• When Worlds Collide Documentary

    Films:
    When Worlds Collide Documentary

  • Los Lobos

    Music:
    Los Lobos

  • Albie Hect

    Film & Community Conversations:
    Albie Hecht

  • Calpulli Tonalehqueh

    Dance:
    Calpulli Tonalehqueh

  • Once Upon A Time... A Mariachi Musical

    Concerts:
    Once Upon A Time… A Mariachi Musical

  • Music & Dance Workshops

    Festival Workshops:
    Music & Dance Workshops

  • Gil Sperry

    Film & Community Conversations:
    Gil Sperry

  • Olga Nájera-Ramírez

    Film & Community Conversations:
    Olga Nájera-Ramírez

  • Mariachi 101

    Festival Workshops:
    Mariachi 101

  • Los Lupeños

    Dance:
    Los Lupeños

  • Folklórico Dance Workshops

    Festival Workshops:
    Folklórico Dance Workshops

  • Student Showcase Concert

    Concerts:
    Student Showcase Concert

  • The Storm That Swept Mexico

    Films:
    The Storm That Swept Mexico

  • Mariachi Day at Children's Discovery Museum

    Special Events:
    ¡A Moverse Todos! Mariachi Family Day

  • Spanish Harlem Orchestra

    Music:
    Spanish Harlem Orchestra

  • Rafael Zamarripa

    Dance:
    Rafael Zamarripa

  • Mariachi Reyna

    Music:
    Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles

  • Dan Guerrero

    Music:
    Dan Guerrero – Creative Director

  • Mariachi Mass

    Special Events:
    Mariachi Mass

  • Stop The Hate March

    Special Events:
    A Community Conversation

  • UTPA Mariachi Aztlán

    Music:
    UTPA Mariachi Aztlán

  • Richard Gonzales

    Film & Community Conversations:
    Richard Gonzales

  • Mariachi Azteca

    Music:
    Mariachi Azteca

  • Javier Sicilia

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

  • The Harvest

    Films:
    The Harvest

  • Outdoor Feria del Mariachi

    Concerts:
    Outdoor Feria del Mariachi (FREE!)

  • Tito Puente Jr.

    Music:
    Tito Puente Jr.

  • Mariachi Veritas

    Music:
    Mariachi Véritas de Harvard

  • Dionisio Ceballos

    Film & Community Conversations:
    Dionisio Ceballos

  • Cesar Rosas

    Music:
    Cesar Rosas

  • Mariachi Cobre

    Music:
    Mariachi Cobre

  • MEXICO (An IMAX Film)

    Films:
    MEXICO (An IMAX Film)

  • Olga Briseño

    Film & Community Conversations:
    Olga Briseño

  • Thomas A. Saenz

    Film & Community Conversations:
    Thomas A. Saenz

  • Ruben Martinez

    Film & Community Conversations:
    Rubén Martínez

  • Russell Rodriguez

    Film & Community Conversations:
    Russell Rodríguez, Ph.D

  • Comedy Showcase

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

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

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

  • Vikki Carr

    Music:
    Vikki Carr

  • Mariachi Sol

    Music:
    Mariachi Sol de Mexico de Jose Hernandez

  • At The End of The Day

    Films:
    At the End of the Day

  • U. Roberto Romano

    Film & Community Conversations:
    U. Roberto Romano

  • Danza Folklórica Escénica: El Sello Artístico de Rafael Zamarripa

    Films:
    Danza Folklórica Escénica

  • Latina On The Loose

    Concerts:
    Latina on the Loose

  • Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitllan

    Music:
    Mariachi Nuevo Tecalitlán

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 →