Viva Mexico, the fourth annual Heartbeat of Mexico festival returns to the Musco Center for the Arts and Aitken Arts Plaza at Chapman University over Memorial Day weekend in a gathering of Mexican culture.
The festival returns in 2019 with superstar duo Jesse & Joy, the iconic Alicia Villarreal, and Lupillo Rivera performing with Mariachi. Free events include a large-scale family-friendly community outdoor festival, a new celebration of Ballet Folklórico, and a six-week cultural arts and lecture series that explores the depths of Mexican and Mexican-American culture, according to Musco Center Executive Director Richard T. Bryant.
In the evenings, ticketed events take place inside Musco Center with performances by Folk-pop sensations Jesse & Joy on Thursday, May 23 at 7:30pm, Latin pop phenomenon Alicia Villarreal on Saturday, May 25 at 7:30pm, and Southern California’s own Lupillo Rivera with Mariachi on Sunday, May 26 at 6pm. A limited 100 Early Bird full-festival passes will go on-sale March 12, featuring 20 percent off two events or 25 percent off three events.
The free outdoor festival begins on Sunday, May 26 at 12pm and runs until 6pm. Last year, thousands gathered on the Bette and Wylie Aitken Arts Plaza in front of Musco Center and elsewhere at Chapman University to enjoy a family-friendly array of musicians, dancers, games, arts and crafts, booths from local organizations, and more.
Previous years have featured stars from throughout Mexico and America, including folk songstress Natalia Lafourcade (2018), the fabled Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano (2016 and 2018), East Los Angeles chicano band Las Cafeteras (2017), and New York City’s all-female group Mariachi Flor de Toloache (2017).
Individual tickets or full festival passes are available online at www.muscocenter.org or by calling the box office at 844-OC-MUSCO (844-626-8726). All print-at-home tickets include a no-cost parking pass. Musco Center for the Arts is located on the campus of Chapman University at 415 North Glassell, Orange, Calif.