• Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitllan

    Music:
    Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán

  • Student Showcase Concert

    Concerts:
    Student Showcase Concert

  • Mariachi Azteca

    Music:
    Mariachi Azteca

  • Calpulli Tonalehqueh

    Dance:
    Calpulli Tonalehqueh

  • Mariachi Reyna

    Music:
    Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles

  • Vikki Carr

    Music:
    Vikki Carr

  • Mariachi Sol

    Music:
    Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez

  • Stop The Hate March

    Special Events:
    A Community Conversation

  • Richard Gonzales

    Film & Community Conversations:
    Richard Gonzales

  • Ruben Martinez

    Film & Community Conversations:
    Rubén Martínez

  • Olga Briseño

    Film & Community Conversations:
    Olga Briseño

  • The Storm That Swept Mexico

    Films:
    The Storm That Swept Mexico

  • Olga Nájera-Ramírez

    Film & Community Conversations:
    Olga Nájera-Ramírez

  • Danza Folklórica Escénica: El Sello Artístico de Rafael Zamarripa

    Films:
    Danza Folklórica Escénica

  • Once Upon A Time... A Mariachi Musical

    Concerts:
    Once Upon A Time… A Mariachi Musical

  • Mariachi Cobre

    Music:
    Mariachi Cobre

  • Thomas A. Saenz

    Film & Community Conversations:
    Thomas A. Saenz

  • Rafael Zamarripa

    Dance:
    Rafael Zamarripa

  • Folklórico Dance Workshops

    Festival Workshops:
    Folklórico Dance Workshops

  • Dionisio Ceballos

    Film & Community Conversations:
    Dionisio Ceballos

  • Spanish Harlem Orchestra

    Music:
    Spanish Harlem Orchestra

  • Javier Sicilia

    Friday, May 4, 2012:
    VivaFest 2012 Spring Events – Conversations with Javier Sicilia Ruben Martinez and Ruben Navarrette

  • Outdoor Feria del Mariachi

    Concerts:
    Outdoor Feria del Mariachi (FREE!)

  • Tito Puente Jr.

    Music:
    Tito Puente Jr.

  • MEXICO (An IMAX Film)

    Films:
    MEXICO (An IMAX Film)

  • Comedy Showcase

    Concerts:
    VivaFest 2012 Spring Events – An Evening of Comedy!

  • Mariachi Day at Children's Discovery Museum

    Special Events:
    ¡A Moverse Todos! Mariachi Family Day

  • Los Lupeños

    Dance:
    Los Lupeños

  • When Worlds Collide Documentary

    Films:
    When Worlds Collide Documentary

  • Russell Rodriguez

    Film & Community Conversations:
    Russell Rodríguez, Ph.D

  • Cesar Rosas

    Music:
    Cesar Rosas

  • UTPA Mariachi Aztlán

    Music:
    UTPA Mariachi Aztlán

  • The Sound of East LA Meets the Kings of Latin Swing

    Concerts:
    The Sound of East LA Meets the Kings of Latin Swing

  • Dan Guerrero

    Music:
    Dan Guerrero – Creative Director

  • Los Lobos

    Music:
    Los Lobos

  • The Harvest

    Films:
    The Harvest

  • Mariachi 101

    Festival Workshops:
    Mariachi 101

  • Albie Hect

    Film & Community Conversations:
    Albie Hecht

  • Latina On The Loose

    Concerts:
    Latina on the Loose

  • At The End of The Day

    Films:
    At the End of the Day

  • Music & Dance Workshops

    Festival Workshops:
    Music & Dance Workshops

  • U. Roberto Romano

    Film & Community Conversations:
    U. Roberto Romano

  • Gil Sperry

    Film & Community Conversations:
    Gil Sperry

  • Mariachi Mass

    Special Events:
    Mariachi Mass

  • Mariachi Veritas

    Music:
    Mariachi Véritas de Harvard

Welcome - Bienvenidos to ¡VivaFest!

San Jose’s annual fiesta celebrating “la vida Latino” – the heritage, music, cuisine, arts and beauty of Mexico. For ten days experience the best in Mexico’s heritage arts – from mariachi to rock and roll, salsa to sones, and spanning pre-Columbian to modern times there’s something for everyone to discover. Find your inner mariachi at our mariachi educational music and dance workshops, try the best locally produced Mexican food in the Bay Area at our free outdoor event or be transported at our annual musical spectacular featuring (literally) a cast of hundreds!

There is nothing like San Jose’s Mexican Heritage Festival – entonces, pásale – come in!

Welcome to our house – the Bay Area’s hometown fiesta of living.

Festival Updates

Screening of the film The Harvest (La Cosecha)

Among the non-musical offerings of VivaFest was the screening of the film The Harvest (La Cosecha) – an extraordinarily moving documentary on child labor among the migrant workforce in America. The film followed three children and their families – 12 year old Zulema Lopez, 14-year-old Perla Sanchez and 16-year-old Victor Huapilla – as they picked crops across the U.S.A. Continue reading →