A concert celebrating mariachi music and Mexican cultural heritage featuring the legendary Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan and the celebrated Nuevo Tecalitlan ensemble.
Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán and Nuevo Tecalitlan Mariachi are sharing the bill at the Arena Theatre on Friday, October 16, 2026. It's a double bill of two of the most recognized names in mariachi, both coming from the same town in Jalisco.
Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán is the older of the two. It was founded in Tecalitlán, Jalisco, in 1898 by Gaspar Vargas, and his son Silvestre took over the group in 1928. Now based in Mexico City, they go by the name El Mejor Mariachi Del Mundo. They helped shape the classical mariachi style that violinist Rubén Fuentes brought to the group when he joined in 1944. Since then, they've recorded numerous albums, appeared in more than 200 movies, and collaborated with artists like Linda Ronstadt. The members still wear traditional charro suits, and they're sometimes joined on stage by ballet folklórico dancers.
Nuevo Tecalitlan Mariachi is another celebrated ensemble known for its authentic sound and stage presence, and they'll be sharing the bill for the night. The show is billed as a celebration of mariachi music and Mexican cultural heritage, and the set includes classics like El Son de la Negra along with medleys of past mariachi singers.
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It's a night of two ensembles from the same Jalisco town playing the music they're known for. The show starts at 8 PM at the Arena Theatre in Houston.
