Though COVID-19 has turned 2020 upside down, the Las Cruces International Mariachi Conferences drives on!
October 28, 2020, Las Cruces, NM
The Las Cruces International Mariachi Conference has been a staple event for Las Cruces for 26 years. Acts ranging from America’s Got Talent’s, Sebastien De La Cruz to Pedro Fernandez have graced the stage at their annual Spectacular Concert, students from across the county and beyond flood the New Mexico State University campus and take over Corbett Center Student Union to participate in music and dance workshops, and on the weekends leading to the conference you would find Mariachis and Ballet Folkloricos on the Plaza in Mesilla. Unfortunately, none of that will take place this year.
“COVID-19 has made us have to get creative and learn how to take advantage of the digital age. I’m very sad that our community will not become the cultural celebration it has during our annual November Mariachi Conference.” said Executive Director, Robert Palacios
However, “the show must go on!” Organizers have decided that the importance of the educational workshops and interaction among participants, educators and volunteers is too important to not have the conference. This year, for the first time the Las Cruces International Mariachi Conference will be virtual.
Mr. Palacios continued to say, “We had a big decision to make. We had to decide how we were going to keep to our mission and be socially responsible during these trying times. So, I am proud to announce that we are moving forward with holding our conference… except this year online.”
Conferences and live events across the US have had to either cancel or find a way to go virtual. Earlier this year the Tucson International Mariachi Conference and Mariachi Spectacular de Albuquerque announced the cancelation of their events. The Las Cruces International Mariachi Conference is will take place November 9-14, 2020. This year’s mariachi workshops will be led by internationally acclaimed, Mariachi Cobre of EPCOT – Walt Disney World.
The Las Cruces International Mariachi Conference began in 1994 and mission is to preserve and promote the cultural art forms of Mariachi music and Folkloric dance through educational workshops and performance opportunities for youth and adults. You can subscribe to their newsletter at www.lascrucesmariachi.org for updates as well as make a contribution to their organization to support youth education.
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