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International Mariachi Festival in Guadalajara
International Mariachi Festival, formally the Encuentro Internacional del Mariachi y la Charreria, is an annual celebration in Guadalajara, Jalisco, the recognized birthplace of mariachi music. Typically held in late August or early September, it bills itself as one of the largest gatherings of mariachi musicians in the world, drawing bands and charros from across Mexico and internationally for concerts, a charreada, parades, and a massed closing performance.
Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco and the anchor of Mexico's third-largest metropolitan area with more than five million residents, sits at the center of two traditions widely regarded as quintessentially Mexican, mariachi music and charreria.