(San Benito News/Ray Quiroga)
NEWS Staff Report
LOS FRESNOS, TX. —The Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center (NMCAC) is hosting its 31st Annual Conjunto Festival Oct. 4-5, 2024 at Los Fresnos Memorial Park, 900 North Arroyo Blvd.
Admission is $10 per person, per day at the gate. Music begins at 5 p.m. on Friday and 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, and concludes at midnight on both nights. Gates open at 3 p.m. on both afternoons.
According to organizers, the two-day event is a one-of-a-kind cultural program attracting over 2,500 attendees for a celebration described as the best in live Texas-Mexican Conjunto music.
This year’s festival includes 15 Conjunto acts from the Rio Grande Valley, Kingsville, Corpus Christi, Houston, Austin and San Antonio. The 15-band line-up is filled with skilled musicians who continue to keep the Conjunto music tradition alive. The line-up includes beginning musicians to older artists who are ready to bring Conjunto music lovers to the dance floor.
This year, Los Tremendos De Juan P. Ramos, Jesse Perez y Los Compadres Alegres and Los Chachos de Jesse Gomez are making their debut at the festival. Joel Guzman and Sara Fox y Conjuntazzo will appear after an almost 15-year absence.
Also visiting the festival are representatives from Velas’s Lowrider Hats from Toppenish, Washington, who are selling their goods along with a number of vendors who are manning food and beverage booths.
Finally, Mariaelena Villarreal, Hohner Accordions’ official photographer from San Antonio, is photographing and videotaping the festival.
The Conjunto festival is the longest-running festival of its type in the Rio Grande Valley, and one of two festivals within the Conjunto music genre in the nation. The Narciso Martinez Conjunto Festival is the largest cultural production of the NMCAC, which was founded in San Benito on October 29, 1991, on Narciso Martinez’s 80th birthday.
Residing in the outskirts of San Benito, Martinez (October 29, 1911-June 5, 1992), known as El Huracan del Valle (the Valley Hurricane) for his lighting fast accordion play, is considered the genre’s grandfather, having pioneered the music genre with his groundbreaking accordion riffs and style.
“Enjoy two days of live Conjunto music. There will be dancing, food, beverages, and authentic RGV-driven hospitality,” said NMCAC co-founder Rogelio Nunez.
Attendees are asked to bring lawn chairs, and no outside beverages or food is allowed.
“We look forward to a safe and healthy event,” Nunez added.
According to the organization’s mission statement, the NMCAC preserves, promotes and develops the rich cultural heritage of the Mexicano community through programs in the visual arts, music, theater, dance, and literature.
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