Flaco Jimenez performs at 40th annual Tejano Conjunto Festival in San Antonio, Texas. | Courtesy photo
SAN ANTONIO – Tickets are on sale now for the 42nd Tejano Conjunto Festival (TCF) en San Antonio, May 15-19, the first and longest-running Conjunto festival in the country. It is internationally recognized as the most influential event for this beloved South Texas musical tradition. TCF will encompass five robust days of live performances and dancing, including a special Seniors Dance and Conjunto Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
The free Seniors Dance will be held on Wednesday, May 15, for seniors ages 55 and older with music from Los Hermanos DeLeón and Felipe Perez y sus Polkeros. The Hall of Fame ceremony on Thursday, May 16, will feature a special dinner and dance. It will showcase esteemed Hall of Fame inductees from previous years including Bene Medina y su Conjunto Águila, Eddie “Lalo” Torres, Boni Mauricio y Los Máximos, Ruben Garza y La Nueva Era, and Santiago Jimenez. Jr., who has been nominated for three Grammys. Both the Seniors Dance and the Hall of Fame event will take place at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9186, 650 VFW Blvd, and are co-sponsored by KEDA Radio.
The main weekend line-up for the 42nd Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival at Rosedale Park, 303 Dartmouth St, will feature three days of the best in conjunto music from Friday, May 17 through Sunday, May 19, 2024. On Friday, May 17, the Festival kicks off with Conjuntazzo with Joel & Sarah, Los D Boys, Gilberto Pérez Jr. y su Conjunto, Los Conjunto Kings de Flavio Longoria, David Flores y Los Tremendos Alacranes, and Los Desperadoz.
On Saturday May 18, the festival features student conjuntos from Rio Grande Valley, Retoño, J.R. Gómez y Los Conjunto Bandits, Mando y La Venganza, Conjunto Prestigio, Bernardo y sus Compadres, Impozzible, Los Tellez, Los Monarcas de Pete y Mario Díaz, Ruben de la Cruz, Los Cucuys de Rodney Rodriguez, and Lázaro Pérez y su Conjunto.
On Sunday, May 19, the Tejano Conjunto Festival starts with student conjuntos from San Antonio and then closes out with the Texas Sweethearts, Linda Escobar, Susan Torres y Conjunto Los Pinkys, Cindy Ramos y su Conjunto, Los Delta Boyz, Santiago Garza y la Naturaleza, Eva Ybarra y su Conjunto Siempre, Los Texmaniacs with Flaco Jimenez, and Los Fantasmas del Valle.
Prepare for an unforgettable experience as these legendary performers ignite the stage with their mesmerizing melodies and infectious rhythms.
The festival draws an enthusiastic audience of more than 10,000 fans, dancers, and musicians from across Texas and the United States, as well as Mexico, Europe, and Asia. The crowd has grown over the years to include legions of fans who return each year to dance and celebrate Conjunto culture. The Tejano Conjunto Festival has become a model for many other Conjunto festivals that have appeared since it started in 1982, and is credited with highlighting the singular music and culture of South Texas Tejanos. This year’s events will be held at Rosedale Park (303 Dartmouth St) and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9186 (650 VFW Blvd).
TCF is one of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center’s most beloved annual events. It is directed by Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center Executive Director, Cristina Ballí; produced by Dan Margolies; and founded by Juan Tejeda, the first Xicano Music Program Director of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, who continues to serve as an advisor.
“Celebrating the Tejano Conjunto Festival is a vibrant tribute to the heartbeat of San Antonio’s and South Texas’ rich cultural landscape encompassing music, dance and community spirit,” says Juan Tejeda, the first Xicano Music Program Director of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center and founder of the Tejano Conjunto Festival en San Antonio. “Like the soulful melodies of conjunto music, this festival resonates as a beacon of Tejano and Chicano heritage, unity, and empowerment, echoing through generations with enduring strength and resonance.”
“This year’s festival holds the promise of an unforgettable celebration, shining a spotlight on the rich traditions of Tejano and conjunto music. We’re looking forward to creating lasting memories at this remarkable event,” says Cristina Ballí, Executive Director at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center.
Purchase tickets online here. For more information call 210.271.3151.
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