Aldine ISD’s Mariachi Acero Opens Rodeo Houston’s Go Tejano Day
The group received an incredible opportunity taking center stage before a crowd of more than 74,000.
Two days before an unprecedented number of cancellations of many Houston events due to COVID-19, the Aldine Independent School District’s Mariachi Acero group was given the spotlight at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.
Mariachi Acero is made up of 18 students from across AISD. The group performed a mariachi rendition of the Star-Spangled Banner to kick off the performances at Rodeo Houston’s Go Tejano Day on Sunday, March 9, 2020.
Since its establishment, Go Tejano Day attracts some of the largest crowds every year, frequently breaking attendance records. This year was no exception with an audience of 74,320.
Aldine High School junior and singer for Mariachi Acero, Ximena Rodarte, recounted the emotional moment immediately following the performance.
Go Tejano Day has become one of the Houston Rodeo’s hottest tickets. The day celebrates the “vaquero” cowboy culture of Mexico, along with the cattle ranching traditions of the American West.
The rodeo’s musical acts are where you can hear these different cultural traditions. The committee invites a plethora of Spanish-language artists of different musical genres that draw massive crowds each year.
Before Mariachi Acero’s big performance, the group performed as the guests of honor in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo’s 29th annual Mariachi Invitational, where professional and collegiate mariachi bands from the U.S. and Mexico compete to win a spot in the musical lineup for the Go Tejano Day musical performances.
About the Author: Luke Rabalais
