Texas Folklife is proud to serve as a sponsor of the Fifth Annual Huapango Sin Fronteras Festival, a gathering of both Mexican and U.S.-based huapango musicians. The festival will present groups from Austin, Houston, Dallas, and Chicago, as well as from California and Mississippi. There will also be a few special guests from Guanajuato, Mexico. The only event of its kind in the U.S., the festival provides a unique experience to enjoy one Mexico’s richest musical traditions.

To inform the public about the music genre and the festival, musician and teacher Nesta Velazquez of Los Cenzontles, the pioneering Fandango Jarocho group from San Pablo, CA, will give a brief lecture about these Mexican folk and dance traditions, lending insight into their long history, practice and performance genres. Valazquez is originally from Xichú, a city located in the Northeast region of the state of Guanajuato, Mexico.  Additionally, the festival founder, Austin-based huapango arribeño trovador (poet-practitioner) Raul Orduña, will be on hand to answer questions about the festival.  

A sampling of the music will be provided by the all-famale son huasteco group Las Palomitas Serranas. The group hails from Xichú, Guanajuato, and consists of Patricia González Oviedo on violin, Isabel Rodriguez Jacinto on violin, Julieta Gonzalez Oviedo on guitar, and vocalist Tulia González Oviedo on jarana.

The lecture and performance is open to the media and members of the public.