Narciso Martinez Cultural Arst Center logo

NARCISO MARTINEZ CULTURAL ARTS CENTER

LOS FRESNOS, TEXAS

(956) 367-0335

Thank You!

The Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center would like to thank everyone who attended our 3-day festival and also to those who volunteered, we couldn’t have done this without you! We especially want to thank all the advertising sponsors of the 29th Annual Conjunto Festival’s magazine. Your support helped us make the festival possible.


Thanks to the City of Los Fresnos, the Community Development Corporation, and the Los Fresnos Chamber of Commerce for their continuous support. It is this community and people that make a difference. Whether you advertised, donated, or gave your time at the festival, every contribution is invaluable, especially, when we see families and friends coming together. Your support truly helped the organization fulfill its mission. 


We are happy to report that this year’s conjunto festival was successful on October 7, 8, and 9, 2022. We attracted over two thousand visitors from all parts of the U.S., Texas, and the Rio Grande Valley.  Everyone enjoyed the live performances of the 17 conjunto bands.


To all the advertisers who participated in our 29th Annual Conjunto Festival’s magazine, you can view your 2022 advertisement on the digital flip-book version on our website.


Special thanks to Mr. Luis Gonzalez, Sponsor of the Los Fresnos Interact Club, who graciously scheduled his students to assist us at the festival entrance.  We truly enjoyed meeting all of you. Volunteers: Ayleen Baez, Betty Rose, Braisaeda Guerrero, Brenna Castro, Brisa Alaniz, Carolina Oyervidez, Ceciela M. Vega, Esmeralda Ruiz, Fatima Alejandra, Fatima Lara, Ivan Serino, Jada Rivas, Jenibelle Leal, Katherine Farrah, Marina Uribe, Mia Soberanis, Miguel Romero, Nicholas Almaguer, Noemie Cruz, Robert Nieto, and Suani Lorenzo.


We look forward to next year’s event and want to continue working as we prepare for the 30th Annual Narciso Martinez Conjunto Festival in 2023!  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.  Again, thank you.

For more information contact:  

Rogelio Núñez @ 956-367-0335, Yolanda Lopez @ 956-571-3325

or find us on Facebook

The Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center

Narciso Martinez photo

The Narcisco Martinez Cultural Arts Center is an organization dedicated to the preservation, promotion and development of the rich, cultural heritage of the Mexican American community in the visual arts, music, theater, dance and literary works.

The Center, as it is known and referred to by many, opened its doors on Tuesday, October 29, 1991with a performance by Narciso Martinez on his 80th birthday; he played to a standing room crowd. The Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center was named in his honor as the result of his philosophy of being a proud man of Mexican ancestry and working class origins; a man of the people who over the years gave of himself and his musical talents so that others could enjoy his contributions; a man who was willing to share his rich musical and Texas-Mexican border experience.

Narciso Martinez was born in 1911 in Reynosa, Tamaulipas, Mexico, but lived most of his life near San Benito, Texas. He was the first successful conjunto artist to record hundreds of recordings. In 1935 Narciso on the accordion, teamed with bajo sexto player Santiago Almeida, they formed what would become one of the most successful accordion and bajo sexto duos of all time. In 1935 Narciso and Santiago recorded some of the most famous conjunto songs in the history of conjunto music, the polka “La Chicharronera” and the schottische “El Tronoconal” on the Blue Record label. The results of these two recordings were outstanding, thus making Narciso Martinez one of the most prolific and well known conjunto musicians after 1935. The epithet “El Huracán del Valle” was given to him in recognition of the great storm his music created.

Narciso Martinez led the evolution of a new style of accordion driven music, until his death at the age of 80 in 1992. He represents a major historical presence not only in the Rio Grande Valley, but all over the country. Narciso recorded through 1992 before falling ill, and performed at various events both locally and state-wide. In 1983 he received the National Heritage Award from the National Endowment of the Humanities in Washington, D.C.

OUR SPONSORS

City of Los Fresnos logo
Los Fresnos Community Development Corporation logo
Los Fresnos Chamber of Commerce logo

P. O. BOX 471, SAN BENITO, TEXAS 78586

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