Winners Announced for Tejano Conjunto Festival en San Antonio Poster Contest
Sosa Takes the Win — Again!
The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center is pleased to announce San Antonio native Robert Sosa as the winning artist for the 43rd Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival en San Antonio 2025 Poster Contest. This marks a full-circle moment for Sosa, who previously won the competition in 1983 and again in 1985 with a painting of Conjunto pioneer Don Santiago Jiménez Sr. Now, 40 years later, he returns as the winning artist with a tribute to Don Santiago’s son — Grammy Award winner, third generation Conjunto musician, Tex-Mex/Conjunto legend, and San Antonio native Flaco Jiménez.
The winning design, selected through an open competition, will be used in all promotion and marketing for the 43rd Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival, which takes place May 15-18, 2025. The festival includes three days of performances at Rosedale Park (303 Dartmouth St.) from May 16-18 and a senior dance on May 15 from 10 a.m. to noon at Progreso Hall (1306 Guadalupe St.).
The Tejano Conjunto Festival Poster Contest provides opportunities for students in middle school, high school, and college categories to compete for the top prize alongside the open and professional category. The top prize for this winning poster is $2,000. The winning posters and honorable mentions in each category will be printed in the Tejano Conjunto Festival program Tonantzin.
“We once again received an incredible array of heartfelt submissions from artists of all ages,” said Cristina Ballí, executive director of the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. “This year’s winning poster beautifully captures the essence of this living legend and the vibrant spirit of our one-of-a-kind music tradition.”
Other winners in their respective categories, included:
- Open Category: Honorable mention were both San Antonio natives, Carolina Flores received first place and Dr. Hector Garza, an art teacher at Incarnate Word High School was in second place.
- College: First place winner was Roman Gonzales, a student at Incarnate Word College and honorable mention was Monserrat Silva-Lopez, a student at UTSA.
- High School: First place winner was Gabriela Gaona. Honorable mention was Gianna Barbosa, a student at the School of Science & Technology.
- Middle School: The winner of the middle school category was Lydia Ireland, a student at Dr. John Folks Middle School. Honorable mention was offered to GenesisElisia Pinkney, a student at Straus Middle School.
There were more than 65 total entries who participated in the Tejano Conjunto Festival Poster Contest.
The Tejano Conjunto Festival is the first and longest running conjunto festival in the country and is internationally recognized as the most influential event for this beloved and popular Texas musical tradition. The highlight of the 43rd Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival is the opportunity to hear the very best in conjunto music from all across the many different styles played regionally in Texas.
Tejano Conjunto Festival Lineup
The line-up for the 43rd Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival will feature three days of the best in conjunto music. On Friday, May 16, the 43rd Festival kicks off with Los Fantasmas Del Valle, Eva Ybarra y su Conjunto Siempre, Los Alacranes de Daví Flores, Boni Mauricio, Santiago Garza y la Naturaleza and Ricky Naranjo y los Gamblers.
On Saturday, May 17, the festival features student conjuntos from the Rio Grande Valley, Los Fresnos Elementary, PSJA Poderosos, Roma Middle School and Roma High School, then performances by Viva Tejana Dance Company, Mambito y los Champs, Jesse Perez y sus Compadres Alegres, Cindy Ramos y su Conjunto, Gilberto Perez Jr. y sus Compadres, The Delta Boyz, Los Cucuy’s de Rodney Rodriguez, Los Monarcas de Pete y Mario Diaz, Lazaro Perez, Los Garcia Bros, and closing Saturday, Ruben De La Cruz y su Conjunto.
On Sunday, May 18, the Tejano Conjunto Festival starts with student conjuntos from San Antonio and then Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center students, Conjunto Heritage Taller, Southside High School, Edison High School, Ramon Lucio y Dominante, Linda Escobar, Los Tellez, Conjunto Senzzible, Los Arcos Hermanos Peña, Texmaniacs, Ruben Garza y su Conjunto and ending the festival with Jaime De Anda.
In addition to the live music and dancing over three days at Rosedale Park, the 43rd Annual Tejano Conjunto Festival will feature a free seniors dance on Thursday, May 15, from 10 a.m. to noon, with music from Eddie “Lalo” Torres and Conjunto Kingz de Flavio Longoria at Progreso Hall at 1306 Guadalupe St.
New Festival Coordinator
This year, the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center is pleased to announce the appointment of award-winning photojournalist, Mariaelena Villarreal as the new Tejano Conjunto Festival Coordinator. With over 15 years of experience in photojournalism, Villarreal is a passionate photographer, journalist, and advocate for Tejano and Conjunto music. She has dedicated a significant portion of her career to capturing and highlighting the contributions of artists and students within this vibrant community.
Villarreal’s extensive background includes seven years as a photojournalist for Tejano Nation, as well as three years serving as the official photographer for Hohner Accordions. Throughout her career, she has actively supported conjunto students and its organizations across Texas for over a decade. Additionally, she has contributed her journalistic talents to Street Talk Magazine for eight years, where she has brought vibrant cultural narratives to life.
In her new role, Villarreal will assist in coordinating the Tejano Conjunto Festival and manage the festival’s Facebook page, leveraging her deep connections and insights within the conjunto community. She will be instrumental in amplifying the festival’s impact.
“The Tejano Conjunto Festival has long been a cornerstone of our musical heritage, and I am honored to have the opportunity to continue this important work,” stated Villarreal. “With this year’s incredible lineup, we celebrate the rich legacy of conjunto music while also embracing its future. We look forward to providing fans and dancers with an unforgettable experience that truly showcases the very best of this beloved genre.”
Feature photo courtesy Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center.
