It comes around once a year, and when it does, it brings a whole lot of noise and celebration to Guadalajara, laced up in trajes de charro and gently swelling strings, belting brass and rhythmic guitar. INCLUDES VIDEO.
A small army of mariachis will descend on the city from August 25 for the 11-day International Mariachi and Charreria Festival, bringing with them all the prestige and flair of decades of tradition paired with a well-oiled cultural event.
The festival, in its 24th iteration, will have a soft opening next Thursday before the grand inaugural parade Sunday, August 27.
See mariachi-jalisco.com.mx for complete details.
OPENING PARADE
Dozens of local and international mariachi bands, folk dancers and charro horsemen and women take part in the colorful opening parade on Sunday, August 27, starting at 10 a.m. at the Niños Heroes monument at avenidas Niños Heroes and Chapultepec. The parade runs all the way down Chapultepec to Avenida Mexico. It’s a great spectacle but get there early for a front row view.
The parade is one of the annual fixtures of the event, showcasing an unparalleled assembly of mariachi groups of all types – from the most traditional non-brass peasant groups to modern, gleaming ensembles.
MARIACHI GALAS AT TEATRO DEGOLLADO
(with paid ticket)
Splashy and emotive evening galas at the Teatro Degollado are the big-ticket item at the 24th Guadalajara International Mariachi Festival. The Jalisco Philharmonic Orchestra lines up alongside the biggest names in the genre: Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán, Mariachi de América de Don Jesús Rodríguez de Hijar, Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán and Mariachi Sol de América.
Friday, August 25; Saturday, August 26; Tuesday, August 29; Wednesday, August 30; Thursday, August 31 and Friday, September 1. All start at 8 p.m.
Tickets are 500-2,250 pesos at Degollado box office or through Ticketmaster. Tickets also available at Camera de Comercio (Vallarta 4095, corner Niño Obrero).
CULTURAL PAVILION
Free mariachi shows are offered in the Cultural Pavilion set up in the Plaza Liberation facing the Teatro Degollado. These showcase domestic and international bands and run daily from Friday, August 25 through Friday, September 1 (no performances Sunday, August 27 due the “gala publica” taking place in the plaza).
The shows start at 4 p.m. and run for about three and a half hours, featuring three acts (including some folkloric dance). The performances on Saturday, August 26 begin at noon and include five acts. The Chapala-based choir, Redes y Cantos de Chapala “Coro Vocal,” is scheduled to perform Monday, August 28, 6:30 p.m.
PUBLIC GALAS
(free to all)
A public gala featuring top bands is held in downtown’s massive Plaza de la Liberacion Sunday, August 27, 6:30 p.m.
The festival’s closing gala takes place in the large Plaza Juan Pablo II (facing the Zapopan Basilica) Sunday, September 3, 7 p.m.
VERBENAS POPULARES
(open-air festivals, free to all)
La Venta del Astillero, Zapopan, Saturday, August 26, 7:30 p.m.
Nextipac, Zapopan, Sunday, August 27, 7:30 p.m.
Santa Cruz del Valle, Tlajomulco, Friday, September 1, 7:30 p.m.
Tesistan, Zapopan, Friday, September 1, 7:30 p.m.
Glorieta Chapalita, Zapopan, Saturday, September 2, 7:30 p.m.
MARIACHI MASSES
Guadalajara Metropolitan Cathedral, Sunday, August 27, noon.
Basílica de Zapopan, Sunday, September 3, noon.
FREE RECITALS IN COMMERCIAL MALLS
These musical interludes in city shopping centers have become more and more popular in recent years of the festival. The 2017 program is bigger than ever, with bands scheduled to perform on multiple days.
Las Plazas Outlet Guadalajara (Av. López Mateos Sur, Hacienda del Oro, San Agustín) Saturday, Aug. 26, 4 p.m.; Sunday, Aug. 27, 4 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 2, 4 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 3, 4 p.m.
Plaza Patria (Av. Américas and Ávila Camacho, Zapopan) Friday, Aug. 25, 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 26, 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, Aug. 27, 5:30 p.m.; Friday, Sept. 1, 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 2, 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 3, 5:30 p.m.
Gran Plaza Fashion Mall (Av. Vallarta 3959) Friday, Aug. 25, 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 26, 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, Aug. 27, 5:30 p.m.; Friday, Sept. 1, 5:30 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 2, 5:30 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 3, 5:30 p.m.
Centro Comercial Andares (Boulevard Puerta de Hierro 4965, Zapopan) Friday, Aug. 25, 6 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 26, 6 p.m.; Sunday, Aug. 27, 6 p.m.; Thursday, Aug. 31, 6 p.m.; Friday, Sept. 1, 6 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 2, 6 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 3, 6 p.m.
Centro Comercial Real Center (Av. Sta Margarita 3600, Zapopan) Friday, Aug. 25, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 26, 7 p.m.; Sunday, Aug. 27, 6 p.m.; Friday, Sept. 1, 7 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 2, 7 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 3, 6 p.m.
Gran Terraza Oblatos (Av. Circunvalación Oblatos 2700) Saturday, Aug. 26, 6 p.m.; Sunday, Aug. 27, 6 p.m.; Friday, Sept. 1, 6 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 2, 6 p.m.
Ciudadela Urban Village (Labná 1437, Jardines del Sol, Zapopan) Friday, Aug. 25, 6 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 26, 6 p.m.; Sunday, Aug. 27, 6 p.m.; Friday, Sept. 1, 6 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 2, 6 p.m.
Plaza del Sol (Av. López Mateos Sur 2375, Ciudad del Sol, Zapopan) Saturday, Aug. 26, 6:30 p.m.; Sunday, Aug. 27, 6:30 p.m.; Friday, Sept. 1, 6:30 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 2, 6:30 p.m.
Plaza Galerías (Av. Rafael Sanzio 150, Camichines Vallarta, Zapopan) Monday, Aug. 28, 6 p.m.; Tuesday, Aug. 29, 6 p.m.; Wednesday, Aug. 30, 6 p.m.; Thursday, Aug. 31, 6 p.m.; Friday, Sept. 1, 6 p.m.; Saturday, Sept. 2, 6 p.m.; Sunday, Sept. 3, 6 p.m.
Forum Tlaquepaque (Boulevard Gral. Marcelino García Barragán) Monday, Aug. 28, 6 p.m.; Tuesday, Aug. 29, 6:30 p.m.; Wednesday, Aug. 30, 6 p.m.; Thursday, Aug. 31, 6 p.m.
CHARRO FESTIVAL
The festival also carries a related, though sometimes forgotten cultural component: the National Charro Championship, to be held at Lienzo Charro El Triangulo de Arenas (Camino a La Llave, Tlaquepaque). The venue will host charreria (Mexican rodeo) events from Friday, August 25 to Sunday, August 27. Entry is free on Friday when two sessions are held at 2:30 and 5:30 p.m. The real competition begins on Saturday, when three sessions begin at 12:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. and carry 50-peso fee. Sunday’s finals start at noon and cost 150 pesos. All sessions feature exhibitions by the female teams of riders, known as escaramuzas.
World record attempt Aug. 25
It’s become a tradition of the annual Mariachi Festival to set a Guinness record of some kind during its opening days. This year’s attempt will try to break the record for the largest papier mache sculpture ever created. The fun takes place in the Plaza Liberation, behind the Cathedral, in downtown Guadalajara on Friday, August 25, 10 a.m. All are welcome to watch the record attempt unfold.