This year’s concert will be hosted by master of ceremonies Alberto Alegre and presents the Mariachi Campanas de America, mariachi quartet Janitzio and the first place winners from this year’s Varga Extraveganza, Texas State’s own mariachi ensemble Nueva Generacion.

There will also be a free concert open to the public in the outdoor Glade Theatre on campus put on by Texas State’s award-winning Salsa del Rio at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 28.

More than 200 middle school and high school student participants will be on campus during the weekend for two days of instructional seminars focusing on various aspects of the mariachi musical art form. Everything from personalized instruction on the various instruments used in mariachi music and vocal technique to stage presence, arrangement and the traditions of mariachi are included in the two-day event.

Participants for the competition portion of the weekend come from high schools, middle schools and colleges around the state.

The mariachi competition begins at 9 a.m. Sunday at Evans auditorium on campus and is free and open to the public.

The weekend is organized by John Lopez, a professor in the School of Music as well as director of Multicultural Music Ensembles. Additional help was provided by the members of Mariachi Nueva Generación.

The first 300 Texas State students to drop by the main office in the School of Music (room 101) are eligible to receive free tickets to the La Feria del Mariachi Concert. In lieu of that, Texas State students may purchase tickets at the door for $5 with a university ID the day of the event. Tickets ($15 for preferred seating, $10 regular seating and $5 for children ages 13 and under) for all others may be purchased at the door, the main office in the School of Music (245-2651), or in advance at three locations in San Marcos: Taqueria El Charro and both HEBs.

For additional information, visit the Texas State Multi-Cultural Music home page at www.txstate.edu/mcmusic.