The popular Mariachi Festival, now in its third year, returns to Salt Lake City on Friday — but if you don’t have tickets, your viewing options are limited.
Bolivia, meanwhile, is the focus of a festival on Saturday: Bolivian Fest, which goes from 4-9 p.m. and will be held at University Place Mall in Orem.
Mariachi Festival
Tickets for the mariachi event, which were free, were made available starting in July and were all claimed within three days, a testament to the popularity of the event, according to Walter Robert, marketing manager for Salt Lake City’s Downtown Alliance. Still, one performance in the Grand Lobby of Eccles Theater, where the festival will be held, will be open to all at 6 p.m. on Friday before the main event; no tickets required.
“It is a joy to see local and national talent share the stage, bringing the beauty and spirit of mariachi to the heart of Utah. Events like this strengthen the bonds between Mexico and Utah and remind us of the cultural richness we share,” said Eduardo Baca, consul general of the Mexican Consulate in Utah, one of the sponsors of the event.
The headline performer at the ticketed event, to begin at 6:40 p.m., will be Flor de Toloache, a Grammy-nominated and Latin Grammy-winning, all-female mariachi ensemble. Three other Utah bands will also perform: Mariachi Fuego, Mariachi México en Utah, and Mariachi Sol de Jalisco. Mariachi Fuego, a youth mariachi group in Utah, will offer the 6 p.m. performance in the Grand Lobby.
Bolivian Fest
Bolivian Fest, now in its fifth year, is organized by El Chasqui Foundation, an advocacy and cultural group focused on the South American nation.
The event will feature Bolivian music and other performances, people in traditional Bolivian costumes, food and items from the country, and more. There will be a “mission zone” where members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who served missions in the country can commiserate, a zone geared to children, displays of Bolivian artwork and more.
It’s held in August each year in conjunction with Bolivia’s Independence Day, which is Aug. 6, according to Susy Lisi, who leads El Chasqui Foundation. This year is special, she said, because it marks 200 years of Bolivia’s independence from Spain.