Girls Inc. of Carpinteria will celebrate Cinco de Mayo with its 10th annual Mariachi Encuentro event, an evening of authentic Mexican food, music and culture, Saturday, May 5, at the Girls Inc. of Carpinteria campus, 5315 Foothill Road.
Live entertainment will feature Los Angeles-based Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuellar mariachi ensemble; Grupo Bella, an all-female group that will serenade guests during dinner; artist Patricia Martin; and Ballet Folklorico de Los Angeles.
Doors to the event open at 4:45 p.m. and dinner will be served at 5:15 p.m. This year’s event co-chairs are John Cerda and Theresa Huerta.
“Each year, Mariachi Encuentro brings together an incredible group of community members for an evening of dancing, award-winning music and delicious Mexican food,” said John Cerda, who serves on Girls Inc. of Carpinteria’s Board of Trustees.
“We are proud to mark 10 years of bringing this cultural event to the community and look forward to celebrating on Cinco de Mayo while raising funds for Girls Inc.’s mission to cultivate strong, confident and self-sufficient girls,” he said.
Tickets to the event are $45 for bleacher seating and $65 for reserved seating and include dinner. Tickets must be purchased in advance and will not be sold at the door. All proceeds will benefit Girls Inc. of Carpinteria’s programs.
Founded in 1994 by Jamie Cuellar, Mariachi Garibaldi began as a privately run community youth group. The ensemble gained popularity as one of the first youth mariachis to arise in Bakersfield.
Over the years, Mariachi Garibaldi has evolved into a premier mariachi band in California directed by Jimmy “El Pollo” Cuellar, a composer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist with three Grammy award nominations and three Grammy award wins.
The group has shared the stage with a number of mariachi ensembles and such artists as Latin Grammy award-winning artist Alejandro Fernandez and the late, Latin American music legend Juan Gabriel.
Grupo Bella uses mariachi instrumentation to perform different styles of music. Offering everything from traditional mariachi to salsa, the women who make up Grupo Bella have worked on Grammy-winning or nominated albums.
Their style and traditional apparel add a modern twist to the mariachi music and sound of this Los Angeles based group.
Martin has been performing with mariachi groups since she was 13. She has recorded two albums with Mariachi Reyna de Los Angeles and two solo albums, and played solo openings for such artists as the Icon of Mexican Ranchera Music and Vicente Fernandez.
Martin also has dedicated some 20 years to working with children with mental and physical disabilities.
Ballet Folklorico de Los Angeles was founded in 2011 by Kareli Montoya and has distinguished itself as a premier Mexican folk dance company by not only performing in world-class venues, but also by working with Grammy award-winning artists such as Lila Downs and Pepe Aguilar.
For more information about Mariachi Encuentro or to buy tickets, call 684-6364 or visit www.girlsinc-carp.org.
— Daniella Alkobi for Girls Inc. Carpinteria.