What is the San José Mariachi and Mexican Heritage Festival?

Now in its 18th year, the San José Mariachi and Mexican Heritage Festival presents a weeklong schedule of music and educational events, drawing over 50,000 people to hear artists like Linda Ronstadt, Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, Mariachi Cobre, Los Lobos, and Carlos Santana.

The Festival is the cornerstone of the Mexican Heritage Corporation’s programming and the largest of its type in the nation. During the Festival, educational music and dance-master classes are offered by internationally renowned mariachis and maestros of ballet folklórico. The Festival closes with an outdoor feria, featuring music, arts, cultural activities and food in a celebration of Mexican heritage and cuisine.

Festival FAQ

Workshops

• How much does it cost to attend the Workshops?
  $75.00 if you register before July 31st
  $85.00 if you register between August 1st and September 15th
  $150.00 after September 15th.
• What if I can’t afford that? We do grants scholarships to any students who are designated to receive free or reduced lunches at their school. Just fill out the Scholarship Form and send it to us along with the proof of your free or reduced lunch designation.
• How much experience do I need to attend the educational workshops? We ask that all students attending the workshops with Mariachi Cobre and José Tena have at least one year of experience dancing or playing their instrument.
• Does my experience have to be in mariachi? No! If you play an instrument already and are interesting in learning how to play it in a mariachi context, please feel free to register for our workshops.
• What will I need to bring to the workshops? We ask that students bring their own instruments, as well as concert attire – white shirt or blouse and dark pants or skirt for instrumentalists, Jalisco for dancers.
• What performance opportunities are there associated with the Workshops? Workshop students perform at the Mariachi Goes to the Movies on September 26th. There will also be an optional Student Showcase Concert on September 24th, for students wishing to perform for each other and the public.
• Who can I contact for more information? Please call our Mariachi Youth Programs Coordinator, Monica Ramos, at (408) 928-5551 or email her at mramos@mhcviva.org. She'll be happy to answer all of your questions.

Outdoor Festival

• How much are tickets to the outdoor festival? Thanks to our generous sponsor, Target, we are thrilled to be able to open this year’s outdoor festival up for free! It’s a great day full of music, food, culture, and fun, so please bring the whole family!
• Who will be performing? Everyone from local mariachis to nationally renowned artists! Please see our full festival schedule (coming soon) for details.
• What other activities will there be at the festival? Family craft activities, vendors selling authentic Mexican art, delicious Mexican food, and much more!
• I’m a vendor and I’d like to have a booth at the festival. Who do I contact about that? Thanks for your interest in the festival. Please call Terry Alderete at 510-436-6672 or 510-648-2337.

Concerts

• How much are tickets? Depending on where you’d like to sit, tickets to Friday’s Evening with Joan Baez are $65, $85, or $125; tickets to Saturday’s Mariachi Goes to the Movies Concert are $65, $85 or $125; and tickets to Sunday’s Concert Tribute to Cesar Chavez with special guests Los Lobos and Carlos Santana are $65, $85, or $150.
• How do I buy tickets? Tickets to all concerts are available through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000
• Do I have to buy my tickets in advance? We’d certainly recommend it. With great artists like Carlos Santana, Joan Baez, Los Lobos, Mariachi Cobre, and our very own Los Lupeños de San José, we don’t think there’ll be many tickets left by showtime!

Media

• Where can I find information about the artists in this year’s festival? Just visit our media page for press kits and website links for all of our great artists.
• Who do I contact for more information or to schedule an interview? Thanks for your interest in the festival! Just contact Jill Arnone of the Arnone Group at (408) 298-8905 or (408) 315-5121 or by email at jilla@thearnonegroup.com

Sponsors

• I’m interested in becoming a sponsor of the festival. Who should I contact? Thanks for your interest in the festival! Please call Marcela Davison Aviles at (408) 928-5501 or email her at mdaviles@mhcviva.org