The main performance of the mariachis will be at:

ArtsFiesta!
6:30 – 9:30 p.m., Friday, May 6
at Founder’s Park, 330 E. Water St.
in Downtown Springfield

ArtsFiesta! is a celebration of Mexican culture, and will feature an authentic Mariachi band, Mariachi Viva Jalisco, from Springfield’s sister city of Tlaquepaque, Mexico. Festivities also include dance performances by Grupo Latinoamericano from Springfield and Grupo Libertad from Branson. Admission is $3; children 10 and under are free.

Mariachi Viva Jalisco will make several other appearances throughout the week:
Thursday, May 5
Noon—Missouri State University, Plaster Student Union, free
Friday, May 6
Noon—Drury University, Findlay Student Center, free
Saturday, May 7
1 p.m. —Artsfest on Historic Walnut Street, main stage. Artsfest admission is $3 advance; $5 at the gate; kids 5 and younger are free.
9 p.m. —Three 20’s Club, 3005 S. Kansas Expressway, performing with Springfield’s M-Dock, free

Call Springfield Sister Cities Association for more information at 417-864-1191

ArtsFiesta! is a celebration of Mexican culture, and will feature an authentic Mariachi band, Mariachi Viva Jalisco, from Springfield’s sister city of Tlaquepaque, Mexico. Festivities also include dance performances by Grupo Latinoamericano from Springfield and Grupo Libertad from Branson.

Mexican food will be available for purchase, creating an all-around authentic cultural experience of Tlaquepaque, Mexico. Games for children are also included. Admission to ArtsFiesta! is $3; children 10 and under are free. Guests are encouraged to bring a lawn chair to enjoy a full evening of events.

Mariachi Viva Jalisco will make several other appearances throughout the week:

Thursday, May 5

Noon—Missouri State University, Plaster Student Union, free

Friday, May 6

Noon—Drury University, Findlay Student Center, free

Saturday, May 7

1 p.m. —Artsfest on Historic Walnut Street, main stage. Artsfest admission is $3 advance; $5 at the gate; kids 5 and younger are free.
9 p.m. —320’s Club, 3005 S. Kansas Expressway, performing with Springfield’s M-Dock, cover charge

ArtsFiesta! is presented by SSCA; the City of Tlaquepaque, Mexico; American Family Insurance; Empire Bank; and the Springfield-Greene County Park Board.

For more information, media contact: Cindy Jobe, Sister Cities Coordinator, 417-864-1341 or 417-353-6424. Dowload an Artsfiesta! poster in Spanish or English here:

Artsfiesta! 2011 poster in English

Artsfiesta! 2011 poster in Spanish

After being postponed in 2009 until October because of the H1N1 virus and moving to the main stage of Artsfest in 2010, Artsfiesta! will be back in the spotlight on May 6, 2011 on the Founder’s Park stage in downtown Springfield at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Water Street.

A male mariachi band will be traveling from our sister city in Tlaquepaque, Mexico to perform for the event. Grupo Latinoamericano and Grupo Libertad are local Mexican culture organizations who will perform a variety of colorful and historical dances.

Being back at Founder’s Park will allow these groups more space to perform and for community members attending the event to participate — so put on your dancing shoes, bring the whole family, and join the fun!

ArtsFiesta! – a Cinco De Mayo Celebration of Mexican art, culture, and music
Friday, May 6, 2011 from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m.
330 E. Water Street, at the corner of Jefferson and Water
Founder’s Park – downtown Springfield MO -
Adults $3 – Kids 10 and under Free!

If you missed the lady mariachis playing violins, trumpet and bass guitar as they marched down the center of ArtsFest on historic Walnut Street, you can watch the video here.

The musicians didn’t miss a beat as they walked and smiled at the crowd, picking up more and more followers as they progressed towards the main stage for their noon performance.

At ArtsFiesta! which was held this year at ArtsFest on Historic Walnut Street, musical performances by Mariachi Femenil Nuevo Tecalitlan were alternated with a variety of colorful dances by Springfield’s Grupo Latino.

As always, this organization couldn’t function without all the hard work and infectious energy of our volunteers!

Grupo Latino poses in their revolutionary costumes.

Here’s a short video clip from the event:

On the schedule free day they also squeezed in a trip to Branson’s family theme park — Silver Dollar City — and a high-flying tour of the beautiful lakes around Springfield and Branson by helicopter.

Another day was spent touring Springfield public parks to learn about park management and use of volunteers to maintain specialized gardens.

Mariachi Femenil Nuevo Tecalitlan, our visiting all-female mariachi band for ArtsFiesta arrived in Springfield on Wednesday from Tlaquepaque, Mexico – via London. The world-traveling women are full of energy and immediately set about performing at venues throughout town.

On Thursday and Friday, the band performed at public schools including Boyd, Field, Weller, Bisset, Holland, and Willard Elementary schools. Also Drury and Missouri State Universities and the Boys and Girls Club.

They performed live on KY3 and taped ArtsFiesta! promotions for Ky3 and KSPR. Between all these events, the girls even had a chance to squeeze in a trip to Hammons Field for a Cardinals ballgame on Friday.

Thanks to all the host families and SSCA committees for coordinating performances and getting everyone to the right place at the right time.

Cross your fingers for good weather at ArtsFiesta! on Walnut Street tonight – it will be a grand performance!

The Springfield Sister Cities Association (SSCA) will host its annual ArtsFiesta! celebration beginning at 5 p.m., Saturday, May 1, on the main stage at Artsfest on Historic Walnut Street. ArtsFiesta! was previously held at Founders Park in downtown Springfield, but has moved to historic Walnut Street in celebration of Artsfest’s 30th anniversary.

The event is a celebration of Mexican culture, which will feature an all-female Mariachi band, Mariachi Femenil Nuevo Tecalitlan, from Springfield’s sister city of Tlaquepaque, Mexico. Mariachi Femenil Nuevo Tecalitlan will perform at area schools in the days leading up to the Saturday event.

Admission to ArtsFiesta! and Artsfest is combined, with $3 advance tickets available beginning Monday, April 12 from McDonald’s restaurants in Springfield, Ozark, Republic, Nixa and Willard. Admission for children 10 and under is free. Artsfest tickets can be purchased day-of for $5. Concessions also will be available for sale.

Guests are encouraged to bring a lawn chair to enjoy the evening events. ArtsFiesta! includes performances by local dance groups, Mexican food, and provides an all-around authentic cultural experience of Tlaquepaque, Mexico.

ArtsFiesta! is presented by Springfield Sister Cities Association; the City of Tlaquepaque, Mexico; American Family Insurance; Frito Lay; and Springfield-Greene County Park Board.

For more information, media contact: Cindy Jobe, SSCA Coordinator, 417-864-1341.

An all-female Mariachi band, Mariachi Femenil Nuevo Tecalitlan, from Springfield’s sister city of Tlaquepaque, Mexico will be performing at ArtsFiesta! at 5 p.m. Saturday, May 1, 2010 at ArtsFest on Walnut Street.

Thursday, April 29 – the band will be performing for area public schools, Drury University, and the Boys and Girls Club.

Friday, April 30 – performances at area public schools and Missouri State University

Saturday, May 1, noon - performance at ArtsFest stage at Walnut and National

Saturday, May 1, 5 p.m. - ArtsFiesta! on the ArtsFiesta stage on Walnut Street