What's Happening in San Antonio, TX…

Even rain could not slow down the dancers at the Tejano Conjunto Festival in San Antonio earlier this month.

This is the 35th year for the celebration, which pays tribute to the unique South Texas music known as Conjunto. The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center put on the festival, which brought musicians and dancers from throughout Texas, as well as Australia, the Netherlands, and Mexico, for a five-day party.

Conjunto music is a fusion of styles found in Texas in the 1800s, including Afro-Caribbean, Spanish, and indigenous, which were then blended with the music of incoming Europeans, who brought polkas and accordions with them. Rock music, the blues, and electric music were added in, resulting in the unique Conjunto sound.

The event founder is Juan Tejeda, who teaches Mexican-American Studies at Palo Alto College. Tejeda is a musician as well, and calls Conjunto the community's folk music. He says that Conjunto hit the height of its popularity in 1992, when the festival comprised 45 bands and ran for seven days. The music declined as other genres made inroads into Hispanic communities, but this year, 31 bands played over five days, suggesting something of a revival.

Tejeda and other event organizers might consider working with a flyer printing company to create a mailer for the community, describing this year's fun and asking people to save the date next year.