Tucson International Mariachi Conference

The La Frontera Tucson International Mariachi Conference, which has been held in Tucson since 1983, is a week long celebration of Hispanic music, art and culture. This year, it will take place from April 23 through the 26. It will feature a variety of talented mariachi and baile folklorico performers.

Groups that will be performing at the Tucson Convention Center include Lucero, Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlan, and Mariachi Los Camperos de Nati Cano, to name a few.

High school mariachi groups are invited to participate in a Mariachi Showcase Concert competition to win a $1,500 prize and scholarship.

Perhaps the most important part of the conference is that it was created for children. The La Frontera Center Inc., a non-profit behavioral health agency, provides the opportunity for students to become involved. About 900 students travel from across the nation to learn the art of mariachi and folklorico dance. Workshops are designed not only to teach music and dance, but also to shape values such as tradition, humility and pride in one's culture.

The award-winning conference is one of the largest cultural events in the United States.

On the final day of the conference, a day-long party,The Fiesta de Garibaldi, will be held at the DeMeester Outdoor Performance Center at Reid Park. There will be two different stages featuring music and dance. There will also be Mexican food and arts and crafts tht can be purchased from vendors


Entrance fee is $5 per person, but children 16 and under are free.

From April 17 through the 27, Tucson will host the 17th Arizona International Film Festival. The festival will allow up and coming filmmakers to debut their work, and 80 films are scheduled to run featuring filmmakers from 15 different countries.

The festival, which is Arizona's longest running, attracts visitors from all over the country.

One of the films, entitled Palestine En Solidaridad (Palestine in Solidarity), is a 5 minute documentary made by J.M. Aragon. The film follows a delegation from Palestine who visit the U.S.-Mexico border with Tucson human rights group Coalición de Derechos Humanos.


The film examines the reactions of the delegation as they come face to face with the similarities between the national border crises at home and abroad. They also question the authority of those who see such walls as necessary to keep out the “unwanted.” the film will be showing April 24 at 6 p.m. in the Screening Room.

Aragon is a Tucson native who has been exploring U.S.-Mexico border issues since 2005. His documentary Presente: Inside the Migrant Trail Walk (2006) was an official selection of the Arizona International Film Festival and was featured in the debut of Filmstock at the Rialto Theater.

The festival also features a number of other films by directors from Spain and Mexico.

Single admission tickets can be purchased from $6 to $10 depending on the day and film. Passes can also be purchased. A $40 pass will allow the holder to attend 6 screenings, while a $150 pass includes all screenings, workshops and events. Beginning April 8, you can purchase your passes in advance at The Screening Room, 127 East Congress, Tuesday through Saturday from 2 to 6PM. Single admission tickets can be purchased up to two hours prior to the viewing.

Call 882-0204 for pass information.

St. Andrew's Clinic

On April 3, the students of Border Beat at the University of Arizona traveled to Nogales, Arizona.

Once a month, on the first Thursday, St. Andrew's Episcopal Church is converted into St. Andrew's Children's Clinic, a non-profit organization and free medical clinic for under-privileged children from Mexico suffering from various illnesses and handicaps.

Founded in 1973, the work of St. Andrew's clinic would not be possible without the dedication of numerous volunteers and doctors that devote their time and energy to helping these children. Doctors travel from as far as Washington and California, and many from Tucson, to be a part of this mission that has positively transformed the lives of so many Hispanic families that have been fortunate enough to utilize their services.

St. Andrew's operates from donations from the public, and perhaps one of it's largest accomplishments is it's ability to ensure that 94% of the proceeds go back to the children.

The clinic is issued 250 permits each month, and 7 men are responsible for traveling to the border to transport children and their families back to the site for medical attention.


The medical staff and volunteers have touched the lives of many and have created some incredible miracles along the way.

My personal experience at St. Andrew's was extremely eye-opening. I had never been witness to such an extraordinary project that affects so many people. It was apparent that without the aid of everyone at the clinic, most of the children would never be able to lead normal lives. My visit to St. Andrews is one I'll never forget and I hope to return to volunteer my own time some day.

The video below shows an overview of the main waiting room at St. Andrew's. Here, families wait to be seen and children play and do arts and crafts to pass the time.