THANK YOU! THANK YOU!! THANK YOU!!!
Well, it’s hard to believe that one week ago, we were listening to Caravane close the Festival, followed by the traditional singing of “Volver,” led by our own Beto González! Yes folks, the San Pancho Music Festival will “return” next year, and as always it will be the last weekend in February. Those dates are Feb. 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, 2019.
Mariachis – 2018 Music Festival
Judging from the response that we got at this year’s Festival, we are feeling like it was a great success. Our favorite thing to hear from those attending is that “this was the best year ever,” and we are delighted to have heard that from so many. While that may be subjective, there were a few milestones this year that definitely made it a success from our standpoint.
Ever since the Festival moved to the Plaza a number of years ago, we have tried to alter the format each year to keep things interesting. This year, by making a few changes we were able to present SIX more groups than we did last year! This was accomplished by turning over Stage 2, instead of having one group playing that stage all night. Accomplishing that in the past was impossible, since there simply wasn’t enough manpower to change over both stages, but this year we celebrated the return of Sam Curtis, who did sound for the festival back in the early days. Sam did a wonderful job helping to keep things moving smoothly on Stage 2. We were also able to increase the length of the sets on both stages, which offered the audience the most music in the history of the Festival.
Moonset – 2018 Music Festival
For a number of years we have been wishing that we could pay musicians at least something for their participation in the Festival. Many of them are often turning down paying jobs to play at the Festival, and a number of them even fly down from the States to perform at their own expense. This year, for the first time, we were able to offer each musician an “honorarium”, and while it was modest, it at least helped offset some of those expenses. One of the unique aspects of this Festival has always been the fact that musicians have offered their time and talent by playing for free. Since we’re still not able to fully cover those expenses, it should be noted that the tradition of musicians donating much of their time, energy, and talents still continues. Nonetheless, this was a milestone for us, and it was only possible due to your generous donations.
As the Festival has grown, so have the number of details necessary for our limited staff to field. One of the main tasks has been to secure housing for our out of town artists, and staff members. For the first time this year, we had a “hospitality person” that was able to assist artists in getting to and from the airport, as well as placing them in homes in the area. That person was Dinah Stanley, and we thank her so much for her dedication and hard work. A huge shout out to all of the amazingly generous people that welcomed musicians and staff into their homes; Dennis and Kim, Carolyn and Jonathan, Abi and Charli, and Kathyran! Thank you all for your incredible hospitality!
While the expression, “It takes a village” gets used in a number of contexts, I can’t think of a better way to describe how the San Pancho Music Festival comes together each year. In addition to the wealth of musical talent that appears on our stage each year, we also have been blessed by the talents of graphic designer Layne Moon, whose design for this years theme was a big hit. Whether it’s audio gear contributed by our friends at Circo de Los Niños, meal vouchers for artists courtesy of El Gallo, the aforementioned hosts, incredible volunteers, the great food vendors, or the generous contributions from you, it all adds up to a soul-filled way to spend a weekend in February with friends, neighbors, and family!
If you were unable to attend the Festival, and would still like to make a tax deductible contribution, it’s not too late to do that thanks to our friends at the Chacala Cultural Foundation. We are grateful for their help, and send a big thanks to those who have already contributed this way! PayPal donation to the Music Festival.
To all of you, we thank you for supporting the 2018 San Pancho Music Festival, and we look forward to seeing you next year…mark your calendars for these dates!
