annual Tejano Conjunto Festival is the opportunity to hear the best in Conjunto music from all across the many different styles played across Texas.
“This year is shaping up to be an incredible Tejano Conjunto Festival with a great line-up and more enthusiasm than ever from conjunto fans.” said Cristina Ballí, Executive Director at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. “The festival highlights and celebrates the best in conjunto music and the Texas Mexican cultural traditions of music, dancing, food, and community connectedness. We look forward to making it an event to remember.”
The main line-up for the 41st annual Tejano Conjunto Festival will feature three days of the best in conjunto music. On Friday, May 19, the festival kicks off with Joe Zimmerle y Su Conjunto, Los Tellez, Javier Solis y los Unikos, Ruben de la Cruz and Ruben Garza, the South Tx Homies, and Ricky Naranjo y Los Gamblers.
On Saturday, May 20, the festival features Conjunto Cats, Isaac De Los Santos y La Sangre Chicana, Jesse Gomez y Los Chachos, Ricky Guzman y Los Tres Ases, Conjunto Baraja de Oro, Los Cucuys de Rodney Rodriguez, Los Fantasmas del Valle, Los Monarcas de Pete y Mario Diaz, Lazaro Perez y su Conjunto, Los Garcia Brothers, and Tony Tigre Saenz y La Rosa de Oro.
On Sunday, May 21, the Tejano Conjunto Festival finishes with Cindy Ramos y su Conjunto, Grupo Azido, the Tejano Boys, Los Badd Boyz Del Valle, Santiago Garza y Naturaleza, Flavio Longoria and the Conjunto Kingz, Edgar Vasquez y Sus Muchachos, Eva Ybarra, Los Texmaniacs featuring special guest Flaco Jimenez, and Boni Mauricio y Los Maximos.
On Saturday and Sunday, the festival will also feature special performances by student conjuntos from the Rio Grande Valley and San Antonio.
In addition to live music and dancing over three days at Rosedale Park, the 41st annual Tejano Conjunto Festival will feature two popular events at the historic Guadalupe Theater. On Wednesday, May 17, there is a free seniors’ dance with music from conjunto legends Eddie Lalo Torres y Su Conjunto and Santiago Jimenez, Jr. y Su Conjunto. There will also be four new inductions into the Conjunto Music Hall of Fame honoring conjunto pioneer Mike Garza, singer and bass player Ramon Gutierrez of San Antonio, and singer Cruz V. Martinez of Elsa/Edcouch.
For the first time ever, the Guadalupe is inducting an organization into the Hall of Fame to honor the 30th anniversary and wide impact of the Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center of Los Fresnos. Inductees will perform along with Hall of Fame accordionist Bene Medina y Conjunto Aguila.
The Guadalupe is also hosting a special photographic exhibition, “The Instruments and Artistry of the Acosta Family of San Antonio,” held in the Progreso Community Gallery, next to the Latino Bookstore at 1300 Guadalupe St. The exhibition presents rare and never-before-seen historical images of the family’s legendary Westside luthiery shop and the unique instruments they produced.
There will be a free reception at the opening of the exhibit on Monday, May 15 at 7;00 p.m. featuring live music and discussion of the family’s significance by instrument historian and luthier Todd Cambio. This special exhibition is open to the public and will be available for viewing beginning on May 15, during Latino Bookstore hours, Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
“The Tejano Conjunto Festival has become an important tradition in the cultural and artistic life of the city of San Antonio, and much like conjunto music itself, continues to serve as a powerful symbol and popular expression of Tejano/Chicano culture, identity and empowerment” said Juan Tejeda, the first Xicano Music Program Director of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center and founder of the Tejano Conjunto Festival en San Antonio.
Tickets for the Tejano Conjunto Festival en San Antonio 2023 are $45 for a weekend pass at Rosedale Park. Tickets are available online and in-person at the Guadalupe Latino Bookstore (Historic Progreso Pharmacy Building), 1300 Guadalupe St., Latino Bookstore hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m.to 4:00 p.m.. The Latino Bookstore will be closed on May 19-20.
The Conjunto Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony and dance requires a separate ticketed event and can be acquired online.
More details about the line-up, tickets, and other information are posted on the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center webpage at https://guadalupeculturalarts.org/. For questions, contact: conjunto@guadalupeculturalarts.org.
Photos courtesy Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center.
